Really simple templating or themes for CodeIgniter

[eluser]FireStarter[/eluser]
Hi,

I have decided to start using CodeIgniter and couldn't really find a neat and simple way to run templates. I didn't want to load different views in the controller, nor load header and footer views within a view - or anything like that in fact.

I wanted it to be really simple - have a template, then be able to drop a body view into that template, with both the template and the body view having access to all data.

The solution? Since I couldn't find this anywhere else and it's very basic, just extend the Loader class. Place the following code in ./application/core/MY_Loader.php.

Code:

<?php  if ( ! defined('BASEPATH')) exit('No direct script access allowed');

class MY_Loader extends CI_Loader {
public function view($template, $view, $vars = array(), $return = FALSE) {
  if($template) {
   $vars['body'] = parent::view($view, $vars, true);
   return parent::view('templates/'.$template, $vars, $return);
  } else {
   return parent::view($view, $vars, $return);
  }
}
}

/* End of file MY_Loader.php */
/* Location: ./application/core/MY_Loader.php */

You can then use it as so:

Code:

// To load a view as normal if you ever need to
$this->load->view(false,'my_view',$data);

// To load a view within a template
$this->load->view('my_template','my_view',$data);

Just place your templates in the ./application/views/template/ directory, this is your HTML template and should somewhere echo the $body variable, which will contain your body view. For example the template 'my_template' would be at ./application/views/template/my_template.

I use it in a basic site where there is a general marketing area and a separate account area.

Code:

// In the marketing area on the contact page
$this->load->view('main','contact');

// In the account area on the foobar page
$this->load->view('account','foobar');

I hope other people find this useful. Sometimes heavy theme/template libraries simply aren't necessary and going back to basics works pretty well, it did for me anyway.

Cheers

[eluser]FireStarter[/eluser]
Just thought, is the load->view() function used internally?

I've not come across any problems so far, for example with the error views being displayed.

For compatability, this may be best in future:

Code:

<?php  if ( ! defined('BASEPATH')) exit('No direct script access allowed');

class MY_Loader extends CI_Loader {
public function view($view, $vars = array(), $return = FALSE, $template = FALSE) {
  if(is_null($vars)) {
    $vars = array();
  }
  if($template) {
   $vars['body'] = parent::view($view, $vars, true);
   return parent::view('templates/'.$template, $vars, $return);
  } else {
   return parent::view($view, $vars, $return);
  }
}
}

/* End of file MY_Loader.php */
/* Location: ./application/core/MY_Loader.php */

Then you would of course use it as so instead:

Code:

// To load a view as normal if you ever need to, the same as you always would
$this->load->view('my_view');

// To load a view within a template
$this->load->view('my_view',NULL,FALSE,'my_template');

// Or loading your view within a template with a $data array specified to be passed in
$this->load->view('my_view',$data,FALSE,'my_template');

// ..... and so on

I hope this is helpful and it would be useful to know if load->view() is used internally at all? Although I guess it's just best to use this updated version to ensure other libraries etc will be compatible.

[eluser]Aken[/eluser]
No views are loaded internally by CI.

[eluser]FireStarter[/eluser]
Ok, cheers

Still I think I'll stick with the more compatible version in future to prevent any conflicts!

[eluser]Aken[/eluser]
Defining $vars as an array if it's null is kinda pointless. The standard view() method will handle a null value no problem. Just leave your default in the params list and you'll be okay.