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[HOW TO - vB4] Rendering templates and registering variables - a short guide
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cellarius
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cellarius cellarius is offline 11-15-2009, 10:00 PM
Introduction

Starting with vB4, templates no longer get output using eval:
PHP Code:
eval('$mytemplate = "' . fetch_template('mytemplate') . '";'); 
is outdated.
What's more: Variables and arrays from plugins that are executed on a page no longer can automatically be accessed in the templates of that page. They need to be registered first.
.
 Basic functionality to render templates and register all variables/arrays you want to use inside

PHP Code:
/* Some Code, setting variables, (multidimensional) array */
$my_var = "abc";
$my_array = array(
        'key1' => 'value1',
        'key2' => array(' 
                'key21' => 'value21',
                'key22' => 'value22'
        ')
    );

/* render template and register variables */
$templater = vB_Template::create('mytemplate');
    $templater->register('my_var', $my_var);
    $templater->register('my_array', $my_array);
$templater->render(); 
  • The first line provides the template that is to be rendered, using the new vB_Template class (vB_Template::create). The method gets passed the name of the template as an argument.
  • The following two lines register a variable and an array that we want to use in our template. Arguments passed are 1. the name you want to use to access the variable, and 2. the variable from the code you want to register. You can register as many variables/arrays as you want. Just remember you have to register every variable and array that you want to use in your custom template in this way. If you don't register them, they will not be available.
  • The fourth line renders the template ($templater->render()).
In the template you know will be able to use the registered variables/arrays in this way:
HTML Code:
{vb:raw my_var}
{vb:raw my_array.key1}
{vb:raw my_array.key2.key21}
Note the last one: multidimensional arrays are perfectly possible.
.
.
.
Now, with the result of the rendering we can do several things:
.
Output template directly - custom pages

PHP Code:
$templater = vB_Template::create('mytemplate');
    $templater->register_page_templates(); 
    $templater->register('my_var', $my_var);
    $templater->register('my_array', $my_array);
print_output($templater->render()); 
This immediatly outputs the template. Use this if you have created your own page, for example.
Note the second line, which is special for this type of use:
PHP Code:
$templater->register_page_templates(); 
This auto-registers the page level templates header, footer and headinclude that you will use in the template of your custom page.
.
Use a template hook

PHP Code:
$templater = vB_Template::create('mytemplate');
    $templater->register('my_var', $my_var);
    $templater->register('my_array', $my_array);
$template_hook[forumhome_wgo_pos2] .= $templater->render(); 
The template will be shown using the choosen template hook (for example: $template_hook[forumhome_wgo_pos2]). See the dot before the = in the last line? The hook may be used by other modifications, too, so we don't want to overwrite it, but rather append our code to it, conserving everything that might already be there.
.
Save into a variable for later use in custom template
PHP Code:
$templater = vB_Template::create('mytemplate');
    $templater->register('my_var', $my_var);
    $templater->register('my_array', $my_array);
$mytemplate_rendered = $templater->render(); 
Now we have saved the rendered template into a variable. This variable in turn we can later on register in another template, if we want:
PHP Code:
$templater = vB_Template::create('my_other_template');
     $templater->register('my_template_rendered', $my_template_rendered);
 print_output($templater->render()); 
Again, inside my_other_template we now could call
HTML Code:
{vb:raw my_template_rendered}
If you're running the first template call inside a loop, you may want to use .= instead of = in the last line, so that the results of every loop get added instead of overwriting the existing. But that depends, of course.
.
Save into an array and preregister to use in an existing/stock template
PHP Code:
$templater = vB_Template::create('mytemplate');
    $templater->register('my_var', $my_var);
    $templater->register('my_array', $my_array);
$templatevalues['my_insertvar'] = $templater->render();
vB_Template::preRegister('FORUMHOME', $templatevalues); 
  • This is another, more flexible method to save the rendered template into a variable for future use in an already existing template. In this example, we want to show our own rendered template on forumhome.
  • Problem is: We have no direct way to register variables for already existing templates like FORUMHOME. It's created and rendered in the files, and we don't want to mess there.
  • To help with this, a new method was created for vB_Template class, called preRegister. Using this, we can pass our data to FORUMHOME before it is rendered. Note that the data needs to be saved into an array ($templatevalues['my_insertvar']), a simple variable will throw an error. In the last line the array is preregistered; you need to pass as arguments 1. the name of the existing template and 2. the array that contains the data. Again, this can be done for as many arrays as needed.
  • Of course, the preRegister functionality can be used for any kind of variables or arrays, no matter whether you have saved a rendered template (like in our example) into it or it contains just a simple boolean true/false statement.
To access the data inside the template it was preregistered for use:
HTML Code:
{vb:raw my_insertvar}
Note: it is not {vb:raw templatevalues.my_insertvar}!

Essentially the same as what I put for preRegister would be the following two lines. They could replace the last two lines in the above php codebox:
PHP Code:
$my_insertvar = $templater->render();
vB_Template::preRegister('FORUMHOME',array('my_insertvar ' => $my_insertvar)); 
Of course you could add further pairs to that array if you need to preregister more than one variable.
.
.
Bonus track: ...whatever you do, cache your templates!

Now you know how to get your templates on screen - once you succeeded in doing that, make sure to do it in a fast and ressource saving manner: make use of vB's template cache. To see whether your templates are cached or not, activate debug mode by adding $config['Misc']['debug'] = true;to your config.php (don't ever use that on your live site!). Among the debug info is a list of all templates called, and non-cached templates will show up in red.

To cache your templates, add a plugin at hook cache_templates with the following code:
PHP Code:
// for a single template
$cache[] = 'mytemplate'; 

// for more than one templates in one step
$cache = array_merge((array)$cache,array(
    'mytemplate',
    'myothertemplate',
    'mythirdtemplate'
)); 
.
.
Hope this helps!
-cel

----
Addendum - There are now two blog posts on vb.com related to this topic:
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/entry...in-4-templates
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/entry...-4-based-files
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  #152  
Old 04-02-2011, 06:12 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TalkVirginia View Post
I'm trying to capture a rendered/parsed template to a variable like so:

PHP Code:

$templater = vB_Template::create('test');
$templater->register('userid', $userid);
$templater->register('bbtitle', $bbtitle);
$templater->register('homeurl', $homeurl);
$templater->register('forumurl', $forumurl);
$myvar = $templater->render(); 

echo $myvar; 
I would expect that myvar would contain the parsed template, but it comes up empty.

Can anyone help me?
This:

Code:
$myvar = $templater->render();

should be this:

Code:
$myvar .= $templater->render();
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  #153  
Old 04-05-2011, 07:49 PM
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I'm struggling with getting data from a variable into one of the stock templates. Here's what I've done:
Created a custom plugin with the hook location set to "global_start":
$roscohtml = "<div>HELLO WORLD!</div>";
error_log($roscohtml);
vB_Template:reRegister('header',array('roscohtml '=>$roscohtml));

Then I customized the header template to contain this:
<div class="above_body"> <!-- closing tag is in template navbar -->
<div>test before</div>
{vb:raw roscohtml}
<div>test after</div>

Unfortunately the variable isn't being output. I do see the contents in the error log, so I know it's firing.

Any tips?

Thanks,
Rosco

--------------- Added [DATE]1302039172[/DATE] at [TIME]1302039172[/TIME] ---------------

OK, I think I found the problem - the global_start hook is not the right place for this to live. I moved my code to the parse_templates hook and the data is now available.

Is there a document which outlines the best way to leverage the hooks, or at least where each is called in the flow?

Rosco
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  #154  
Old 04-25-2011, 06:42 PM
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as templates no longer get output using eval
i tried to change it but seems not working.

can anyone help me with this code?

PHP Code:
if ($vbulletin->options['card_onoff'] AND THIS_SCRIPT != 'private' AND THIS_SCRIPT != 'login')
{
if( $vbulletin->userinfo['usergroupid']!=8 OR $vbulletin->userinfo['usergroupid']!=3 OR $vbulletin->userinfo['usergroupid']!=1 )
{
    $istherewinner=mysql_query("SELECT `value` FROM `setting` WHERE `varname` = 'card_carintwin' LIMIT 1");
    while ($yeswinner = $db->fetch_array($istherewinner))
{
    $bigwinner =$yeswinner[value];
}

if($bigwinner)
{
    eval('$card_win_index = "' . fetch_template('card_win_index') . '";');
    $ad_location['global_below_navbar'] .= $card_win_index;
}
else
{
    eval('$card_index = "' . fetch_template('index_card') . '";');
    $ad_location['global_below_navbar'] .= $card_index;
}
}
} 
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  #155  
Old 05-07-2011, 02:48 PM
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<a href="https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost.php?p=2180014&postcount=151" target="_blank">https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showp...&postcount=151</a>
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  #156  
Old 07-05-2011, 07:09 PM
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I hoping this isn't too far off topic bt if possible I think it would make a good addition to the article...

What if I want to override an existing template with a new template. Basically ignore whatever is in a given template and render a new template, and copy the new template to the old template? Is that possible?

I've tried stuff like:

Code:
$templater = vB_Template::create('my_new_template');
$templater->register('myvar', $myvar);
$globaltemplates['existing_vb_template'] = $templater->render();
in all the various template hooks to no avail. I've also tried using $vbulletin->templatecache['existing_vb_template'] in the last line instead of $globaltemplates and also did not work.

Is what I'm asking possible? Seems like it should be... Any input would be appreciated.
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  #157  
Old 07-05-2011, 07:58 PM
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Yes, it can be done easily, if what you are wanting is what I understand it to be. As an example, here is what I did for that:

Code:
$templater = vB_Template::create('boofo_forumhome_event'); 
    $templater->register('callink', $callink); 
    $templater->register('daysevents', $daysevents); 
    $templater->register('eventdate', $eventdate); 
    $templater->register('eventdates', $eventdates); 
$upcomingevents .= $templater->render(); 

$vbulletin->templatecache['forumhome_event'] = $vbulletin->templatecache['boofo_forumhome_event'];
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  #158  
Old 07-05-2011, 09:40 PM
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Great, Thanks Boofo!

It might be worth mentioning for anyone else- you have to register any variables used to the ORIGINAL template (the one you are overriding) not the new template... At least that's the only way it's working for me. (On parse_templates hook)
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  #159  
Old 07-05-2011, 10:12 PM
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Are you sure? I used the same variables when I did it but I would think you only need to pre-register the variables you are going to use, not the other way around.

I did the above code in forumhome_start. Did you try the process_templates_complete hook?
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  #160  
Old 07-06-2011, 12:34 AM
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Maybe I didn't explain it right... in your example registering callink and the others to boofo_forumhome_event didn't do anything for me- I had to preRegister them to forumhome_event for them to work. I tried both parse_templates and process_templates_complete hooks.

To me it makes sense since the forum thinks it's outputting forumhome_event, and this is confirmed by viewing template names in the HTML source code.
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  #161  
Old 07-06-2011, 12:53 AM
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Well, yes and no. Since I did it in the forumhome_start hook, it needed those pre-registered for my new template. As long as the variables are good at that hook, then it will work the way I did it.

The forumhome doesn't care about the old template as long as I pre-register everything for my new template. Doing it in the parse_templates hook might be why it didn't work for you with your code. You would have to check whether whatever variables you are pre-registering have already been validated at whatever hook you are using.

Now I'm getting confused. And it hurts! LOL
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