How to duplicate a core template.

[gwmbox]

I have been asked this too often for me to remember how many times, so I thought I would add this here to the forum to help others.

While Joomla 1.6 has a duplicate template option, it does not actually duplicate the files of the template so there is a danger that some files could be over written by a future update, either way it is better (imho) that you have a set of your own themes core files for editing etc from the core files.

So here is a guide to duplicate the ATOMIC theme (and yes this can be applied to other themes as well)

You will first need a good text editor that has a good find and replace function from within files (I use TopStyle, there are many others available)

First lets take a copy of the template 'atomic', simply make a copy of the atomic template directory (together with its contents) and rename it to something else, i.e. yourname

Now with your text editor have it replace the following (case sensitive) in the new yourname directory

replace atomic with yourname
replace Atomic with Yourname
replace ATOMIC with YOURNAME

Identify ANY files/folders that have the template name, e.g. language files, change atomic to yourname.

Now using 7-zip (or similar zip program) go inside your templates folder (yourname) and select all folders and files, then right click and select add to yourname.zip and you should end up with a file called yourname.zip

Now in your Joomla 1.6 admin go to Extension Manager and install your new template

All done

Have fun

GW

[brian]

Identify ANY files/folders that have the template name, e.g. language files, change atomic to yourname.

That should be COPY not CHANGE

[gwmbox]

Identify ANY files/folders that have the template name, e.g. language files, change atomic to yourname.

That should be COPY not CHANGE

No it is change, as in change the file names in the 'new' template folder.

GW

[brian]

mea culpa i forgot that in 1.6 language files can live in the template folder as well and not just the languages folder

[vnet]

it works!

I tried to do it by simply duplicating the directory into templates and replacing the text but did not work.

Zipping the folder and installing from the extension manager works well

By the way, if you have a mac try TexFindeX for replace the text. It's free

gwmbox, thanks for the tips

[Closer]

worked for me too - thank you so much!!

Now I have to learn how to edit it to make it what I want

[gwmbox]

Glad it is helping some, hence my reason to post the tip

A good text replacer is always needed, I use either TopStyle or Notepadd++ on Windows. Not sure about other OS's I guess trial each text editor to see which gives the best results for replace.

Cheers

GW

[vnet]

Glad it is helping some, hence my reason to post the tip

A good text replacer is always needed, I use either TopStyle or Notepadd++ on Windows. Not sure about other OS's I guess trial each text editor to see which gives the best results for replace.

Cheers

GW

I use TexFinderX on OS X. It's great and free

[jappie]

Anyone can helkp me with the following: So I copied and replaced the core template with a different name, installed the new template on the server and it is kind of running....
Here is the problem: the (on beez5 based) template works fine with Joomla in "en-EN" language settings (original installation). I also have the Dutch Lanuage pack installed and have this as default! When Dutch /other language selected as default the "fontsize"module is not translated and it writes the name of the xml description(?) (eg: TPL_GRAAFFLORIS_FONTSIZE TPL_GRAAFFLORIS_BIGGER TPL_GRAAFFLORIS_RESETTPL_GRAAFFLORIS_SMALLER) and not the translation. This also happens in the control panel/extentions/templates/style ...on the right side where it should say "small wrapper", "large wrapper", etc. also here it displays the xml description(?) instead of translated text.

I tried a bunch, inscluding modifiying (and copy and replace, etc, etc) language files Also tried adding Dutch language files in the template folder (which is not there)...nothing works....

Thanks in advance

[romanrandom]

I have the same issue as jappie but in my case I'm not using any additional language...

[oddbrawl]

Yay this fixed my issue!

TexFinderX worked great.

[duyet]

@gwmbox: Good initiative.

I think it would be very useful if there is a FAQ section for each forum and subforum. I see lot of duplicate questions. Your post can be put in there, so others can first have a look at the FAQs iso post a duplicate one.

[Dominic108]

It is perhaps a detail, but in Joomla 2.5, after I copied the core template beez_20, the new template is working, but there are some differences in the administration backend. When I select the position of a module in Module Manager, I have the selection position-0 beez_20 (Search) for the original template and the corresponding selection for the new template is position-0 copy_beez_20 (Position 0). I am losing the information that somehow position-0 is associated with Search. Perhaps, it is only some configuration stored in the database for the core template that was not copied. I would like to make it totally identical, if possible, just to make sure there is no bug.

[ryanmbeal]

Thanks for the good info.

I did this with Beez5 and I'll just point out that depending on your find and replace method you need to find and replace on both beez5 and beez, Beez5 and Beez, BEEZ5 and BEEZ in the template files.

Also you may have to go back into the Template Manager and reset Advanced Options, like Logo image, Site Name, and Navigation position if you use those.

[brian]

This method of duplicating core templates is not needed any more. There is a built in option to copy ANY template in the template manager