(This information requires updating to 2.0, but this 1.0 information is still mostly relevant)

Smarty is the language used by an Exponent View designer.  Exponent utilises the http://smarty.php.net/ Smarty Template Engine for '''Module Views''' and '''Site-Wide Views'''.

About Exponent and Smarty

Module Views

Site-Wide Views

Views files for some '''Site-Wide''' functions are located in the main /framework/core/views/ folder: /views/loginredirect.tpl /views/index.html /views/popup_printerfriendly.tpl /views/popup_general.tpl /views/orphaned_content.tpl /views/_maintenance.tpl /views/viewnotfound.tpl You should '''NEVER''' modify a View file in the views folder as this will be overwritten when you upgrade your Exponent website. To modify a Site-Wide View:

1. Locate the view you want to modify in the relevant module folder, for example:

   • /framework/core/views/loginredirect.tpl

2. Copy the file to your active theme's main views folder, for example:

   • themes/defaulttheme/views/loginredirect.tpl

3. Make any changes to the view and save them to this file.

Exponent Specific Smarty Functions

File Paths

These are the file paths used in a Smarty template to access specific Exponent locations. They are called by the smarty.const. plus the Exponent Constants which are set in the files /exponent.php and /exponent_variables.php.

Base Path

The absolute path on the server's file system:

{$smarty.const.BASE} /home/domain/public_html/exponent/ (result) 

{$smarty.const.BASE}&file={$project->picpath} (example)

Path Relative

The web path the the Exponent directory:

{$smarty.const.PATH_RELATIVE} / (result, exponent installed at root) 
/exponent/ (result, exponent installed in sub-folder) 

{$smarty.const.PATH_RELATIVE}modules/textmodule/ (example)

Host Name

The website host or domain name of your Exponent site:

{$smarty.const.HOSTNAME} www.yoursite.com (result) 

{$smarty.const.HOSTNAME}modules/textmodule/ (example)

URL Base

The base URL of your Exponent site's domain:

{$smarty.const.URL_BASE} http://www.yoursite.com (result) 

{$smarty.const.URL_BASE}modules/textmodule/ (example)

URL Full

The full URL of your Exponent site's domain:

{$smarty.const.URL_FULL} http://www.yoursite.com/ (result, exponent installed at root)
http://www.yoursite.com/exponent/ (result, exponent installed in sub-folder) 

{$smarty.const.URL_FULL}modules/textmodule/ (example)

Script Paths

Script file variables:

{$smarty.const.SCRIPT_RELATIVE} 

{$smarty.const.SCRIPT_ABSOLUTE} 

{$smarty.const.SCRIPT_FILENAME}

Icon Folder Path

Relative web path to icon set:

{$smarty.const.ICON_RELATIVE} /themes/common/images/icons/ (result) 

{$smarty.const.ICON_RELATIVE}userperms.gif (example)

MIME Icon Folder Path

Relative web path to MIME icon set:

{$smarty.const.MIMEICON_RELATIVE} /themes/common/images/icons/mimetypes/ (result) 

{$smarty.const.MIMEICON_RELATIVE}userperms.gif (example)

Themes Folder Path

Absolute and relative paths to themes folder:

{$smarty.const.THEME_ABSOLUTE} /home/domain/public_html/themes/exponenttheme/ (result) 

{$smarty.const.THEME_ABSOLUTE}style.css (example) 

{$smarty.const.THEME_RELATIVE} /themes/exponenttheme/ (result) 

{$smarty.const.THEME_RELATIVE}style.css (example)

Themes Folder

Name of the current theme's folder:

{$smarty.const.DISPLAY_THEME} exponenttheme (result) 

{$smarty.const.DISPLAY_THEME}style.css (example)

File Paths

These can be used in a Smarty template to display configuration variables. They are called by the smarty.const. plus the Configuration Variables which are set in the file /config.php.

Site Keywords

Displays the site's meta keywords:

{$smarty.const.SITE_KEYWORDS} Exponent, Literature, Portal (result)

Site Description

Displays the site's meta description:

{$smarty.const.SITE_DESCRIPTION} This is My Exponent Site full of nice things. (result)

Site Title

Displays the site title:

{$smarty.const.SITE_TITLE} My Exponent Site (result)

URLs

Other's which might be useful are the site URL and SSL URL:

{$smarty.const.NONSSL_URL} 

{$smarty.const.SSL_URL}

Generic Smarty Functions

These are '''Generic Smarty Functions''' which can be used in Exponent Themes.

Date and Year Display

To display the current date or year, use:

{$smarty.now} <!-- displays the current date --> 

{$smarty.now|format_date:"%Y"} <!-- displays the current year --> 

{$item->thisdate|format_date:"%H %y"} <!-- formats date of variable --> 

For more info see http://smarty.php.net/manual/en/language.modifier.date.format.php Smarty Manual date_format.

Literal Text

Use the Literal Text tag to insert text you want to be ignored by Smarty, such as in-page scripts.

{literal}insert code here{/literal}

Math Equations

Smarty supports math equations on numeric and integer fields, use:

{math equation="(x-y)/60" x=$item->eventend y=$item->eventstart assign=dur}

Parsing Values for Javascript in a Smarty Template

You need to parse values into correct Javascript formats. You also need to go in and out of Literal Text mode to call template fields:

var startZoom = parseInt({$googlemap->map_zoom}); 

var centerLatitude = parseFloat({/literal}{$googlemap->map_lat}{literal}); 

var centerLongitude = parseFloat({/literal}{$googlemap->map_lon}{literal});

Temporary Variables

To assign a temporary template variable, use:

{assign var=starthour value=$item->eventstart|format_date:"%H"}