Frequently Asked Questions
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cmsdAm 0.8 Frequently Asked Questions, written by di Dino Ciuffetti,
dam2k@users.sourceforge.net
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Q- What is cmsdAm?
A- cmsdAm is a simple Web Site Content Management Framework.
You can use it to make professionale web site writing more simple
without deep knowledge of HTTP, caching mechanisms, search engine,
databases, network protocols, logging, etc.
It's really simple to write your templates, link them with section
names, let cmsdAm to paste it exactly as you want. We can associate
PHP power to the semplicity of cut and paste, having as final result
a professional web site respecting standars like HTTP, various
network protocols, meta tags, ecc.
Q- Who has written cmsdAm, and what's its license?
A- The author is Dino Ciuffetti, Linux administrator in Roma (Italy)
which works for Pro-Netics S.r.l. CmsdAm e' distributed under
GNU GPL license, like other best softwares!!
Q- Can I use cmsdAm in commercial environments?
A- Yes, of course!! Can't you use Apache, Linux and the rest in
commercial environments??!?!!
Q- Must I have PHP knowledge to use cmsdAm?
A- YES! You need a base knowledge to use cmsdAm!! It's not so difficult,
and you can find everything you need to http://www.php.net/
Q- Which is your well tested configuration for production environments?
A- IBM xSeries 335/336, Linux Debian Sarge, Openldap, MySql, PHP4
and Apache 1.3.X. cmsdAm works perfectly in other environments.
If you can run it with other configurations, please let us know!!
Q- Which PHP,SO,modules do I have to use to make cmsdAm working as expected?
A- Sincerely I didn't have time to deeply test that. You could give me help
writing to me wich is your SO/webserver/PHP/modules/db/ldap/etc.
Deeply tested on Linux Debian Systems Stable, Testing e Unstable with PHP4
and Apache 1 e 2.
Q- Do it run in Windows?
A- Never covered. Please test it by yourself, and please let us know about it
on cmsdam-devel@lists.sourceforge.net, thanks!!
Q- What is a section and what is a template file?
A- A template file is a PHP, HTML or TXT file that is mapped to
one or more sections of a web site. A section is a piece of web page with
a name and some properties which cmsdAm knows and uses to paste templates
into the precise point of the WEB page. The user decide, using cmsdAm api,
(ex. in file "template/index.php") how and where paste template files
into the sections of a web page, even if it is very complex.
Q- May I have pure HTML templates, that have no PHP code?
A- Yes! The important thing is that you write PHP code (using cmsdAm API)
from your section skeleton. The section skeleton is the
template/index.php file. It is used to define wich sections to paste and
in which way. After that, templates can be pure text!
Q- How can I associate a template file to a section?
A- Templates must be contained in the template/lang/XX directory.
XX is the language code, ex. IT for Italian, EN for English.
There's a special case: template that reside in
"template/lang/default" directory. This directory is used for
templates that are automatically included in the case the file
for the requested language does not exists. For example if your browser
is setted in French, and the French template directory does not exists
cmsdAm will include template files contained in "template/lang/default".
You can associate a template file to a section name modifying
etc/templates.php (the configuration file is very well commented!!).
Please note that this method will be modified in the future releases of
this CMS. Let us make an example. You would like to create a secion named
"downloads" end associte it at the template file named "downloads.php".
Then, when cmsdAm method $cms->sections->section_include("downloads") is
called, for example by the file "template/index.php", cmsdAm will include
the template file for the chosen language. If the requested language file
does not exists, cmsdAm will automatically include the file "downloads.php"
in the "template/lang/default" directory. It's possible to include other
sections from any section.
Q- Can I use sections ACL?
A- YES. You can make cmsdAm include a section only from one user or group.
Users and groups can be defined in a custom LDAP tree or into a Database.
Watch the file etc/templates.php.
NOTE: Only MySQL and LDAP are supported for users and groups.
PostgreSql support will come soon.
Q- Let's say about plugins.
A- You can write plugins by yourself, starting with the example plugin named "_skel"
under "plugins" directory, or you can use already written plugins.
Q- Can I create complex sites with cmsdAm?
A- Of course! Are you a great PHP programmer or not?
Q- Say something about low level programming and cmsdAm.
A- I repeat: everything you can do with PHP, you can do it with cmsdAm.
It is a CMS, not an operating system!
Q- Is it quick to rendering pages?
A- Very, very, very quick! For normal uses, we are near few milliseconds!!
Please test it, and let me know!
Q- Can I use it for other things?
A- Please read the PHP documentation on http://www.php.net/
Q- Is it Linux great?
A- YES!!!!!
Q- And Debian, is great too?
A- YESSSS!!!!!
Q- Do I have to configure PHP in strange or particular ways?
A- Generally no, becouse Linux distributions have PHP parameters
just working ok. cmsdAm works well with "register_globals = Off",
and other default parameters. Let us know if you encounter particular
problems with PHP and cmsdAm.
Q- Do I have to configure APACHE in strange or particular ways?
A- Generally no, becouse Linux distributions have APACHE parameters
just working ok. cmsdAm works well with Apache 1.3.X and its default
parameters. Let us know if you encounter particular problems with APACHE
and cmsdAm.
Q- Are there any BUG?
A- At the moment, we don't know any BUG.
Q- I would like to write/test cmsdAm, or writing documentation
A- YOU ARE WELLCOME!! Subscribe to the mailinglist
cmsdam-devel@lists.sourceforge.net and send me a mail at
dam2k@users.sourceforge.net. This project can be yours!
Q- I would like to donate money to cmsdAm developers. How can I do?
A- Please go to http://sourceforge.net/donate/index.php?group_id=105808
and thanks a lot!! Money will be interely used to cmsdAm development.
Note that I have decided to donate 10% to Sourceforge for the great
support and development tools.
Q- I would like to say something. Can i tell something?
A- ANY comment, or every other consideration, idea or other
is well accepted!! Feel fre to write a note to
cmsdam-users@lists.sourceforge.net or at the forum, or at the author.
Q- Where can I find more informations, documentation, or request features?
A- Use this order:
1- Watch the docs directory of cmsdam source
2- Navigate the website http://cmsdam.sourceforge.net/
3- Subscribe to the mailinglist cmsdam-users@lists.sourceforge.net
and post anything you want to know.
4- Look at the source code.
5- Write me a mail at dam2k@users.sourceforge.net for any other thing
not described.
Q- Where can I find cmsdAm API?
A- In the docs source directory or at the website
http://cmsdam.sourceforge.net.
Q- Can I create dynamic sections with publishing?
A- I'm writing this supports (watch TODO list), at the moment
publishing framework is not supported.
Q- IS there any Administration interface?
A- No, at the moment. I'm writing it, but this will make necessary the
database usage. Now you can not use the DB.
Q- Is there any css, themes or plugins already written to realyze pre
written low cost websites?
A- Realy no. I don't enjoy writing pre written themes and plugins!!
If you want to write it by yourself, you make me the man more happy
of the world, and it will be publicized very soon
Q- Are we DIV e CSS ready?
A- Of course!
Q- And for character encoding e i18n?
A- Yes, just written!
Q- Is it exists a commercial support for cmsdAm?
A- At the moment I would like to create a community. Probably you will
have a commercial support!