Is there simpler, less assuming Craft documentation?

Question

I'm really struggling with understanding how Craft works at the moment. I've been started mid-way on a particular project and I just can't get my head around how Craft works.

Their documentation seems to assume some knowledge I just don't have and combined with the intermediate-to-expert level of Craft-use in the project I'm on, I just can't figure it out.

Right now I'm failing at even the simplest things. I see fields as 'variables' of an entry, which are then sectioned? I'm doing things that work one particular way:

{% set entries = craft.entries.slug('xyz') %} {{entries.navigationCaptionTitle}}

..but not another:

{% for block in entries %} {{ block.navigationCaptionTitle }} {% endfor %}

..and I think it's down to my basic understanding of how Sections, Entries and Fields work, how Craft manages them and their basic terminology. I'm definitely a visual learner so anything remotely graphical will help.

I don't have any CMS background, largely just working on html, css and js.

Answer 1

Best is to create fresh Craft instalation and experiment, learn basics. I did the same thing when I was assigned to a large drupal project.

Here is a resource list on Craft:

• http://craftcookbook.net
• http://straightupcraft.com/articles/getting-started-with-craft-cms
• http://webdesign.tutsplus.com/courses/building-landing-pages-with-craft-cms
• http://craftcms.com/docs/templating/craft.entries
• https://craftcms.com/support
• http://straightupcraft.com/events/matrix-entry-types-and-advanced-content-layouts

"..and I think it's down to my basic understanding of how Sections, Entries and Fields work"

It's quite simple really :) You attach fields to section - this defines a "template" for your entry/entries.

Single type section has one entry, Channel & Structure have multiple entries. Also you can create few entry types for Channel & structure (https://straightupcraft.com/articles/how-do-i-output-an-assets-field-inside-a-matrix-field-inside-an-entry-type).

---

STRUCTURE SECTION EXAMPLE

1. Create fields

2. Create section

3. Create Entry types (Click Edit Entry types) Drag&Drop fields

4. Create new Entries Note: Entry type changes

5. Create entry template file (see step 2 for file location). File located under (installation folder)/craft/templates/example/_entry.twig

6. Result

---

You can also pull those two entries from any twig file like this (Details):

{% for entry in craft.entries.section('example') %}
    <a href="{{ entry.url }}">{{entry.title}}</a><br>
{% endfor %}

OR just first one

{% set firstExample = craft.entries.section('example').first() %}
<a href="{{ firstExample.url }}">{{firstExample.title}}</a><br>

See also this