WIDGETAPI.txt in Vote Up/Down 6.3

= Widget API - Vote Up/Down =

Vote Up/Down has its own widget API that allows site implementors and
designers to easily use their own widget themes.

Its easy as 1-2-3! Your widgets can be in a module or even in your theme.

This functionallity relies on 'ctools plugins api'.


== Putting widgets in a module or theme ==

If you are putting widgets in a module, your module needs to include the
following _hook implementation_:

[source,php]
----
/**
 * Implementation of hook_ctools_plugin_dierctory() to let the system
 * know we implement widget plugins.
 */
function MODULENAME_ctools_plugin_directory($module, $plugin) {
  if ($module == 'vud') {
    return $plugin;
  }
}
----

If your module includes other CTools plugin types, you will need to
modify your already existing `hook_ctools_plugin_directory()`
implementation accordingly.

If you want to put widgets in your theme, add the following line to your
info file:

[source,ini]
----
plugins[vud][widgets] = widgets
----

In either case, then create the 'widgets' directory in your module or
your theme.


== Quick and dirty widget creation ==

=== On a theme ===

. Set up your module or theme for widgets.

. Copy the 'updown' widget and all its files into your widgets directory.
You'll need to rename the widget, so for this example, we're going to
call the widget 'example':

. edit your .info file and add the following line:
+
[source,ini]
----
plugins[vud][widgets] = widgets
----

. `mkdir` a 'widgets' directory in your theme.

. Copy the 'updown' directory and its files to your widgets directory.

. Rename the 'updown' directory in your 'theme/widgets' directory to
'example'.

. Rename 'updown.inc' to 'example.inc'.

. Rename 'updown.css' to 'example.css'
. Edit example.inc:
..  Change 'vud_updown_vud_widgets' to
'MODULEORTHEMENAME_example_vud_widgets'
..  Change the title from `t('Default')` to `t('My example widget')`

. Edit example.css and search-and-replace 'updown' to 'example'.

. Edit widget.tpl.php and search-and-replace 'updown' to 'example'.

. Visit your themes or modules configuration page and submit it, to
ensure that the caches are cleared so that your new plugin can be
recognized.

. You should now have a widget that you can assign. Modify it to your
heart's content!


== Creating widgets ==

. In the `widgets/` directory, create a directory with the name of your
widget.

. Create a directory with the name of your widget.
+
NOTE: For safety, you should 'namespace' your widgets which means to
include the module name or something  unique so you don't clash with
future widgets that may be included with vote up/down.

. In your new widget directory, create a '.inc' file with the name of
your widget.
You should then end up with `widgets/my_widget/my_widget.inc` if, for
example, your widget is named 'my_widget'.
+
This '.inc' file needs to include one function:
+
[source,php]
----
/**
 * Specialized implementation of hook_vud_widgets().
 */
function MODULEORTHEMENAME_WIDGETNAME_vud_widgets() {
  return array(
    'title' => t('Default'),
    'widget template' => 'widget',
    'votes template' => 'votes',
    'alter template variables' => 'callback_function'
  );
}
----
+
You should include the 'widget template' line if you are including a
widget.tpl.php and the 'votes template' line if you are including a
votes.tpl.php. If you want the template named differently, the value of
this line will set that.
+
You should include the 'alter template variables' line if you need to
modify variables that are passed to the widget templates. Naturally, you
need to replace the 'callback_function' with the name of the callback
function you want to use. The signature of the function is
`callback_function($template_type, &$variables)` where `$template_type`
can be 'widget' or 'votes' and `$variables` is a typically theme
variables array.
+
If you create a WIDGETNAME.css file this will automatically be included.
If you want this file to be different, add
+
  'css' => 'mycssfile.css',
+
If you want multiple CSS files, add
+
  'css' => array('myfile1.css', 'myfile2.css'),
+
You can do similarly with javascript, though unlike .css files,
javascript files __will not__ be automatically included, you __must
specify__ them.


== Variables in the template files ==

`$id`              :: Unique CSS ID that should be used for this item.
`$content_id`      :: Unique content ID.
`$type`            :: Type of element being voted on.
`$widget_theme`    :: The name of the widget theme being rendered.
`$tag`             :: The unique tag associated with each vote.
`$class_up`        :: Either 'up-active', or 'up-inactive'.
`$class_down`      :: Either 'down-active' or 'down-inactive'.
`$link_up`         :: URL used for 'up' voting when JS is disabled.
`$link_down`       :: URL used for 'down' voting when JS is disabled.
`$link_class_up`   :: String with the classes that should be put onto the
'up' link. Needed for javascript.
`$link_class_down` :: String with the classes that should be put onto the
"down" link. Needed for javascript.
`$class`	         :: 'negative', 'positive' or 'neutral' depending on
number of votes.
`$vote_label`      :: The pluralized vote label.
`$raw_points`	     :: Raw value for total vote points for the vote object
    (It can be a NULL if there are no votes or a signed value).
`$points`	         :: Number of total vote points for the vote object
    (signed).
`$unsigned_points` :: Number of total vote points for the object
    (unsigned).
`$up_points`	     :: Number of total positive vote points for the vote object. Only available for upanddown widget.
`$down_points`	   :: Number of total negative vote points for the vote object. Only available for upanddown widget.
`$vote_count`	     :: Number of total votes for the vote object.
`$readonly`        :: Boolean that indicates if the actual user can vote
    on the object where the widget is displayed.
`$show_links`      :: Boolean that indicates if the links need to be
show (TRUE when the user has permission to vote or message_on_deny option
        is set to TRUE).


== Advanced features ==

Your widget can specify an 'ajax render' callback. This callback will be
used to specify a CTools AJAX command packet if you want to do fancy
rendering. This is not too likely to be needed, and should only be used
if you have looked at the AJAX rendering code and understand it.

If you want to use a different templating system than PHPtemplate, you
can! Set 'render function' to the name of a function that will be called
in place of `drupal_render_template()` and set 'extension' to something
other than '.tpl.php' if you so desire.

// vim: set syntax=asciidoc: