How to add a variable (coupon code number) to a Magento module with XML

Question

I have done some custom work where I put a message on top of the cart and let people know they can get 20% discount when they add 1 more item to their cart.

This is a coupon code, let's say number 145. I call that within a custom block inside a CMS page:

{{block type="core/template" name="applieddiscount" CheckCoupon="145" template="customphp/getCartCouponApplied.phtml"}}

Then, I Create local.xml in /app/design/frontend/[package]/[theme]/layout/local.xml

<checkout_cart_index>
    <reference name="checkout.cart.form.before">
    <block type="cms/block" name="promotion_banner_cart" after="checkout.cart.top_methods" >
    <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>promotion_top_of_cart</block_id></action>
    </block>
    </reference>
</checkout_cart_index>

This is the phtml file inside the directory /app/design/frontend/[package]/default/template/customphp/getCartCouponApplied.phtml:

<?php
    $appliedRuleIds = Mage::getSingleton('checkout/session')->getQuote()->getAppliedRuleIds();
    $checkCoupon = $this->getCheckCoupon();
    /*
    This will give you the ids of the rules applied to the quote separated by comma. You can turn them into an array like this:
    */
    $appliedRuleIds = explode(',', $appliedRuleIds);
    if (in_array($checkCoupon, $appliedRuleIds)) {
            $myMessage = $this->__('GREAT, YOUR DISCOUNT IS AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED. WE ARE SURE YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR PURCHASE!');
            echo $this->getLayout()->createBlock('core/messages')->addSuccess($myMessage)->toHtml();
    }else{
            $myMessage = $this->__('ADD AT LEAST ONE OTHER ITEM TO YOUR CART AND RECEIVE 20% DISCOUNT ON ALL OF THEM!');
            echo $this->getLayout()->createBlock('core/messages')->addNotice($myMessage)->toHtml();
    }
?>

This all works, this was my intro. I'm trying to better my life and make this into an extension. I'm just about done, but now i realize I have to know a method to actually mimic/copy this to a working extension.

{{block type="core/template" name="applieddiscount" CheckCoupon="145" template="customphp/getCartCouponApplied.phtml"}}

What i have now is:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<config>
    <modules>
        <MyExt_ShowCartBenefits>
            <version>1.0.0</version>
        </MyExt_ShowCartBenefits>   
    </modules>  
    <global>
        <models>
            <MyExt_ShowCartBenefits>
                <class>MyExt_ShowCartBenefits_Model</class>
            </MyExt_ShowCartBenefits>   
        </models>
        <events>
            <checkout_cart_product_add_after>
              <observers>
                <MyExt_ShowCartBenefits_Model_Observer>
                  <type>singleton</type>
                  <class>MyExt_ShowCartBenefits_Model_Observer</class>
                  <method>catchAddToCart</method>
                </MyExt_ShowCartBenefits_Model_Observer>
              </observers>
            </checkout_cart_product_add_after>
        </events>   
    </global>

    <frontend>  
    <layout>
        <updates>
            <MyExt_ShowCartBenefits>
                <file>MyExt/MyExt_ShowCartBenefits.xml</file>
            </MyExt_ShowCartBenefits>
        </updates>
    </layout>
    </frontend>
</config>

The Observer.php (app\code\local\MyExt\ShowCartBenefits\model\Observer.php) is a copy of the same php file I called in here (customphp/getCartCouponApplied.phtml):

{{block type="core/template" name="couponadded" CheckCoupon="145" template="customphp/getCartCouponApplied.phtml"}}

What I would like to know is, how can I get the coupon code number that i used to call with the variable inside the CMS block i showed earlier?

I really need a hand to help me get forward.

What is confusing me is the part what I should use? Do I leave out the Observer.php, or is there a way to leave out the entire CMS block, but then how and/or when do I pass the variable(s) CheckCoupon="145"?

Am I overthinking this and just stick with my old method?

Thank you.

Answer 1

try this please:

{{block type="core/template" name="applieddiscount" check_coupon="145" template="customphp/getCartCouponApplied.phtml"}}

Answer 2

I spent long enough trying to get it to work, only to find out that this does not work well:

echo Mage::getSingleton('checkout/session')->addSuccess($myMessage);

And this DOES display the message immediately. No idea why but if anybody cares to explain that is educative;-)

echo $this->getLayout()->createBlock('core/messages')->addSuccess($myMessage)->toHtml();