[Typo3] MTB or TemplateViola?

Sacha Vorbeck sachav at gmx.net
Thu Jun 23 21:05:37 CEST 2005


Hi,

> I need the resulting BE interface to be solid and easy enough for the
> editors/writers to use.
> 
> Other experiences welcome - thanks to those who have shared them so far.

I made a few sites with TV by now and it sure has it`s advantages.
Especially when you have strict guidelines for the HTML source, which is
very likely when you create accessible websites, and also would like to
make the BE-dialogues "idiot proof". Or with other words: don`t want to
risk any CI breaches because your editors have too many options.

It took me a long time to find out how nested divs should be mapped and
how to included conditional wraps if an editor doesn`t have to fill in
all fields etc.. But once I got over that hill (which is not long ago
;-)), I enjoyed using it.

I already had some talks about TV vs. other techniques with Mathias and
Joey. While Mathias said he would just create some custome content
elements with the kickstarter, Joey preferred the TS way. Which are both
OK and probably lead to the same result in the same time. But I`m
neither Mr. TCA nor Mr. TS ;-) and so TV seems to be the best choice for me.

An example:
I had to create a content element which should render the following HTML
depending on a select-box with the four entries
"header above image on the left side"
"header next two image on the left side"
"header above image on the right side"
"header next two image on the right side"

Apart from the selectbox there are 3 other input fields:
headline
text
link

The link - if entered will be used for the headline and the image as well.

<h3>Headline</h3>
<img class="fleft" src="img/petersburg.jpg" alt="description"
height="98" width="150">
<p class="teaser">Text</p>

<div class="initial">
<img class="fleft" src="img/study.jpg" alt="description" height="150"
width="200">
<h2>Headline</h2>
<p class="teaser">Text</p>
</div>

<h3>Headline</h3>
<img class="fright" src="img/petersburg.jpg" alt="description"
height="98" width="150">
<p class="teaser">Text</p>

<div class="initial">
<img class="fright" src="img/study.jpg" alt="description" height="150"
width="200">
<h2>Headline</h2>
<p class="teaser">Text</p>
</div>

With TV and some conditional wraps inside of the DS I`m able to create
this input element within 20 minutes (now, not long ago I needed 10
hours ;-))). BE-dialogue, FE-rendering new conent element with preview
icon and description text in the new content element wizard all included.

But I`m also missing some things (well it`s not a stable version so I
can`t complain):

- not possible to work with constants in the TS within the DS
  (say you have multi-language, multi-tree website and define a constant
  for a currency symbol in every tree. Then you would not be able to
  access this constant within your FCEs)

- I couldn`t find a way yet to use palletes within FCEs. So I can only
  place the input fields one under another and not next to each other or
  group them to logical units.

- the normal header field is not used which is confusing for editors. I
  could disable it but then you sometimes can`t recognize which content
  element you are watching at in the TV-page module because content
  preview is only possible when you don`t use sections. So you need the
  normal headline field to add a descriptive Text for the TV-page view.

- in some cases your DS will be lost if you modify the mapping, so
  always copy the DS into a text file

and some other minor issues. Maybe I´m just to stupid and all this is
already possible but I couldn`t find it yet. Other things have been
fixed recently:

- patch for section index (http://bugs.typo3.org/view.php?id=465)
- change order of containers within sections
- FCEs appear in the new content element wizard with templavoila_cw

My conclusion: it is nice and powerful, especially when you don`t have
deep knowledge about the TYPO3-API, TCA and advanced TS. But you will
have to fight your way through some 'mapping nightmares' and 'include TS
into XML jungles' before the fun begins. As I already said: I`m happily
looking forward for the things to come!

-- 
Ciao,
Sacha




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