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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is outdated.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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  #82  
Old 03-03-2010, 09:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TalkVirginia View Post
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?
Why dont you use ad_footer_end hook?
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  #83  
Old 03-04-2010, 09:44 AM
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TalkVirginia TalkVirginia is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by testebr View Post
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.
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); 
Attachment 106374
Testbr and Cellarius - Thank you so much! I finally found your post which solved my issue. After seeing it, it's so simple I felt like smacking myself.. LOL :facepalm:
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  #84  
Old 03-06-2010, 05:21 PM
abomohammad abomohammad is offline
 
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Hi , I need for help

I created a template called: my_template
and write "Hi" inside it.

I want to get "Hi" in my FORUMHOME template
so i made a plugin on global_start and put:

PHP Code:
$templater = vB_Template::create('my_template');
  $templater->register('my_var', $my_var);
$templater->render(); 
then i post {vb:raw my_var} in FORUMHOME
but nothing apper to me

How to get my_template content in FORUMHOME or other template ???
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  #85  
Old 03-06-2010, 07:10 PM
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masterross masterross is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by abomohammad View Post
Hi , I need for help

I created a template called: my_template
and write "Hi" inside it.

I want to get "Hi" in my FORUMHOME template
so i made a plugin on global_start and put:

PHP Code:
$templater = vB_Template::create('my_template');
  $templater->register('my_var', $my_var);
$templater->render(); 
then i post {vb:raw my_var} in FORUMHOME
but nothing apper to me

How to get my_template content in FORUMHOME or other template ???
Did you read the fist post in the thread?

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); 
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  #86  
Old 03-06-2010, 10:51 PM
abomohammad abomohammad is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by masterross View Post
Did you read the fist post in the thread?

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); 
Yes, I read it, but do not work
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  #87  
Old 03-07-2010, 02:43 AM
Joseph Witchard Joseph Witchard is offline
 
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I apologize for sounding so helpless, but what exactly do you do with templates, and where do you even go to put in the PHP code for them? I opened this article thinking it was about skins. I'll continue to look for a thread about skins, but all this sounds like it's also important on modifying vBulletin to suit your needs, so that's why I'm posting here.
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  #88  
Old 03-07-2010, 06:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by abomohammad View Post
Yes, I read it, but do not work
you also need to use right hook location!
For FORUMNOME probably will be forumhome_start or forumhome_complete


Regards!
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  #89  
Old 03-07-2010, 11:53 AM
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Is it possible to use a custom template and render it into a variable then use that variable in sending HTML email?

I'm trying to use the following PHP code:

PHP Code:

$templater = vB_Template::create('mycustom_template');
$templater->register('username', $username);
$templater->register('bbtitle', $bbtitle);
$templater->register('homeurl', $homeurl);
$templater->register('forumurl', $forumurl);
$templater->register('hometitle', $hometitle);
$message = $templater->render(); 
I have the following variables defined in my template:

Code:
{vb:raw username}
{vb:raw bbtitle}
{vb:raw homeurl}
{vb:raw forumurl}
{vb:raw hometitle}
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  #90  
Old 03-12-2010, 08:47 PM
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princeedward princeedward is offline
 
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thanks for this and hope that someday i can do this too alone and well enough of my own without error...but it's not quite easy at all to understand...just to be honest....

well i was about experimenting to show the Current Activity of the Currently Active Members above inside WGO BOX (by mouse hover to the username)....by adding the red code below

Code:
<li> {vb:stylevar dirmark}<a class="username" href="{vb:link member, {vb:raw loggedin}}" title="{vb:rawphrase current_activity} {vb:raw loggedin.action} {vb:raw loggedin.where}
">{vb:raw loggedin.musername}</a>{vb:raw loggedin.invisiblemark}{vb:raw loggedin.buddymark}</li>
...to the vbdefault template of forumhome_loggedinuser but it didn't quite well and good even i tried to preregistered those variables....well i'm not sure too if i did it right or not...


PHP Code:
vB_Template::preRegister('FORUMHOME',array(
'loggedin.action ' => $loggedin.action));  
'loggedin.where ' => $loggedin.where)); 
can anyone guide me on this please...
thanks and best regards to all

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  #91  
Old 03-12-2010, 09:38 PM
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$loggedin.action or $loggedin.where are not valid PHP variables. I do not think that this is just a registering problem. You should probably open your own thread in the forums and explain exactly what and how you are trying to do.
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