NetLife Guru

Creating Custom Macros in Template Engines

Custom macros in a template engine are user-defined functions that allow for extended functionality within templates. They are especially useful for developers who need specific operations that are not part of the standard template engine features.

Process of Creating Custom Macros:

  1. Defining a Macros Class:
    The first step is to define a PHP class, typically named Macros. This class will hold all the custom macro functions that you want to use in your templates.
  2. Implementing an Interface (Optional but Recommended):
    While not mandatory, implementing an interface for your Macros class is a good practice. It helps in ensuring that your custom macros adhere to a defined structure and makes the code more manageable.
  3. Adding Functions to the Macros Class:
    Each macro is a public function within the Macros class. These functions can perform various tasks such as string manipulation, data processing, etc.
Example: Creating a Macro for `htmlentities` 

    interface IMacros {
        public function HtmlEntities(string $value): string;
    }

    class Macros implements IMacros {
        public function HtmlEntities(string $value): string {
            return htmlentities($value);
        }
    }

    // Usage in Template Engine
    require_once "../src/aurora.php";

    $templateEngine = new Nlg\Aurora\Loader([
        'cache' => '/',
        'views' => '/'
    ]);

    $templateEngine->setFiles(['macros.html']);
    $templateEngine->createCache(true);
    print $templateEngine->render("layout");

Key Points in Custom Macro Creation:

By utilizing custom macros, developers can significantly enhance the capabilities of the template engine, tailoring it to their unique requirements and streamlining the development process.