[TYPO3] Customizing templates

[tonix (Antonio Nati)]

At 17.12 12/04/2007, Christopher Torgalson wrote:
>Hello again,
>
>
>Well, there are specific manuals covering both TS and TSconfig [1],
>[2], [3], [4], [5]. If you want the one-sentence explanation, TS is
>for configuring FE output, and TSconfig is for configuring the BE both
>in general, and also for specific users and groups.

Thanks, this clarified a lot.


> > Typo3 is a framework more than a CMS, so all the power of generating
> > and using objects/datatypes/templates/etc should be explained a lot
> > more clearly.
>
>
>Maybe so. What are your SPECIFIC suggestions?

Following your previous explanation, the most of sections should be 
renamed in a self-explaining way in BE (ex.: TS -> FE TS, TSconfig -> 
BE TSconfig, and so on). This simple adding would semplify life of everyone.

><snip>
>
> > >1. Re-read the TSref section on conditions
> >
> > Done. But no part is telling me how I can introduce a
> > field/variable/definition that can be used inside conditions (if it
> > can be done :-) ).
>
>You can't have read it that closely, or you'd have found that
>conditions can be user-defined in php [6]

I do not want to use PHP, unless I'm forced. I want to learn typo3 
and give my graphics the ability to use it without knowing what is PHP.


> > >2. Read about how to actually /use/ the TSref effectively (doesn't
> > >cover conditions, but should help you understand why you can't just
> > >invent TS properties and how to find a function, property or object
> > >that does what you need it to do) [1]
> >
> > I don't see anything explaining what datatypes are really, how they
> > can be created and used, which is the influence of a datatype created
> > in PHP but used in TS (and viceversa), how they can be used in the
> > various Typo3 sections.
>
>
>This is because, generally speaking, datatypes are NOT created; the
>existing ones are employed. Datatypes tell you two things:
>
>1. the nature of the expected input
>2. how that data will be processed
>
>
> > I mean, there is nothink explaining the base bricks of typo3.
> >
> > This is the TSref manual.
>
><snip>
>
>
>Well, one problem is that the TSref is NOT a manual. Its job is not
>really to explain how to use TS. That's the job of the TS by example
>[3].
>
>
> > But I need to know where to define my variables, how to exchange them
> > with PHP, how they are used within various TS sections.
>
>
>Well, after a while, you may be surprised how little it is generally
>necessary to use php, but try to figure out the USER cObject [7]--and
>pay particular attention to the userFunc property of the USER
>cObject--the files it refers to are present in the TYPO3 source, so
>you can try them out and see how they work. The actual path (from the
>webroot) is not media/... but typo3/sysext/cms/tslib/media/...

I'm having a particular approach because I already developed a CMS 
for myself, where there was no need at all of learning PHP or Perl.
I've no time for improving my CMS (too much time for extending it and 
integrating with forums/etc.), and Typo3 has the most I need (and a 
lot more), so I've decided to quit mine and move exiting sites to typo3.
But, while I like the most of  typo3, I feel it misses some simply 
features, like the possibility to generate an internal FE Variable, 
that could be used both for display and conditions.

Again, thanks for all, I'm sure I will be happy with typo3.

Tonino