Title: Education: 05. Blog
Date: 2019-06-25 00:00
Category: Page
Slug: education.05.blog
Lang: en
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In this document we create "dynamic" pages for a blog.
Estimated completion time: 20 minutes.
**Table of contents**
* [01. Blog](#blog)
* [02. Investigate `pskov.cfg` file](#cfg)
* [03. Investigate item templates of the blog](#item)
* [04. Investigate preview templates](#preview)
* [05. Investigate templates of preview pages](#index)
* [06. Investigate pagination templates](#pagination)
* [07. Investigate Markdown files](#md)
* [08. Launch LFSA](#lfsa)
* [09. Generate the site](#gen)
* [10. Observe the site](#observe)
* [11. Summary](#summary)
## 01. Blog
So, you have your web site in both English and Russian. You start to feel the need to regularly share your thoughts with the world as blog posts.
You set on to create the following [directory structure][03-files]:
* `pskov.cfg`
* `en/blog/`
* `item.template`
* `index.template`
* `preview.template`
* `pagination.template`
* `pagination.prev.template`
* `pagination.next.template`
* `1885.md`
* `1886.01.md`
* `1886.02.md`
* `1887.01.md`
* `1887.02.md`
* `1888.md`
* `1896.md`
* `1899.md`
* `en/page/`
* `item.template`
* `about.md`
* `cv.md`
* `ru/blog/`
* `item.template`
* `index.template`
* `preview.template`
* `pagination.template`
* `pagination.prev.template`
* `pagination.next.template`
* `1885.md`
* `1886.01.md`
* `1886.02.md`
* `1887.01.md`
* `1887.02.md`
* `1888.md`
* `1896.md`
* `1899.md`
* `ru/page/`
* `item.template`
* `about.md`
* `cv.md`
Let's look at the contents of these files closer.
## 02. Investigate `pskov.cfg` file
`pskov.cfg` file has the following contents:
```
input = en/page;ru/page;en/blog;ru/blog
item = item.template
preview = preview.template
index = index.template
paginationPrev = pagination.prev.template
paginationNext = pagination.next.template
paginationPrevNext = pagination.template
previewSize = 200
previewEnding = . . .
previewsPerPage = 3
previewPageBaseName = index
```
You already met `input` and `item` keys. Let's see into new ones:
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| `preview` | Points to an HTML template that is used to generate HTML preview out of the first `previewSize` (approximately) characters for each Markdown file |
| `index` | Points to an HTML template that is used to generate preview page to host previews |
| `paginationPrev` | Points to an HTML template that is used to generate pagination section to navigate backwards |
| `paginationNext` | Points to an HTML template that is used to generate pagination section to navigate forward |
| `paginationPrevNext` | Points to an HTML template that is used to generate pagination section |
| `previewSize` | How many characters (approximately) to take out of a Markdown file to generate a preview |
| `previewEnding` | String to use at the end of each preview |
| `previewsPerPage` | Maximum number of previews hosted by a preview page |
| `previewsPageBaseName` | Base file name for preview pages |
In our case:
* we restrict previews to `200` characters in size (approximately)
* we use `. . .` string at the end of each preview
* preview pages host `3` previews maximum
* preview pages are saved as `index.html`, `index2.html`, `index3.html`, etc.
## 03. Investigate item templates of the blog
* `en/blog/item.template` contents:
```
- - - - Collapsed for brevity - - - -
- - - - Collapsed for brevity - - - -
```
**Note**: beginning and ending were collapsed for brevity.
As you can see, both files look similar to `item.template` files we saw [before][prev].
The changes include:
* new URLs to reference pages in `page` directory and the first preview page in `blog` directory
* title is referenced inside `contents` section as a link pointing to a complete blog post
* date is referenced to highlight relationship among different blog posts in time
Date reference uses new `PSKOV_ITEM_DATE` constant:
| PSKOV constant | Description |
|---|---|
| `PSKOV_ITEM_DATE` | Value of `Date` key of the page's Markdown file |
## 04. Investigate preview templates
* `en/blog/preview.template` contents:
```
```
Previews have no ``, ``, and similar full page HTML tags. Previews represent sections inserted into preview pages.
Preview itself is referenced by `PSKOV_PREVIEW` constant:
| PSKOV constant | Description |
|---|---|
| `PSKOV_PREVIEW` | Provides contents of a Markdown file limited by `previewSize` characters (approximately) |
## 05. Investigate templates of preview pages
* `en/blog/index.template` contents:
```
- - - - Collapsed for brevity - - - -
- - - - Collapsed for brevity - - - -
```
**Notes**:
* beginning and ending were collapsed for brevity
* `PSKOV_INDEX_URL` constant is used to provide language selection
Here are new **PSKOV** constants explained:
| PSKOV constant | Description |
|---|---|
| `PSKOV_INDEX_URL` | Provides generated preview page file name: `.html` |
| `PSKOV_PREVIEWS` | Provides a set of previews |
| `PSKOV_PAGINATION` | Provides pagination section to navigate preview pages |
## 06. Investigate pagination templates
Pagination templates represent HTML sections to navigate preview pages.
There are free pagination templates:
| Pagination template | Description |
|---|---|
| Previous | A visitor can only go backwards |
| Next | A visitor can only go forward |
| Both | A visitor can either go backwards, or forward |
Let's look at English pagination templates:
* `en/blog/pagination.prev.template` contents:
```
```
Here are new **PSKOV** constants we used:
| PSKOV constant | Description |
|---|---|
| `PSKOV_PAGE_ID` | Provides preview page id starting from `1` |
| `PSKOV_PAGES_COUNT` | Provides total number of generated preview pages |
| `PSKOV_PREV_PAGE_URL` | Provides previous preview page file name |
| `PSKOV_NEXT_PAGE_URL` | Provides next preview page file name |
## 07. Investigate Markdown files
Markdown files represent blog posts and they look almost like Markdown files for pages. Here's `en/blog/1885.md` contents:
```
Title: Bullocks
Date: 1885
Slug: 1885.01.bullocks
![Bullocks][bullocks]
I've been painting "Bullocks" sketch while I was staying in Odessa at Kuznetsov's in 1885.
[bullocks]: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Walentin_Aleksandrovich_Serov_Bullocks.jpg
```
Date is used to sort blog posts by date in descending order:
| Header key | Description |
|---|---|
| `Date` | Provides value for `PSKOV_ITEM_DATE` constant when generating HTML out of Markdown |
## 08. Launch LFSA
Launch [LFSA][lfsa] so that it points to directory with the files we just observed:
```
$ /path/to/lfsa_1.0.0.py /path/to/dir/03.Blog
```
## 09. Generate the site
Go to [Tool][tool] page and press `Generate` button to generate HTML files right where Markdown ones reside.
## 10. Observe the site
Observe generated web site locally by opening `en/blog/index.html` or `ru/blog/index.html` and navigating preview pages.
## 11. Summary
You have successfully generated a web site with "dynamic" blog posts. [Check out the result][03-sample].
Introduced PSKOV constants include:
| PSKOV constant | Description |
|---|---|
| `PSKOV_ITEM_DATE` | Value of `Date` key of the page's Markdown file |
| `PSKOV_PREVIEW` | Provides contents of a Markdown file limited by `previewSize` characters (approximately) |
| `PSKOV_INDEX_URL` | Provides generated preview page file name: `.html` |
| `PSKOV_PREVIEWS` | Provides a set of previews |
| `PSKOV_PAGINATION` | Provides pagination section to navigate preview pages |
| `PSKOV_PAGE_ID` | Provides preview page id starting from `1` |
| `PSKOV_PAGES_COUNT` | Provides total number of generated preview pages |
| `PSKOV_PREV_PAGE_URL` | Provides previous preview page file name |
| `PSKOV_NEXT_PAGE_URL` | Provides next preview page file name |
Introduced configuration keys include:
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| `preview` | Points to an HTML template that is used to generate HTML preview out of the first `previewSize` (approximately) characters for each Markdown file |
| `index` | Points to an HTML template that is used to generate preview page to host previews |
| `paginationPrev` | Points to an HTML template that is used to generate pagination section to navigate backwards |
| `paginationNext` | Points to an HTML template that is used to generate pagination section to navigate forward |
| `paginationPrevNext` | Points to an HTML template that is used to generate pagination section |
| `previewSize` | How many characters (approximately) to take out of a Markdown file to generate a preview |
| `previewEnding` | String to use at the end of each preview |
| `previewsPerPage` | Maximum number of previews hosted by a preview page |
| `previewsPageBaseName` | Base file name for preview pages |
Introduced header keys include:
| Header key | Description |
|---|---|
| `Date` | Provides value for `PSKOV_ITEM_DATE` constant when generating HTML out of Markdown |
This was the final document to make you proficient in generating static sites with **PSKOV**. If you like what we do, join us at [VK][vk], [Twitter][tw], or [Facebook][fb].
Now use **PSKOV** to generate your very own web site!
| < Back | Index | Next > |
|---|---|---|
| [04. Language][prev] | [Education][index] | Not available |
[index]: education.html
[prev]: education.04.lang.html
[03-files]: https://github.com/OGStudio/site-pskov-sample/tree/master/03.Blog
[03-sample]: http://opengamestudio.org/pskov/sample/03.Blog/en/blog/index.html
[lfsa]: http://opengamestudio.org/lfsa
[tool]: http://opengamestudio.org/pskov
[vk]: https://vk.com/opengamestudo
[tw]: https://twitter.com/OpenGameStudio
[fb]: https://www.facebook.com/groups/162611230470183