Inconsistent handling of template files in subdirectories under theme directories

[eyelidlessness]

If you place a template file in a subdirectory beneath a theme, the page editor detects these templates and they appear in the Template dropdown menu. The option value, however, does not include the subdirectory, and when saved, the page renders with the Default template (or presumably with a template of the same filename in the main theme directory, if present).

Example:

In file /path/to/theme/subdirectory/template-file.php /* Template Name: Foo */

Foo appears in Template dropdown menu in the page editor. Selecting Foo and saving is successful. Note that in the HTML of the editor page, the option value is simply "template-file.php", not "subdirectory/template-file.php".

The page in question renders with the default template, rather than the custom one.

Manually editing the entry in the database does result in the correct template file being loaded, so my suspicion is that this functionality is desired (it certainly is desired by me, for keeping files organized), but the value is not correctly being set.

Furthermore, editing the option value in the editor DOM to resolve to the correct path before saving results in the value not being saved at all.

[scribu]

It may have something to do with this: #10467

[dremeda]

I added a sub-dir with template and was able to successfully enable template on page.
Page correctly rendered template.

From admin page edit, drop down only displays template name not including sub-dir.

From Edit Themes page, neither the sub-dir or template are displayed so I cannot edit via editor.

[westi]

Added a test case for this to the Unit Tests - ​http://svn.automattic.com/wordpress-tests/wp-testcase/test_admin_includes_theme.php

Going to commit a fix as well with a subtle change to make the code more testable.

[westi]

(In [12187]) Ensure that page templates in a subdir of a theme work correctly. Fixes #10959 based on patch from scribu.

[greenshady]

This change breaks page templates in child themes. In the str_replace() function, we are only replacing the get_template_directory() (parent theme) with ''. But, child themes also have their own page templates sometimes. So, we also need to remove get_stylesheet_directory() (child theme).

Maybe a change to this on line 141:

$page_templates[trim( $name )] = str_replace( array( get_stylesheet_directory(), get_template_directory() ), '', $template );

On a slightly-related note: Should page templates be recognized in sub-directories within the child theme?

[scribu]

greenshady, your solution does fix the regression with first level child templates. I've attached the child_templates.diff patch.

On a slightly-related note: Should page templates be recognized in sub-directories within the child theme?

I think they should.

[scribu]

In child themes, allow first level page templates to be used

[scribu]

Parent & Child test themes

[westi]

Could someone test this on 2.8.6 and report back what does/doesn't work?

It would be really nice to work out what the regression is so we can fix it correctly.

What I am wondering is:

• For a normal theme do these templates work in 2.8.6
• For a child theme do these templates work in 2.8.6

The reason being - I wondering whether or not we need to support page templates in a subdir at all.

[scribu]

Replying to westi:

The reason being - I wondering whether or not we need to support page templates in a subdir at all.

Regardless if it's a regression or not, I think it's a good ideea in and off itself.

Either allow page templates in subdirectories, or don't show them as an option in the dropdown.

[greenshady]

In WordPress 2.8.6, templates are recognized in the top level of the directory for both parent and child themes. With the last committed code, get_template_directory() is removed from the template file name. By doing this instead of using basename( $template ), templates in child themes are recognized but still have the full path in front of the file name when added as a meta value to _wp_page_template. It should only be the file name itself.

If we go this route, we need to also remove get_stylesheet_directory() from the template name so that child theme templates are loaded correctly on the front end.

The original problem in this thread is that templates are recognized in sub-directories in parent themes (but not child themes). Since the get_page_templates() function removes the path, only the file name is used as the _wp_page_template meta value. This causes a problem when loading the template on the front end because WordPress will be looking for it in the top level of the theme directory instead of in the sub-directory.

Possible solutions:

1) Don't recognize templates in sub-directories at all.
2) Recognize templates within sub-directories of both parent and child themes.
3) Fix the last committed code to at least allow templates in a child theme to work as before.

[westi]

(In [12225]) Revert [12187] as it didn't fix the issue for all cases. See #10959.

[westi]

I have reverted the original change.

I think we should just not support template files in a subdir at all which will mean fixing different code.

They didn't work in 2.8.6 either

Will discuss at this weeks dev chat.

[westi]

Relates to #4131 it seems where the searching in subdirs was introduced.

[westi]

Looks like this was introduced intentionally need to spend some more time on a new patch which works with child themes too.

[scribu]

​child_templates.diff would work correctly if #4131 had taken child themes into consideration.

Currently, /child/pages/child-second.php isn't returned by get_themes();

See ​themes.zip

[scribu]

don't allow template files in subdirectories

[scribu]

In case fixing get_themes() turns out to be a daunting task, I added a fallback patch that resolves the current ticket by not showing template files in the dropdown.

[scribu]

• not showing template files... in subdiredctories, I mean.

[scribu]

slight optimization

[westi]

I think we should remove them from the dropdown for now as they have never been functional.

I have opened a ticket for the future to make them functional - #11216

[westi]

(In [12253]) Don't show page templates in the drop down if they are in a subdirectory. Fixes #10959 props scribu.