Template + code

[VoiD]

Hey,

What is the best way to insert an image, a link, a table, a select box or any other HTML for that matter in a template variable?

Table data or image urls are mainly taken from a database.

What if I want to insert a table, with 4 colums, a few links with images inside a template var?

I don't want the html in the php file.

Should I use functions?

[jeremuck]

that kind of thing can grow to be very very complex.
So unless you have lots of resources and time, use a "content management system" that someone has already made.

look for template system or content management system on
sourceforge.com

There are lots of them.
Some are easier to install and use than others.

[VoiD]

I don't think you're getting my point.

I already use a template system (Xtemplate), and I have already made a template file.

Now, I want to replace the {CONTENT} field from my template by some text and images/tables etc.

But without making a huge template file, and without using HTML code inside my PHP.

Here's my index.php made as a testing version (using templates AND functions):

<?
include("$DOCUMENT_ROOT/functions.php");
include("$DOCUMENT_ROOT/header2.php");
require"$DOCUMENT_ROOT/templates/xtpl.p";

/////////////////////
// CONNECT WITH DB //
/////////////////////
connectdb();

/////////////////////
// BUILD HEADLINES //
/////////////////////
$xtpl=new XTemplate ("$DOCUMENT_ROOT/templates/tables.xtpl");
$oudedate=time()-604800;
$oudedate=date("Y-m-d h:i:s",$oudedate);
$result=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM news WHERE date>'$oudedate' ORDER BY date DESC");

if(mysql_num_rows($result)!="") {
	while($row=mysql_fetch_array($result)) {	                 

		$title="$row[title]";
		$id="$row[news_id]";
		$exp=explode(" ",$row[date]);
		$dagen=explode("-",$exp[0]);
		$dag=$dagen[2];
		$maand=$dagen[1];
		$jaar=$dagen[0];

	$datum=date ("F j", mktime (0,0,0,$maand,$dag,$jaar));
	if($datum!="$nieuwedag") {
		if($nieuwedag!="") {
			$content.=showbr();
		}
		$content.=builddate($datum);			
	}
	$content.=showbr();
	$content.=buildmouseoverlink("readnews.php?id=$id","$title");		
	$nieuwedag="$datum";
}
} else {
	$content.="No news in the database";
}
$link=buildlink("http://www.game-trix.com/articles/showarticle.php?art_id=6","here");
$image=buildimage("http://www.game-trix.com/screens/ninprevday/splash.jpg","100","115");
$image=buildlink("http://www.game-trix.com/articles/showarticle.php?art_id=6","$image");

//////////////////
// ARTICLE BLOK //
//////////////////
$xtpl->assign("REVIMAGE","$image");
$xtpl->assign("REVTITLE","Nintendo Preview Day");
$xtpl->assign("REVCONTENT","On the 31st of July we went to see all the new Gamecube and GBA games at the Nintendo Preview Day. Read about our experiences with Nintendo's upcoming games $link.");
$xtpl->parse("standardtable.reviewtable");

///////////////
// HEADLINES //
///////////////
$xtpl->assign("TITLE","HEADLINES");
$xtpl->assign("CONTENT","$content");
$xtpl->parse("standardtable");

$xtpl->out("standardtable");
/////////////////////
// EINDE HEADLINES //
/////////////////////

///////////////////////////
// PLAATJE REVIEW BOUWEN //
///////////////////////////
$xtpl=new XTemplate ("$DOCUMENT_ROOT/templates/tables.xtpl");
$revtitle=align("left","NEWEST REVIEWS");
$sql=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM reviews WHERE status='1' ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT 1")
 or die(mysql_error());

if (mysql_num_rows($sql)!="0") {
	$row=mysql_fetch_array($sql);
	$review=align(center,$row[title]);	

$review.=showbr();

$image=buildimage("$row[url]","100","140");
$image=buildlink("http://www.game-trix.com/reviews/showrev.php?rev_id=$row[rev_id]","$image");

$review.=align(center,$image);
$review.=$row[intro];
$review.=showbr();
$review.=showbr();

$link=buildmouseoverlink("http://www.game-trix.com/reviews/showrev.php?rev_id=$row[rev_id]","Read More...");
$review.=align(right,$link);
$review.=showbr();
}

/////////////////////////
// REVIEW LINKS BOUWEN //
/////////////////////////
$sql=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM reviews WHERE status='1' ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT 1,5")
 or die(mysql_error());

if (mysql_num_rows($sql)!="0") {
	$review.=buildnoclassimage("http://www.game-trix.com/images/$color/divider.jpg","124","4");
	$review.=showbr();
	while ($row=mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
		$review.=buildmouseoverlink("http://www.game-trix.com/reviews/showrev.php?rev_id=$row[rev_id]","$row[title]");
		$review.=showbr();
	}
}

////////////////////////////
// PLAATJE PREVIEW BOUWEN //
////////////////////////////
$prevtitle=align("right","NEWEST PREVIEWS");
$sql=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM previews WHERE status='1' ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT 1")
 or die(mysql_error());

if (mysql_num_rows($sql)!="0") {
	$row=mysql_fetch_array($sql);	
	$preview=align(center,$row[title]);
	$preview.=showbr();

$image=buildimage("$row[url]","100","140");
$image=buildlink("http://www.game-trix.com/previews/showprev.php?prev_id=$row[prev_id]","$image");

$preview.=align(center,$image);
$preview.=$row[intro];
$preview.=showbr();
$preview.=showbr();

$link=buildmouseoverlink("http://www.game-trix.com/previews/showprev.php?prev_id=$row[prev_id]","Read More...");
$preview.=align(right,$link);
$preview.=showbr();
}

/////////////////////////
// PREVIEW LINKS BOUWEN //
/////////////////////////
$sql=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM previews WHERE status='1' ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT 1,5")
 or die(mysql_error());

if (mysql_num_rows($sql)!="0") {
	$preview.=buildnoclassimage("http://www.game-trix.com/images/$color/divider.jpg","124","4");
	$preview.=showbr();
	while ($row=mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
		$preview.=buildmouseoverlink("http://www.game-trix.com/previews/showprev.php?prev_id=$row[prev_id]","$row[title]");
		$preview.=showbr();
	}
}

// REVIEW PARSEN
$xtpl->assign("TITLE","$revtitle");
$xtpl->assign("CONTENT","$review");
$xtpl->parse("doubletable.smalltableleft");

// TUSSENTABEL PARSEN
$xtpl->parse("doubletable.dividertable");

// PREVIEW PARSEN
$xtpl->assign("TITLE","$prevtitle");
$xtpl->assign("CONTENT","$preview");
$xtpl->parse("doubletable.smalltableright");

// OUTPUT MAKEN
$xtpl->parse("doubletable");
$xtpl->out("doubletable");

/////////////////////////
// CHEATS EN DOWNLOADS //
/////////////////////////
$xtpl=new XTemplate ("$DOCUMENT_ROOT/templates/tables.xtpl");
$cheatstitle=align("right","NEWEST CHEATS");
$sql=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM cheats ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT 10")
 or die(mysql_error());

if (mysql_num_rows($sql)!="0") {
	while ($row=mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
		$cheats.=buildmouseoverlink("http://www.game-trix.com/cheats/showcheat.php?cheat_id=$row[cheat_id]","$row[title]");
		$cheats.=showbr();
	}
}

$downloadtitle=align("right","NEWEST DOWNLOADS");
$sql=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM downloads ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT 10")
 or die(mysql_error());

if (mysql_num_rows($sql)!="0") {
	while ($row=mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
		$downloads.=buildmouseoverlink("http://www.game-trix.com/downloads/showdown.php?down_id=$row[down_id]","$row[title]");
		$downloads.=showbr();
	}
}

// CHEATS PARSEN
$xtpl->assign("TITLE","$cheatstitle");
$xtpl->assign("CONTENT","$cheats");
$xtpl->parse("doubletable.smalltableleft");

// TUSSENTABEL PARSEN
$xtpl->parse("doubletable.dividertable");

// DOWNLOADS PARSEN
$xtpl->assign("TITLE","$downloadtitle");
$xtpl->assign("CONTENT","$downloads");
$xtpl->parse("doubletable.smalltableright");

// OUTPUT MAKEN
$xtpl->parse("doubletable");
$xtpl->out("doubletable");

include("$DOCUMENT_ROOT/footer2.php");
?>

Is this a correct way to do it or should it be something else? (I even put a <br> in a function).