How to use default.ctp in cakephp

Question

I just finished the "15 min Blog Post tutorial" included in the documentation for cakephp. I was asked for another tutorial to change the layout for first tutorial.

However, I am fairly new to MVC programming/Cakephp and I have no real clue how to do so. Well, I know I need "default.ctp" placed in app/views/layouts/ and I presume I need to include to include my data? . . .

I am really at a loss of what to do. I set up my default.ctp as I mentioned above, but when I go to localhost:9999/posts the layout is still the same. I guess I need to include a stylesheet (and if so, where?)

I guess if someone can point me in the right direction to a beginner's guide to layout styling or how to use it I would greatly appreciate any help.

Answer 1

I really recomend the CakePHP CookBook, easily found from the CakePHP homepage. Modifying default.ctp should edit your applications layout.

A more specific question (eg. code samples of your default.ctp, expected results etc) might help people provide a better answer than mine.

Answer 2

Lack of stylesheets has no impact here.

How MVC works in CakePHP:

• The router dispatches an incoming request to an appropriate Contoller.

• The appropriate Controller function executes (no output, just fetching data, setting up variables).

• The appropriate view is rendered. In fact, the output of the view is just contained in $content_for_layout.

• What you really get back in the browser is in the layout. Therefore you can put your view's output into the layout by echo $content_for_layout in default.ctp. (Of course you can also have different layouts.) In addition, the layout can be enhanced with elements.

Answer 3

I would advice you to read the following from the cookbook: Layouts and CSS. Then copy the layout from /cake/libs/view/layouts/ to /app/views/layouts/ and modify it to your needs. After that create you stylesheet (or modify existing one) in /app/webroot/css/ and include it in your layout.