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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is outdated.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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  #72  
Old 02-23-2010, 09:43 PM
Muller2 Muller2 is offline
 
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cellarius & moonray - you are both stars!!!

Thanks you!

Al
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  #73  
Old 02-24-2010, 12:41 AM
moonray moonray is offline
 
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FINAL WORKING CODE:

Product: vBulletin
Title: Insert Simple PHP
Execution order: 5
Hook Location: global_start
PHP code:
Code:
ob_start();
include('simple.php');
$simple_php = ob_get_contents();
ob_end_clean();

vB_Template::preRegister('navbar',array('simple_php' => $simple_php));
Plugin is active: Yes

Now, go to the NAVBAR template and insert
Code:
{vb:raw insert_simple_php}
just under the code
Code:
{vb:raw ad_location.global_below_navbar}
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  #74  
Old 02-25-2010, 12:12 PM
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TalkVirginia TalkVirginia is offline
 
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I'm hoping someone can help me.. I'm having trouble displaying Openx Ads in various locations. For example in the header template.

This is the php code that Openx generates:
PHP Code:

//<!--/* OpenX Local Mode Tag v2.8.4 */-->

// The MAX_PATH below should point to the base of your OpenX installation
define('MAX_PATH', 'path/to/openx');

if (@include_once(MAX_PATH . '/www/delivery/alocal.php')) 
{

    if (!isset($phpAds_context)) 
    {
        $phpAds_context = array();
    }

    $phpAds_raw = view_local('', 1, 0, 0, '_blank', $forumid, '0', $phpAds_context, '');

                echo $phpAds_raw[html];
} 
This is the code I'm trying to use:

PHP Code:

//<!--/* OpenX Local Mode Tag v2.8.4 */-->

// The MAX_PATH below should point to the base of your OpenX installation
define('MAX_PATH', '/path/to/openx');

if (@include_once(MAX_PATH . '/www/delivery/alocal.php')) 
{
                ob_start();

    if (!isset($phpAds_context)) 
    {
        $phpAds_context = array();
    }

    $phpAds_raw = view_local('', 1, 0, 0, '_blank', $forumid, '0', $phpAds_context, '');

    $templater = vB_Template::create('ad_global_header2');

                $templater->register('phpAds_raw', $phpAds_raw);

                $templatevalues['phpAds_raw'] = ob_get_contents();

                ob_end_clean();

                vB_Template::preRegister('header', $templatevalues);

} 
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  #75  
Old 02-26-2010, 03:25 PM
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TalkVirginia TalkVirginia is offline
 
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No comments on my last post?
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  #76  
Old 02-28-2010, 08:02 AM
wajones wajones is offline
 
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This is what I'm using.
PHP Code:
ob_start();

if (include('ads/phpadsnew.inc.php')) {
        if (!isset($phpAds_context)) $phpAds_context = array();
        $sponsor = view_raw ('6', 7, '_blank', '', '0', $phpAds_context); 
       
    }

ob_end_clean();
vB_Template::preRegister('navbar',array(
'sponsor' => $sponsor)); 
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  #77  
Old 02-28-2010, 04:24 PM
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Thank you very much WAJones!! That works great! :up: :up: :up:
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  #78  
Old 03-01-2010, 07:49 PM
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masterross masterross is offline
 
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Guys help me to update this hack to vB 4
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/misc.php?...t_post_only_37

I cant show the message "register...." to guests:

PHP Code:
if ($show['guest'] AND $forum['gfpo_enabled'])
{
    eval('$postbit = "' . fetch_template('postbit_gfpo') . '";');
    eval('$postbits .= "' . fetch_template('postbit_wrapper') . '";');
} 
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  #79  
Old 03-01-2010, 09:03 PM
Michael Biddle Michael Biddle is offline
 
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Great article!

I have a question. In vB3, you could do this:

PHP Code:
$template_hook['navbar_buttons_left'] .= '<td class="vbmenu_control"><a href="index.php">Home Page</a></td>'; 
Is it possible to just have the html in the plugin, or does it need to be in its own template in vb4?
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  #80  
Old 03-01-2010, 09:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Biddle View Post
Great article!

I have a question. In vB3, you could do this:

PHP Code:
$template_hook['navbar_buttons_left'] .= '<td class=&quot;vbmenu_control&quot;><a href=&quot;index.php&quot;>Home Page</a></td>'; 
Is it possible to just have the html in the plugin, or does it need to be in its own template in vb4?
It's absolutely the same in vB 4 only hooks are different.
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  #81  
Old 03-03-2010, 09:34 PM
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I'm trying to append some text to the end of the footer.. in a plugin.. but I'm totally lost.

How do I get the footer out of the cache to append some text to it?
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