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Template Basics

ProBoards Forums themes use templates and variables to build out the HTML structure that will be displayed to the user.

Syntax​

Templates utilize standard HTML combined with ProBoards Template System variables.

Variables​

Variables are used to insert dynamic, or pre-generated content in templates. The format of a template variable will always appear as: $[variable_name].

Single use variables​

Some variables have a single purpose usage and are replaced with either text or some other value.

$[title] - will display the title of the forum

Code Example​

<span>
    $[title]
</span>

will become

<span>
    Forum Title
</span>

Example single use variables​

timestamp

Objects (variables with properties)​

Properties in variables allow for a more detailed representation of its values and are denoted by being added to the variable name after a .: $[variable_name.property].

$[user] is a variable with properties. Using the variable with no properties will generate a link to the user in question.

Code Example​

<span>
    $[user]
</span>

Becomes:

<span>
    <a href="https://forum-url.proboards.com/user/1">Admin</a>
</span>

By using properties, we can choose specific parts of the variable to display instead:

<span>
    User ID: $[user.id]<br>
    Display Name: $[user.name]<br>
    Username: $[user.username]
</span>

Will become:

<span>
    User ID: 1<br>
    Display Name: Admin<br>
    Username: admin
</span>

Array variables​

Array variables contain a list of one or more other variables. To access the contents, the array must be looped with a foreach

Code Example​

Comments​

The template system uses HTML comments.

<!-- This will be commented out -->