Member Avatar for dw_user

I am talking about Social engine 4(SE4) (http://www.socialengine.net/) which is written in Zend.

I can go up to the IndexAction of IndexConroller in Core Module. But then I am at a loss. Which models are used there to build the homepage? I think when I can learn about the models used there I can understand which css files and layout(s) are used and in what way.


Anyone there?

  • 2 Contributors
  • 4 Replies
  • 273 Views
  • 23 Hours Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by dw_user

Dani AI

Generated

— since the indexAction in Core is already located, the homepage is not a single “home.php” model but a composition of CMS pages + widgets. ’s suggestion to use the docs/SDK is on the right track; the fastest, repeatable way to discover which models power the visible homepage is: (1) inspect the Layout Editor to see which widgets are placed on the page, (2) map that page to the DB rows that store pages and content, and (3) open each widget’s controller to see which models/DbTables it calls.

Steps to follow (concise):

  1. Identify the page in the Layout Editor (Admin → Appearance → Layout Editor). The editor shows the exact blocks/widgets placed on the “landing/home” page. (community.socialengine.com)

  2. Find the page and its content rows in the DB. Pages are instances of Core_Model_Page and are saved in the engine4_core_pages table; widget containers/blocks are saved in engine4_core_content (name column = module.widgetname; pages use the naming scheme module_controller_action, e.g. core_index_index). Example SQL to locate the page and its widgets:

SELECT * FROM engine4_core_pages WHERE name = 'core_index_index' LIMIT 1;
SELECT * FROM engine4_core_content WHERE page_id = <page_id> ORDER BY parent_content_id, `order`;

These tables and the page/widget structure are how SE4’s drag‑and‑drop pages are represented. (alviarme.medium.com)

  1. Map widgets to code. Widget code is normally under application/modules/<Module>/widgets/<widgetName>/ — typically a Controller.php (widget controller) and an index.tpl view. Widget controllers commonly extend Engine_Content_Widget_Abstract and prepare data in indexAction; the controller is the place to see which models or DbTables are used (look for EngineApi::()->, getDbTable(), getItem(), etc.). Fast searches:
grep -R "Engine_Api::_()->" application/modules/*/widgets | less
grep -R "getDbTable" application/modules | less

Example widget patterns and render usage are documented in SE4 tutorials. (jadb.wordpress.com)

  1. Templates and CSS. Widget views are index.tpl (or views/scripts for module pages); theme CSS is editable from the admin theme tools or by modifying theme files (use Development Mode while testing). Avoid editing core module files directly — place custom widgets in application/widgets or make a small plugin/override so upgrades don’t overwrite changes. (community.socialengine.com)

Summary: Layout Editor → engine4_core_pages / engine4_core_content → widget name → widget controller (indexAction) → models/DbTables → template/CSS. Following those steps reveals exactly which model classes and styles build the homepage.

Recommended Answers

All 4 Replies

Member Avatar for chrishea

You might get lucky and find someone here who has used it but chances are that you will get an answer quicker by going through the documentation on the Social Engine website or by contacting their Support people.

Member Avatar for dw_user

I went through there documentation.. i find no solution on my own... no such help is offerred from there side..

You might get lucky and find someone here who has used it but chances are that you will get an answer quicker by going through the documentation on the Social Engine website or by contacting their Support people.

Member Avatar for chrishea

if you just want to use the system, you should be able to do that through the Admin Panel or by using the SDK. If you are trying to figure out how to change the internals of the system, then you need to find a forum where people discuss that sort of stuff. There aren't any forums listed on the Social Engine website but if you do a search there are some forums listed that might be useful.

Edited by chrishea because: n/a
Member Avatar for dw_user

I tried a few forums i.e. socialengineforum.com but did not get the answer. That is why I am here.

I want to make change in the internals.

Anyone there for help?


if you just want to use the system, you should be able to do that through the Admin Panel or by using the SDK. If you are trying to figure out how to change the internals of the system, then you need to find a forum where people discuss that sort of stuff. There aren't any forums listed on the Social Engine website but if you do a search there are some forums listed that might be useful.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.