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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is outdated.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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  #242  
Old 07-20-2012, 02:07 PM
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Craigr Craigr is offline
 
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I am creating a custom mod for my site, at the moment i have done this and only get a white page displayed, but at least the result appears. I am not sure what example to follow so that the rest of the showthread template appears too?

Plugin:
Product: vBulletin
Hook Location: showthread_post_start
Title: galleryimagedisplay
Execution Order: 5
PHP Code:
Code:
$result = $db->query_first("SELECT * FROM dbtech_gallery_images WHERE roll_id = '$threadid'");
$id = $result[imageid];
$title = $result[title];

$templater = vB_Template::create('test');
$templater->register('id', $id);
$templater->register('title', $title);
$templatevalues['my_insertvar'] = $templater->render();
vB_Template::preRegister('SHOWTHREAD', $templatevalues);
This is my template:
Code:
{vb:raw id} {vb:raw title}
Edit: Got the above displaying ok now.
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  #243  
Old 07-20-2012, 02:46 PM
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BirdOPrey5 BirdOPrey5 is offline
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off hand it's vb:raw in the templates, not vbraw: and there is no $ either.

Code:
Test Text: {vb:raw id} {vb:raw title}
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  #244  
Old 08-04-2012, 12:06 AM
Steve St.Lauren Steve St.Lauren is offline
 
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I'm trying to use several of my user custom fields on a page in profile.php. I've got the template working and the page is displaying ok but I can't get the custom fields to display. I've tried a ton of stuff and just can't get it to work - would GREATLY appreciate any help you could provide. Here's what I'm doing now. This is the plug in code going into profile.php:

if ($_REQUEST['do'] == 'showsubscription')
{
echo 'test';
$customfields = array();
fetch_profilefields(0);
$page_templater = vB_Template::create('showsubscription');
$page_templater->register('customfields', $customfields);
}

in the template itself I'm putting in:

{vb:raw customfields.value11}

where I want to use the field. I've also tried customfields.field11 various permutation of userinfo, userfield, etc. I was able to do this in vb3 no problem but having a tough time getting it to work in vB4.
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  #245  
Old 08-04-2012, 08:36 AM
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BirdOPrey5 BirdOPrey5 is offline
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Do you have the working 3.x code?
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  #246  
Old 08-04-2012, 08:59 PM
Steve St.Lauren Steve St.Lauren is offline
 
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Yes, in VB3 it was very easy - all I had to do was put $bbuserinfo[field11] on the template. The plugin portion of it was:

// ############################ start show subscription info ##########################
if ($_REQUEST['do'] == 'showsubscription')
{
construct_usercp_nav('showsubscription');

$navbits[''] = 'Subscription Status';
$templatename = 'showsubscription';
$url =& $vbulletin->url;
}
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  #247  
Old 08-05-2012, 10:34 AM
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I'm sorry, either I don't understand what you are trying to do or are missing something big.
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  #248  
Old 08-05-2012, 06:24 PM
Steve St.Lauren Steve St.Lauren is offline
 
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I have a number of custom user fields created and I want for the values of those fields to appear on a profile page. In this case it's a subscription status page that lets the user know when their subscription expires and how many issues they have left remaining on their subscription. In VB3 the profile.php page had $bbuserinfo loaded with those fields and they could be called simply by putting $bbuserinfo[field11] in the template - it would put the value there.

showsubscription was the name of the custom template that I created and it would appear along with all of the profile page navigation around it. I have the showsubscription template appearing in vb4 now but I can't get the values of the custom fields to appear on the page. I'm pretty sure it will involve the {vb raw} function and registering a variable for it to be able to appear in the template but just can't figure it out. profile.php must already be loading the custom user fields somewhere because it's used elsewhere on the page.
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  #249  
Old 08-12-2012, 10:39 PM
PyroChixRock PyroChixRock is offline
 
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I have this little random banner code I've always used through the plugin system, but I can't seem to get it to work on vb4. Can anyone help?

normally, I call for it below the navbar with this...
Code:
<br>
<div style="text-align: center;">
$randombanner
</div>
and this for example, in the plugin area.
Code:
$path = '/forum/images/adbanners/';
$banners = array(
array( 'src' => 'imagine.jpg',
'href' => 'http://www.talkglass.com/'),
array( 'src' => 'waiting.jpg',
'href' => 'http://www.talkglass.com/),
);


$rnd = rand(0,count($banners)-1); // Pick a random array index.  They start with 0, so you have to -1.
$href = $banners[$rnd]['href'];  // Link HREF
$src = $path.$banners[$rnd]['src']; // Image source
$randombanner = '<a href="'.$href.'"><img border="0" src="'.$src.'" /></a>';
Where should i plug these in now for them to work with the built in ad system. it doesn't work using that.
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  #250  
Old 08-13-2012, 12:13 PM
kh99 kh99 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PyroChixRock View Post
Where should i plug these in now for them to work with the built in ad system. it doesn't work using that.

Try using hook parse_templates and at the end of your plugin code add:
Code:
vB_Template::preRegister('navbar', array('randombanner' => $randombanner));

Then in the navbar template, use this:
Code:
<br>
<div style="text-align: center;">
{vb:raw randombanner}
</div>
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  #251  
Old 08-13-2012, 05:59 PM
PyroChixRock PyroChixRock is offline
 
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Thanks, Kevin. I really appreciate you taking the time to reply.

It seems I have everything right but it's not showing up.

I'm not sure what else to do but this is the last thing I need before I can go live with my upgrades. VB is no help because it's custom code.

I'm not sure what else to tell you that would be helpful? Would you be willing to hop over to my test forum and have a look? If so send me a pm and I'll give you login info.
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