Joomla! Documentation - User contributions [en]

Talk:What is the purpose of the templateDetails.xml file?

2010-11-08T21:30:05Z

Riorick17:

=== File Structure ===
This article is confusing in that the "File Structure" consists of an almost random selection of files from the rhuk_milkyway template. It then follows with a list of files labeled "Optional and highly recommended". But are all of these files optional for a template ? And are they highly recommended or in fact required for a template ? As two separate examples of a potential file structure for a template each of these examples seem to be appropriate if they were labeled as such. However, with its current structuring it leads to the question "what files are required for a template ?" and "what files are optional for a template ?" and I think it should either be relabeled or clarified. Are there in fact any files that are "required" for a template ? Are templates themselves "required" ? From my perspective at least, this particular article is where the beginner will try to grasp the relationship that the template plays in turning a "blank canvas" into a custom website utilizing Joomla core features and optional customization. They will most likely be seeking definitions for things that are not that easy to define due to the versatility of Joomla.

Talk:What is the purpose of the templateDetails.xml file?

2010-11-08T21:00:39Z

Riorick17:

<nowiki> This article is confusing in that the "File Structure" consists of an almost random selection of files from the rhuk_milkyway template. It then follows with a list of files labeled "Optional and highly recommended". But are all of these files optional for a template ? And are they highly recommended or in fact required for a template ?
As two separate examples of a potential file structure for a template each of these examples seem to be appropriate if they were labeled as such. However, with its current structuring it leads to the question "what files are required for a template ?" and "what files are optional for a template ?" and I think it should either be relabeled or clarified.
Are there in fact any files that are "required" for a template ? Are templates themselves "required" ? From my perspective at least, this particular article is where the beginner will try to grasp the relationship that the template plays in turning a "blank canvas" into a custom website utilizing Joomla core features and optional customization. They will most likely be seeking definitions for things that are not that easy to define due to the versatility of Joomla.</nowiki>

Talk:What is the purpose of the templateDetails.xml file?

2010-11-08T20:58:41Z

Riorick17: New page: This article is confusing in that the "File Structure" consists of an almost random selection of files from the rhuk_milkyway template. It then follows with a list of files labeled "Optio...

This article is confusing in that the "File Structure" consists of an almost random selection of files from the rhuk_milkyway template. It then follows with a list of files labeled "Optional and highly recommended". But are all of these files optional for a template ? And are they highly recommended or in fact required for a template ?
As two separate examples of a potential file structure for a template each of these examples seem to be appropriate if they were labeled as such. However, with its current structuring it leads to the question "what files are required for a template ?" and "what files are optional for a template ?" and I think it should either be relabeled or clarified.
Are there in fact any files that are "required" for a template ? Are templates themselves "required" ? From my perspective at least, this particular article is where the beginner will try to grasp the relationship that the template plays in turning a "blank canvas" into a custom website utilizing Joomla core features and optional customization. They will most likely be seeking definitions for things that are not that easy to define due to the versatility of Joomla.

Creating a basic index file

2010-11-08T19:23:32Z

Riorick17:

The index.php file becomes the core of every page that Joomla! delivers. Essentially, you make a page (like any html page) but place PHP code where the content of your site should go. Here is the bare-bones code ready for you to cut and paste.

Lets start at the top:

<source lang="php">
<?php defined( '_JEXEC' ) or die( 'Restricted access' );?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
xml:lang="<?php echo $this->language; ?>" lang="<?php echo $this->language; ?>" >
</source>
The first line stops naughty people looking at your coding and getting up to bad things. The second tells the browser (and webbots) what sort of page it is. The third line says what language the site is in.

Now the header for real:

<source lang="php">
<head>
<jdoc:include type="head" />
<link rel="stylesheet" href="<?php echo $this->baseurl ?>/templates/system/css/system.css" type="text/css" />
<link rel="stylesheet" href="<?php echo $this->baseurl ?>/templates/system/css/general.css" type="text/css" />
<link rel="stylesheet" href="<?php echo $this->baseurl ?>/templates/<?php echo $this->template?>/css/template.css" type="text/css" />
</head>
</source>

The first line gets Joomla to put the correct header information in. This includes the page title, meta information as well as system JavaScript.
The rest creates links to two system style sheets and to your own style sheet (if it's named template.css and is located in the css folder).

Now for the main body:
<source lang="php">
<body>
<jdoc:include type="modules" name="top" />
<jdoc:include type="component" />
<jdoc:include type="modules" name="bottom" />
</body>
</source>

Amazingly, this will suffice! Yes, its a very basic layout, but it will do the job. Everything else will be done by Joomla!. Note: you will need to ensure your menu is set to go into the "top" [[Screen.modules.edit.15#Details|module position]].

Finish it off - one last bit:
<pre>
</html>
</pre>
<noinclude>View the [[Testing the template|full source code]] of this template.</noinclude>
[[Category:Tutorials]][[Category:Template Development]]

Creating a basic templateDetails.xml file

2010-11-08T19:20:15Z

Riorick17:

The <tt>templateDetails.xml</tt> file is essential. Without it, your template won't be seen by Joomla!. The file holds key "metadata" about the template.

Lets look at an example:
<source lang="xml">
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE install PUBLIC "-//Joomla! 1.5//DTD template 1.0//EN" "http://www.joomla.org/xml/dtd/1.5/template-install.dtd">
<install version="1.5" type="template">
<name>mynewtemplate</name>
<creationDate>2008-05-01</creationDate>
<author>John Doe</author>
<authorEmail>john@example.com</authorEmail>
<authorUrl>http://www.example.com</authorUrl>
<copyright>John Doe 2008</copyright>
<license>GNU/GPL</license>
<version>1.0.2</version>
<description>My New Template</description>
<files>
<filename>index.php</filename>
<filename>component.php</filename>
<filename>templateDetails.xml</filename>
<filename>template_thumbnail.png</filename>
<filename>images/background.png</filename>
<filename>css/template.css</filename>
</files>
<positions>
<position>breadcrumb</position>
<position>left</position>
<position>right</position>
<position>top</position>
<position>user1</position>
<position>user2</position>
<position>user3</position>
<position>user4</position>
<position>footer</position>
</positions>
</install>
</source>
So, as you can see, we have a set of information between markup tags ( the <thing> ). Your best approach is to cut and paste this into your "templateDetails.xml" file and change the relevant bits (such as <name> <author> ).

The <files> part should contain all the files that you use - you possibly don't know what they are called yet - don't worry update it later.

Leave the positions as they are - these are a common set so you will be able to switch easily from the standard templates.

Setting up a directory structure

2010-11-08T19:18:07Z

Riorick17:

To make the most basic template, '''create a new folder''' in the ''"templates"'' folder. Name this folder after your template i.e. "mynewtemplate".

Using a text editor (or dedicated editor such as [[Adobe Dreamweaver]]) '''create the files "index.php" and "templateDetails.xml"'''

To keep things organized, make '''2 new folders called "images" and "css"'''. Inside the "css" folder create a file called "template.css".

Although it is fine to place all your CSS code directly in your "index.php" file to start, many web developers prefer to place their CSS code in a separate file that can be linked from multiple pages using the "link" tag.

This is the most basic practical setup.

Outline of folder and file structure:
* '''mynewtemplate/'''
** css/
*** ''template.css''
** images/
** ''index.php''
** ''component.php''
** ''templateDetails.xml''