> 1. The big problem - Inability to customise article input forms. > It looks to me like the database structure for articles was designed > poorly from the start. The original admin interface had a bunch of > fixed fields including three 'extra' fields. Aegir introduced > parameters which inherit from the category that they are contained in. > So this got around the limited number of fields in the articles table. > There is also an events table in the db but Aegir doesn't seem to > provide an interface for it. What Midgard needs is to abandon the old > articles structure and replace it with a fully flexible content object > structure that can be totally customised. I need to be able to easily > create custom input forms - whether they be for articles, book reviews, > events, media releases or whatever with definable radio buttons, select > boxes with limited options, text areas etc. I realise I can work around > this in Midgard by using articles and parameters and building my own
Hi James, this has been an annoyance for me as well. >From what I've read, Midcom can solve a lot (all?) of these problems. I had the problem however that when I started my project, it was in a very early phase and what's more, I'm using a hosted environment (I'm only a modest php hobbyist developer and not a linux guru) because of lack of skills and money to maintain my own midgard server. This means I can't use repligard, and I can't ask my hosting provider to do it for me each and every time a new Midcom version comes out. Apart from these practical impediments, I also have some more fundamental doubts when it comes to storing each and every new Midgard-based framework development in the Midgard database, instead of on the file system. I think it's a pity that this way, we condemn ourselves to isolation, and with our small community, we'll never be able to follow the advances in the broader php community (I'm thinking application frameworks here, not php versions). I go along there with Martin Langhof (http://www.midgard-project.org/news/case%2Dmidgard%2Dframework.html) when he prefers to do the bulk of the development in files. Developing in a web interface isn't practical either, and I haven't seen a convincing workaround (phpmole, syncing files withs snippets) that seems really comfortable. So what I'm trying to do now is trying to take as much advantage as possible from an existing (and well-documented) php framework (http://www.phpsitemanager.com/) and write some wrappers and connecting code, mainly to link up the so-called smartforms http://www.roadsend.com/siteManager/home/onlineManual.php?doc=x1045.html with parameter-extended Midgard articles and topics. (Another strength is the module system http://www.roadsend.com/siteManager/home/onlineManual.php?doc=x614.html, that helps a lot to keep your code clean and... modular!) However, I'm not really far at the moment (again, I'm only a weekend developer ...). But I will contribute it as soon as I have something worth sharing... Just my 2 eurocents, pascal van hecke --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
