Templating ... a simple guide

[Roberdin]

2.2 will, but the phpBB Template Downloads section won't include templates that utilise php inside them.

[Arty]

Of course, note that phpBB will not support running php in templates for obvious reasons.

2.2 will, as stated in the first post of this topic:

PHP

A contentious decision has seen the ability to include PHP within the template introduced. This is achieved by enclosing the PHP within relevant tags:

It will, but only if php option is enabled. By default that option is disabled.

[psoTFX]

We will not make available templates @ www.phpbb.com which include PHP.

[JanusMTL]

Conditionals/Control structures

The most significant addition to 2.2.x are conditions or control structures, "if something then do this else do that". The system deployed is very similar to Smarty.

Out of curiosity, why is Smarty not used as template system?

[psoTFX]

It's enormous and behaves more like a general "parser" than template engine ... I also heavily dislike their block system.

[Legoguy]

Alright, looking in here I've not seen anything mentioning checking for blank strings. For me, using "IF [string] gt 0" seems to work, but the PM module isn't working so I have no clue whether or not it will do what I want when the string isn't empty...

I'm going to do some more testing now...

[edit]
Did some testing, it always evals False. Pso, how to check string lengths? I could use PHP but if the templating system already has a function then I would like to know it...

[Arty]

Alright, looking in here I've not seen anything mentioning checking for blank strings.

<!-- IF U_INDEX -->
U_INDEX is set and equal to {U_INDEX}
<!-- ELSE -->
U_INDEX is empty or not set
<!-- ENDIF -->

[metest12]

2.2 will, but the phpBB Template Downloads section won't include templates that utilise php inside them.

It doesn't matter, you don't need variable includes in just the forum. I was trying to use them for parts of my own site or custom changes to the forum.

[Roberdin]

I was referring to people who were planning to include php in general release templates.

[Lord Illicious]

OH no my fav suffix TPL is replaced by the ol HTML.

Will feel more like site designing rather than forum theme designing.