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19 Resources for the textpattern beginner
While discussing with my friend Adrian about a website he made, I suggested to him the use of a cms, and strongly recommended Textpattern. In fact, our website with all its pages and sections (blog and tutorials) are driven with textpattern, and boy! How I love textpattern!
All WP/Textpattern trolls away, I enjoy using TXP for its clarity, its semantics and also for its scalability. This website was dug and even with several thousands visitors in an hour it was responding very smoothly. So I wanted to share here some of the best resources I’m aware of:
Textpattern Semantic Model
The one thing that may be confusing for the beginner, yet will love it later is the TXP semantic model and the meanings of : Sections, Pages and Forms. Here’s some tutorials about this:
1# Textpattern Semantics
This article is here to explain the elements in the Textpattern structure of design, and their relationship to one another. A correct understanding of Textpattern’s concepts & intended purposes is grease on the waterslide of happiness and fulfillment.
2# Tutorial on the TextPattern Presentation Model (PDF)
This tutorial focuses on the TextPattern presentation model. Three elements of the model are discussed: page templates, stylesheets, and sections. After you see the interrelationship of these elements, you will be well on your way to developing your website using TextPattern.
3# Textpattern Semantic Model (WIKI)
This guide explains in details with a nice and simple schema the meaning of the TXP components. The whole wiki is actually worth reading! And some of its content is even translated into your native language.
4# Managing static pages with textpattern
The very often asked question by the beginner is how to add static pages to a textpattern website. You won’t believe me, but this is really easy. You could have found this by yourself! :)
5# Textpattern end user manual
This guide is designed for client end-users of the Textpattern content management system. It is written for end users who often have little or no technical knowledge so need helping through the basics of publishing using Textpattern. Some basic Textile commands are included where users may need this in particular sections.
Textpattern Tags and templates
The charm of TXP resides in its tags. They’re XML-ish and simple to use by anyone already writing HTML code. No need to learn php if you’re not a programmer. Some will yell: “Hey! Yet another syntax to learn? :( “. Don’t worry, this is really easy to learn and to remember:
6# Textpattern Tag manual
This is a complete and very detailed manual that will help you learn how and when to use every tag of the textpattern templates. It’s very complete and has a lot of example too. Worth bookmarking.
7# Textpattern Tags Reference
A reference PDF (and doc) book that describes the use of every TXP tag with examples.
8# TextGarden
Too lazy to make your own template, or maybe you want something to start with and hack it a little? This website has some very nice templates to download and use freely!
9# Textpattern Resources » Templates
The “templates” section of the textpattern resources website lists about 136 templates freely available to use and adapt to your needs.
Textpattern plugins and extensions
TXP by itself is almost enough for a basic website, but it could easily be extended with some plugins that you simply have to download and install with a single click. No voodoo, no hassle. Just one click!
10# Textpattern Resources » Plugins
The section “Plugins” of the textpattern Resources website lists about 480 plugins that you can integrate in your textpattern website. Isn’t this big? :)
11# Best Textpattern Plugins and hacks
A list of the best plugins and hacks by one author of the well-know Textpattern Solutions book.
12# Threshold State Plugins
Often used plugins by Textpattern people. Simple and get the job done.
13# Text*Snippets
Very handy (often one-liners) snippets to insert in your textpattern templates.
14# THE asy_jpcache plugin
Wonder how a website managed with textpattern can scale under heavy load and digg or slashdot effect? The answer is the usual one: Cache! asy_jpcache is THE one I use and recommend :)
15# Textpattern Gallery
Manage your photo galleries with Textpattern.
Inspiration Sites
16# Gallery of very well designed TXP Sites
Very nice websites managed with Textpattern.
17# Textplate
A yearly competition for the most gorgeous textpattern template. You’ll find very nice ones in their archive.
18# We Love TXP
A wonderful textpattern website listing the best sites made with textpattern. Go there, you’ll really enjoy the journey!
Textpattern Community
19# Textpattern Forums
They’re really, really nice folks! Some even say that they’re nicer than the folks in the other side . So go ahead and don’t be shy, ask your questions in the Textpattern forums
That’s it folks, if you know of other resources and links that could be added to this post, please share them in the comment form bellow they’ll be added to the post.
[UPDATE]
- Thebombsite has also some intersting articles and well-known templates that he ported to Textpattern.
- Steve in the comment bellow has suggested some very nice themes for the TXP backend
P.S. Please, bear with me on my poor English, if you notice any error please report it to me and I’ll correct it and btw improve my English which is my 4th langage
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Comment [2]
— Steve Lam · Jan 9, 11:21 PM · #
Thanks for the comprehensive write-up on TXP!
Might be helpful to some people: a pretty decent list of backend themes to use with Textpattern can be found here
— Commenting is closed for this article.
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