Critical Concepts = The Layout XML - The Thread That Ties Magento Together

When you look at a layout XML file, you might be saying what does all of this do!! Well the layout XML is the thread that holds all of Magento together. There are over 40 layout xml files. This tutorial focuses on those concepts that are at core of what the layout XML is and does. At the end, this tutorial walks through a code sample of how to create a block to reinforce the and explain with clarity the concepts that have been discussed.
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The layout XML can be like a huge dunghill with a few nuggets of gold in it. There are at least 43 layout XML files in a standard Magento instalation. So, where is the gold? This tutorial explains how to find what you are looking for. Only the xml between the handles that correspond to the current page request are used. This tutorial discusses and dissects handles in clear and simple terms.
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Many times deveopers will directly edit the core layout xml files or overwrite them. Both of these methods are frowned upon. So, in order to understand the standards,you must know how merging works. This tutorial, like all the others, contains a myriad of examples and images that explain exactly how merging works. Then, at the end, I will delve into a few examples so that you can put these standards to use!
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The previous tutorials covered the most important handles. Understanding those handles will provide you with the knowledge you will need to handle most all of the situations you encounter. However, there are many other handles that are used and you'll eventually run into them. So, it is a good idea to know these other handles so you'll know what they're all about when you run into them. At the end of this tutorial, there is a list of the handles the major pages in Magento use.
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Here, you wil learn how to add a block to a new page or an existing page. This tutorial will guide you step-by-step through an example of adding a block. The examples in this tutorial are of tasks that you will do constantly as a developer!
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The previous tutorial covers many situations you will come across, but there will be many occassions where blocks are added a little differently. This knowledge in this tutorial will enable you to add blocks onto the left or right sidebars. It will also allow you and easy way to add blocks on to the end of the main content area of the page.
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When looking at the layout XML files, many times blocks are stored inside of other blocks just like the picture of the Russian dolls. This tutorial demystifies how nesting works and how you can do it yourself. And, this tutorial will walk you through an example of exactly how to do this. The tutorial contains two whole example modules illustrating how this is done. The second example is more complex; it is designed to broaden the knowledge you learned earlier and deepen your understanding.
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