Magento - How do you return results of unlimited CMS Static blocks (with certain "Identifier") to a CMS Page

Question

Quick Overview: I am trying to return results from a specific set of static blocks to a phtml file (which is then called on from a cms page) in Magento.

Note: I've been searching all over google and some answers get me closer than others but nothing I've tried seems to work 100%?

Details:

I already have a set of specific static blocks that all start with an identifier of testimonial-. For example, each static block is like this: testimonial-1, testimonial-2, testimonial-3 and so on. I have a total of 5 on my dev site (more on live site but that is no consequence here).

I have a CMS Page with code pulling in the name.phtml file (location of my phtml file is here: app/design/frontend/[package]/[template]/template/page/):

{{block type="core/template" template="page/name.phtml" title="Others Say:" identifier="testimonial-"}}

Here is my code for the .phtml file:

<?php
    // add the collection with filters
$collection = Mage::getModel('cms/block')->getCollection()
    ->addFieldToFilter('identifier', array('like'=>'testimonial'.'%'))
    ->addFieldToFilter('is_active', 1);

// get the count
$blockCount = $collection->count();
    echo 'Block Count: ' . $blockCount . '<br />'; // just for testing

$blockNum = 1;
foreach($collection as $key => $value){
    $_blockId = $this->getIdentifier();
    $block_ID = $_blockId . $blockNum;
    echo "Key: " . $key . " - " . "Block ID: " . $block_ID . "<br />";
    $blockNum++;
}

$_block = $this->getLayout()->createBlock('cms/block')->setBlockId($block_ID);

if ($_block) :
?>
<div class="block block-testimonial">
<div class="block-title">
    <strong><?php echo $this->getTitle(); ?></strong>
</div>
<div class="block-content">
<?php echo $_block->toHtml(); ?>
</div>

The loop foreach($collection as $key => $value) prints out this:

Key: 27 - Block ID: testimonial-1
Key: 28 - Block ID: testimonial-2
Key: 29 - Block ID: testimonial-3
Key: 30 - Block ID: testimonial-4
Key: 31 - Block ID: testimonial-5

Which is good.

However, the only block that is echoed is the last block (testimonial-5). Since I'm trying to list out all the testimonial blocks, how can I echo out each block id to the page?

Go easy on me, I'm a beginner at php.

Answer 1

You are not printing block inside foreach loop. Solution: move } parenthesis to the end of pasted code

$blockNum = 1;
foreach($collection as $key => $value){
    $_blockId = $this->getIdentifier();
    $block_ID = $_blockId . $blockNum;
    echo "Key: " . $key . " - " . "Block ID: " . $block_ID . "<br />";
    $blockNum++;    

    $_block = $this->getLayout()->createBlock('cms/block')->setBlockId($block_ID);

    if ($_block) : ?>
        <div class="block block-testimonial">
            <div class="block-title">
                <strong><?php echo $this->getTitle(); ?></strong>
            </div>
        <div class="block-content">
        <?php echo $_block->toHtml(); ?>
        </div>
    <?php 
    endif;
}

I think that on Magento Connect are some Testimonial Modules, that are doing job you want. On the other hand, if you are looking for 'simple' solution or if you are trying to play with Magento, is this approach ok.