How to override a module view by a plugin

GO3LIN

Hello,

I am fresh new to the vanilla Community, so just be tolerant with me a little bit. Here's my queston: I want to create a plugin that adds comments unread count next to the unread discussions in the categories module. I found in the class CategoriesModule ,placed in application/vanilla/modules, a GetData event ($this->fireEvent('GetData');) , but I'm not able to override it even if I created a function in my plugin class with that definition "public function categoriesModuleController_getData_handler($Sender)".

I also want to override the module view so I can add the counts in a label but still don't know how to override a module view with a plugin.

Thanks a lot in advance for your help.

R_J

I think there is no real way to do so. You could override it in a custom theme by saving the view as /views/modules/categories.php, but that's it.

You would have to duplicate the complete module, which isn't trivial - I've done it for the categories module already. I've learned a lot but it was also a lot of work...

GO3LIN

I actually solved the event problem. The function name was wrong, I added the Controller suffix when I shouldn't. So the right definition is : "public function CategoriesModule_GetData_handler($Sender)"

I am now stuggling with how to override the module view in my plugin.

R_J

I think there is no real way to do so. You could override it in a custom theme by saving the view as /views/modules/categories.php, but that's it.

You would have to duplicate the complete module, which isn't trivial - I've done it for the categories module already. I've learned a lot but it was also a lot of work...

x00

In instead of overriding a module view create a new module an use that. Which is what you are really doing anyway.

GO3LIN

I solved it by creating the view in the custom even if it's not what I really want: Having the plugin working independently from themes and core vanilla sources. Thank you for your help by the way.

dvenckus

This solution seems to be working for me. I just figured this out so its pretty fresh.

I wanted to override the DiscussionFilterModule so I cloned the module into my plugin, renamed it xDiscussionFilterModule and made my changes to the view. I also wanted to preserve the position of the module in the page.

In your plugin class, set up this handler as it gets called for every page.

public function Base_Render_Before(&$Sender) {
    // Module Overrides
    // if DiscussionFilterModule is being added to the page, replace it with our custom version
    if (isset($Sender->Assets['Panel']['DiscussionFilterModule'])) {
        // create an instance of the new custom module & add it
        $xDiscussionFilterModule = new xDiscussionFilterModule($Sender, $Data);
        $Sender->AddModule($xDiscussionFilterModule);
      
        // grab the contents of the new module from the Assets Panel
        $override = $Sender->Assets['Panel']['xDiscussionFilterModule'];

        // replace the existing module's Assets Panel values with the new content
        $Sender->Assets['Panel']['DiscussionFilterModule'] = $override;

        // finally, cleanup.  we don't need this one anymore
        unset($Sender->Assets['Panel']['xDiscussionFilterModule']);
    }
}

There's probably a more efficient way to do this, but I just figured this out as a solution for my own site.

Deb V

dvenckus

Hey Vanilla Development:

A slight core change can make overriding modules very easy. Can I request this change to core?

In '/library/core/class.controller.php', in the 'AddModule()' method, there is already a call to fireEvent['BeforeAddModule']. Changing it as follows will make module overrides very easy.

    // Class:  Gdn_Controller
    public function addModule($Module, $AssetTarget = '') {

          // Add this line
          $this->EventArguments['Module'] = &$Module;
        
          $this->fireEvent('BeforeAddModule');
          $AssetModule = $Module;
          ...
          ...
          ...

This allows modules to be overridden by adding this handler to your plugin and switching the name of the module to a custom module before it is added.

    // Class:  MyExamplePlugin
    public function Base_BeforeAddModule_Handler(&$Sender) {
        if ($Sender->EventArguments['Module'] == 'DiscussionFilterModule') {
          $Sender->EventArguments['Module'] = 'xDiscussionFilterModule';
        }
    }

This is the solution I will be using for my site.

Deb V

hgtonight

@dvenckus said:
Hey Vanilla Development:

A slight core change can make overriding modules very easy. Can I request this change to core?

In '/library/core/class.controller.php', in the 'AddModule()' method, there is already a call to fireEvent['BeforeAddModule']. Changing it as follows will make module overrides very easy.

    // Class:  Gdn_Controller
    public function addModule($Module, $AssetTarget = '') {

          // Add this line
          $this->EventArguments['Module'] = &$Module;
        
          $this->fireEvent('BeforeAddModule');
          $AssetModule = $Module;
          ...
          ...
          ...

This allows modules to be overridden by adding this handler to your plugin and switching the name of the module to a custom module before it is added.

    // Class:  MyExamplePlugin
    public function Base_BeforeAddModule_Handler(&$Sender) {
        if ($Sender->EventArguments['Module'] == 'DiscussionFilterModule') {
          $Sender->EventArguments['Module'] = 'xDiscussionFilterModule';
        }
    }

This is the solution I will be using for my site.

Deb V

The addModule method accepts an object as well as a name of a module. Just an FYI that the __toString() method will output the view of the module in this case rather than the name. https://github.com/vanilla/vanilla/blob/c5b8153ec40e396493a47fca1e0bb7433cf6cd7b/library/core/class.module.php#L247-L248