Template - Front-end module to the Template Toolkit use Template; # some useful options (see below for full list) my $config = { INCLUDE_PATH => '/search/path', # or list ref INTERPOLATE => 1, # expand "$var" in plain text POST_CHOMP => 1, # cleanup whitespace PRE_PROCESS => 'header', # prefix each template EVAL_PERL => 1, # evaluate Perl code blocks }; # create Template object my $template = Template->new($config); # define template variables for replacement my $vars = { var1 => $value, var2 => \%hash, var3 => \@list, var4 => \&code, var5 => $object, }; # specify input filename, or file handle, text reference, etc. my $input = 'myfile.html'; # process input template, substituting variables $template->process($input, $vars) || die $template->error(); This documentation describes the Template module which is the direct Perl interface into the Template Toolkit. It covers the use of the module and gives a brief summary of configuration options and template directives. Please see the Template::Manual manpage for the complete reference manual which goes into much greater depth about the features and use of the Template Toolkit. The the Template::Tutorial manpage is also available as an introductory guide to using the Template Toolkit.

new(\%config)
The new() constructor method (implemented by the Template::Base base class) instantiates a new Template object. A reference to a hash array of configuration items may be passed as a parameter. my $tt = Template->new({ INCLUDE_PATH => '/usr/local/templates', EVAL_PERL => 1, }) || die $Template::ERROR, "\n"; A reference to a new Template object is returned, or undef on error. In the latter case, the error message can be retrieved by calling error() as a class method (e.g. Template->error()) or by examining the $ERROR package variable directly (e.g. $Template::ERROR). my $tt = Template->new(\%config) || die Template->error(), "\n"; my $tt = Template->new(\%config) || die $Template::ERROR, "\n"; For convenience, configuration items may also be specified as a list of items instead of a hash array reference. These are automatically folded into a hash array by the constructor. my $tt = Template->new(INCLUDE_PATH => '/tmp', POST_CHOMP => 1) || die $Template::ERROR, "\n";

process($template, \%vars, $output, %options)
The process() method is called to process a template. The first parameter indicates the input template as one of: a filename relative to INCLUDE_PATH, if defined; a reference to a text string containing the template text; or a file handle reference (e.g. IO::Handle or sub-class) or GLOB (e.g. \*STDIN), from which the template can be read. A reference to a hash array may be passed as the second parameter, containing definitions of template variables. $text = "[% INCLUDE header %]\nHello world!\n[% INCLUDE footer %]"; # filename $tt->process('welcome.tt2') || die $tt->error(), "\n"; # text reference $tt->process(\$text) || die $tt->error(), "\n"; # GLOB $tt->process(\*DATA) || die $tt->error(), "\n"; __END__ [% INCLUDE header %] This is a template defined in the __END__ section which is accessible via the DATA "file handle". [% INCLUDE footer %] By default, the processed template output is printed to STDOUT. The process() method then returns 1 to indicate success. A third parameter may be passed to the process() method to specify a different output location. This value may be one of: a plain string indicating a filename which will be opened (relative to OUTPUT_PATH, if defined) and the output written to; a file GLOB opened ready for output; a reference to a scalar (e.g. a text string) to which output/error is appended; a reference to a subroutine which is called, passing the output as a parameter; or any object reference which implements a 'print' method (e.g. IO::Handle, Apache::Request, etc.) which will be called, passing the generated output as a parameter. Examples: # output filename $tt->process('welcome.tt2', $vars, 'welcome.html') || die $tt->error(), "\n"; # reference to output subroutine sub myout { my $output = shift; ... } $tt->process('welcome.tt2', $vars, \&myout) || die $tt->error(), "\n"; # reference to output text string my $output = ''; $tt->process('welcome.tt2', $vars, \$output) || die $tt->error(), "\n"; print "output: $output\n"; In an Apache/mod_perl handler: sub handler { my $req = shift; ... # direct output to Apache::Request via $req->print($output) $tt->process($file, $vars, $req) || do { $req->log_reason($tt->error()); return SERVER_ERROR; }; return OK; } After the optional third output argument can come an optional reference to a hash or a list of (name, value) pairs providing further options for the output. The only option currently supported is "binmode" which, when set to any true value will ensure that files created (but not any existing file handles passed) will be set to binary mode. # either: hash reference of options $tt->process($infile, $vars, $outfile, { binmode => 1 }) || die $tt->error(), "\n"; # or: list of name, value pairs $tt->process($infile, $vars, $outfile, binmode => 1) || die $tt->error(), "\n"; Alternately, the binmode argument can specify a particular IO layer such as ":utf8". $tt->process($infile, $vars, $outfile, binmode => ':utf8') || die $tt->error(), "\n"; The OUTPUT configuration item can be used to specify a default output location other than \*STDOUT. The OUTPUT_PATH specifies a directory which should be prefixed to all output locations specified as filenames. my $tt = Template->new({ OUTPUT => sub { ... }, # default OUTPUT_PATH => '/tmp', ... }) || die Template->error(), "\n"; # use default OUTPUT (sub is called) $tt->process('welcome.tt2', $vars) || die $tt->error(), "\n"; # write file to '/tmp/welcome.html' $tt->process('welcome.tt2', $vars, 'welcome.html') || die $tt->error(), "\n"; The process() method returns 1 on success or undef on error. The error message generated in the latter case can be retrieved by calling the error() method. See also the section on CONFIGURATION SUMMARY which describes how error handling may be further customised.

error()
When called as a class method, it returns the value of the $ERROR package variable. Thus, the following are equivalent. my $tt = Template->new() || die Template->error(), "\n"; my $tt = Template->new() || die $Template::ERROR, "\n"; When called as an object method, it returns the value of the internal _ERROR variable, as set by an error condition in a previous call to process(). $tt->process('welcome.tt2') || die $tt->error(), "\n"; Errors are represented in the Template Toolkit by objects of the Template::Exception class. If the process() method returns a false value then the error() method can be called to return an object of this class. The type() and info() methods can called on the object to retrieve the error type and information string, respectively. The as_string() method can be called to return a string of the form "$type - $info". This method is also overloaded onto the stringification operator allowing the object reference itself to be printed to return the formatted error string. $tt->process('somefile') || do { my $error = $tt->error(); print "error type: ", $error->type(), "\n"; print "error info: ", $error->info(), "\n"; print $error, "\n"; };

service()
The Template module delegates most of the effort of processing templates to an underlying Template::Service object. This method returns a reference to that object.

context()
The Template::Service module uses a core Template::Context object for runtime processing of templates. This method returns a reference to that object and is equivalent to $template->service->context(); The following list gives a short summary of each Template Toolkit configuration option. See the Template::Manual::Config manpage for full details.

Template Style and Parsing Options
Define tokens that indicate start and end of directives (default: '[%' and '%]'). Set START_TAG and END_TAG according to a pre-defined style (default: 'template', as above). Remove whitespace before/after directives (default: 0/0). Remove leading and trailing whitespace from template output (default: 0). Interpolate variables embedded like $this or ${this} (default: 0). Allow directive keywords in lower case (default: 0 - UPPER only).

Template Files and Blocks
One or more directories to search for templates. Delimiter for separating paths in INCLUDE_PATH (default: ':'). Allow absolute file names, e.g. /foo/bar.html (default: 0). Allow relative filenames, e.g. ../foo/bar.html (default: 0). Default template to use when another not found. Hash array pre-defining template blocks. Enabled by default causing BLOCK definitions to be reset each time a template is processed. Disable to allow BLOCK definitions to persist. Flag to permit recursion into templates (default: 0).

Template Variables
Hash array of variables and values to pre-define in the stash.

Runtime Processing Options
Flag to indicate if PERL/RAWPERL blocks should be processed (default: 0). Name of template(s) to process before/after main template. Name of template(s) to process instead of main template. Name of error template or reference to hash array mapping error types to templates. Default output location or handler. Directory into which output files can be written. Enable debugging messages.

Caching and Compiling Options
Maximum number of compiled templates to cache in memory (default: undef - cache all) Filename extension for compiled template files (default: undef - don't compile). Root of directory in which compiled template files should be written (default: undef - don't compile).

Plugins and Filters
Reference to a hash array mapping plugin names to Perl packages. One or more base classes under which plugins may be found. Flag to indicate regular Perl modules should be loaded if a named plugin can't be found (default: 0). Hash array mapping filter names to filter subroutines or factories.

Compatibility, Customisation and Extension
Backwards compatibility flag enabling version 1.* handling (i.e. ignore it) of leading '$' on variables (default: 0 - '$' indicates interpolation). List of template providers. List of plugin providers. List of filter providers. Set providers to tolerate errors as declinations (default: 0). Reference to a custom service object (default: Template::Service). Reference to a custom context object (default: Template::Context). Reference to a custom stash object (default: Template::Stash). Reference to a custom parser object (default: Template::Parser). Reference to a custom grammar object (default: Template::Grammar). The following list gives a short summary of each Template Toolkit directive. See the Template::Manual::Directives manpage for full details. Evaluate and print a variable or value. [% GET variable %] # 'GET' keyword is optional [% variable %] [% hash.key %] [% list.n %] [% code(args) %] [% obj.meth(args) %] [% "value: $var" %] As per GET but without printing result (e.g. call code) [% CALL variable %] Assign a values to variables. [% SET variable = value %] # 'SET' also optional [% variable = other_variable variable = 'literal text @ $100' variable = "interpolated text: $var" list = [ val, val, val, val, ... ] list = [ val..val ] hash = { var => val, var => val, ... } %] Like SET above, but variables are only set if currently unset (i.e. have no true value). [% DEFAULT variable = value %] Insert a file without any processing performed on the contents. [% INSERT legalese.txt %] Process another template file or block and include the output. Variables are localised. [% INCLUDE template %] [% INCLUDE template var = val, ... %] As INCLUDE above, but without localising variables. [% PROCESS template %] [% PROCESS template var = val, ... %] Process the enclosed block WRAPPER ... END block then INCLUDE the named template, passing the block output in the 'content' variable. [% WRAPPER template %] content... [% END %] Define a named template block for subsequent INCLUDE, PROCESS, etc., [% BLOCK template %] content [% END %] Repeat the enclosed FOREACH ... END block for each value in the list. [% FOREACH variable = [ val, val, val ] %] # either [% FOREACH variable = list %] # or [% FOREACH list %] # or content... [% variable %] [% END %] Enclosed WHILE ... END block is processed while condition is true. [% WHILE condition %] content [% END %] Enclosed block is processed if the condition is true / false. [% IF condition %] content [% ELSIF condition %] content [% ELSE %] content [% END %] [% UNLESS condition %] content [% # ELSIF/ELSE as per IF, above %] content [% END %] Multi-way switch/case statement. [% SWITCH variable %] [% CASE val1 %] content [% CASE [ val2, val3 ] %] content [% CASE %] # or [% CASE DEFAULT %] content [% END %] Define a named macro. [% MACRO name <directive> %] [% MACRO name(arg1, arg2) <directive> %] ... [% name %] [% name(val1, val2) %] Process enclosed FILTER ... END block then pipe through a filter. [% FILTER name %] # either [% FILTER name( params ) %] # or [% FILTER alias = name( params ) %] # or content [% END %] Load a "plugin" module, or any regular Perl module if LOAD_PERL option is set. [% USE name %] # either [% USE name( params ) %] # or [% USE var = name( params ) %] # or ... [% name.method %] [% var.method %] Evaluate enclosed blocks as Perl code (requires EVAL_PERL option to be set). [% PERL %] # perl code goes here $stash->set('foo', 10); print "set 'foo' to ", $stash->get('foo'), "\n"; print $context->include('footer', { var => $val }); [% END %] [% RAWPERL %] # raw perl code goes here, no magic but fast. $output .= 'some output'; [% END %] Exception handling. [% TRY %] content [% THROW type info %] [% CATCH type %] catch content [% error.type %] [% error.info %] [% CATCH %] # or [% CATCH DEFAULT %] content [% FINAL %] this block is always processed [% END %] Jump straight to the next item in a FOREACH/WHILE loop. [% NEXT %] Break out of FOREACH/WHILE loop. [% LAST %] Stop processing current template and return to including templates. [% RETURN %] Stop processing all templates and return to caller. [% STOP %] Define new tag style or characters (default: [% %]). [% TAGS html %] [% TAGS <!-- --> %] Ignored and deleted. [% # this is a comment to the end of line foo = 'bar' %] [%# placing the '#' immediately inside the directive tag comments out the entire directive %] Andy Wardley <abw@andywardley.com> http://www.andywardley.com/ Template Toolkit version 2.14, released on 04 October 2004. Copyright (C) 1996-2004 Andy Wardley. All Rights Reserved. Copyright (C) 1998-2002 Canon Research Centre Europe Ltd. This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.