Re: Real world usage of IT [template] class?

Hi, I'm basically just trying to brainstorm ideas on how to properly structure the code for templates at a low level. I think the page you pointed me at is a good basis. But for me, my concerns are more along the lines of what actually goes into the PHP script that calls the template logic? It seems to me that if all template parsing is done by a centralized function (since reproducing it in every single PHP script seems redundant since it's all doing the same thing anyway, i.e., load the template file, parse it, display it), it's theoretically possible that nothing needs to be put into the PHP script itself except for the actual static content of the page. And this also poses some conceptual problems for me. If I have a global, site-wide template file structured like this: <html> <body> {CONTENT} </body> </html> Then doesn't that mean that in order to change the content portion (which would be straight HTML), a designer would have to go into the actual PHP script? Doesn't that negate a major advantage of using templates in the first place, in that designers should never need to see a line of PHP code? Or does that mean that {CONTENT} should be replaced by a file block which contains the HTML content for the page, and that that file should be placed in a separate repository for designers to manipulate? So you'd basically have a directory structure like so: /templates site.tmpl.php (contains global navigation and look-and-feel for whole site) /includes parse_template.inc.php (functions parse the site template for each page in public_html) /content index.tmpl.php (contains static HTML page content) page1.tmpl.php /public_html index.php ("dummy" scripts since they don't really do anything) page1.php My apologies if what I'm asking isn't clear, but I'm still trying to get my head around some of these concepts and how to make them work in the best possible way to separate the code from design, while at the same time making sure that it's not too "heavy" and easy to extend the system later if necessary. -f On 04.05.2002 5:58 pm, "Dietrich Ayala" <dietrich@ganx4.com> wrote: > i'm not sure what your goal is, but i've done some work similar to what you > describe in #1. i have some writing about this here: > http://dietrich.ganx4.com/site_projects.php, under the > "PHP, PEAR and MVC" > header. > > what i'd like to do is use the template introspection methods in ITX for > "bidirectional templating". EG: map blocknames to table > names or functions, and have block-variable names map to table fields, or hash > keys in a hash returned from a function. > then, the designer chooses from a library of predetermined blocks, each w/ > predetermined variables. > > to get this really MVC, i use a controller object that loads the template > object, introspects and loads the appropriate model > (business logic object), and merges it's output into the view (template > object). > > d. > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: derek fong [mailto:pear@subtitled.com] >> Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 11:32 AM >> To: Dietrich Ayala; PEAR General >> Subject: Re: [PEAR] Real world usage of IT [template] class? >> >> >> Hi Dietrich, >> >> Thanks for pointing me in the right direction! Do you have any small >> samples of how this should all be put together? The approaches I have been >> considering are: >> >> 1. Making an auto_prepend file that automatically looks for "standard" >> placeholders on all pages, even though many of those placeholders may not >> necessarily exist on a given page. The advantage to this is that a designer >> would not have to ask for a given functionality to be added to a PHP script, >> but would be able to choose from a library of standard ones that could be >> included on any page without a PHP programmer's intervention. I'm not sure >> if this is efficient or would slow things down, though. >> >> 2. Each page would parse only expected placeholder tags. The advantage is >> that we know what we're looking for and only replace those placeholders that >> are expected to be present on that page, so it should be fast. The >> disadvantage is that if a designer wants to add new functionality (which may >> already exist elsewhere on the site, but not on the current page), a PHP >> developer needs to get involved to add that functionality to that particular >> page (and remove any "dead" ones that are no longer used). >> >> 3. I think I saw a method of retrieving the names of all placeholders... >> maybe go through each "standard and global" placeholder tag with their >> expected content, then parse the remaining "unknowns" on a page by page >> basis? Similar to #1, but this way, we don't do a global search for every >> known, standard placeholder. >> >> I am sure there are other strategies for this. Can you or anyone else >> provide some tips on how to approach the design? >> >> Thanks! >> >> -f >> >> >> On 04.04.2002 1:10 pm, "Dietrich Ayala" <dietrich@ganx4.com> wrote: >> >>> If you use ITX (which extends IT), you have access to a method >>> addBlockFile(), >>> which does what you need. >>> >>> api docs are here: >>> >>> http://www.ulf-wendel.de/docs/itx/index2.html >>> >>> btw, I use IT(X) for all of my client's projects (albeit a modified >>> version). >>> It's my fav template solution, in spite of all the >>> crap it gets from people on this list. Use the tool that's right for the >>> job, >>> eh? >>> >>> Dietrich >>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: derek fong [mailto:pear@subtitled.com] >>>> Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 6:52 AM >>>> To: derek fong; PEAR General >>>> Subject: Re: [PEAR] Real world usage of IT [template] class? >>>> >>>> >>>> Hmmm... so should I take it that nobody really uses PEAR's IT class? Too >>>> bad, it looks like it could be useful... :( >>>> >>>> Anyway, if anyone does use it, maybe you can help me out with this one. >>>> What is the proper way to include a file into an existing template which >>>> has >>>> its own placeholders? I think I'm supposed to use the get_file() method, >>>> but I can never seem to parse the placeholders in the file that's included. >>>> >>>> $tpl = new IntegratedTemplate("./"); >>>> $tpl->loadTemplatefile("template.tmpl", false, false); >>>> >>>> // parse DMZ helper on right side of the page >>>> $dmz_content = $tpl->getFile("template2.tmpl"); >>>> $tpl->setVariable("DMZ", $dmz_content); >>>> >>>> $tpl->setCurrentBlock("dmz"); >>>> $tpl->setVariable("DMZ_LIST", "-&nbsp;<a >>>> href=\"test.php\">Name</a> >>>> (#)<br>"); >>>> $tpl->parseCurrentBlock("dmz"); >>>> >>>> $tpl->setCurrentBlock("main_body"); >>>> $tpl->setVariable("USERNAME", "Derek Fong"); >>>> $tpl->setCurrentBlock("main_body"); >>>> ... >>>> >>>> What am I missing? >>>> >>>> -f >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On 03.30.2002 10:42 am, "derek fong" <pear@subtitled.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi, >>>>> >>>>> I am considering using the IT class for the first time in an upcoming >>>>> project. Can anyone give me any pointers on how to most effectively set >>>>> everything up? Any caveats? >>>>> >>>>> I have followed the docs on >>>>> http://pear.php.net/ and while it seems pretty >>>>> straightforward, it would be nice to see a real-world example of how >>>>> everything comes together. >>>>> >>>>> Finally, as the first of what will probably become many questions, what is >>>>> the best way of setting up form logic so that on first view, all the text >>>>> on >>>>> the page is black, but if there are any errors on the submission, the same >>>>> page is returned, but with the relevant fields in red text? The only way >>>>> I >>>>> can see how to do that would be to actually embed the style in the code >>>>> that >>>>> replaces the placeholder. Am I correct? Is it considered >>>>> "acceptable" to >>>>> embed minimal display elements in the code (such as <span class=... or >>>>> <font >>>>> color=...) even though that's supposed to be all contained within the >>>>> template file? >>>>> >>>>> Thanks! >>>>> >>>>> -f >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> PEAR General Mailing List (http://pear.php.net/) >>>> To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> > > >