helpfulrobot / zirak-widget-pages-extension

Widgets Pages Extension is an enhancement for the actual widget module (http://addons.silverstripe.org/add-ons/silverstripe/widgets). Freely inspired to burnbright/silverstripe-widgetpages, it adds Widget's Gridfields to the extended pages.

Widgets Pages Extension

Freely inspired to burnbright/silverstripe-widgetpages, it adds Widget's Gridfields to the extended pages or DataObjects. Widgets Pages Extension is an enhancement for the actual widget module (http://addons.silverstripe.org/add-ons/silverstripe/widgets).

Introduction

This module is a workaround for an old and annoying widget module bug: silverstripe/silverstripe-widgets#20 It's also a Proof of Concept for an alternative way to manage widget through many_many relationsiph rather than the actual has_many relationsiph. Extending the widget behaviour with this module you can be able to link existing widgets instead of rewrite them again. Widgets are sortable inside their WidgetArea. Also DataObjects can have their widges.

Requirements

• SilverStripe 3.1

Installation

Install the module through composer:

composer zirak/widget-pages-extension

Extend the desired pages through the following yaml:

:::yml
Page:
  extensions:
    - WidgetPage

Define the WidgetAreas in the $has_one relationship, and specify which $allowed_widgets are ok for this page type

:::php
class Page extends SiteTree {

	private static $db = array(
	);
	private static $has_one = array(
			'HeaderBar' => 'WidgetArea',
			'FooterBar' => 'WidgetArea'
	);
	private static $allowed_widgets = array(
			'StandardWidget',
			'TwitterWidget',
			'FacebookWidget'
	);
}

Run a dev/build, and adjust your templates to include the resulting WidgetArea view by calling $WidgetArea function passing it the WidgetArea name as parameter. It will loops through all its widgets.

:::HTML
<div class="typography">
	<h2>HeaderBar</h2>
	<% loop $WidgetArea(HeaderBar) %>
		$WidgetHolder
	<% end_loop %>
</div>

<div class="typography">
	<h2>FooterBar</h2>
	<% loop $WidgetArea(FooterBar) %>
		$WidgetHolder
	<% end_loop %>
</div>

To enable WidgetAreas in backend remove the check from "Inherit Sidebar From Parent" and save the page. The module will create the WidgetAreas and you're now able to start populating them. If you leave the flag on the page will search Widget in its Parent since it find the SiteTree root, then it stops and return a void WidgetArea.

After installing read carefully the ISSUE section at the end of this document. I'm working on a solution but it's not so easy (PR are welcome).

Installing a widget

See widget module docs (http://addons.silverstripe.org/add-ons/silverstripe/widgets).

Adding widgets to other pages

You have to do a couple things to get a Widget to work on a page.

• Install the Widgets Pages Extension module, see above.
• Add one or more WidgetArea field to your Page.
• run dev/build?flush=all

mysite/code/Page.php

:::php
class Page extends SiteTree {

	private static $db = array(
	);
	// Add 4 WidgetAreas
	private static $has_one = array(
			'HeaderBar' => 'WidgetArea',
			'SidebarBar' => 'WidgetArea'
			'CenterWidgetArea' => 'WidgetArea'
			'FooterBar' => 'WidgetArea'
	);
	private static $allowed_widgets = array(
			'StandardWidget',
			'TwitterWidget',
			'FacebookWidget'
	);
}

In this case, you need to alter your templates to loop over $WidgetArea(HeaderBar), $WidgetArea(SidebarBar), $WidgetArea(CenterWidgetArea) and $WidgetArea(FooterBar).

Writing your own widgets

See widget module docs (http://addons.silverstripe.org/add-ons/silverstripe/widgets).

Adding widgets to DataObjects

A DataObject can be renderd as a page, it just need a Route and a Controller. With Widgets Pages Extension also DataObjects can have their Widgets. A sample is following:

The DataObject

mysite/code/DoSurfboard.php

:::php	
class DoSurfboard extends DataObject {

	private static $db = array(
			'Name' => 'Varchar',
			'Color' => 'Varchar'
	);
	private static $has_one = array(
			'LeftSidebar' => 'WidgetArea'
	);
	private static $summary_fields = array (
			'Name',
			'Color'
	);

}

Adding Widgets Pages Extension to DataObject

mysite/code/_config/extensions.yml

:::yml
---
Name: my-extensions
---
DoSurfboard:
	extensions:
		- WidgetDataObject

The route

mysite/code/_config/routes.yml

:::yml
---
Name: myroutes
After: framework/routes#coreroutes
---
Director:
		rules:
				'surfboard//$ID!': 'ShowSurfboard'

The Controller

mysite/code/Controllers/ShowSurfboard.php

:::php	
class ShowSurfboard extends ContentController {

	private static $url_handlers = array('$ID!' => 'handleAction');

	public function index(SS_HTTPRequest $req) {
		$id = $req->param('ID');

		// Use theme from the site config
		if (($config = SiteConfig::current_site_config()) && $config->Theme) {
			SSViewer::set_theme($config->Theme);
		}
		$themedir = $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] . '/' . SSViewer::get_theme_folder() . '/templates/';

		$surfboard = DataObject::get_by_id('DoSurfboard', $id);

		if ($surfboard) {
			//Return our $Data array to use on the page
			$Data = array('DoSurfboard' => $surfboard);
			$this->Customise($Data);
			return $this->renderWith($themedir . 'ShowSurfboard.ss');
		} else {
			//Not found
			return $this->httpError(404, 'Not found');
		}
	}
}

The Template

themes/theme-name/templates/ShowSurfboard.ss

<% with DoSurfboard %>
<h3>$Name</h3>
<p>$Color</p>
<div class="typography">
	<h2>LeftSidebar</h2>
	<% loop $WidgetArea(LeftSidebar) %>
		$WidgetHolder
	<% end_loop %>
</div>
<% end_with %>

TODO

• Move $InheritSideBar in pages, in order to have the abilty to inherit only some widget area
• Fix the error listed below in ISSUE section, maybe with a task that re-publish every published page

ISSUE

After installing this module you need to re-publish existing pages where you want to use widgets, because of UnsavedRationList. If you don't re-publish the pages you will get the following error: Error at framework/model/UnsavedRelationList.php line 307: Uncaught LogicException: byID can't be called on an UnsavedRelationList.