1.3. Template Data

1.3.1. Assigning Variables

To assign a data collection to the Template, use the setData() method and pass either an array or a stdClass object.

$template->setData([
    'items' => [
        [
            'id' => '1',
            'name' => 'Foo',
        ],
        [
            'id' => '2',
            'name' => 'Bar',
        ],
        [
            'id' => '3',
            'name' => 'Baz',
        ],
    )
]);

The setData() method will overwrite all existing data in the Template object.

The addData() method, on the other hand, will merge any iterable with the existing Template data.

$template->addData([
    'title' => 'My Items',
]);

1.3.2. Using Assigned Variables

You can then use the assigned data as variables within the template file:

<p>{{h $title}}</p>
<ul>
    {{ foreach ($items as $id => $name): }}
    <li id="{{a $id}}">{{h $name }}</li>
    {{ endforeach }}
</ul>

1.3.3. Getting Assigned Variables

If you want to get a copy of all assigned data as an array, use getData (). Any changes you make to the copy will be to the copy and not to the data actually assigned to the Template.

Alternatively, if you want to get a reference to the array of all assigned data, use &refData(). Any changes you make to the reference will be to the actual assigned data.

1.3.4. Variable Scope

Data assigned to the Template object with setData() or addData() is shared in every template file by reference. Modifications to an assigned variable in one template file will be shared with all other template files. In the above example, $title and $items are available in every template file. Changes to $title or $items will be shared through other template files.

However, variables created inside a template file are local to that template file only. They are not shared with any other template. In the above example, $id and $name (because they are created inside the template file) are local to that template file only, and changes to them will not be seen anywhere else.

When designing template files, be careful not to accidentally overwrite assigned variables with local variables. The changes to the assigned values will be shared with all other templates, which may not be what you want.

Finally, changes to assigned variables via setData(), addData(), and &refData() from inside a template file will not be honored within that template file, only in the next one rendered. This is because the assigned variables have already been extracted into the current scope; only the next templates to be rendered will see the modified values.