PageTableNext ProcessWire

This module is a solid base for the implementation of custom builder systems and modular template systems. It provides a list of PageTable based content elements and adds an intuitive UI to the ProcessWire backend to make content creation and editing as simple and fun as possible. It offers functions to create, publish, move, delete, hide, copy and paste content elements.

PageTableNext

What it does

The rendering logic of the module is detached from the ProcessWire backend scope via Shadow DOM and allows for custom rendering and styling of the elements in the backend, so the backend preview can look identical to the front end, or anything like you can imagine. It ships with some helper functions that simplify the handling of content elements.

The module extends Ryan's PageTable and is strongly inspired by PageTableExtended by mademyday. Big thanks to both of them.

Features

Custom rendering (e.g. frontend preview) in the backend. Content elements are encapsulated in Shadow DOM.
Instant publishing and unpublishing.
Copy and paste with check of allowed templates (page-wide).
Editing in the ProcessWire modal.
Instant deletion of content elements.
Custom JavaScript actions can be easily added.
Page references support.
Triggers save on all referenced pages (e.g. clear cache).
Shows the "view" link in the edit view that leads to the referenced page /link/to/parent/#s[PageId].
Manipulates the breadcrumb navigation of the content element (Shows the first referenced page).
Support for ProcessGraphQL with the additional modules GraphQLFieldtypePageTable and GraphQLFieldtypePageTableNext

Install (Short way)

Copy the files for this module to /site/modules/PageTableNext/ and Install PageTableNext, FieldtypePageTableNext and InputfieldPageTableNext.
Enter your favorite field name and click "Setup Field" in Module Configuration.
Add the field to your page template and add some content element templates to the PageTableNext field.

Install (Long way)

Copy the files for this module to /site/modules/PageTableNext/ and Install PageTableNext, FieldtypePageTableNext and InputfieldPageTableNext.
Create a new template (e.g. "content-elements").
- In the tab "Access" set the permission management to "Yes", then check "View page" and "Guest".
- Optional: In the tab "Family" set the option "Can this template be used for new pages?" to "One".
- Optional: In the "Advanced" tab, check the options "Don't allow pages to change their template?" and "Don't allow unpublished pages".
Create a new page which will act as a container for the content elements (as child of Admin) with the title e.g. "Content Elements". Choose the template from step 2 ("content-elements")
Create a new field of type PageTableNext (e.g. ptn)
- "Details" tab
  - Select one or more templates for your content elements under "Select one or more templates for items".
  - Optional: In "Select a parent for items" select the container page you created in step 3.
  - Optional: Configure the following at "Page behaviors":
    - Delete: Delete them
    - Trash: Nothing
    - Unpublish: Nothing
- "Input" tab
  - Optional: For "Automatic Page Name Format" add {template.label|template.name}.
  - Path to content element templates: Add the path for the front- and backend rendering of the content elements. The path is relative to /site/templates/fields/ e.g. "ptn/". The name of the PHP template file must match the name of the template.
Copy the file from the module folder /site/modules/PageTableNext/data/ptn.php to the folder /site/templates/fields/[fieldname].php. Replace "ptn" with your field name
Add the field to your page template and add some content element templates to the new PageTableNext field.

Rendering

Frontend

Use file field rendering for the output. You can find more information here.

// if your field name is "ptn":
echo $page->render->ptn;

Backend

All elements are rendered in the backend as custom HTML elements (<ptn-content>). The styling is separated from the backend. This way, the rendering of your content elements is encapsulated and separated from the backend. You can use a different custom element by extending the class "PtnContent".

class PtnContent extends HTMLElement {
    constructor() { /* some code here*/ }
}

customElements.define('ptn-content', PtnContent);

Configuration / Add news fields

Modules > Configure > PageTableNext

Field settings

Fields > ptn > Details

Select one or more templates for items

Here you can select templates for the content elements. These templates are available later when you want to create new content elements on your page.

Select a parent for items

If selected, all new content elements are stored as a child page of the selected page. If no page is selected, the content elements will be created as child pages of the referenced page.

Fieldsettings

API

The field itself returns a PageArray of content elements. If you want you can create your own rendering:

/** @var PageArray $contentElements */
$contentElements = $page->ptn;
$renderIndex = 0;

/** @var Page $contentElement */
foreach($contentElements as $contentElement) {
    echo $page->renderValue(
        $contentElement->set('_myRenderIndex', $renderIndex++),
        'ptn/' . $contentElement->template->name
    );
}

Customize/override output files

All files in the /site/modules/PageTableNext/templates/ folder can be overwritten. Just create a folder in your templates directory /site/templates/PageTableNext and copy the corresponding files there. Now you can edit the files.

Styling

Variant 1:

Copy your CSS style file into the folder /site/templates/PageTableNext/content.css or set a symlink to your style file.

cd site/templates/PageTableNext/
ln -s path/to/your/style.css content.css

Variant 2:

Copy the file /site/modules/PageTableNext/templates/ptn-content.php into the directory /site/templates/PageTableNext/ and change the path to your style files below

Extend Custom Element

If you want to execute your own code while creating the content elements, e.g. initialize the page tree with Alpine, you can extend the CustomElement. You can add your own code to the ptn.php file for example

First Step

class MyContent extends PtnContent {
    constructor() {
        super();

        // Add alpine init to the custom element
        document.addEventListener('alpine:init', () => {
            Alpine.initTree(this.shadowRoot);
            setTimeout(function () { window.dispatchEvent(new Event('resize')); }, 400)
        }, { once: true})
    }
}

// Define new custom element
if(!customElements.get('my-content')) {
    customElements.define('my-content', MyContent);
}

Second Step

Override ptn-content.php. Go to the bottom of the file and change the tag name from <ptn-content> to <my-content>

//...
<my-content>
    <template id="content">
        <?php
            $cssFilePath = $ptn->getFileLocation('content.css', 'paths');
            $cssFileUrl = $ptn->getFileLocation('content.css', 'urls');
            $cssFileUrl = $cssFileUrl . '?modified=' . filemtime($cssFilePath);
            ?>
        <link rel="stylesheet" href="<?= $cssFileUrl; ?>">
        <div class="backend" data-of="<?= $value->of(); ?>">
            <?= $ptn->renderValueWrapper($page, $value); ?>
        </div>
    </template>
</my-content>

Add custom actions

In order to add new JavaScript actions, follow the two steps. Add a button to the list of actions in the file ptn-content.

<a
        class="uk-icon-button uk-icon ptn_actions_custom"
        data-actioncustom='{"name": "myaction", "params": "your method input"}'
        href="#"
        uk-icon="icon: bolt; ratio: .8"
        title="<?= __('My Custom Action'); ?>"
></a>

<script>
    $.InputfieldPageTableNextContentElementCustomActions.actionMyaction = function (params, event) {
        /** PointerEvent */
        const clickEvent = event;

        /** mixed (your custom parameter) */
        const myParams = params;

        /** $.InputfieldPageTableNextContentElement */
        const contentElementInstance = this;

        /** $.InputfieldPageTableNext */
        const table = this.getParent();
    }
</script>

GraphQL

The content elements can also be queried using GraphQL. For this purpose, the data is divided into three new fields: id, type and render. All other page fields are still available (created, name, references, template ...).

id is the page id of the content element. type is the template name in PascalCase.
render is everything from the content element template file /site/fields/[content-element-template-name].php. This template is also used for the preview in the backend. If you want to use a different template here, e.g. to return different fields or a serialised object, you can create an additional template file with the postfix ".graphql" /site/fields/[content-element-template-name].graphql.php.

Request

query {
    home {
        first {
            id
            name
            title
            ptn {
                getTotal
                list {
                    id
                    type
                    render
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Response

{
  "data": {
    "home": {
      "first": {
        "id": "1",
        "name": "home",
        "title": "Home",
        "ptn": {
          "getTotal": 2,
          "list": [
            {
              "id": "1193",
              "type": "CeText",
              "template": "ce-text",
              "render": "<h1>Hello World</h1>"
            },
            {
              "id": "1194",
              "type": "CeImage",
              "template": "ce-image",
              "render": "<h1>Nice pictures</h1> <img ....>"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

GraphQL GraphQL query with Postman

ToDos

Refactor content element handling with Alpine.js
Video-Tutorial