[opencms-dev] Beginner completely lost
Mathias Lin | SYSVISION
mail at mathiaslin.com
Sat Sep 5 12:38:22 CEST 2009
Hi Shi & all,
actually YouTube wouldn't be such a bad idea! I think video tutorials are
most helpful, at least that's usually my best learning approach.
I recorded an introduction video today using Movie Maker and CamStudio (both
free and easy-to-use tools), but still trying to improve the quality.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iLy4N-8yz8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHVHpJxG3mk
This is my very first video recording and cutting, so please be considerate
;)
On YouTube the quality of the screen display is little unclear, not sure if
there's actually anything to improve it (I uploaded the video in a quite
large .wmv file).
Planning to add more videos step by step later. Hope to encourage others to
do the same (on complementary topics).
Best regards,
Mathias Lin
Um, you are right. Confucius (551 B.C. to 479 B.C.) said "Excellence in
Education for All" (有教无类 in Chinese).
More YouTube?
Regards,
Shi Yusen/Beijing Langhua Ltd.
在 2009-09-01二的 16:30 +0200，Marwan Ajraoui写道：
> Why you do not share your khnowledges about OpenCMS, OpenCMS LOVERS,
> doing some tutorial(s)?
> Will be really helpfull and usefull for many people. It is not worthy?
>
> cheers,
>
> Marouane
>
> 2009/9/1 Shi Yusen <shiys at langhua.cn>:
> > Achim,
> >
> > "In other words: With mod_rewrite you either shoot yourself in the foot
> > the first time and never use it again or love it for the rest of your
> > life because of its power."
> > (http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/misc/rewriteguide.html)
> >
> > Replace "mod_rewrite" with "OpenCms", it's still right :).
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Shi Yusen/Beijing Langhua Ltd.
> >
> >
> > 在 2009-09-01二的 15:43 +0200，a.westermann at alkacon.com写道：
> >> Hi Shi,
> >>
> >> your perspective reminds me on the following
> >> (http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/mod/mod_rewrite.html):
> >>
> >> "The great thing about mod_rewrite is it gives you all the
> >> configurability and flexibility of Sendmail. The downside to
> mod_rewrite
> >> is that it gives you all the configurability and flexibility of
> Sendmail."
> >>
> >> I never had an OpenCms project where I had to say: "No this is not
> >> possible". In my beginnings with OpenCms I sure had to say: "I have to
> >> take a closer look".
> >>
> >>
> >> Kind Regards,
> >> Achim.
> >>
> >> -------------------
> >> Achim Westermann
> >>
> >> Alkacon Software GmbH - The OpenCms Experts
> >> http://www.alkacon.com - http://www.opencms.org
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Shi Yusen wrote:
> >> > I remembered there was a PPT on OpenCms's struture which made OpenCms
> >> > quite easy to understand. The main concept is something like this:
> >> >
> >> > 1. an HTTP request to servlet container such as Tomcat;
> >> > 2. The servlet container forwards the request to OpenCms;
> >> > 3. In OpenCms servlet, enter org.opencms.main.OpenCms first;
> >> > 4. org.opencms.main.OpenCms produces an CmsObject instance;
> >> > 5. The CmsObject instance contains the resource to visit and security
> >> > who visits;
> >> > 6. If the user has permissions to visit, using the loader of the
> >> > resource to load it to the response; if not, error in response.
> >> > 7. You can extend resource, loader, user, group, permission.
> >> >
> >> > Is it simple? Yes, if you know where to do the thing you want to.
> >> >
> >> > Is it simple? No, if you lost in OpenCms structure.
> >> >
> >> > My 2 cents,
> >> >
> >> > Shi Yusen/Beijing Langhua Ltd.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > 在 2009-09-01二的 12:51 +0200，Pablo写道：
> >> >> Hi Gregor. I've been working with OpenCms for 6 months. I had to
> >> >> either develop an application with OpenCms or find another job. Some
> >> >> people love it. I still wonder why. If I had a choice I would run
> away
> >> >> from OpenCms and spend my time learning something else. You will
> need
> >> >> plenty of time to get familiar with OpenCms implementation and
> >> >> configuration.
> >> >> I am sorry if that is not what you or others like to hear. It is
> just
> >> >> another point of view.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> 2009/8/30 Paul-Inge Flakstad <flakstad at npolar.no>
> >> >> Hello Gregor!
> >> >>
> >> >> I was first introduced to OpenCms around 18 months ago. I
> came
> >> >> straight out of scool (where focus had been on OOP) and
> >> >> thinking back to that time, I had a lot of the same
> questions
> >> >> you do (although I knew I _had_ to learn OpenCms as it was
> >> >> already decided). What I did, was I didn't use OpenCms'
> >> >> template one/two. I set out to create stuff myself, in an
> >> >> effort to learn the system. Maybe not the best idea, but it
> >> >> certainly gave me some insight, relatively fast. Before
> long,
> >> >> I also read the book (OpenCms 7 Development), which helped
> me
> >> >> a lot. It may be the single most useful resource if you want
> >> >> to learn OpenCms, IMO.
> >> >>
> >> >> Now, I know there's not any good beginner guides out there.
> >> >> Such things are mostly scattered around the mailing list,
> >> >> forums and whatnot. But it isn't all that hard to build
> stuff
> >> >> from scratch. You'll just have to familiarize yourself a bit
> >> >> with OpenCms and its mechanics; templates, resource types,
> >> >> properties, collectors - and last but not least, modules.
> The
> >> >> hardest part for me was understanding the way templates
> work,
> >> >> since I wasn't too familiar with the concept of templates.
> >> >>
> >> >> I'd recommend you spend some days just setting up a
> test-site
> >> >> so you can fiddle around with these things. Being familiar
> >> >> with Java will help you, as you will be able to examine the
> >> >> docs. There are a lot of classes in OpenCms. Starting out,
> >> >> here are a handfull of the important ones (add the
> opencms.jar
> >> >> library in your IDE project):
> >> >> CmsJspActionElement / CmsJspXmlContentBean
> >> >> CmsObject
> >> >> CmsResource / CmsFile
> >> >>
> >> >> and also:
> >> >> OpenCms (in org.opencms.main)
> >> >> CmsProperty
> >> >> (CmsJspNavElement)
> >> >>
> >> >> Also, you should read anything about "creating structured
> >> >> content", "defining custom xmlcontent" and so on. Structured
> >> >> content (also called xmlcontent, which is the "general type
> >> >> name" OpenCms uses for all types of structured content) is a
> >> >> simple way for you to define your own (structured) resource
> >> >> types. You do the definition using one or more XSDs, and
> this
> >> >> is explained several places online and also in the book.
> This
> >> >> is perhaps a more advanced topic, often involving the
> creation
> >> >> of a new module, but I would not wait with this. It is
> >> >> essential if you're thinking of building stuff from scratch
> >> >> rather than using OpenCms' template one/two.
> >> >>
> >> >> I hope you do not ditch OpenCms. It is really a great tool,
> >> >> and my bet is you'll enjoy it once you get to know it. Ask
> >> >> your specific questions here on the mailing list, and I'm
> sure
> >> >> we'll try to help you along. :)
> >> >>
> >> >> Cheers,
> >> >> Paul
> >> >> ________________________________________
> >> >> Fra: opencms-dev-bounces at opencms.org
> >> >> [opencms-dev-bounces at opencms.org] på vegne av Florian
> >> >> Heinisch [florian.heinisch at 3kraft.com]
> >> >> Sendt: 28. august 2009 18:13
> >> >> Til: The OpenCms mailing list
> >> >> Emne: Re: [opencms-dev] Beginner completely lost
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Hi Gregor,
> >> >>
> >> >> apparently you feel the same way I did when I started with
> >> >> OpenCMS.
> >> >> Except of you already have read the OpenCMS book ;-)
> >> >> Well, IMHO OpenCMS has a really steep learning curve. As the
> >> >> standard
> >> >> installation of OpenCMS provides a lot of features it might
> >> >> not that
> >> >> easy to grasp every little detail of OpenCMS at the very
> >> >> beginning.
> >> >> I fully agree with you the documentation that comes along
> with
> >> >> OpenCMS
> >> >> is not very beginner-friendly. And as far as I know there is
> >> >> no
> >> >> complete "how-to-build-a-website-from-scratch" tutorial.
> >> >> You'll have
> >> >> to grab all the necessary information from different
> sources.
> >> >>
> >> >> Nevertheless, if you are firm with Java and the concept of a
> >> >> J2EE web
> >> >> application you should be able to get your website up and
> >> >> running with
> >> >> OpenCMS.
> >> >> Therefore, I would suggest you'll do the following:
> >> >> 1. Install OpenCMS with all the template2 modules
> >> >> 2. Follow the instructions in the OpenCMS book to setup your
> >> >> development environment (Eclipse) with WebDAV for efficient
> >> >> development
> >> >> 3. Develop a template from scratch as described in the
> OpenCMS
> >> >> book in
> >> >> order to convert your website layout into a OpenCMS template
> >> >> 4. Have a look at the existing content types (such as
> Article,
> >> >> News,
> >> >> etc.) that come along with the standard OpenCMS installation
> >> >> (template2). For the case that these content types do not
> fit
> >> >> your
> >> >> needs, develop your own (also described in the book and in
> the
> >> >> OpenCMS
> >> >> wiki).
> >> >>
> >> >> That's it basically. Feel free to share your problems with
> the
> >> >> mailing
> >> >> list for the case that topic was not discussed yet :)
> >> >> If you'll drop OpenCMS in favor of another open source
> >> >> Java-based CMS
> >> >> please let me know which one and for what reason (personal
> >> >> interest).
> >> >>
> >> >> Good luck,
> >> >>
> >> >> Florian
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> On Aug 28, 2009, at 5:39 PM, Gregor Schneider wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> >> >> > Hash: SHA1
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Hi there,
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I'm looking for an CMS in Java since due to our
> >> >> security-policy PHP is
> >> >> > not an option, and we don't know our ways aorund in Perl.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Therefore, OpenCMS is (was?) one of our candidates, and
> has
> >> >> been my
> >> >> > personal favourite until I started testing.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Giving you some background-information:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Installation 1:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > - - OS: Debian Edge
> >> >> > - - DB. MySQL 5
> >> >> > - - Java: SUN JDK 1.6
> >> >> > - - Webserver: Tomcat 6
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Installation 2:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > - - OS: Windows XP
> >> >> > - - DB: MySQL 5
> >> >> > - - Java: SUN JDK 1.6
> >> >> > - - Webserver: Tomcat 6
> >> >> >
> >> >> > On both installations I'm using OpenCMS 7.5
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Myself:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I know my ways around in Java, JSPs, Servlets,
> >> >> Tomcat-Administration,
> >> >> > so there should hopefully not be any lack of knowledge of
> >> >> essential
> >> >> > components
> >> >> >
> >> >> > However:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > After having set up OpenCMS, all the questions began:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > - - Where's the documentation?
> >> >> > - - Where's any sort of a good tutorial?
> >> >> > - - How do i...?
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I have to setup a complete new webpage, so just editing
> the
> >> >> > demo-applications doesn't help at all.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > What I'm really, really missing is a step-by-step-howto
> >> >> showing the
> >> >> > following:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > All tutorials / books I read just start somewhere in
> between
> >> >> showing
> >> >> > how to hack into existing pages, but not how to set up a
> new
> >> >> site from
> >> >> > scratch.
> >> >> > And yes, I looked into the Wiki, however, the points of
> >> >> interest don't
> >> >> > contain anything but a headline.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Currently I feel that OpenCMS is one of those really bad
> >> >> examples of
> >> >> > an OpenSource-project, where the code is the docs. Ok, I'm
> >> >> exagerating
> >> >> > a bit.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > So if anybody could give me a piece of advice how to set
> up
> >> >> a new page
> >> >> > incl. new templates, how to start, what's the best
> practices
> >> >> etc., I'd
> >> >> > really, really appreciate this.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > My other option is to dump OpenCMS as a cms for our
> company,
> >> >> which I
> >> >> > really dislike, however, currently that seems to be the
> most
> >> >> likely
> >> >> > option.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > And yes, Ive read
> >> >> >
> >> >> > - - http://opencmsnewbie.netfirms.com/
> >> >> > - - http://www.opencms-wiki.org
> >> >> >
> >> >> > The book from Packt Publishing: OpenCms.7.Development
> >> >> (Apr.2008)
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Again, any hints are really, really appreciated.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Cheers
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Gregor
-----
Mathias Lin
SYSVISION Ltd., China
http://www.sysvision.com
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