How to create module to show all manufacturers in front end?

Question

I started creating a module in Magento 1.9. I have created an Index controller where I got a list of all manufacturers. How can I show this list in my theme layout, like category or product listing?

Answer 1

Create Files 1.app\etc\modules\Arunendra_Manufacturer.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
  <modules>
    <Arunendra_Manufacturer>
      <active>true</active>
      <codePool>local</codePool>
      <version>0.1.0</version>
    </Arunendra_Manufacturer>
  </modules>
</config>

2.app\code\local\Arunendra\Manufacturer\etc\config.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
  <modules>
    <Arunendra_Manufacturer>
      <version>0.1.0</version>
    </Arunendra_Manufacturer>
  </modules>
  <frontend>
    <routers>
      <manufacturer>
        <use>standard</use>
          <args>
            <module>Arunendra_Manufacturer</module>
            <frontName>manufacturer</frontName>
          </args>
      </manufacturer>
    </routers>
        <layout>
          <updates>
            <manufacturer>
              <file>manufacturer.xml</file>
            </manufacturer>
          </updates>
        </layout>
  </frontend>
  <global>
    <blocks>
      <manufacturer>
        <class>Arunendra_Manufacturer_Block</class>
      </manufacturer>
    </blocks>
  </global>
</config> 

3.app\code\local\Arunendra\Manufacturer\controllers\IndexController.php

<?php
class Arunendra_Manufacturer_IndexController extends Mage_Core_Controller_Front_Action{
    public function IndexAction() {

      $this->loadLayout();   
      $this->getLayout()->getBlock("head")->setTitle($this->__("Titlename"));
            $breadcrumbs = $this->getLayout()->getBlock("breadcrumbs");
      $breadcrumbs->addCrumb("home", array(
                "label" => $this->__("Home Page"),
                "title" => $this->__("Home Page"),
                "link"  => Mage::getBaseUrl()
           ));

      $breadcrumbs->addCrumb("titlename", array(
                "label" => $this->__("Titlename"),
                "title" => $this->__("Titlename")
           ));

      $this->renderLayout(); 

    }
}

4.app\code\local\Arunendra\Manufacturer\Block\Index.php

<?php   
class Arunendra_Manufacturer_Block_Index extends Mage_Core_Block_Template{   
public function index()
{

  $attribute = Mage::getModel('eav/config')->getAttribute('catalog_product', 'manufacturer');
return $attribute;
}

}

5.app\design\frontend\theme-package-name\default\layout\manufacturer.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>   
<layout version="0.1.0">   
  <manufacturer_index_index>   
    <reference name="root">   
      <action method="setTemplate"><template>page/1column.phtml</template></action>   
    </reference>   
    <reference name="content">   
      <block type="manufacturer/index" name="manufacturer_index" template="manufacturer/index.phtml"/>   
    </reference>   
  </manufacturer_index_index>   
</layout>   

6.app\design\frontend\theme-package-name\default\template\manufacturer\index.phtml

    <?php
    $attribute = $this->index();
    foreach ($attribute->getSource()->getAllOptions(true, true) as $instance) {
              echo  $instance['label'].'<br>';
              /* you can customize code here */
              }

?>  

Now go to front end and run www.yoursite.com/manufacturer