When exporting a book, there is an option for exporting a single page or all children, as well. This is a very useful core feature. However, there is not a "Book Export" option within ConTemplate (like there is for page or RSS feed). Thus, when the book export function is called recursively (using NODE_BUILD_PRINT for CCK fields) - the ConTemplate is not used to generate the content. I happen to be using ConTemplate along with the Print module, and noted this behavior at #996402: Node types not respected in book hierarchy.

After having rigorously looked at where the various functions are called, it is apparent that ConTemplate is not used within book exports. The related topic #674342: Contemplate doesn't use the page's build mode says that ConTemplate is insensitive to setting NODE_BUILD_PRINT (which is defined for book exports). However, this isn't the same as the functions called within the book export.

I think perhaps that ConTemplate needs to add a "Export" version for use in books.

It's possible that this could be fixed using the Print module (see #996402: Node types not respected in book hierarchy). The fixes are either:

  1. Making ConTemplate integrate with the Book module, possibly via an "Export" template.
  2. Making the Print module not use the Book recursive export functions, and rather use its own.

I think the first one is the best idea for how to make this work, since it doesn't require re-building core functions. Honestly, I can't come up with a time where the inner content of a page should be drastically different in the print version - so there may not even be a need for an "Export" template. Possibly just have the ConTemplate HTML template automatically supersede the export book functions.