How To Create A Module in Magento

This is a brief listing of the steps I have taken to test a sample module in Magento

Make folder app/code/local/Schogini <——— this name can be your company’s name, this make a new name space so that your classes will not interfere with other classes of the same name.

Inside the above folder make a folder called Example app/code/local/Schogini/Example <—- here Example is the name of the module we will create

Now add the module xml file at app/etc/modules/Schogini_All.xml <— here this can be Schogini_example.xml but I will use Schogini_All.xml so that all my test module definitions can be added to the same file instead of cluttering the etc/modules folder with many files.

<?xml version=”1.0″?>
<config>
  <modules>

    <Schogini_Example>
      <active>true</active>
      <codePool>local</codePool>
    </Schogini_Example>

  </modules>
</config>

Now create two folders app/code/local/Schogini/Example/etc and app/code/local/Schogini/Example/Block

In the app/code/local/Schogini/Example/etc folder make a file like this

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>
<config>

  <modules>
    <Schogini_Example>
      <version>0.1.0</version>
    </Schogini_Example>

  </modules>
  <global>
    <blocks>
      <example>
        <class>Schogini_Example_Block</class>

      </example>
    </blocks>
  </global>
</config>

And now create the block php class file at app/code/local/Schogini/Example/Block/Myview.php

<?php
class Schogini_Example_Block_Myview extends Mage_Core_Block_Template {
 public function myFunction(){
  return “Hello World!“;

 }
}
?>

Now make the view folder at app/design/frontend/default/default/template/example <– here you should figure out the correct template folder of your Magento store.

Inside this create the view file for the module block app/design/frontend/default/default/template/example/myview.phtml

<p>Schogini example:</p>

<?php
  echo $this->myFunction();
?>

We can enable or disable this module at Admin -> System -> Advanced

Module creation is over at this point.

Now! Edit any page where you will want this module to show its output!

I have tested the above module in the home page by Admin -> CMS -> Manage Pages -> Home and edited to add these lines somewhere at the bottom

{{block type="example/myview" template="example/myview.phtml"}}

Please not the name space “schogini” is not required in the above line..

Reload the Magento home to see your module in action!