How can I specify a template in layout xml and use it in a controller action?

Question

So far I have created my own module with an index controller.

public function indexAction()
{
        $this->loadLayout();
        $thing = $this->getLayout()->createBlock('Mage_Core_Block_Template','two',array('template' => 'myorg/mymod/mytemplate.phtml'));
        $this->getLayout()->getBlock('content')->append($thing);
        $this->renderLayout();
}

I have been able to specify the layout of the controller programmatically, but I would like to specify it using the layout xml if that's possible.

Also I would like to specify this in such a way that I can use the

<?php $this->getChildHtml('xxx'); ?>

function in my template.

How do I do this?

P.S I am just at Hello world in the area of custom module making so I will need to know the correct xml conventions to use to add the template.

Answer 1

Put this code in handle of action in xml file of your module,

<yourmodule_yourcontroller_youraction>

  <block type="core/text_list" name="root" output="toHtml">
       <block type="core/template" name="xxx" template="myorg/mymod/mytemplate.phtml"/>
  </block>


</yourmodule_yourcontroller_youraction>

Hope this helpful!