[Typo3] Typo Templates For Idiots?

[Lefkowitz, Jason]

Hey everybody.

Maybe one of you can help me out.  I'm trying to understand Typo3's
template model, and so far it has utterly defeated me.  The
documentation is more confusing than helpful -- it throws you into the
TypoScript waters without adequately explaining what the scripts are
doing, or where to put them.  Result is I get nowhere.

Here's what I'm trying to do:

1) Create a layout in XHTML
2) Mark out regions of the XHTML file for Typo to insert content into
3) Load this document into Typo as a template
4) Apply this template to a page in the pagetree successfully (so that
the front-end updates with the new layout).

This can't possibly be as hard as it seems to be.  Is there a document
out there that lays this stuff out in painfully simple terms for people
like me who just don't get it?  I'm not dumb, I understand PHP just fine
and even templating frameworks like Smarty, so I know that if it was
laid out the right way I can get it.  I just can't find anywhere where
it's laid out the right way -- I've searched the docs, combed the
mailinglist archives and watched the video tutorials and they all leave
me more confused than enlightened.  Help!  :)

-- Jason Lefkowitz

--
Jason A. Lefkowitz
Manager, E-Activism
Oceana

2501 M Street NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20037-1311

Tel: 1-202-833-3900
Fax: 1-202-833-2070
Email: jlefkowitz at oceana.org 
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