Custom template for custom page in custom module in D6

Question

So I know there is a way to specify a custom template for custom content types etc, but if I have a custom module where I am using hook_menu() to add custom pages with a page callback function, how can I specify that the pages I create use a custom template? This particular site is still on Drupal 6, so I would need to know the Drupal 6 method if it's possible

THANKS

Answer 1

If you have something like this:

function YOURMODULE_menu() {

  $items=array();

  $items['yourmodule/cool/path'] = array(
    'page callback' => 'YOURMODULE_cool_path_callback',
    // etc
  );

  // etc

  return $items;

}

then Drupal will utilize page-yourmodule-cool-path.tpl.php (eg, the /s are turned into -s) if it exists without any further action besides clearing your caches to pick it up.

In fact, if you create a page-yourmodule.tpl.php file, Drupal will use it for ANY path starting with yourmodule, eg, yourmodule/cool/path, yourmodule/cooler/path, etc., that doesn't have a more specific template created for it.

See Drupal 6 Template Suggestions for more info.

But, of course, if you have lots of paths that you want to use a single custom page template for that aren't so similarly defined, you can certainly use hook_preprocess_page() to suggest a non-standard template file:

function YOURMODULE_OR_THEME_preprocess_page(&$variables) {

  if (/* whatever is true */) {
    $variables['template_files'][] = 'page-custom';
  }

}

which would then have Drupal using page-custom.tpl.php for whatever was true in that if. Just realize if custom is defined as a path somewhere on your system, or is the start of a path, Drupal will use this template there as well.

Just realize somewhat obviously that whichever route you take, the page templates reside in your theme's directory and not with your module unless you use a registry alter:

function YOURMODULE_theme_registry_alter(&$theme_registry) {
  $theme_hook = 'page'; 
  $modulepath = drupal_get_path('module', 'YOURMODULE') . '/tpl/page';
  array_unshift($theme_registry[$theme_hook]['theme paths'], $modulepath);
}

which should cause Drupal to look in a tpl/page directory of your module for them but this brings up all sorts of other issues.

Answer 2

Your custom callback functions still use url aliases so you would just need to define a preprocess_hook that adds template files if that particular alias is being served. Here is a basic function you can use in your template.php file, modified from this handbook page:

function YOURTHEMENAME_preprocess_page(&$vars) {

    $alias = drupal_get_path_alias(str_replace('/edit','',$_GET['q']));

    if (($alias != $_GET['q']) && ($alias == 'YOUR CUSTOM HOOK')) {;
      $template_filename = 'page' . '-' . 'YOUR CUSTOM TEMPLATE';
      $vars['template_files'][] = $template_filename;
    }

}

So, for example, if your menu hook was /trigger/awesome then the code could look like this:

function YOURTHEMENAME_preprocess_page(&$vars) {

    $alias = drupal_get_path_alias(str_replace('/edit','',$_GET['q']));

    if (($alias != $_GET['q']) && ($alias == 'trigger/awesome')) {;
      $template_filename = 'page' . '-' . 'awesome';
      $vars['template_files'][] = $template_filename;
    }

}

and the theme would now look to serve this page using the page-awesome.tpl.php file in your theme folder.