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Formating a Block Index

• Edit

Fernando

19 Apr, 2016 01:37 PM

I am learning how to use velocity and move most of the stuff I have in velocity i am working to move to XSLT. So I am learning in more detail how to use velocity, I have a block file I am wanting to call in my format that I do not know how to call. Could I get some assistance with this?

Thanks!

• velocity-format.txt 1.61 KB
• xml-info.xml 15.2 KB

1. 1 Posted by Ryan Griffith on 19 Apr, 2016 04:46 PM

   

   Hi Fernando,

   A couple of things that jump out at me:

   • You are attempting to grab the block's content using the $page variable as the context. This will require adding system-data-structure to your XPath:
   • Based on the XML you provided, your XPath to obtain the links is incorrect:

     #set($links = $_XPathTool.selectNodes($page, "system-data-structure/related/links/links-list/content/system-data-structure/link"))
     

   • If you need to access the actual URL for the symlink, you will need to adjust your XPath a bit more:

     #set($links = $_XPathTool.selectNodes($page, "system-data-structure/related/links/links-list/content/system-data-structure/link/content/system-symlink"))
     

   • Check to make sure $links.size() is greater than 0 prior to looping to avoid Null Pointer errors

   Please let me know if you have any questions.

   Thanks!

   • Edit

2. 2 Posted by Fernando on 20 Apr, 2016 04:31 PM

   

   Should I add the system-data-structure to the $page variable? or would it be fine in the $links variable?

   How would I check if the link size is greater than 0 prior to looping?

   Thanks for all of the help!

   • Edit

3. 3 Posted by Ryan Griffith on 20 Apr, 2016 06:29 PM

   

   Hi Fernando,

   Should I add the system-data-structure to the $page variable? or would it be fine in the $links variable?

   I added "system-data-structure" to the XPath used to obtain the links so it should not be necessary to add it anywhere else.

   How would I check if the link size is greater than 0 prior to looping?

   You would use $links.size() in an #if statement:

   #if ($links.size() > 0)
       ## Place outputting of links here.
   #end
   

   Please let me know if you have any questions.

   Thanks!

   • Edit

4. 4 Posted by Fernando on 20 Apr, 2016 07:41 PM

   

   So how would call the outputting of links? on the line where I have <li></li>? I tried doing "<li>$_SerializerTool.serialize($links, true)</li>" but it didnt work. It was not rendering the right information.

   • Edit

5. 5 Posted by Ryan Griffith on 20 Apr, 2016 08:13 PM

   

   Hi Fernando,

   This would depend on which XPath you chose to use. Also, you will be doing this within a #foreach loop.

   #set($links = $_XPathTool.selectNodes($page, "system-data-structure/related/links/links-list/content/system-data-structure/link"))
   

   In this case, you can use $link.getChild("content").getChild("system-symlink").value OR $_XPathTool.selectSingleNode($link, "content/system-symlink").value.

   #set($links = $_XPathTool.selectNodes($page, "system-data-structure/related/links/links-list/content/system-data-structure/link/content/system-symlink"))
   

   In this case, you would simply use $link.value.

   Please let me know if you have any questions.

   Thanks!

   • Edit

6. 6 Posted by Fernando on 22 Apr, 2016 02:15 PM

   

   I am getting close but I do not think i am quite there. This is what I am currently working on.

   <ul>
       #foreach ( $link in $links )
          #if ($links.size() > 0)
             #set($links = $_XPathTool.selectNodes($page, "system-data-structure/related/links/links-list/content/system-data-structure/link"))
           #end
              <li>$link.getChild("content").getChild("system-symlink").value</li>
          #end
   </ul>

   It is showing me blank whenever I see the result of that. Am I missing something ?

   Thanks for all of the help

   • Edit

7. 7 Posted by Ryan Griffith on 22 Apr, 2016 02:59 PM

   

   Hi Fernando,

   You are definitely getting close, but need to restructure this code a bit. When you have a moment, give the following a try and let me know how it works out:

   #set($links = $_XPathTool.selectNodes($page, "system-data-structure/related/links/links-list/content/system-data-structure/link")) 
   #if ($links.size() > 0) 
   <ul> 
       #foreach ( $link in $links ) 
              <li>$link.getChild("content").getChild("system-symlink").value</li> 
       #end 
   </ul>
   #end
   

   Please let me know if you have any questions.

   Thanks!

   • Edit

8. 8 Posted by Fernando on 22 Apr, 2016 03:29 PM

   

   I got this error whenever I put that code in, not sure what happened since the Error line is 41 and my script is only 38 lines long.

   Thanks again for the help!

   • Screen_Shot_2016-04-22_at_10.22.49_AM_(2).png 29.1 KB
   • Edit

9. 9 Posted by Ryan Griffith on 22 Apr, 2016 07:45 PM

   

   Hi Fernando,

   It sounds like the XML validation during rendering does not like the parameters in those links; the ampersands specifically. When you have a moment, try adjusting the following:

   <li>$link.getChild("content").getChild("system-symlink").value</li>
   

   to:

   <li>${_EscapeTool.xml($link.getChild("content").getChild("system-symlink").value)}</li>
   

   This should properly escape the ampersands.

   Please let me know if you have any questions.

   Thanks!

   • Edit

10. 10 Posted by Fernando on 25 Apr, 2016 01:40 PM

    

    Got it to work! At first it was only rendering the links so I did some changes.

    • #foreach ( $link in $links )
    • ${_EscapeTool.xml($link.getChild("name").value)}
    • #end

    And it works!! Thanks for all of the help!

    • Edit

11. Fernando closed this discussion on 25 Apr, 2016 01:40 PM.