Template Extension Configuration

About

Your Piwigo gallery can be customised by replacing existing template files with customised versions. For example, the default header template (header.tpl) can be replaced by a customised header template (my-header.tpl). After submitting the changes to the database the gallery will display the customised header instead of the original header.
Template extensions are a powerful way to create customised themes for both new and advanced users. Used together with the LocalFiles Editor you can create your own child themes.

Original Template

A theme contains a number of template files that make up the gallery pages. These are the original templates.

Optional URL Keyword

These are words found in the gallery URL after the module name. They can also be active permalinks (See the permalink documentation for more information). WARNING: if the same original template and same keyword is used on more than one customised template only the last one is active.

Bound Theme

The bound theme is the theme from which the template files are being replaced.

Where are the original templates?

Original templates are the template files shipped with each theme. These are saved in /themes/default/template (or themes//template). These template files should not be edited in place as changes will be lost with theme upgrades.
Supported original templates include:

• index.tpl
• mainpage_categories.tpl and/or thumbnails.tpl
• menubar.tpl
• header.tpl and/or footer.tpl
• picture_content.tpl and/or picture.tpl
• profile.tpl and/or profile_content.tpl
• tags.tpl
• upload.tpl
• about.tpl
• popuphelp.tpl
• search.tpl and/or search_rules.tpl
• nbm.tpl and/or notification.tpl
• identification.tpl and/or register.tpl
• redirect.tpl

Saving customised templates

Customised templates should be saved in the template-extension folder or subfolders. For example, /template-extension/my-default/header.tpl (or /template-extension//header.tpl) Template files can have any name with a .tpl extension. The template files in subfolders appear in the Template configuration screen as available custom templates.

Activating customised templates

Select the original template to replace. Optionally choose a URL keyword to ensure that the customised template is only shown on pages with that keyword. Select a bound theme and the changes will be effective on that theme. Submit the changes to the database.

Deactivating customised templates

Unselect the original template and submit the changes to the database.
Delete the customised template files from the template-extension folder.

Warnings

• The original template must be the original template otherwise you may have unpredictable results.
• If the same original template and same URL keyword is used on more than one customised template only the last one is active.
• Distributed sample template files are for test purposes only. Do not edit them. Create your own ones or copy existing theme template files into /template-extension//
• When the customised template is deleted the original template file is immediately reactivated.