How can I add block through XML layout file, and not programmatically, through controller?

Question

How can I add a block through XML layout file, and not programaticaly, through controller?

I have my block and I want to use it in a template that already exists (catalog/category/view.phtml).

How can I do this without going in and changing a controller, and without changing the catalog/category/view.phtml directly?

I want to add this block somewhere in an already existing template through XML, and not programatically.

This is part of my block:

class Mynamespace_Mymodule_Block_Myblock extends Mage_Core_Block_Template
{
 public function _construct()
 {
 $this -> setTemplate("mynamespace_mymodule/myblock.phtml");
 return parent::_construct();
 }
 public function getItemsByCategoryAndUseState($category, $use_state) {
 return "some used or new items";
 }
}

This is config.xml of my module:

<config>
<modules>
 <Mynamespace_Mymodule>
 <version>3.0.0.1</version>
 </Mynamespace_Mymodule>
</modules>
<global>
 <blocks>
 <mynamespace_mymodule>
 <class>Mynamespace_Mymodule_Block</class>
 </mynamespace_mymodule>
 </blocks>
</global>
<frontend>
 <layout>
 <updates>
 <mynamespace_mymodule>
 <file>mynamespace_mymodule.xml</file>
 </mynamespace_mymodule>
 </updates>
 </layout>
</frontend>

This is my package/theme/layout/mynamespace_mymodule.xml:

<layout version="0.1.0">
 <catalog_category_view> 
 <reference name="product_list"> 
 <block type="mynamespace_mymodule/myblock" name="myblock" after="-" /> 
 </reference> 
 </catalog_category_view>
</layout> 

Thanks.

• Vishwas Bhatnagar: share your block and XML where you want to reuse

Answer 1

you can add block with this xml code

<catalog_category_view>
 <reference name="content">
 <block type="mymodule/myblock" after="-" />
 </reference>
</catalog_category_view>

add this is <frontend> tag not in <global>

 <frontend>
 <layout>
 <updates>
 <mynamespace_mymodule>
 <file>mynamespace_mymodule.xml</file>
 </mynamespace_mymodule>
 </updates>
 </layout>
 </frontend>

• The Outstanding Question Asker: This is the exact answer to the question.
• The Outstanding Question Asker: And what does the after=-= mean?
• The Outstanding Question Asker: Something is wrong. I am not getting the output from the block when I added this in config.xml of the module: <frontend> ... <layout> <updates> <catalog_category_view> <reference name="content"> <block type="mynamespace_mymodule/myblock" name="useditems" after="-" /> </reference> </catalog_category_view> </updates> </layout> </frontend> ... </config>
• Fme Extensions: @VladimirDespotovic which file your are editing if it is layout file simple add this code <catalog_category_view> <reference name="content"> <block type="thinkopen_overwriter/filteredbooks" name="usedbooksincategory" after="-" /> </reference> </catalog_category_view> layout file is inapp/design/frontend/spacename/themename/layout/thier are layout file
• The Outstanding Question Asker: See my comment above. It didn't work. I added this in my design/frontend/package/theme/layout/mynamespace_mymodule.xml: <layout version="0.1.0"> <frontend> <layout> <updates> <catalog_category_view> <reference name="content"> <block type="mynamespace_mymodule/myblock" name="nameofmyblock" after="-" /> </reference> </catalog_category_view> </updates> </layout> </frontend> </layout>

Answer 2

Solved it partially by using methods of the block in template. I just:

1. Created the block
2. Declared the block in module's config.xml
3. Using it in the template (a .phtml file) like so:

4. echo $this -> getLayout() 
    -> createBlock('mymodule/myblock') 
    -> toHtml();
   

I want to do it just with .XML layout updates though.

• Fme Extensions: which url you trying to set your template?
• The Outstanding Question Asker: This url: 127.0.0.1/mysite/firstcategory.html
• Fme Extensions: you want to set template for category page?
• The Outstanding Question Asker: I don't want to change the template file template/catalog/category/view.phtml. I would like to add block to the template and layout by using XML.