Templates

Templates can be thought of a ‘site starting points’. They consist of site export files (site.xml and media/), an info.xml file, and an optional thumbnail.png image.

Templates are kept in two directories:


• segue/templates-dist – Templates distributed with Segue
• segue/templates-local – Your own custom templates

The ID of a template is its directory name, e.g. segue/templates-dist/Basic has an ID Basic.

By default, templates are ordered alphabetically by ID. A custom ordering can be set in segue/config/templates.conf.php:

$templateMgr->setOrder(array(
 	"StandardCourseSite",
 	"Basic",
 	"Blog"
));

Any templates not listed in the order array will be displayed alphabetically after the ordered templates.

While the template XML can be edited by hand, the easiest way to create a template is to start from an existing site.

1. Create a site that you will use to build your template.

   Enter #SITE_NAME# and #SITE_DESCRIPTION# for the display-name and description of the site to pre-populate the template-site with appropriate placeholders.

2. Configure the site to your liking. Any place you use #SITE_NAME# or #SITE_DESCRIPTION# in the text, the placeholder will be replaced with the site name and description that users enter when the create a new site using this template.
3. Export the site
4. Un-Tar the exported archive.
5. Create a new directory (to go in segue/themes-local/) named for the template
6. Place site.xml and media/ directory (if it exists) into the new template directory
7. Add an info.xml file to the new template directory with information about your template.

   <TemplateInfo>
       <DisplayName lang='en_US'>Basic</DisplayName>
       <Description lang='en_US'>
           This template is a basic starting point with two pages already created.
       </Description>
   </TemplateInfo>

8. You can optionally add additional translations of the display name and description.

   <TemplateInfo>
       <DisplayName lang='en_US'>Spanish School Template</DisplayName>
       <Description lang='en_US'>
           This template is laid out for classes taught by the Spanish School and
           Spanish department.
       </Description>
       <DisplayName lang='es_ES'>Plantilla de la Escuela Española</DisplayName>
       <Description lang='es_ES'>
           Esta plantilla se presenta para las clases enseñadas por la escuela 
           española y el departamento español.
       </Description>
   </TemplateInfo>

9. You can optionally add Agent or Group restrictions to the info.xml to make the template only available to certain users.

   <TemplateInfo>
       <DisplayName lang='en_US'>Spanish School Template</DisplayName>
       <Description lang='en_US'>
           This template is laid out for classes taught by the Spanish School and
           Spanish department.
       </Description>
       <DisplayName lang='es_ES'>Plantilla de la Escuela Española</DisplayName>
       <Description lang='es_ES'>
           Esta plantilla se presenta para las clases enseñadas por la escuela 
           española y el departamento español.
       </Description>
       <Authorized>
   		<Group id="123456">Spanish School</Group>
   		<Agent id="789102">Spanish School Coordinater</Agent>
   		<Group id="CN=Spanish Dept,OU=Groups,dc=example,dc=edu">Spanish Department Faculty</Group>
       </Authorized>
   </TemplateInfo>

   The ids of the Groups and Agents should match those in your Agent system, but the name is just an aid to provide information in a template listing.

10. If you haven’t already, put the new template directory in segue/themes-local/

With these steps done, the template should show up in the list of templates when users go into the ‘create site’ wizard.