PageBuilder
Visual section builder for MODX 3. Draft and publish without overwriting resource content
Manager and events
CMP
Manager component: Components → PageBuilder (namespace pagebuilder, controller index).
In the CMP:
- list of resources with sections
- open section editor
- Section types (permission
pagebuilder_manage_types): UI types, hide/restore built-in JSON types
- Basket (Pro, capability
basket): global basket for deleted sections and table rows - Collections tab settings when
pagebuilder_collections_*are enabled
The editor on the resource form and in the CMP shares one Vue bundle via VueTools. Connector:
assets/components/pagebuilder/connector.php
Data model
Main page record: table pb_pages (prefix modx_pb_).
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
resource_id | Link to modResource |
draft_json | Draft section document |
published_json | Published version |
revision | Draft revision number (optimistic locking) |
published_revision | Last published revision |
publishedon / publishedby | Publish time and user |
editedon / editedby | Last draft edit |
PageBuilder does not overwrite modResource.content. Resource SEO fields (pagetitle, description) work as usual.
Per-page basket stores deleted sections in document.trash. On draft save, the plugin syncs the index in pb_basket_items. There is no dedicated basket pbOn* event: a plugin on pbOnAfterSave can read record.draft.trash. Global restore and permanent delete run through Pro processors mgr/basket/*.
Resource data tables live in separate pb_* tables (“Tables” tab).
PageBuilder Pro
The pagebuilderpro extra adds library, versions, presets, responsive fields, 20 advanced field types, global CMP basket, and Agent API.
Details: PageBuilder Pro. Commerce sections require miniShop3.
Events
On install, the extra registers 20 pbOn* events in MODX. Subscribe a plugin under System → Events or use a static plugin from the package.
Exception: pbOnBeforeTableGetList and pbOnTableRowSave are not created by the installer. Add those events manually if your plugin needs table hooks.
Boot registration
| Event | Data |
|---|---|
pbOnRegisterSectionDefinitions | registry (SectionRegistry): add custom types |
pbOnRegisterFeatureProviders | registry (FeatureProviderRegistry) |
Page lifecycle
| Event | When |
|---|---|
pbOnBeforeSave / pbOnAfterSave | Draft (mode=draft) |
pbOnBeforePublish / pbOnAfterPublish | Publish |
pbOnBeforeUnpublish / pbOnAfterUnpublish | Unpublish |
pbOnBeforeTrash / pbOnAfterTrash | Move sections to the basket |
In pbOnAfterSave and similar: changes is DocumentChangeSet (added/removed/trashed/restored section ids).
Copy
| Event | Data |
|---|---|
pbOnBeforeCopySections | sourceResourceId, targetResourceId, userId |
pbOnAfterCopySections | + record |
Catalog and fields
| Event | Purpose |
|---|---|
pbOnBeforeGetList / pbOnAfterGetList | Catalog list (mgr/catalog/list) |
pbOnFieldValues | FieldValuesBag: field value substitution (mgr/field/options, pickers) |
pbOnCheckSectionRequirement | requirement, result.satisfied: check depends (pro, minishop3) |
pbOnCheckSectionVisibility | Pro: settings.conditions, result.visible, section visibility on the front |
Tabular resource data
Manual registration
The events below are not registered on install. Add them under System → Events if your plugin should handle them.
| Event | When |
|---|---|
pbOnBeforeTableGetList | Row filtering (criteria by ref) |
pbOnTableRowSave | Before row save (data by ref) |
Frontend render
| Event | Data |
|---|---|
pbOnBeforeRenderDocument | resourceId, document, pipeline, options |
pbOnBeforeRenderSection | index, pipeline: mutate section before chunk |
pbOnGetValues | When snippet return_values=1 |
Example: register a section in a plugin:
php
<?php
switch ($modx->event->name) {
case 'pbOnRegisterSectionDefinitions':
/** @var \PageBuilder\Section\SectionRegistry $registry */
$registry = $modx->event->params['registry'];
$registry->registerFromFile($modx->getOption('core_path') . 'components/mypackage/sections/custom.json');
break;
}Custom JSON definitions must match built-in section schema (fields, chunk, category).
Save, publish, and frontend output
The editor writes the draft via connector, publish copies the snapshot to published_json, and the site snippet reads only the published version.