I can't get how $PAGE->get_renderer works ...

I can't get how $PAGE->get_renderer works ...

by Gérald CLETTE -
Number of replies: 5
Hi

I'm learning how to develop a new theme in moodle (v3.2) and I've got a problem I can't solve. 

I followed the Ouput API tutorial (https://docs.moodle.org/dev/Output_API) in order to learn how to create a new renderable, templatable component to add it in my theme directory.

 
Here is my project tree in my theme (based on boost) : 

Project tree


I can display my page with this url : http://localhost/theme/ebpcooc/admin/tool/demo/index.php
The problem is in the index.php file. This line makes an error raise on my page : 
     $output = $PAGE->get_renderer('tool_demo');
          Error : Invalid component specified in renderer request

I must admit that I haven't still get the point of component name. 
I've tried a lot of things ... Do I have to give all the directories to the component : "theme_ebpcooc_admin_tool_demo" ? 
Which directories are implicitly added (if any) ? Is it linked to the namespaces ? 

How can I get this renderer in order to render my new component ? 

This could be basic questions but I didn't find any simple answer for the moment : can you please help me ? 

Thanks.

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In reply to Gérald CLETTE

Re: I can't get how $PAGE->get_renderer works ...

by Davo Smith -
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Renderers are linked to specific plugins.

So, if you had an admin tool plugin called 'demo' and installed at [site root]/admin/tool/demo with a file renderer.php in that directory, which defines the class 'tool_demo_renderer', then $PAGE->get_renderer('tool_demo') would get an instance of that renderer.

If your theme then wanted to override that renderer, then in your theme's config.php, you should set $THEME->rendererfactory = 'theme_overridden_renderer_factory', then you could create a file renderer.php inside the main directory of your theme. Within your theme's renderer.php, you could create a class theme_MYTHEME_tool_demo_renderer that extends tool_demo_renderer.

Does that help?

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In reply to Davo Smith

Re: I can't get how $PAGE->get_renderer works ...

by Gérald CLETTE -

Thank you for your response.

Your solution works and I can see my template displayed in my page.
It's just a sample for the moment but thought that I could add this admin tool in [site root]/theme/[theme name]/admin/tool/demo but it seems to be a mistake. 

If I want to override the render function in my theme_MYTHEME_tool_demo_renderer, I succeeded in using a template (by calling render_from_template). I so would like to create a renderable/templatable class to manage my new widget. Is there a specific directory I have to use ?  

Last thing : you said that "Renderers are linked to specific plugins."
Themes are a specific kind of plugin right ? So I understand that I can get a renderer linked to my theme. 

And yes : that helps ! smile

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In reply to Gérald CLETTE

Re: I can't get how $PAGE->get_renderer works ...

by Mark Johnson -
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I believe that the convention for renderable/templatable classes is to put them in /[path]/[to]/[plugin]/classes/output/ (and namespace them in [plugin_name]\output). This is a convention rather than a requirement since you create instances of these classes yourself, but its helpful to follow.

Themes are a bit special when it comes to renderers.  A theme won't usually have its own renderer, but instead it will override renderers and templates from other parts of the system.

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