[pmwiki-users] skin info wanted

[Patrick R. Michaud]

On Fri, Sep 22, 2006 at 06:18:51PM -0500, JB wrote:
> > Each skin typically has one or more of 
> > the following kinds of files:
> >
> >    * A template file...
> >    * CSS files...
> >    * Image files...
> >    * PHP files...
> >    * Documentation files...
> 
> The SkinLibDirs array "key" says where the 
> "skin .tmpl file" is located and the 
> SkinLibDirs array "value" says where the 
> "skin css file" is located.
> 
> 1
> How does PMWiki determine the skin .tmpl 
> file's filename to use?  Will it take 
> ANYNAME.tmpl?

It first looks for "skinname.tmpl".  If it finds it,
it uses that.  Otherwise, it takes any .tmpl file that
is in the skin directory, as long as there's only one.


> 2
> Should there be only 1 skin .tmpl file 
> in each skin directory?

In a basic skin, yes.  Fancier skins may have
multiple .tmpl files, in which case it's up to
a skin.php file to select the appropriate one to
use.

> 3
> Image files like the css files must be
> publicly accessible.  Would it be good
> to put them into the same directory as the 
> css file(s)?

That's the intent, yes.

> 4
> Does PMWiki need to know anything about 
> the documentation files, or are they 
> intended for an administrator?

They're for administrators -- PmWiki doesn't need them.

> 5
> How does PMWiki determine where to get 
> PHP files from?

Depends on the PHP file, but all paths are generally
relative to either the current directory or $FarmD.

> 6
> > There's an additional markup: 
> >     <!--function:func param1 param2 
> > It will call the PHP function func
> 
> Where is the php function called "func"?  I 
> cannot find it anywhere.

A template can use <!--function:xyz--> to call an
arbitrary PHP function named 'xyz'.  This allows
administrators to create custom formatting functions
and have them called from the template file at the
appropriate point in output.

> 7
> It is better to say:
> 
>     SkinLibDirs allows you to keep some skin 
>     files private while putting only required
>     files into publicly accessible areas (like 
>     css and image files). The array "key" says 
>     where a skin's private files are located 
>     and the array "value" says where a skin's 
>     files that must be publicly accessible are 
>     located.
> ?

I don't agree with the private/public distinction here --
that's not how PmWiki thinks of skin files and directories.

Essentially, the $SkinLibDirs keys specify where in the
filesystem to look for skin directories, and the values 
specify the url to use to access a skin directory once it
is found.

> 8
> Does PMWiki first search for skin files in the 
> private area and then the public area and take 
> whichever comes first?

PmWiki's default setting looks first in pub/skins/<skinname>,
and if a skin directory is not found there it then looks in
$FarmD/pub/skins/<skinname>.

Pm