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Custom Templates Folder

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rdev
Beginner

Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Feb 13, 2010

Total Topics: 3
Total Comments: 5
rdev
Custom Templates Folder
Posted Oct 10, 2012 - 6:12 PM:

I am trying to upgrade an old site to the latest version of wsn 7. In 5 I had a lot of custom templates in a folder called custom inside the default template folder. I packaged the old heme and installed it bunt it doesn't seem to see any of the files inside the custom folder. Does version 7 look for them some where else now? Do they have to be entered in the custom page section?

Also when I go to Manage Templates in admin is seems like it is still looking for default theme as I get a long list like:
Error: The file ../templates/default/albumlist.tpl does not exist.
Error: The file ../templates/default/albums.tpl does not exist.
Error: The file ../templates/default/alerts.tpl does not exist.
Error: The file ../templates/default/alphabetical.tpl does not exist.
Error: The file ../templates/default/antispam.tpl does not exist.
Error: The file ../templates/default/atomfeed.tpl does not exist.
Error: The file ../templates/default/attachments.tpl does not exist.
Error: The file ../templates/default/badrequest.tpl does not exist.
Error: The file ../templates/default/banned.tpl does not exist.
Error: The file ../templates/default/buddyignore.tpl does not exist.
Error: The file ../templates/default/buddylist.tpl does not exist.
etc.

Thanks!
Paul
developer

Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California

Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7867
Paul
Posted Oct 11, 2012 - 6:26 AM:

You were doing a manual upgrade? You could've saved your template customizations from as far back as the 5.0 (possibly even 4.1) series by clicking the admin panel upgrade prompts because then the upgrade script would have made all the needed modifications to your templates for you, but by doing a manual upgrade that's no longer possible.

The 5.0 series theme packer was not forward-compatible -- it simply packaged all the files as they were, so by installing a 5.0 theme in a 7.x site you've simply reverted your templates to 5.0 series templates. That's why you're getting all those errors about standard 7.x templates that were not present back in the 5.x that you're now using (none of the files referenced in the post are from the custom folder nor should be, so this isn't related to the custom templates). You need to reinstall the generic uncustomized 7.x templates, then carefully copy over the specific bits of the 5.x templates that you'd customized. Your /custom/ subdirectory may be directly copyable depending on what's in it, but if it has custom submit pages custom wrappers or the like then things in those templates have changed in the past 4 years -- if you were using the automatic upgrade then it'd at least try to automatically update those custom templates, but with the manual method they'll need to be re-done.

Note that since the 6.2 (I believe) series the theme packager has instead packaged only the customized files, which means that you can now install a theme from a different minor version without issue -- however, installing a theme from a different series still isn't recommended and could cause problems if something important has changed in one of the customized templates which the upgrade script would need to change for you.
rdev
Beginner

Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Feb 13, 2010

Total Topics: 3
Total Comments: 5
rdev
Posted Oct 11, 2012 - 11:52 AM:

OK thanks Paul.

I had a lot of customization so I didn't do the upgrade on the live site, what I'll do is install a copy of the live site on the test server and try the auto upgrade and see if that works out better.
rdev
Beginner

Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Feb 13, 2010

Total Topics: 3
Total Comments: 5
rdev
Posted Oct 13, 2012 - 1:32 PM:

OK a few more question on upgrading. As mentioned I have many modified templates in the default folder, and many custom templates in a subfolder of default.

If I don't check "Skip auto-updating of customized templates?" how will it deal with the modified templates.
Will it change them back to default templates or just update them without changing the modifications?
If I check it them I'm guessing I will have to upgrade each of the modified templates manually?
Either way will it change anything in the custom subfolder?
Which would you recommend is the path of least resistance?

Thanks!
Paul
developer

Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California

Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7867
Paul
Posted Oct 17, 2012 - 3:58 AM:

The "Skip auto-updating of customized templates?" box was removed a couple years ago because the method it uses of applying changes to customized templates tended to cause more issues that it solved -- so it's essentially autochecked now, except specific safe changes are then applied non-optionally to customized templates.

With the box de-checked, customized templates won't change. With it checked, they'll change but probably not apply all the needed changes if your template doesn't look sufficiently similar to the standard one and possibly apply only parts of the needed changes such that the template ends up broken and produces errors.

I would check the box.

It doesn't affect the custom subfolder either way, no -- those won't be changed, only standard templates that you've customized.
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