Node templates by class #

This page is for designers who organize the view templates of a whole site. The usual pattern: one override rule and one template for each pair of content class and view mode that needs its own look.

Contents #

1. The pattern
2. Folder layout and names
3. Which pairs a site needs
4. How the shipped designs do it

The pattern #

[mytheme_full_article]
Source=node/view/full.tpl
MatchFile=full/article.tpl
Subdir=templates
Match[class_identifier]=article

[mytheme_line_article]
Source=node/view/line.tpl
MatchFile=line/article.tpl
Subdir=templates
Match[class_identifier]=article

Folder layout and names #

design/mytheme/override/templates/
├── full/article.tpl      full/folder.tpl      full/event.tpl
├── line/article.tpl      line/event.tpl
├── card/article.tpl
└── embed/image.tpl       embed/video.tpl

• Folder = view mode; file = class identifier.
• Section names: <theme>_<mode>_<class>; unique across all settings files.
• One rule per pair; no giant switch in a generic template (Switch and case).

Which pairs a site needs #

Fill a table like this from the site's content model; every "yes" is one rule and one template. Classes without a rule use the default node/view/<mode>.tpl, so make the defaults decent.

How the shipped designs do it #

• The media design keeps its rules in settings/siteaccess/site/override.ini.append.php (and bold/) of its extension, with templates in override/templates/full/, line/, embed/, content/ and more.
• The starter design keeps them in settings/siteaccess/cjw_starter/override.ini.append.php; each full/<class>.tpl includes content/full/<class>.tpl, so layout blocks can draw parts of the same content.
• The super design shows the minimal case: one rule, full/article.tpl.

Related pages #

• Override basics
• View modes
• Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.