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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is outdated.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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  #22  
Old 11-18-2009, 07:54 PM
testebr testebr is offline
 
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I figure out how to solve it:

hook: process_templates_complete

code: $footer .= 'text added to footer';

No idea if was the best solution, but that worked very well.
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  #23  
Old 11-18-2009, 08:13 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by testebr View Post
hook: process_templates_complete

code: $footer .= 'text added to footer';
Indeed, you can manipulate the already rendered template doing this. Also possible is str_replace:
PHP Code:
$search = "Terms of Service";
$replace = "Terms of Cooking Noodles";
$footer = str_replace($search,$replace,$footer); 
Although this is a somewhat bad example, since "Terms of Service" is a phrase, of course, and will vary by language. Always make sure you use strings for replacement that are always present.

Attachment 106372

Using str_replace, you can also add stuff in the middle of the template like so:
PHP Code:
$search = "Terms of Service";
$replace = " and Terms of Cooking Noodles";
$footer = str_replace($search,$search.$replace,$footer); 
Attachment 106374
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  #24  
Old 11-19-2009, 07:26 PM
David Regimbal David Regimbal is offline
 
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Hi,

I'm trying to add something that requires PHP under the navbar. Back in vb 3.8.x I just used plugins for this. But, I'm not sure which hook to use if I want to display something under the navbar.
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  #25  
Old 11-20-2009, 10:19 AM
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cellarius cellarius is offline
 
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@David: This is not related to the topic of this article. You should open your own thread on this..

Also, I just added the bonus track about template caching.
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  #26  
Old 11-20-2009, 03:02 PM
ragtek ragtek is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cellarius View Post
@David: This is not related to the topic of this article. You should open your own thread on this..


Also, I just added the bonus track about template caching.
Sure?
It's $cache[] = 'xxx'; and not $globaltemplate now
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  #27  
Old 11-20-2009, 03:10 PM
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cellarius cellarius is offline
 
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Ah, damn, of course you're right. I had my example code for vB3 and the one I was about to change for vB4 side by side and then obviously copied/pasted the wrong one. Stupid me
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Old 11-20-2009, 03:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cellarius View Post
Ah, damn, of course you're right. I had my example code for vB3 and the one I was about to change for vB4 side by side and then obviously copied/pasted the wrong one. Stupid me
Yea, i know.
I made the mistake in all my add-ons on porting them to vB4
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  #29  
Old 11-22-2009, 12:15 AM
EidolonAH EidolonAH is offline
 
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Thanks for the "cache your templates" info, I made use of this info after making my own Terms of Service and Privacy custom pages, very helpful, thank you.:up:
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Old 11-27-2009, 09:13 PM
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Zaiaku Zaiaku is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cellarius View Post
Indeed, you can manipulate the already rendered template doing this. Also possible is str_replace:
PHP Code:
$search = "Terms of Service";
$replace = "Terms of Cooking Noodles";
$footer = str_replace($search,$replace,$footer); 
Although this is a somewhat bad example, since "Terms of Service" is a phrase, of course, and will vary by language. Always make sure you use strings for replacement that are always present.

Attachment 106372

Using str_replace, you can also add stuff in the middle of the template like so:
PHP Code:
$search = "Terms of Service";
$replace = " and Terms of Cooking Noodles";
$footer = str_replace($search,$search.$replace,$footer); 
Also can this be used on variables? ex: {vb:raw variable}

Attachment 106374
OK I'm trying to do the same thing but on showthread, from this example is $footer a var already being used of is this an additional variable made up int he plugin? Right now I'm using $vbulletin->templatecache['postbit'] with the <hookname>process_templates_complete, should this something diffrent?

<hookname>showthread_query</hookname>
$vbulletin->templatecache['postbit'] = str_replace($find, $replace, $vbulletin->templatecache['postbit']);

Also can this be used on variables? ex: {vb:raw variable}
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  #31  
Old 12-01-2009, 06:42 PM
jlevi jlevi is offline
 
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This isn't working for me. I'm probably doing something wrong, but at the moment I have a custom php page (I created following another tutorial elsewhere) that is calling a custom template.

The code for the php page:
PHP Code:
<?php 

// ####################### SET PHP ENVIRONMENT ########################### 
error_reporting(E_ALL & ~E_NOTICE); 

// #################### DEFINE IMPORTANT CONSTANTS ####################### 

define('THIS_SCRIPT', 'test'); 
define('CSRF_PROTECTION', true);   
// change this depending on your filename 

// ################### PRE-CACHE TEMPLATES AND DATA ###################### 
// get special phrase groups 
$phrasegroups = array(); 

// get special data templates from the datastore 
$specialtemplates = array(); 

// pre-cache templates used by all actions 
$globaltemplates = array('TESTPAGE', 
); 

// pre-cache templates used by specific actions 
$actiontemplates = array(); 

// ######################### REQUIRE BACK-END ############################ 
require_once('./global.php'); 

// ####################################################################### 
// ######################## START MAIN SCRIPT ############################ 
// ####################################################################### 

$navbits = construct_navbits(array('' => 'Test Page')); 
$navbar = render_navbar_template($navbits); 

// ###### YOUR CUSTOM CODE GOES HERE ##### 
$pagetitle = 'My Page Title'; 

// ###### NOW YOUR TEMPLATE IS BEING RENDERED ###### 

$templater = vB_Template::create('TESTPAGE'); 
$templater->register_page_templates(); 
$templater->register('navbar', $navbar); 
$templater->register('pagetitle', 'Test Page'); 
print_output($templater->render()); 

?>

And the HTML template (called TESTPAGE):
HTML Code:
{vb:stylevar htmldoctype}
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" dir="{vb:stylevar textdirection}" lang="{vb:stylevar languagecode}" id="vbulletin_html">
  <head>
    <title>{vb:raw vboptions.bbtitle}</title>
    {vb:raw headinclude}
  </head>
  <body>
    
    {vb:raw header}
    
    {vb:raw navbar}
    
    <div id="pagetitle">
      <h1>{vb:raw pagetitle}</h1>
    </div>
    
    <h2 class="blockhead">Title</h2>
    <div class="blockbody">
      <div class="blockrow">
        Text
      </div>
    </div>
    
    {vb:raw footer}
  </body>
</html>
And the plugin in global_start:
PHP Code:
$templater = vB_Template::create('TESTPAGE'); 
print_output($templater->render()); 

Where have I gone wrong? I've spent a good half an hour going through the tutorial and trying various things but can't seem to get it working. It always makes the whole site blank, but if I call another template (e.g. contactus instead of TESTPAGE) it works fine, so the problem seems to lie with the plugin.

Any help greatly appreciated - thanks in advance
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