Preprocessors for each view

There aren't dynamically generated preprocess functions; instead, all of the theme functions use the base preprocessor automatically. So views-view--my-first-view.tpl.php still uses template_preprocess_views_view(&$vars) as its preprocessor function.

You can add preprocess functions for specific views with the exact same naming conventions. Note that that it's named *_preprocess_ not preprocessor_.

Note that currently Drupal's design requires that you have the .tpl.php file in order to have the preprocess function (though you could drop in a generic preprocess function and do switches based upon information contained within the $vars['view'] variable. There's an issue for this which is fairly easily found by going to the Drupal queue and searching in the 'theme system' queue.

You would use your theme name in place of template and as long as you have views-view--my-view.tpl.php yes.

Note that if using linux, another trick you can use is symbolic links so that you can have the same template without copying it, if you only want to change stuff in the preprocess function. =)

interesting issue-- just as an fyi the issue merlin is referring is i believe: Themes cannot have a preprocess function without a corresponding .tpl.php file

It can be made to work but only if you use hook_theme() to register a .tpl.php file, which can then be overridden later in the the theme itself. The reason this is necessary is that discovery of the template happens during the theme section, which happens after modules; so the module's preprocess hook isn't looked for because that variant of the theme function does not (yet) exist.

subscribing

Greg;

There is one quibble with your article I have:

The Views module is an excellent example of this. There is a preprocess function called template_preprocess_views_view() which is responsible to generating *all* view tpl files. Here are examples of valid view template file names:

Not all view tpl files; only variants of the views_view theme. For example, this won't handle views-view-list.tpl.php. But the basic point is correct: phptemplate_preprocess_views_view_list() will handle all *variants* of views-view-list.tpl.php such as views-view-list--myview--displayid.tpl.php

Also, one mention is that you can pretty safely override views-view-field.tpl.php (an individual field) not as a template. Earlier I mentioned that Views wants everything to be a template but this is one place that I actually fibbed slightly, due to misremembering.

Fields are actually handled by theme function for performance reasons:

/**
 * Display a single views field.
 *
 * Interesting bits of info:
 * $field->field_alias says what the raw value in $row will be. Reach it like
 * this: @code { $row->{$field->field_alias} @endcode
 */
function theme_views_view_field($view, $field, $row) {
  return $field->render($row);
}

However, to make it work automatically when you implement a field template, I include a preprocess function that isn't used unless a template is discovered:

/**
 * Process a single field within a view.
 *
 * This preprocess function isn't normally run, as a function is used by
 * default, for performance. However, by creating a template, this
 * preprocess should get picked up.
 */
function template_preprocess_views_view_field(&$vars) {
  $vars['output'] = $vars['field']->render($vars['row']);
}

For performance reasons, not using a template for individual fields is actually a good idea. Sorry about the misinformation, and thank you for writing that so I realized my error.

(both functions, above, are in theme/theme.inc)

Hi Merlin;
following on from your suggestion:

It can be made to work but only if you use hook_theme() to register a .tpl.php file, which can then be overridden later in the the theme itself. The reason this is necessary is that discovery of the template happens during the theme section, which happens after modules; so the module's preprocess hook isn't looked for because that variant of the theme function does not (yet) exist.

i tried setting up the following in my module:

preprocessor function :

<?php 

function modulename_preprocess_views_view_fields__viewname(&$variables) {

}
?>

theme function:

function modulename_theme() {
  return array(
    'views_view_fields__VIEWNAME' => array(
    	'arguments' => array('view' => NULL, 'fields' => NULL, 'row' => NULL),
    	'template' => 'views-view-fields--VIEWNAME',
    ),
}

I also have a tpl file in my theme directory - views-view-fields-VIEWNAME.tpl.php

I tried passing up additional variables from the preprocessor to the template file but it doesnt seem to invoke the preprocessor function at all :(

What if you add an 'original hook' directive in there? I'm not sure that actually works though.

Ok, I understand the problem and what's wrong.

This code works:

function ptest_theme($existing) {
  return array(
    'views_view__ptest_tracker' => array (
      'arguments' => array('view' => NULL),
      'template' => 'views-view--ptest-tracker',
      'original hook' => 'views_view',
    ),
  );
}

HOWEVER, there is a caveat. It ONLY works if the module weight > views; because it needs the pre-existing views theme function to exist for the 'original hook' directive to work.

In place of it, you can add the preprocess function manually, like Greg did above.

Theme developer module helps a ton for understanding what .tpl.php file names you can use to customize your output. It also helps you know the variables that get passed into those templates. But knowing the available preprocess functions could be useful. I made a patch for theme developer at #312061: Show which preprocess functions were called on a theme call. Feedback welcome.

Greg: Read #20. I promise you, it works 100% *if* you set the module weight > views.

BTW, I plan to take what this issue is generating and write up a documentation page about it (and putting Views in a module in general) either today or tomorrow. I probably was being too lazy when I said 'above' since you tried a lot of things. The one I was pointing at that seems like it should work reliably if you are unable/unwilling to change the module's weight:

/**
* Implementation of hook_theme().
*/
function mymodule_theme() {
  return array(
    'views_view_table__insights_authors' => array (
      'arguments' => array(),
      'template' => 'views-view-table--insights-authors',
      'preprocess functions' => array(
        'template_preprocess',
        'template_preprocess_views_view_table',
        'mymodule_preprocess_views_view_table__insights_authors',
      ),
    ),
  );
}

Note that I removed the erroneous 'original hook' designation. Also I should add that 'arguments' is wrong there too, and that could have unintended consequences (like, theme() shouldn't be able to figure out how to translate the arguments to variables without that).

This is now documented in the advanced help.

Might be me, but I do not see this in the Advanced help for Views. Looking in HEAD.

http://views-help.doc.logrus.com/help/views/api-default-views

I'm using Organic Groups and I want to customize the default og_ghp_ron view that comes with it. By default the view uses the "unformatted" view style. I changed the style to a table style and all the data I need is in there correctly.

However, essentially what I want to do is pluck out the fields and arrange them however I want in a table. In order to do that properly, I thought I should use a preprocessing function to redefine the field names, so that I could just drop them into a template wherever I want. Some of the fields are CCK fields.

I created a module and defined the preprocessing function there but when I did that the table view got messed up and for example, the dates lost their format and were not expressed the way they should.

I'm not a PHP whiz, so I'm finding it hard to find some concrete examples on what the correct development path to correctly achieve this basic task is.

Should I be creating a preprocess function per view (preferred), or just change the default views preprocess functions (field, unformatted, table, grid, etc.)? If I do, then how do I correctly redefine variable names and format the date (which is getting messed up) through the preprocessing function? How about changing the date format then through a .tpl.php file?

Which style should I be using (table, list, unformatted, grid) to extract the fields and why use one style and not the other?

What's the difference between the two row styles (fields, nodes)?

Some of the template files for example use code in them (such as content-field.tpl.php)? Should they be moved to the preprocess function instead to separate presentation from logic?

Are there any complete examples of calling embedded views from within a .tp.php template file, and how do you call one view from another view? Wouldn't it be easier to write a view like this and customize it in code rather than through an interface?

Unfortunately there aren't any beginning to end examples or best practices to perform common views tasks such as this out there, because I'm sure a lot of people have run into it this issue.

Thanks for any help,
Mo
www.itwrite.com | Having fun with Drupal

Hi guys,

I'm having troubles with adding a preprocess function for a specific display.

So, I have a view, with a particular display.
In my module I have this code :

function modulename_theme($existing, $type, $theme, $path) {
  return array(
    'views_view__rfi_taxonomy_term_emission__block_3' => array(
      'arguments' => $existing['views_view_unformatted']['arguments'],
      'template' => $existing['views_view_unformatted']['template'],
      'path' => drupal_get_path('module', 'modulename') . '/theme',
      'original hook' => 'views_view_unformatted',
    ),
  );
}

Then I wrote this function :

function rfi_emission_edition_preprocess_views_view__rfi_taxonomy_term_emission__block_3(&$variables) {
  //...
}

Unfortunately, my function gets a NULL $rows, so does my template...
Any idea ?
Thanks

I am trying to make a module to implement a new style and the preprocess function is in the theme registry but it is not executed. I changed the weight of the module but it still does nothing. I see this thread is quite old, but I cannot find any resource doc to clearify why is this happening.

I followed the steps here http://groups.drupal.org/node/10129 and http://views-help.doc.logrus.com/help/views/api-default-views but it still does not work.

I have just got this working locally. I thought I would post my process here as it is not quite straigtforward.

First make sure your modules weight is > views

Secondly copy the template you would like to add a preprocessor to to your modules directory. Rename it to be something in the list of templates in theming information.

Edit hook theme like this (but change to use the existing view that you need to override.

<?php
function mymodule_theme($existing, $type, $theme, $path) {
  // Copy the exsisting views theme from the existing array.
  $override = $existing['views_view_row_rss'];
  // Add my preprocessor to the list of preprocess functions
  $override['preprocess functions'][] = 'mymodule_myfunction';
  // Point to a template so that this view will be used.
  $override['template'] = 'my_more_specific_template_name';
  $override['path'] = drupal_get_path('module', 'path');
  //If you don't unset this you get some theme errors.
  unset($override['file']);  
  // Return your theme handler.
  return array('my_more_specific_template_name' => $override);
}
?>

You should then be able to write your preprocess code in the function mymodule_myfunction.

I had issues before this with the args array being wrong, using the above method your args should keep up with any changes in the views args.

Hi everyone,
About the mymodule_preprocess caveat that merlin mentions in #20 regarding module weight: why can't one just add the preprocess function in a hook_theme_registry_alter?
Something like this:

  function mymodule_theme_registry_alter(&$theme_registry) {
    //dpm($theme_registry);
    $theme_registry['views_view__YOUR_VIEW_NAME_HERE']['preprocess functions'][] = 'mymodule_preprocess_func';
  }

  // now go on and play with your new preprocess function
  function mymodule_preprocess_func(&$vars) {
    // etc
  }

It seems to work pretty nice.
Any thoughts?

Needs review is only to review patches.

#36 worked perfectly for me and is a heck of a lot simpler than the other options fwiw.

I have a situation with hundreds of view tpl's and corresponding preprocess functions. I inherited this, and I'm working to tame this wild ecosystem. In the meantime, it has been suggested to me that I should maintain the views in a module. Do I need to register each preprocess in the module? I've tested one view according to the advanced help, it works, as far as the view residing in the module, I've updated the weight to 11, but I can't get the preprocess functions to be read.

Thank you.

Is there any reason why this is a bad idea? It works.

function mymodule_theme_registry_alter(&$theme_registry) {
	foreach ($theme_registry as $idx=>$value) {
		if(strstr($idx, 'views_view_')) {
			$function = 'mymodule_preprocess_'. $idx;
			if(function_exists($function)) {
				$theme_registry[$idx]['preprocess functions'][] = $function;
			}
		}
	}
}

Yes! #36 works like a charm!

For whoever is interested I created a module to fix this issue so that you don't have to do the hook_theme_registry_alter manually for each of your views: views_preprocessors. The dev snapshot for D6 should appear on the project page within the next 12 hours and I should have the 7.x version up by then too. If you are impatient do a git checkout.

Cheers,
Andrei

#36 works for me.

#36 causes D7 view page to whitescreen

#25 works fine for me. And the only problem I have is that, I need to keep :

views-view-table--insights-authors.tpl.php

in my current theme folder, in order to make it work properly.

Any ideas how to support the template file in my custom module's folder?

Thanks.

What I did:

/**
* Implementation of hook_theme().
*/
function mymodule_theme() {
  return array(
    'views_view_table__insights_authors' => array (
      'arguments' => array(),
      'template' => 'views-view-table--insights-authors',
      'path' => drupal_get_path('module', 'mymodule'),
      'preprocess functions' => array(
        'template_preprocess',
        'template_preprocess_views_view_table',
        'mymodule_preprocess_views_view_table__insights_authors',
      ),
    ),
  );
}

However, seems to me that the 'path' does not work, if I remove the template in my theme folder, and only keep it in my module's folder, then I will have following error:

PHP Fatal error: Call to a member function sanitize_columns() on a non-object in ../sites/all/modules/contributed/views/theme/theme.inc on line 323

Any pointers?

Thanks.

Thanks

I'm trying to achieve the same result, but can't get it work. I'm working on this project where i have two themes: one developed in many years that would be the main theme for desktops and has a huge amount of custom templates, the other one is a fresh one that i would like to be as lightweight as possible avoiding the use of tpls, and especially avoiding rewriting the same tpls as the main theme.
So i'm trying to move the tpl files to a custom module in order to have them shared by the two themes.
Here's what i did until know:

1: made a symbolic link from my main theme templates directory to my new module's dir.
2: inserted this hook in my module:

/*
 * Implementation of hook_theme
 */
function module_mobile_support_theme($existing) {
  return array(
    'views_view__myview__page_1' => array (
      'arguments' => array('view' => NULL),
      'template' => 'views-view-fields--myview--page-1',
      'preprocess functions' => array(
        'template_preprocess',
        'template_preprocess_views_view',
        'module_mobile_support_preprocess_view__myview',
      ),
      'path' => drupal_get_path('module', 'module_mobile_support')."/templates/views/myview/",
    ),
  );
}


// now go on and play with your new preprocess function
function module_mobile_support_preprocess_view__myview(&$vars) {
  dpm($vars);
}

What i get is the preprocess function is called, but i can't get why the template file is not:

$vars['template_files']

is an empty array and the output is empty.

Can someone help me understand what happens here?

Would it be possible not only to make this work, but to extend this concept to all of the views i have, so that if on the templates directory i have a tpl for that view, then the code would use it?

Thanks for helping me out with this.