Learning templates: Differences between 1.5 and 2.5

[byteslash]

Hi there. I found out that there is way more learning material for 1.5 than for 2.5, which makes sense. I needed a custom template so i am learning how to make one with 1.5 and now i would like to know if there are differences and which are these between 1.5 templates and 2.5 templates

[imanickam]

Review of the following documents would be of help.

http://docs.joomla.org/Tutorial:Upgrade ... Joomla_1.6
http://community.joomla.org/blogs/commu ... lates.html

The tool Blank Template http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions ... ools/18381 could be of help.

[WinchesterLyon]

Hi,

There's really no great difference between 1.5 and 2.5 templates. Here's a basic outline of the difference.

The files are pretty much the same except for 2.5 you need another preview file.

Basic file list for Joomla v1.5

• - css/ - template.css
  - images/
  - index.php
  - template_thumbnail.png
  - templateDetails.xml

Basic file list for Joomla v2.5

• - css/ - template.css
  - images/
  - index.php
  - template_preview.png
  - template_thumbnail.png
  - templateDetails.xml

The main codes are the same for both index.php files. There are some difference when you start to go beyond the basics though. Even the module collapsing is pretty much done the same way in both versions.

The template_preview.png file should be around 640 x 390 px

The template_thumbnail.png should be 205 x 150 px -- just like in v1.5

The templateDetails.xml is where the biggest differences are.

templateDetails.xml v1.5

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<install version="1.5" type="template">
	<name>My-Template</name>
	<version>1.0.0</version>
	<creationDate>March 2012</creationDate>
	<author>My Name</author>
	<authorEmail>[email protected]</authorEmail>
	<authorUrl>http://www.mywebsite.com</authorUrl>
	<copyright>My Company</copyright>
	<license>If any</license>
	<description>Description can be placed here<br />or you can place it in the language file</description>
	<files>
		<filename>index.php</filename>
		<filename>index.html</filename>
		<filename>templateDetails.xml</filename>
		<filename>template_thumbnail.png</filename>
		
		<filename>images/index.html</filename>
		<filename>images/image_01.jpg</filename>
		<filename>images/image_02.jpg</filename>
		<filename>images/image_03.png</filename>
		<filename>images/image_04.gif</filename>

		<filename>css/index.html</filename>
		<filename>css/template.css</filename>

	</files>
	<positions>
		<position>menu</position>
		<position>search</position>
		<position>breadcrumbs</position>
		<position>slideshow</position>
		<position>left</position>
		<position>right</position>
		<position>user1</position>
		<position>user2</position>
		<position>user3</position>
	</positions>
</install>

templateDetails.xml v2.5

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE install PUBLIC "-//Joomla! 1.6//DTD template 1.0//EN" "http://www.joomla.org/xml/dtd/1.6/template-install.dtd">
<extension version="2.5" type="template" client="site">
	<name>My-Template</name>
	<creationDate>March 2012</creationDate>
	<author>My Company</author>
	<authorEmail>[email protected]</authorEmail>
	<authorUrl>http://www.mywebsite.com</authorUrl>
	<copyright>Copyright (C) 2007-2012 Me. All rights reserved.</copyright>
	<license>Take it if you want it :)</license>
	<version>1.0</version>
	<description>Template description</description>

	<files>
		<folder>css</folder>
		<folder>images</folder>
		<folder>js</folder>
		<folder>html</folder>
		<filename>index.html</filename>
		<filename>index.php</filename>
		<filename>templateDetails.xml</filename>
		<filename>template_preview.png</filename>
		<filename>template_thumbnail.png</filename>
		<filename>favicon.ico</filename>
	</files>

	<positions>
		<position>menu</position>
		<position>search</position>
		<position>breadcrumbs</position>
		<position>showcase</position>
		<position>left</position>
		<position>right</position>
		<position>user1</position>
		<position>user2</position>
		<position>user3</position>
		<position>footer</position>
		<position>debug</position>
	</positions>
</extension>

I hope this helps. It's really just the basic outline of the difference. If you need more advanced than this, may be someone who knows more can help.