Support

Why [ chars are converted into HTML code [ ?

Since version 1.64, TBS has a Protection System which is enabled by default for each field. This protection consist in replacing all characters [ with its HTML equivalent [ for any merged data coming from outside the template (PHP variables, MySQL,...). You can deactivate the Protection System for any TBS fields using parameter protect=no.

See the manual for more details.

All TBS fields are ignored in my subtemplate

With TBS version < 2.02, the Protection System stay activated for parameter script. So if you use this parameter to insert something containing TBS fields, then this fields are disabled by replacement of characters [ with [

To by-pass this problem, you just have to set parameter protect=no in the TBS tag, or to us TBS version >= 2.02.

Example: [onload;script=subcode.php;protect=no]

The MySQL example page doesn't work localy

This example provided with the TBS Example Set needs to have a specific MySQL table and to connect to it. This table is available at this web site but not on your computer. The error message return by PHP is:

Fatal error: Failed opening required '/cnx_mysql.php' (include_path='.;c:\php\includes') in [...]\tbs_us_examples_datamysql.php on line xx

I have the error TinyButStrong error: the cache file'...' can not be saved

This error message occurs when PHP raise an error when attempting to save the cache file on the server.

Most of the time, this is because there is no 'write' permission on the directory. Try to chnage the Unix permisson.

Then you should probably change the Unix permission of the directory on the server where you're trying to save the cache file.

My subtemplate is included at the beginning of the template

This can happen if you used the parameter script instead of parameter file.

The nodata section is not displayed when data is empty.

First check that you 'nodata' section is not embedded into another section of the block.

If you're merging data stored into an array, then an empty data should bee an empty array ( like array() ) ; values null or false are not considered as an empty data. They simply cannod be merged.

Example of what you can do to be sure that data is not the false or the null value:

$data = ...
if ($data===false) $data = array();
$TBS->MergeBlock('blk',$data);

Some block parameters (like ondata, parentgrp,...) seem to be ignored

They are two cases when a block parameter seems to be ignored by TBS. The first one in when the block parameter is not placed in the TBS tag that contains the block definition. That is TBS tag with parameter block=.... The second case is when you have too much parameter block=... inside a section. In such a case, only the first parameter block=... is taken in acount ; following block definition are ignored (note taht with explicit syntax, following tag with block=end is accepeted).

Here are some examples :

•  <div>[blk1.firstname;block=div] ... [blk1.subname;ondata=my_function]</div> Bad : parameter ondata is ignored because there is no block definition (block=...') in its TBS tag.

•  <div>[blk1.firstname;block=div] ... [blk1.subname;block=div;ondata=my_function]</div> Bad : parameter ondata is ignored because a previous block definition (block=div) has been taking in acount. Don't forget that only one parameter block= is enougth for each section of a block (two with explicit syntax).

•  <div>[blk1.firstname;block=div;ondata=my_function] ... [blk1.subname]</div> Good : Block parameters are placed together.

Some [onload] blocks are never displayed despite the when statement

A usual mistake is when you put TBS a field linked to a block inside the conditional statement of an [onload] tag. Remember that an [onload] tag is automatically processed as soon as you call the LoadTemplate() method. Therefore, no TBS field of block is merged yet because no MergeBlock() method has been called before.

Example :

•  <div>[onload;block=div;when [blk1.colmun]=3] ... </div> Bad : The TBS fields [blk1.colmun] is not yet merged before calling LoadTemplate() TBS is just checking is string [blk1.colmun] is equal to string 3. Which is always false.

•  <div>[onshow;block=div;when [blk1.colmun]=3] ... </div> Good : TBS field [blk1.colmun] can be merged before calling Show().

The merge is too slow

TinyButStrong is a Template Engine which has good merging performance. Just a bit faster that Smarty or other without template compilation. Like for any Template Engine, the speed of your merge depends a lot on your template's structure. Here are some advices for optimizing your templates.

Don't multiply automatic fields [onshow]. It means that you'd better not put [onshow] TBS fields inside some sections of your template that will be merged with MergeBlock(). Otherwise, the number of [onshow] fields will be increased before to be merged ([onshow] fields are processed when Show() method is called). This can slow down your merging very much.

• You can often by-pass this problem by replacing [onshow] fields with [onload] fields. [onload] tags are processed just when LoadTemplate() is called. That is inevitably before any block merging. So you maybe have to prepare PHP variables used for the conditional statement before this method is called.
• Some conditional parts of the block can be replaced with conditional sections of block. Such sections are faster than [onshow] blocks.
• Some conditional parts of the block can be replaced with a field of the block having parameter magnet. It can be tuned with parameters ope=mok or ope=mko. Such sections are faster than [onshow].

For the same reason, don't multiply Var fields or other TBS fields that could be evaluated only once before a block is merged.

• You can force Var fields to be merged when you need using MergeSpecial() method.
• You can also force custom fields to be merged when you need using MergeField() method.

Use parameter selected with parsimony (not too much). This parameter is quite smart but it needs HTML analyse processes. Such processes cost certain execution time. This is not sensible if they are not numerous, but they can slow down the merge when they are much.

• If you have numerous checkboxes/radio/lists to select, then you can by-pass this problem by setting them using Javascript function on the OnLoad attribute of the <body> tag. Another way is to prepare one or several variables in the PHP side that will add the checked attributes in the tags when needed.
• Please also notice that the more your <form> section is big, the more HTML analyse processes cost time. Think also that you can limit this section using parameter selbounds.

When your template has many complex dynamic parts, it is better to migrate the conditional statements from the HTML side to the PHP side.

• You can use a custom function with parameters onformat and ondata which is often evaluated faster than if-then-else expressions in TBS fields.
• You can retrieve data to merge in an array, sort them, filter them, calculate some new columns in the PHP side. Then merge such prepared array with a simple block.