In CodeIgniter, you can create a common layout structure using a template file, which helps you manage the header, footer, and dynamic content for each page efficiently. This tutorial will guide you through setting up a basic template structure and using it within your CodeIgniter application.
File Structure
To implement this template system, you will create the following files:
applications/view/innerpages - footer.php - header.php - template.php applications/controllers - Welcome.php
Step 1: Create template.php in application/views/innerpages/
The template.php file acts as the main layout template that loads the header, footer, and dynamic content based on the page being accessed.
File: application/views/innerpages/template.php
<?php
$this->load->view('innerpages/header.php');
$this->load->view($main_content);
$this->load->view('innerpages/footer.php');
?>
Explanation
- The
header.phpandfooter.phpviews are loaded statically. $main_contentis a dynamic variable that points to the specific view file that needs to be loaded for each page.
Step 2: Create header.php in application/views/innerpages/
The header.php file contains the common header elements of your pages, such as the <html> structure, the <head> section, and the opening <body> tag.
File: application/views/innerpages/header.php
<!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <title><?php echo $title; ?></title> </head> <body>
Step 3: Create footer.php in application/views/innerpages/
The footer.php file contains the common footer elements of your pages, including the closing tags.
File: application/views/innerpages/footer.php
<h1><?php $heading; ?></h1> </body> </html>
Step 4: Create Welcome.php in application/controllers/
The Welcome.php controller is responsible for loading the view files and passing data to them.
File: application/controllers/Welcome.php
class Welcome extends CI_Controller {
public function index() {
$data = [];
$data[‘title’] = ‘Page Title’;
$data[‘heading’] = ‘Welcome to infovistar’
$data[‘main_content’] = ‘about_us’; // page name
$this->load->view(‘innerpages/template’, $data);
}
}Explanation
- Loading the Template: The
template.phpview is loaded with the$dataarray, which contains the title, heading, and the main content to be displayed dynamically. - Dynamic Content: The
$main_contentvariable determines which view file to load dynamically, allowing you to switch the main content without altering the header and footer.
Step 5: Create the Main Content View (about_us.php)
Although not explicitly mentioned in the original instruction, you need a file named about_us.php to render the main content dynamically.
File: application/views/about_us.php
<h2>About Us</h2>
<p>This is the About Us section of the website.</p>
Template Structure: We created a common layout using template.php to include the header, footer, and dynamic content.
Reusability: This approach enhances code reusability by isolating common elements (header and footer) and loading the main content dynamically.
Controller Integration: The Welcome controller demonstrates how to pass data to the template and specify which content to load.
You can effectively manage your application’s layout with a clean, reusable structure in CodeIgniter 3. If you need further customization or have any questions, feel free to ask!