1. Qiq
  2. 3.x
  3. Blocks

1.7. Blocks

Blocks are similar to partials, except that they are captured inline for later use.

In general, blocks are used by view templates to capture output for layout templates.

Alternatively, blocks may be used by child templates to capture output for parent templates (cf. the inheritance documentation).

For example, a layout template file might define a block for local navigation, adding some default content for that block:

<html>
<head>
<title>Blocks Example</title>
</head>
<body>
<div id="local-nav">

{{ setBlock ('local-nav') }}
    <p><a href="/foo">Foo</a></p><!-- layout -->
{{= getBlock () ~}}

</div>
</body>
</html>

The setBlock() method opens the specified block; getBlock() closes the block and echoes the captured output from between the two method calls.

Then, a view file might redefine that block:

{{ setBlock ('local-nav') }}
    <p><a href="/bar">Bar</a></p><!-- view, above parent-->
    {{ parentBlock() }}
    <p><a href="/baz">Baz</a></p><!-- view, below parent -->
{{ endBlock () }}

Note the use of parentBlock() above. This method is a placeholder for the parent block content, allowing you to prepend and append that content if you like. (If you do not call parentBlock(), the setBlock() call will completely override the parent block content.)

Finally, rendering the combined view and layout ...

$template = Template::new(...);
$template->setLayout('layout');
$template->setView('view');
$output = $template();

... will generate something like the following output:

<html>
<head>
<title>Blocks Example</title>
</head>
<body>
<div id="local-nav">
    <p><a href="/bar">Bar</a></p><!-- view, above parent -->
    <p><a href="/foo">Foo</a></p><!-- layout -->
    <p><a href="/baz">Baz</a></p><!-- view, below parent -->
</div>
</body>
</html>