CMS Made Simple Forums

I like being inspired by the showoff sites, but I would also like to learn from them. When I view page source, I don't see any code referring to CMSMS modules or tags...(or I don't know how to identify them if they are there)

Other than the site author saying which modules were used, is there any way to learn from others' code or identify how the CMSMS sites were built?

Nope.... most of the modules don't output any 'markers' that the module has actually been used.  You can't tell if they built the menu by hand, typed in the news html directly or anything.

It's part of the beauty of the system.

if someone is willing to put their site in the "showoff" section, chances are they are proud of their work, and alot of them should be (i have seen some really great sites). so, just ask them, im sure they will be glad to explain how they did something or what modules they used.

I'm not sure I understand why not revealing code is "part of the beauty of the system"; unless the object is to protect code?

I will try to find sites where i can contact the author for some guidance... the module instructions themselves are not very instructive to a CMSMS newbie.

I'm quite certain that after I understand how the templates; modules, CSS, etc work together, I'll forget what it feels like not to understand anything! But right now, since this is all self-taught, it would be a beautiful system to see how the code affects the look of the pages...

Thank you!--I'll keep plugging along...

cammac2 wrote: I'm not sure I understand why not revealing code is "part of the beauty of the system"; unless the object is to protect code?

No, you did not understand.
CMSMS PHP code is all in "clear and readable".

CMSMS use template page = plain html + tags module or tags plugins or tags UDT (are similar)

Tags are markers like this:
{news detailpage="news-page" summarytemplate="mysummarynews" category="blabla*"}

This marker will be replaced in output (from this module) to html code (that you see in source html page)

View in Visual Tutorials for a example how to transform / import a template from Open Source Web Design (plain html only) to CMSMS (plain html + tags)

Alby

Bing!  The sound of the lightbulb above my head!

I completely get CSS and HTML, but I missed how the tags function with the code...I figured the tag would be there followed by content...

I am also going back and re-reading the *f* manual...My experience is so html-centered that I could easily miss references that I assume I already know, but don't really know in the CMS context...

Thank you !