Frog
Logging API for Frog Dashboard
18 May 2009
Dashboard plugin for Frog CMS now provides simple API for other developers to log their events. Whenever you want to log something to dashboard just trigger a log event. Include your message as parameter.
Observer::notify('log_event', 'Something was done by :username.');
In your message you can include string :username to log the user name.
Mephisto Style Asset Management for Frog CMS
23 December 2008
One of the things I like about Mephisto is the asset management. Especially the way how you insert image URLs by dragging thumbnail from sidebar to content area. Frog CMS lacked easy way for inserting images (or any other files). Obvious thing to do was implement Mephisto style asset management as a plugin.
It is not one to one copy on how Mephisto does it. Instead of tagging assets you can categorize them by uploading to different folders. There is also extra pulldown to select which assets to show in sidebar while editing.
Plugin depends on Image Resize and jQuery plugins to work. Full installation instructions on project page.
Send Emails from Frog CMS
28 November 2008
I needed a mailer backend which can handle complicated forms with any number of arbitary form fields. I also needed to be able to fully control the layout of sent emails. Something similar as oldie but goldie cgiemail.
Here comes Email Template plugin for Frog CMS.
It provides new page type called named Email template. You can POST your forms to this page type. Page contains the layout of the mail including the headers. Template then parses POST:ed data and sends the email.
To: Somebody <somebody@example.com> From: <?php print $_POST['name'] ?> <<?php print $_POST['email'] ?>> Subject: Frog Mail 1. Contact info Name.............: <?php print $_POST['name'] ?> Company..........: <?php print $_POST['company'] ?> Email............: <?php print $_POST['email'] ?> 2. Message <?php print $_POST['message'] ?> -- Sent by <?php print $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] ?>
Plugin assumes your PHP mail() function works properly. Currently it only supports plain text emails. Download and installation instructions at the project page. All feedback welcome.
Ultrafast Frog With Funky Cache
21 November 2008
Funky caching is technique popularized by PHP.net site. It was first mentioned by Rasmus Lerdorf in 2002 PHPCon slides (page 25). Content is cached as static file on the first access. All following requests are served using the cached static file. Editing a page will automatically expire cached files. Page is then re-cached on the next hit.
Frog CMS is PHP port of Rails based Radiant CMS. Radiant is great but there is always the hosting problem. Even with mod_rails existing it is still easier to get quality PHP hosting. Both Frog and Radiant are the only CMS’es I can say I like. Expression Engine I can live with. Edicy looks really promising. Everything else I rather not touch.
