9 replies to this topic

[flyingtrapeze]

Hi there

I was wondering how I can include a php file in a tpl file.

The php file displays a few things from another database and is totally independant of Censura.
Php code doesn't seem to work in the templates (tpl files.) Even things like
<?php echo 'a'; ?> won't work.

How can I include php code or include my php file in a tpl file?

Thanks

[Gavin]

Hi,
The template uses smarty syntax, so you can't use php code directly in the normal way. You can use php however with the {php}{/php} tags: http://www.smarty.ne...unction.php.php. However this is not ideal, as the purpose of a template is to remove "business" logic like accessing the database from the "display" logic, which makes changes to the display much easier.
I would recommend that you create a plugin, which isn't as hard as it sounds... create a file in system/functions/smartyFunctions named function.my_function.php, replace my_function with an appropriate name for what you are trying to do. Inside the file define a function:

function smarty_function_my_function($params, $smarty) {
  return "hello world";
}

Then in your template use:

{my_function param1="value1" param2="value2"}

...which will output "hello world" in your template in this instance. The function you just defined will be executed, with the parameters param1 and param2 passed in the $params associative array. The return value of the function is then output by the template.
Please note that the function should return a value, not echo a value. If your include outputs data itself, you could use output buffering:

function smarty_function_my_function($params, $smarty) {
  ob_start(); //start the output buffering
  include "my_include.php"; //do your include
  $data = ob_get_contents(); //the output of the include is now stored in $data
  ob_end_clean(); //stop output buffering
  return $data; //return the output of the include
}

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions. For more about smarty plugins, see the documentation: http://www.smarty.ne...s.functions.php
Best Regards
Gavin

Edited by Gavin, 17 August 2009 - 02:16 PM.

[flyingtrapeze]

Hi Gavin
Thanks for the very clear and easy to follow explanation. I created a plugin and it works perfectly.
:)

[stormrider]

flyingtrapeze said:

Hi Gavin
Thanks for the very clear and easy to follow explanation. I created a plugin and it works perfectly.
:)

What does your plugin do? Plugin development and sharing is an area that could use expansion here.

[Gavin]

When I say plugin, I mean it's a smarty plugin, not a censura plugin. Smarty plugins allow you to execute custom php code from within the template (usually something that's doesn't use any censura code). Censura plugins (allowing you to use censura code and access the data) are still something that's in the planning stage.

Edited by Gavin, 18 August 2009 - 10:38 AM.

[flyingtrapeze]

Hi Stormrider

I made a very simple plugin which was pretty much a duplicate of Gavin's code -

function smarty_function_my_function($params, $smarty) {

  ob_start(); //start the output buffering

  include "my_include.php"; //do your include

  $data = ob_get_contents(); //the output of the include is now stored in $data

  ob_end_clean(); //stop output buffering

  return $data; //return the output of the include

} 

Except I changed the my_include.php file to use a custom php page that fetched stuff from a different database and echoed it to the page.

[Kristin]

I want to add long script for Webstatistic web counter in html format by using the "include" function in /skins/styleTemplates/global/index.tpl and cart.tpl.

Your include script is useable in php page but in html like this .tpl. Correct me if Im wrong.

Thanks.

[Darren]

Kristin said:

I want to add long script for Webstatistic web counter in html format by using the "include" function in /skins/styleTemplates/global/index.tpl and cart.tpl.

Your include script is useable in php page but in html like this .tpl. Correct me if Im wrong.

Thanks.

For including a HTML file, you should be able to include it the same way using the standard SMARTY include function.

[Jackson]

Gavin that was so helpful nicely done..........

[ihstiv]

Has anyone written plugins that call the vbulletin 4 header and footer code for their forum integration?

If so, would you like to share it?

thanks in advance for any help.