Frequently Asked Questions

In Joomla 4+, core templates consist of the following areas:

• Template Directory (pages, layout overrides)
• Template Assets (css, js)
• Language Files

Template Directory

Template directory files are found under 'templates/<yourtemplatename>'

For this site, they would be found under 'templates/mytemplate'

The easiest method for creating new layout overrides for components, plugins, modules, and system layouts using this site as the example:

• Log in to your Joomla Administrator dashboard
• System > Site Templates > Mytemplate Details and Files
• Click the 'Create Overrides' tab
• Select the item(s) you wish to create a new layout override file for.
• Pay attention to the top message, it will show you the exact location you will find the new file.
• All override files will be created in your html directory found under 'templates/mytemplate/html'

Template Assets

Template assets such as css and js files can be found under your media folder 'media/templates/site/mytemplate'

These assets are controlled by the new Joomla Web Asset Manager that gives you full control over any css or js file that is loaded on your site (as long as the 3rd party extensions you load are built to Joomla 4+ standards). The files and the order in which they appear can be loaded in-line (not recommended for files that load on all pages) or with the new joomla.asset.json file found under your 'template/mytemplate' directory.

Language Files

Language files that are specific to the current template can be found under 'language/en-GB/tpl_mytemplate.ini' and 'language/en-GB/tpl_mytemplate.sys.ini'.

If you use a different language than English, your language files would be located in the language specific directory.

These language strings can control new language strings you create for your template as well as language strings found in your template settings for any custom fields or fieldsets you create for your template.

Conclusion

All three aspects above are used extensively throughout the creation of this custom template.

• Category (Article)
• Article
• Category (Contact)
• Contact Detail
• Tags
• Tag
• Offline
• Error Page
• Login
• Footer (Module)
• Menu (Module)
• Custom (Module)
• Category Articles (Module)

This template utilizes the following custom fields to integrate and connect all aspects of the site:

• Article Custom Fields
• Category Custom Fields
• Contact Custom Fields

Where to view Article Custom Fields

Article Custom Fields can be found in the following places on this site:

• Homepage (The three Contacts found in the section titled 'Our Team' are displayed using a custom field layout for the sql custom field)
• About (The alternating sections below the top header utilize a custom layout for the subform field. It also uses the same custom field layout for the 'Our Team' section)
• Pricing (The price and frequency use the text custom field while the check marked features use a subform custom field type.)
• Portfolio (The smaller 600x400 images can be expanded to include as many as desired by using the subform custom field type.)

Where to view Category Custom Fields

Category Custom Fields There are two category custom fields that are used as settings rather than displays. This category page happens to use both of them:

• 'Collapse All FAQs?' allows us to decide whether to show the first FAQ in the Open position or show all of them in the Closed position.
• 'Container' allows us to select whether we want to enable the bootstrap container on only the Category Page, Article Page, or both.

The 'Container' category custom field is used in the actual template files to allow us to set the container class on the page so it doesn't break pages with sidebar modules.

Where to view Contact Custom Fields

Contact Custom Fields can be found in the following places on this site:

• Homepage (social media icons under the three Contacts found in the section titled 'Our Team'.)
• Contact Category (social media icons under the contacts)
• Contact Detail (social media icons under the top title bar, and the 600x400 image next to the misc description)