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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is outdated.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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  #112  
Old 07-20-2010, 02:14 PM
SpeedyHire SpeedyHire is offline
 
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It is related to this article? I'm asking how using what I found in this article i can do what others have clearly done since they said so in this thread. If you don't want to help me that's fine but since you helped others with there question to do with the footer I thought you might help me too silly me what was I thinking.
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  #113  
Old 07-26-2010, 12:24 PM
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oops, fixed it.
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  #114  
Old 08-29-2010, 10:42 PM
mustangcoupe69 mustangcoupe69 is offline
 
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I've tried following this example, but am having issues.

I am trying to get a custom template that was installed via an addon to show up in the header template.

My plugin (uses the global_start hook):
PHP Code:
$templater = vB_Template::Create('vsa_paypal_donbar');
$templater->register('vsapaypal_donlist_cansee', $vsapaypal_donlist_cansee);
$templater->register('admincpdir', $admincpdir);
$templater->register('vsapp_donbar_goal', $vsapp_donbar_goal);
$templater->register('vsapp_donbar_total', $vsapp_donbar_total);
$templater->register('vsapp_donbar_done', $vsapp_donbar_done);
$templater->register('vsapp_donbar_left', $vsapp_donbar_left);
$templater->register('header', $header);
                
$vsapaypal_donbar = $templater->render();
vB_Template::preRegister('header',array('vsapaypal_donbar' => $vsapaypal_donbar)); 
Then my header template starts with:
PHP Code:
{vb:raw vsapaypal_donbar} 
What am I missing?
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  #115  
Old 09-02-2010, 05:08 AM
vicmx vicmx is offline
 
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To add a template in another with $template_hook add this plugin:
PHP Code:
global $template_hook;
$newTemplate = vB_Template::create('YOUR_CUSTOM_TEMPLATE');
$template_hook['your_var'] .= $newTemplate->render(); 
Now just print in another template:
PHP Code:
{vb:raw template_hook.your_var} 
For print in all pages, you can set {vb:raw template_hook.your_var} in navbar template for example.
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  #116  
Old 09-07-2010, 08:35 AM
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valdet valdet is offline
 
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Cellarius, this is an excellent article so I hope you may help me on my little issue. I read many threads and this article and I still cannot get aroudn to fix it.


In vB3 I had a simple plugin to display random banners on navbar template or parse_templates hook

Code:
$random_number = mt_rand(1, 5);

$random_banner[1] = '<img src="path/to/banner1.gif" alt="" border="0" />';
$random_banner[2] = '<img src="path/to/banner2.gif" alt="" border="0" />';
$random_banner[3] = '<img src="path/to/banner3.gif" alt="" border="0" />';
$random_banner[4] = '<img src="path/to/banner4.gif" alt="" border="0" />';
$random_banner[5] = '<img src="path/to/banner5.gif" alt="" border="0" />';
I just placed $random_banner[$random_number] anywhere in navbar and the banners would rotate on random basis.It was very simple and I would like to know how to make it work for vB4 as well.

I posted my problem in this thread too.
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=249848

I hope you can help and thanks for your time.
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  #117  
Old 09-07-2010, 01:58 PM
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Lynne Lynne is offline
 
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You need to then preregister the array $random_banner for use in the navbar. Something like:
vB_Template:reRegister('navbar', array('random_banner' => $random_banner));
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  #118  
Old 09-08-2010, 06:53 AM
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valdet valdet is offline
 
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Thank you very much Lynne,

I had to add a little bit more and actually change the plugin code to a simpler version.
Inside the plugin I had to create a third variable $new_banners and only pre-registered that variable within template and ran it through parse_templates hook

Quote:
$random_number = mt_rand(1, 5);

$random_banner[1] = '<img src="path/to/banner1.gif" alt="" border="0" />';
$random_banner[2] = '<img src="path/to/banner2.gif" alt="" border="0" />';
$random_banner[3] = '<img src="path/to/banner3.gif" alt="" border="0" />';
$random_banner[4] = '<img src="path/to/banner4.gif" alt="" border="0" />';
$random_banner[5] = '<img src="path/to/banner5.gif" alt="" border="0" />';

$new_banners = $random_banner[$random_number];

vB_Template:reRegister('navbar',array('new_banne rs' => $new_banners));
To make it work, I just dropped this code {vb:raw new_banners} on the template and now it works just as before under vB3.x.

For some (unknown) reason, {vb:raw random.banner.random_number} wasn't working as you suggested, although the arrays were set correctly.

I appreciate your help and borbole for helping me through this.

I hope other users find this little experience useful in their sites.
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  #119  
Old 09-08-2010, 08:46 PM
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borbole borbole is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by valdet View Post
Thank you very much Lynne,

I had to add a little bit more and actually change the plugin code to a simpler version.
Inside the plugin I had to create a third variable $new_banners and only pre-registered that variable within template and ran it through parse_templates hook

To make it work, I just dropped this code {vb:raw new_banners} on the template and now it works just as before under vB3.x.

For some (unknown) reason, {vb:raw random.banner.random_number} wasn't working as you suggested, although the arrays were set correctly.

I appreciate your help and borbole for helping me through this.

I hope other users find this little experience useful in their sites.
Glad to see that you got it solved
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  #120  
Old 10-01-2010, 08:14 PM
owning_y0u owning_y0u is offline
 
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Just a small question,

i want to create a template that is showing above the header template..
do i need to register this template ? and how do i call this template above the header? its for a suite version of vB4.X
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  #121  
Old 10-08-2010, 10:09 PM
Vikingant Vikingant is offline
 
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I asked this question over at the other VB forum and was directed to this article. Being completely new to all of this stuff and am still learning my way around, can someone please spell this out to me...

Quote:
Is there a way to easily move the style chooser from the footer to the navbar? I have copied the following from the footer and pasted it into various places but for some reason I only get the chooser box, but it isnt populated with the styles.

Code:
  <form action="{vb:raw vboptions.forumhome}.php" method="get" id="footer_select" class="footer_select">
  
  
  <vb:if condition="$show['quickchooser']">
  <select name="styleid" onchange="switch_id(this, 'style')">
  <optgroup label="{vb:rawphrase quick_style_chooser}">
  {vb:raw quickchooserbits}
  </optgroup>
  </select>        
  </vb:if>
  
  <vb:if condition="$show['languagechooser']">
  <select name="langid" onchange="switch_id(this, 'lang')">
  <optgroup label="{vb:rawphrase quick_language_chooser}">
  {vb:raw languagechooserbits}
  </optgroup>
  </select>
  </vb:if>
  </form>
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