1113: Aggregate Content Types - Composr CMS feature tracker

ID	Project	Category	View Status	Date Submitted	Last Update

1113	Composr	core	public	2013-03-17 15:36	2015-12-07 23:14

Reporter	Chris Graham	Assigned To	Chris Graham
Priority	normal	Severity	feature
Status	resolved	Resolution	fixed

Summary	1113: Aggregate Content Types
Description	This is a new bundled Composr addon. It allows you to define complex content structures which are aggregates of other structures. Allow the user to define XML as follows... <aggregateTypes> <aggregateType name="Course"> <resource type="usergroup" label="{LABEL}" template_label="Newbie" /> <resource type="catalogue_category" subpath="courses" label="{LABEL}" template_label="_course"> <property key="description">{DESCRIPTION}</property> <access usergroup="{LABEL}" value="1" /> <privilege usergroup="{LABEL}" preset="submit" /> <privilege usergroup="{LABEL}" name="submit_midrange_content" value="1" /> </resource> </aggregateType> <aggregateType name="Country"> <resource type="zone" label="{$FIX_ID,{LABEL}}" template_label="_country"> <!-- NB: the 'label' in this case is the zone codename --> <property key="human_title">{LABEL}</property> <access usergroup="" value="1" /> </resource> <resource type="comcode_page" subpath="{$FIX_ID,{LABEL}}" label="start"> <property resync="false" key="text"> All about {LABEL}. </property> <access usergroup="" value="1" /> </resource> <resource type="comcode_page" subpath="{$FIX_ID,{LABEL}}" label="panel_left"> <property key="text"> [block="{$FIX_ID,{LABEL}}"]side_stored_menu[/block] </property> <access usergroup="" value="1" /> </resource> <resource type="menu_item" subpath="{$FIX_ID,{LABEL}}" label="Home"> <property key="page_link">{$FIX_ID,{LABEL}}:start</property> </resource> </aggregateType> </aggregateTypes> A match is first found against the label in the given subpath. If none is found, a new content item will be created under that subpath, with the given label, defaulting from the given template (if a template is supplied). A label is not a repository filename, but in fact generally what you would expect as human readable. In case you're confused, this works because the repository is able to search against labels, not just filenames. We use labels here because they match what we're trying to build out much more directly -- if we find we can't get a match, we know the minimal of what we need to make (a content item with that label). If no subpath, it is considered ''. This means we are making a new folder (a category) for a content type that doesn't have hierarchical categories. 'usergroup' references are to usergroup labels. '' is understood specially as a wildcard, meaning to set against all usergroups. Subpaths are from the content repository, relative to where the content type is stored in it (associated categories and entries are both stored under the same place - e.g. downlaod categories and downloads are both under '/var/downloads'). The path components are similar to labels, but monikerified (turned into a codename, which will be enforced as unique). You can find what they are by browsing the repository. Or, if it's a case where the content type uses a human readable codename, the subpath is usually the same as the codename (e.g. the name of a zone, or a gallery). At no point do you reference raw content IDs. The repository does not use them (except within the internal code) and content-buildout naturally uses human-friendly naming. 'template_subpath' works the same as 'subpath', but for a template. Similarly, 'template_label' works the same as 'label', but to identify the template. Note how this XML is postprocessed with Tempcode. 'NAME' is bound by a required parameter when creating an aggregate type instance. Also other parameters will be bound to supplied parameters. Add an admin module for editing this XML, much like there is for breadcrumb XML editing. The admin module should also be able to do CRUD operations on "aggregate type instances". This is the main way the admin operates the facility, once the XML is defined. They add instances of an aggregate type, and then Composr does its magic to add in all the associated resources needed. The form for adding/editing must have fields for any thing defined as a Tempcode parameter in the XML, and always 'NAME' as this is a required parameter. Aggregate instances will be stored in a new table, aggregate_type_instances SHORT_TEXT aggregate_name ID_TEXT aggregate_type LONG_TEXT other_properties The admin module should also have a screen for activating a 'resync' of the XML structure. The resync goes through all instances and ensures that it can lookup at least one item with the defined name under the defined resource type and context. When you call this resync function, you choose which aggregate type to do it for from a dropdown list; if you choose one where resync="false" isn't defined on all child resources then it will warn that customisations that contradict the XML structure will be lost. The admin module will have a do_next_manager defined for it, and thus needs icons making, and will be tied into the menus via a do_next_menus hook. There must be an API for managing the type instances, with these functions: - add_aggregate_type_instance - edit_aggregate_type_instance - delete_aggregate_type_instance - resync_aggregate_type_instances - sync_aggregate_type_instance (where most of the magic happens) - called by most of the above functions We will need to add a new kind of hook, resource_meta_aware. In here we will have to define hooks for every resource type we need that does not already have a content_meta_aware hook (plus corresponding Commandr-fs hooks). Here are some we need to do: - zone - download_licence - forum_grouping - menu & menu_item - award_type - multi_moderation - ticket_type - custom_comcode_tag - cpf - aggregate_type_instance - redirect - post_template - usergroup_subscription - match_key_message - notification_lockdown - privilege (transitory stuff like cart contents, or logging, or install-state, or site-tied purchases, or bans, or tracking, left off the list) We need to write documentation for this new facility. Largely it will be based on the details written above.
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