Magento - Creating custom modules and blocks

directory structure:
/app/code/local/<Namespace>/<Module>/

Block/

controllers/

etc/

Model/

    Mysql4/

        <Module>/

sql/

    <module>_setup/

 

 /app/design/frontend/<interface>/<theme>/

template/

    <module>/

Lets assume following values

 <Namespace> = Test

 <Module>    = Tutorial

 <interface> =  green

 <theme>     = default

1. create module

Magento requires there to be an XML file that tells Magento to look for and use your custom module.
/app/etc/modules/<Namespace>_<Module>.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<config>

    <modules>

        <[Namespace]_[Module]>

            <active>true</active>

            <codePool>local</codePool>

        </[Namespace]_[Module]>

    </modules>

</config>

 

 

Replaced code

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
    <modules>
        <Test_Tutorial>
            <active>true</active>
            <codePool>local</codePool>
        </Test_Tutorial>
    </modules>
</config>

 

 

2. Create controller

 

/app/code/local/<Namespace>/<Module>/controllers/IndexController.php

 

<?php

class <Namespace>_<Module>_IndexController extends Mage_Core_Controller_Front_Action

{

    public function indexAction()

    {

            $this->loadLayout();

            $this->renderLayout();

    }

}

Replaced code  

 <?php
class Test_Tutorial_IndexController extends Mage_Core_Controller_Front_Action
{  
    public function indexAction()
    {
        $this->loadLayout();
        $this->renderLayout();   
    } 
  
}
 
3. Create configuration XML

/app/code/local/<Namespace>/<Module>/etc/config.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<config>

    <modules>

        <[Namespace]_[Module]>

            <version>0.1.0</version>

        </[Namespace]_[Module]>

    </modules>

    <frontend>

        <routers>

            <[module]>

                <use>standard</use>

                <args>

                    <module>[Namespace]_[Module]</module>

                    <frontName>[module]</frontName>

                </args>

            </[module]>

        </routers>

        <layout>

            <updates>

                <[module]>

                    <file>[module].xml</file>

                </[module]>

            </updates>

        </layout>

    </frontend>   

   

        <blocks>

            <[module]>

                <class>[Namespace]_[Module]_Block</class>

            </[module]>

        </blocks>

</config>

Replaced code

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
    
    <modules>
        <Test_Tutorial>
        <version>0.1.0</version>
        </Test_Tutorial>
    </modules>

    <frontend>
        <routers>
            <tutorial>
                <use>standard</use>
                <args>
                    <module>Test_Tutorial</module>
                    <frontName>tutorial</frontName>
                </args>
            </tutorial>
        </routers>
   
        <layout>
            <updates>
                <tutorial>
                    <file>tutorial.xml</file>
                </tutorial>
            </updates>
        </layout>
    </frontend>
  
   <global>
        <blocks>
            <tutorial>
                    <class>Test_Tutorial_Block</class>
            </tutorial>
        </blocks>
    </global>
</config>

 4. Template design
/app/design/frontend/<interface>/<theme>/layout/<module>.xml 

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<layout version="0.1.0">

    <[module]_index_index>

        <reference name="content">

            <block type="core/template" name="[module]" template="[module]/[module].phtml" />

        </reference>

    </[module]_index_index>

</layout>

 Replaced code
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
<layout version="0.1.0">
 <default>
      <reference name="content">
      </reference>
  </default>
 
  <tutorial_index_index>
    <reference name="content">
      <block type="tutorial/list" name="tutorial" template="tutorial/tutorial.phtml" />
    </reference>
  </tutorial_index_index>

</layout>

5. Creating block
/app/code/local/<Namespace>/<Module>/Block/List.php

<?php
class <Namespace>_<Module>_Block_List extends Mage_Core_Block_Template
{
    public function _prepareLayout()
    {       
        return parent::_prepareLayout();
    }

   //methods will goes on

}

Replaced code 

<?php
class Test_Tutorial_Block_List extends Mage_Core_Block_Template
{
    public function _prepareLayout()
    {       
        return parent::_prepareLayout();
    }

    public function myMessage(){
        return "This is test message, This is my module.";
    }

}
 
6. create template file

/app/design/frontend/<interface>/<theme>/template/<module>/<module>.phtml

<?php  $this->methidNameBlock() ;?>

Replaced code

 
 <div>
    <?php
        echo 'Testing message';
        echo "<BR/>";
        echo $this->myMessage();
    ?>
</div>


 7. Check your output

http://localhost/magento_1.6/tutorial/index