PatternSkinCustomization < System

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---+!! %SYSTEMWEB%.PatternSkin Customization

*Guidelines how to create and customize page templates.* For styling your Foswiki using stylesheets, see PatternSkinCssCookbook.

%TOC%

---++ First Read: How to modify !PatternSkin templates

Everything you see on the common 'view' page is written by the =view= template. For pattern skin this file is =/templates/view.pattern.tmpl=.

We describe two approaches to override this template:
   1 By creating a custom skin file in the =templates= directory
   1 By creating a custom topic template

Which approach is best?
   * If you want to change the appearance for a lot of pages or even site-wide, the template approach is the easiest.
   * If you want to change the appearance of a single topic, or a set of topics, use a topic template.

---+++ The template approach

To change templates you will need shell access. If you don't have this read on below in [[#TopicTemplates][The topic template approach]].

The quickest way to change the view template would be to simply change the text in the template. A safer way -  strongly recommended, because it will survive a Foswiki update - is to create your own custom skin. That may sound like an awful lot of work, but in reality a skin may be as much as 1 file that consists of only a few lines of code.

*Example* %BR%
Let's say you want to simplify the bottom toolbar and remove all links except for "More topic actions". You would need to target =%<nop>TMPL:DEF{"topicactionbuttons"}%=, which is located in =view.pattern.tmpl=.

*The steps you would need:*
   1 Think up a name for your skin. Let us use =myskin= for now.
   1 Create a new (empty) view template file in =/templates= called =view.myskin.tmpl=.
   1 In =view.myskin.tmpl= you write:
   <verbatim class="tml">
   %TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
   %TMPL:DEF{"topicactionbuttons"}%%TMPL:P{"more_link"}%%TMPL:END%</verbatim>
   1 For testing, view any topic and append to the topic name: =?cover=myskin=. You should see an effect now.
   1 To make the changes visible on all pages, go to [[%USERSWEB%.SitePreferences]] (to keep %WIKIPREFSTOPIC% intact) and write:
   <pre class="tml">
      * <nop>Set COVER = myskin</pre>
   or write
   <pre class="tml">
      * <nop>Set SKIN = myskin,pattern</pre>

Test by appending =?cover=myskin= to the url.


#TopicTemplates
---+++ The topic template approach (using VIEW_TEMPLATE)

Template overrides can be written in a topic, a so-called _topic template_. Topic template names end with =<nop>ViewTemplate=, for instance =BlogPostViewTemplate=.

Call this template by setting =VIEW_TEMPLATE=:
<verbatim class="tml">
   * Set VIEW_TEMPLATE = BlogPostView
</verbatim>
   * Note that you don't use the =Template= extension now
   * You can make this setting hidden by writing this in the Settings screen: go to More and then Topic Settings

We can use the same example as above, but extend it to also replace the Edit and Print buttons at the top with a _More Actions_ button. In the topic you want to use as view template, for instance =<nop>OnlyMoreView=, write:
<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
%TMPL:DEF{"top:toolbarbuttons"}%%TMPL:P{"more_link"}%%TMPL:END%
%TMPL:DEF{"topicactionbuttons"}%%TMPL:P{"more_link"}%%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>

You can also test this by appending =?template=OnlyMoreView= to the url.

---++ Reference: pattern skin template INCLUDE tree

The =view= script invokes the =view= template:  (Note that to simplify customization of the top and side bar layouts, the templates include an "Example" topic if the corresponding topic does not exist.  Copy the example topic rather than changing the example directly.)
<verbatim class="tml">
view
    foswiki
        css
        viewtopbar
            %SYSTEMWEB%.WebTopBar or %SYSTEMWEB%.WebTopBarExample
        viewsidebar
            %WEB%.WebLeftBar or  %SYSTEMWEB%.WebLeftBarExample
        viewtopicactionbuttons
        viewbottombar
            %SYSTEMWEB%.WebBottomBar or %SYSTEMWEB%.WebBottomBarExample
</verbatim>

Note that =WebTopBar= is not used per web, but it's either pulled from %SYSTEMWEB%.WebTopBar, or, if it doesn't exist, from %SYSTEMWEB%.WebTopBarExample.

---++ Logo

---+++ How can I change the web logo?

By default the logo at the top left of each web points to the image with name =logo.gif= that is attached to each web's WebPreferences. <br />
The [[%SYSTEMWEB%.PreferenceSettings][preference settings]] that cause this behavior are defined in [[%WIKIPREFSTOPIC%]].

Redefine your custom [[%SYSTEMWEB%.PreferenceSettings][preference settings]] in [[%LOCALSITEPREFS%]] (to keep %WIKIPREFSTOPIC% intact):
<pre class="tml">
   * Set <nop>WEBLOGONAME = logo.gif
   * Set <nop>WEBLOGOIMG = %<nop>PUBURLPATH%/%<nop>BASEWEB%/%<nop>WEBPREFSTOPIC%/%<nop>WEBLOGONAME%
   * Set <nop>WEBLOGOURL = %<nop>SCRIPTURLPATH{"view"}%/%<nop>BASEWEB%/%<nop>HOMETOPIC%
   * Set <nop>WEBLOGOALT = Home
</pre>

There are 2 ways to change the logo in a web:

*Using logo.gif:*
<blockquote class="foswikiHelp">
   * Create a new image named =logo.gif= and attach it to the web's WebPreferences topic. %SYSTEMWEB%.PatternSkin's stylesheet assumes the logo is 40px high. More about that later.
   * You can also upload the image with FTP to =/pub/YourWeb/WebPreferences/=.
   * Copy the above instructions ("Redefine your custom preference settings") and insert your logo name.
</blockquote>
*Using a new filename:*
<blockquote class="foswikiHelp">
   * Attach whatever image and attach it to the web's WebPreferences topic. Then add to the WebPreferences (under _Custom web preferences_):
<pre class="tml">
      * Set <nop>WEBLOGONAME = your-logo-name.gif-or-png
</pre>
   * Copy the above instructions ("Redefine your custom preference settings") and insert your logo name.
</blockquote>

---+++ How do I set a site-wide logo?

There are a bunch of site-wide logo [[%SYSTEMWEB%.PreferenceSettings][preference settings]] in [[%LOCALSITEPREFS%]]: =WIKILOGOIMG=, =WIKILOGOURL= and =WIKILOGOALT=.
To change only the web logo image to site-wide, in [[%LOCALSITEPREFS%]] set:
<pre class="tml">
   * Set <nop>WEBLOGOIMG = %<nop>WIKILOGOIMG%
</pre>

---+++ My logo does not fit the top bar

See [[#TopBarChangeHeight][I want to change the height of the top bar]]

---+++ I want to change the white space above and below the logo

Change the table style in topic %SYSTEMWEB%.WebTopBar. The default top padding is 11px.

---++ Top bar

---+++ The search box won't find topics in other webs

In %SYSTEMWEB%.WebTopBar you can find the line:
<verbatim class="tml">
<input type="hidden" name="web" value="%BASEWEB%" />
</verbatim>

To search all webs, write:
<verbatim class="tml">
<input type="hidden" name="web" value="all" />
</verbatim>

To search a couple of webs, for instance the webs Main and System, write:
<verbatim class="tml">
<input type="hidden" name="web" value="Main,System" />
</verbatim>

See also: [[%SYSTEMWEB%.VarSEARCH][Search macro]]

#TopBarChangeHeight
---+++ I want to change the height of the top bar

_This information has moved to [[PatternSkinCssCookbook#HeightTopBar][PatternSkinCssCookbook]]_

---+++ I want to set or change the top background image

The image at the top is called "header art" - commonly the top image found on blog sites. The image that is displayed by default is set by the preference =WEBHEADERART=, defined in [[%WIKIPREFSTOPIC%]].

Redefine your custom [[%SYSTEMWEB%.PreferenceSettings][preference settings]] in [[%LOCALSITEPREFS%]] (to keep %WIKIPREFSTOPIC% intact):
<pre class="tml">
   * <nop>Set WEBHEADERART = %<nop>PUBURLPATH%/%<nop>SYSTEMWEB%/PatternSkin/Foswiki_header.gif
   * <nop>Set WEBHEADERBGCOLOR = somehexcolor (no quotes, for example: #ffffff)
</pre>

You can also set =WEBHEADERART= per web, by setting the preference in the Web's !WebPreferences.

%X% *Note:* For more precise control, the top bar can be controlled using CSS, however: If WEBHEADERART defaults, or is set to anything other than the empty string, the CSS for the =#foswikiTopBarContents= is expanded inline from =templates/css.pattern.tmpl=.  Overrides using css files will not be possible.

---+++ I want to have the web color in the top bar

Redefine =WEBHEADERBGCOLOR= in [[%LOCALSITEPREFS%]] (to keep %WIKIPREFSTOPIC% intact):
<pre class="tml">
   * <nop>Set WEBHEADERBGCOLOR = %<nop>WEBBGCOLOR%
</pre>

---+++ I want to remove the Jump and Search boxes from the top bar 

If you have localization enabled, you will also see a language dropdown box at the far right.

You can remove these items from %SYSTEMWEB%.WebTopBar.

---+++ I want to hide the top bar

*Using templates:*

The view template is populated with page elements using template inclusions:

<pre class="tml">
%<nop>TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
%<nop>TMPL:INCLUDE{"viewtopicactionbuttons"}%
%<nop>TMPL:INCLUDE{"viewtopbar"}%
%<nop>TMPL:INCLUDE{"viewsidebar"}%
</pre>

Each included template draws a part of the screen.%BR%
Omit =%<nop>TMPL:INCLUDE{"viewtopbar"}%= to hide the top bar.

Another approach is to clear the contents of module =topbar= with an empty definition. Using either a template or a topic template, write in your custom template:

<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
%TMPL:DEF{"topbar"}%%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>

and add:

<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:DEF{"topbardimensions"}%#patternTopBar,
#patternClearHeaderCenter,
#patternClearHeaderLeft,
#patternClearHeaderRight {
   height:0px;
}%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>

*Using style sheets:* %BR%
See PatternSkinCssCookbookNoTopBar

#LeftBar
---++ Left bar

---+++ I want to hide the side bar

*Using templates:* %BR%
Omit =%<nop>TMPL:INCLUDE{"viewsidebar"}%= to hide the side bar, or in a custom template clear it using
<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:DEF{"sidebar"}%%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>

*Using style sheets:* %BR%
See PatternSkinCssCookbookNoLeftBar


---++ Buttons

---+++ I want to hide the edit buttons from certain users

It may defy the wiki-ness of your Foswiki installation, but in certain circumstances it could be useful to hide the edit buttons from users that are not logged in, for instance for clients that have gotten viewing rights only.

Using either a template or a topic template, 'empty' =top:toolbarbuttons= and =topicaction= by writing:
<pre class="tml">
%<nop>TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
%<nop>TMPL:DEF{"top:toolbarbuttons"}%%TMPL:END%
%<nop>TMPL:DEF{"topicaction"}%%TMPL:END%
</pre>

In the user page of %USERSWEB%.WikiGuest, set the cover to
<pre class="tml">
   * <nop>Set COVER = customer
</pre>

By default this topic is editable only by Wiki admins.

---+++ I want to remove the History button from the bottom

All action links and buttons are defined in =viewtopicactionbuttons.tmpl=. The bottom history link is defined in DEF =action_revisions=
<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:DEF{"topicactionbuttons"}%
%TMPL:P{"action_activatable_edit_or_create"}%
%TMPL:P{"action_activatable_attach"}%
%TMPL:P{"action_printable"}%
%TMPL:P{"action_revisions"}%
%TMPL:P{"action_backlinks_simple"}%
%TMPL:P{"action_raw_or_view"}%
%TMPL:P{"action_activatable_raw_edit"}%
%TMPL:P{"activatable_more"}%
%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>

To hide that link, In a custom skin view template =view.myskin.tmpl= empty =action_revisions= by replacing it with an empty string:
<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
%TMPL:DEF{"action_revisions"}%%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>


---+++ I want to put the bottom links as buttons at the top

The default definition in =view.pattern.tmpl= is:
<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:DEF{"top:toolbarbuttons"}%%TMPL:P{"activatable_edit_or_create"}%%TMPL:P{"activatable_attach"}%%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>

Create a new skin by creating a file =view.myskin.tmpl= in the =templates= directory. Write in it:

<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
%TMPL:DEF{"top:toolbarbuttons"}%%TMPL:P{"history_history_link"}%%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>

View any topic with =?skin=myskin,pattern=, or set the =SKIN= preference to =myskin,pattern=.

This will remove the Edit and Attach buttons, and place a History button at the top.

You will probably not just want to have the History button there. Other button include names are:
<verbatim class="tml">
create_topic_link
raw_edit_link
view_topic_link
activatable_attach
activatable_edit_or_create
more_link
activatable_printable
backlinks_web_link
backlinks_all_link
backlinks_link
history_rdiff_link
history_history_link
raw_link
</verbatim>


---++ Other page parts

---+++ I want to insert text outside of the topic content

!PatternSkin has 2 'buckets' to write additional content to: =contentheader= and =contentfooter=, both defined in =view.pattern.tmpl=. These containers can contain text or html and are placed directly before and after the topic text.

Both modules are wrapped in CSS containers:
   * =contentheader= - wrapped in =div= of class =foswikiContentHeader=
   * =contentfooter= - wrapped in =div= of class =foswikiContentFooter=
   
To put contents *before* the main text, use the custom skin approach as described above.%BR%
So our custom template contains:
<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
%TMPL:DEF{"contentheader"}%This is the text before%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>

Use the same procedure for contents to be put *after* the topic text:
<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
%TMPL:DEF{"contentfooter"}%This is the text after%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>

---+++ I want to place the form at the top

Pattern skin has 2 buckets for the form: =formtop= (form at the top) and =formbottom= (form at the bottom). The default definition is:

<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:DEF{"formtop"}%%TMPL:END%
%TMPL:DEF{"formbottom"}%%TMPL:P{"form"}%%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>

You simply swap the bucket contents. Using either a template or a topic template, write in your custom template:

<verbatim class="tml">
%TMPL:INCLUDE{"view"}%
%TMPL:DEF{"formtop"}%%TMPL:P{"form"}%%TMPL:END%
%TMPL:DEF{"formbottom"}%%TMPL:END%
</verbatim>
<!-- %JQREQUIRE{"chili"}% -->
Topic revision: r1 - 18 Apr 2011, ProjectContributor
System
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