openinteract-help

[Openinteract-help] Extending OI template plugin

[Peter D. <pet...@us...>]

I=92d like to extend the template plugin functionality provided in
OpenInteract/Template/Plugin.pm, which is called from templates with a
OI.method() type syntax. I have my own perl object module with some
functions to produce HTML for things like hyperlinks with javascript popu=
p
context menus. I guess in OI terminology this is a component. I use perl
because the logic is too complex to fit into a template widget, and I mig=
ht
want to upgrade to a cross-browser javascript library like DOMAPI later.
For now I am calling $R->template->handler() and passing in a pointer to =
an
object B, which is my equivalent of OI, and calling B.popup() in template=
s.
I didn=92t want to change the provided OI plugin code in case it is updat=
ed.

What is the best way of integrating my library component ?

Also, for installation, I see oi_manage either installs a handler in an a=
rea
(e.g. oitest/pkg/fruit-0.15/oitest/Handler/Fruit.pm) or has a special cas=
e
for OI components, for example to install base_theme/OpenInteract/Theme.p=
m
one level about the Handler directory, but I cannot install my own
site-specific module.
Do I need to install components by hand or is there a better way ?

Inspecting @ISA it looked like I could put my module in the oitest top le=
vel
directory which is where I put it for now. I did not want to put it in
site_perl in case I use different versions in different customer areas.
Although this works I have the repository tool grumbling it cannot find m=
y
module when it does a package check.
Am I installing to the right place ?

Thanks,
Peter


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Re: [Openinteract-help] Extending OI template plugin

[Chris W. <ch...@cw...>]

Peter Dragon wrote:
> I=92d like to extend the template plugin functionality provided in=20
> OpenInteract/Template/Plugin.pm, which is called from templates with a=20
> OI.method() type syntax.

Is it okay to create a new plugin name as opposed to putting it in=20
the OI plugin namespace? So you'd have 'OIHTML.button()' or whatnot.

> For now I am calling $R->template->handler() and passing in a pointer t=
o=20
> an object B, which is my equivalent of OI, and calling B.popup() in=20
> templates. I didn=92t want to change the provided OI plugin code in cas=
e=20
> it is updated.

Right, but then you have duplicated code everywhere...

> What is the best way of integrating my library component ?

A 'component' in OI terms is an action that returns content. It=20
typically needs information from the model (database, whatever)=20
and/or additional Perl processing to complete its task.

Since these all seem to be display-oriented tasks rather than data=20
driven ones (like creating standard dropdown lists, etc.), then it's=20
best to use your own TT plugin. An email I sent about six weeks ago=20
to the -dev list may be of help:

http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_id=3D1869184&forum_id=
=3D3222

My first response to damien discusses how to associate a TT plugin=20
with your package and have it available in your templates.

> Also, for installation, I see oi_manage either installs a handler in an=
=20
> area (e.g. oitest/pkg/fruit-0.15/oitest/Handler/Fruit.pm) or has a=20
> special case for OI components, for example to install=20
> base_theme/OpenInteract/Theme.pm one level about the Handler directory,=
=20
> but I cannot install my own site-specific module.
>=20
> Do I need to install components by hand or is there a better way ?

Only packages in OpenInteract::Handler::* get relocated when they're=20
installed to a website. (BTW: this is going away with OI2, since you=20
won't have this base repository + website stuff.) Everything else=20
stays the same and is addressable normally -- when the website is=20
created we copy all the relevant noncore libraries from the=20
OpenInteract:: namespace into the temporary library directory=20
($WEBSITE_DIR/tmplib). We also copy all the libraries from=20
<YOURSITE>::Handler there as well. Then we've only got one directory=20
to put on the @ISA.

If you're creating a plugin then you'd want to install it to=20
OpenInteract::MyPlugin. That should get brought into your path ok.

Later,

Chris