README

ModeliXe v2 is a light-weight PHP template library that was originally used in 2001 for a guestbook. The template engine and guestbook application originated in France. This new version 2 works in PHP 8 and can be used for experimenting, personal small projects, or further upgrading. I wanted to resurrect my old guestbook. Thus, I put some time into repairing this ModeliXe template engine.

ModeliXe v1 was the templating engine featured in a vintage web-based guestbook named @lexGuestbook. Their website is still up and running. You can download the original code from their website located at this link: @lexGuestbook Original Code Download.

Directories and Files Not Included in Packagist Package

• CSS/
• Templates/
• .gitattributes
• Quad-Template-Test-1.php
• Table-Template-Test-1.php

Test Files

• Quad-Template-Test-1.php
• Table-Template-Test-1.php
• These test files demonstrate how the library works.

Library Features

• HTML Template Variable syntax:

<title>{text id="Title"}</title>

• HTML Bloc Template Variable syntax:

<div>
    {start id="BlocTop"}

    {end id="BlocTop"}
</div>

• Using the Bloc feature, you can append, delete, replace, loop, and modify blocks of HTML.
• The modify option allows you to load another template reference into the HTML document.
• The Bloc feature also allows you to loop a template reference.
• For example, you can read dynamic data from a database, and render it using this library (for experimental purposes).
• See the Table Template Test 1 sample file for an illustration.

Installation - Composer

• run this command in your project root:

composer require hotelmah/modelixe

• There is no need to manually create/update a composer.json file in your project root since this command does it automatically.
• The package is listed on Packagist, but is hosted on GitHub where the source is pulled from.

Installation - Manual

• Copy the src directory contents to an appropriately named directory like includes/ in your LAMP web hosting provider.
• Refer to the 2x test files above.

Notes

• There is no further documentation for this library.
• The samples are not included in the Packagist package.
• The samples serve as the tool to learn how to use the library.
• Included in the samples are how to create a form select drop-down control.
• There are additional features of the library to be discovered by browsing the code.
• For example, the template engine can also create links, images links, radio buttons, etc.
• If you like to see me upload more samples, post a discussion or issue entry. Thanks!
• What's great about a template engine is separating server code from structure and styling languages.

Purpose

• Revisit the past.
• Experiment with an old template engine.
• Use it as a light weight engine for testing or small purposes.
• Upgrade the project.

Future Upgrades

• The caching feature is not working.
• The Error Manager could use improvement.
• Additional minor code improvements and refactoring.

Feedback

• Forks and Pull Requests are welcomed.
• Suggestions and comments for improvement are requested.
• Thank you for reading!

License

• GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE, Version 3.