CSCart 3.0 — Addon / Block

Developers Dev talks
1

I'm trying to create a custom addon that I can install and then implement as a 'Block'. I'd like to be able to add this block to various locations via the block manager. The other thing I need is for this block to be associated with a controller where I can perform various logic and connections to a DB.



I've been trying to create my own addon using one of the pre existing addons as a model. I've picked apart files like init.php, func.php, and the files in the schemas folder. I also have a my_addon.tpl in place in the skins/basic/customer/addons/my_addon/blocks/my_addon.tpl.



This is what I have in my schemas file: blocks.post.php


if ( !defined('AREA') ) { die('Access denied'); }
$schema['my_addon'] = array (
'content' => array(
'my_addon_opts' => array(
'type' => 'function',
'function' => array('fn_get_my_addon_options')
),
),
'templates' => array(
'addons/my_addon/blocks/my_addon.tpl' => array(),
),
'wrappers' => 'blocks/wrappers',
);




The addon installs fine, and then when I create a new block to put in a location via the blocks manager my block shows up as an option. I create it and specify the template. It's listed as _my_addon.tpl.



However, my problem is that nothing shows up in my store. It doesn't appear that the my_addon.tpl is being shown or working properly.



I'm really lost at the moment and if anyone could shed some light on this I'd really appreciate it. Maybe someone has a bare bones addon with only the files and content needed to install and render the block in the store, and that is connected to a php controller file.



Thank you!

2

What is in that location within the page where the block you created has been applied?

Suggest you add a comment to your block of:


So you can search the page source for 'my_addon.tpl'. This will tell you that the block is loading.

Alternatively you can simply add a {debug} at the top of your my_addon.tpl file which should pop-up the debugger (variable listing, not really a debugger).



If you're seeing the block in the block manager and creating the block and then adding that resulting block to a location, it should all be there. But not knowing anything about the content of my_addon.tpl, can't really say.

3

Thanks, tbirnseth.



I had

some stuff

in the .tpl. And I added the addon block to various locations like default, homepage, etc.



I duplicated another addon and got it working, and am now trying to whittle it down to only what I need. I'm still confused as to why this latest go has worked and my original addon doesn't work.



Thanks for the {debug} tip I'll be sure to use that to help me track things down.



I'll continue to update here as I figure things out.

4

[color=#282828][font=arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif] tbirnseth, do you know how to get a default .php controller for my block/addon? Does it need to be configured in the [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif]blocks.post.php? If so, how?[/font][/color]



[color=#282828][font=arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif]I understand the concept of dispatch controller.mode but I don't see how that applies to a block, because a block can exist on any location/'page'. But I still need a controller for my block. [/font][/color]

5

In V2 you don't need it to be in the blocks.post.php file. In V3, you do.

6

Thank you all it's working, finally I can create custom blocks and assign a module.

7

Hi! Help me please. Can't found info about how to create addon on cs-cart 4.3.9. I create folder for addon, xml and write similar names, but module doesn't appear in module list in administrators panel. Or give me the link, where I can learn about it, if I do something wrong.

Sorry for bad english, please. I'm trying to learn :)

8

Make sure you're selecting the All Available Addons tab on tthe addons.manage page.

If not there, then you'll have to post more details about the location and content of you addon.xml file.

9

Please find more information about addons here

http://docs.cs-cart.com/4.5.x/developer_guide/addons/index.html

10

I’m also struggling to figure out how to add a custom addon block which will be available to a layout. The link ecomlabs posted omits this, unfortunately, and I can’t find it anywhere else in the current documentation. It’s strange to me that it would be left out. Does anybody have a link to a complete guide to how to do this? Or is there any hope it will be added to the documentation?