How to create .tpl files?

[Guest deltakid]

I would like to create .tpl files and keep the code of my cubecart as clean as it is right now.

For example if I want to add one of these .tpl files in my index.tpl i would like to do it like it is done with {PAGE_CONTENT} or {CATEGORIES}.

Can anyone give me a quick walkthrough how i would go ahead and where i have to "declare" which variable means which .tpl file ({CATEGORIES} -> boxes/categories.tpl)

******* edit: looked around and found this which answers my questions:

written by convict

You have to write your own box tepmlate file, appropriate php file, additional LANG variable(s).

I suppose, you dont know anything about PHP TEMPLATES.

Principle in practice

-----------------------

Have look to includes/boxes folder. Lot of boxes php files here. Appropriate templates folder is skins/<-your favorite skin->/styleTemplates/boxes.

How the whole parsing works?

----------------------------------

Php files for boxes are included into index.php like this

include("includes/boxes/searchForm.inc.php");

$body->assign("SEARCH_FORM",$box_content);

Just have look at SEARCH_FORM in code above, open the main index template skins/<-your favorite skin->/styleTemplates/global/index.tpl and search for SEARCH_FORM. Here is {SEARCH_FORM} - template variable parsed by $body->assign("SEARCH_FORM",$box_content) command . It means, that whole code for this box just in this position resides.



And what about box code?. Open skins/<-your favorite skin->/styleTemplates/boxes/searchForm.tpl. This is plain html code, except template variables like {LANG_SEARCH_FOR}. This variable is parsed in appropriate php for searchForm.tpl - includes/boxes/searchForm.inc.php just open it and yes, we are right 

$box_content = new XTemplate ("skins/".$config['skinDir']."/styleTemplates/boxes/searchForm.tpl");

Command like

$box_content->assign("LANG_GO",$lang['front']['boxes']['go']);

does already used language assignation for {LANG_GO} and $lang['front']['boxes']['go'] is language variable defined within lang.inc.php.

Finally, all of our variables, which are needed for template must be parsed.

$box_content->parse("search_form");

$box_content = $box_content->text("search_form");

As you see, $box_content contains search box html code.

OK, thats all. You are welocome to PM me, if you have any problem.

[Guest samsoft24]

I would like to create .tpl files and keep the code of my cubecart as clean as it is right now.

For example if I want to add one of these .tpl files in my index.tpl i would like to do it like it is done with {PAGE_CONTENT} or {CATEGORIES}.

Can anyone give me a quick walkthrough how i would go ahead and where i have to "declare" which variable means which .tpl file ({CATEGORIES} -> boxes/categories.tpl)

******* edit: looked around and found this which answers my questions:

written by convict

You have to write your own box tepmlate file, appropriate php file, additional LANG variable(s).

I suppose, you dont know anything about PHP TEMPLATES.

Principle in practice

-----------------------

Have look to includes/boxes folder. Lot of boxes php files here. Appropriate templates folder is skins/<-your favorite skin->/styleTemplates/boxes.

How the whole parsing works?

----------------------------------

Php files for boxes are included into index.php like this

include("includes/boxes/searchForm.inc.php");

$body->assign("SEARCH_FORM",$box_content);

Just have look at SEARCH_FORM in code above, open the main index template skins/<-your favorite skin->/styleTemplates/global/index.tpl and search for SEARCH_FORM. Here is {SEARCH_FORM} - template variable parsed by $body->assign("SEARCH_FORM",$box_content) command . It means, that whole code for this box just in this position resides.



And what about box code?. Open skins/<-your favorite skin->/styleTemplates/boxes/searchForm.tpl. This is plain html code, except template variables like {LANG_SEARCH_FOR}. This variable is parsed in appropriate php for searchForm.tpl - includes/boxes/searchForm.inc.php just open it and yes, we are right 

$box_content = new XTemplate ("skins/".$config['skinDir']."/styleTemplates/boxes/searchForm.tpl");

Command like

$box_content->assign("LANG_GO",$lang['front']['boxes']['go']);

does already used language assignation for {LANG_GO} and $lang['front']['boxes']['go'] is language variable defined within lang.inc.php.

Finally, all of our variables, which are needed for template must be parsed.

$box_content->parse("search_form");

$box_content = $box_content->text("search_form");

As you see, $box_content contains search box html code.

OK, thats all. You are welocome to PM me, if you have any problem.

Thanks for the detailed explanation.

I am using CC4 and would like to add new boxes using templates.

Can you please guide me on how I should go about creating templates? Especially the code that you've mentioned above, I am not sure which index.php it should go to.

[Guest]

Very useful, thanks!