[Typo3-dev] Better templating: PHP!

[Elmar Hinz]

> Since altered HTML-templates should not be overwritten when updating the 
> extension they belong to, it is a common best practise to make the path to 
> the template configurable. This allows to place all HTML-templates in the 
> fileadmin-directory (or any other filemount). You don't need administration 
> rights to alter files in a filemount, every editor can do that!

Do you really think it best practice to put the design in filemounts 
where "every editor can edit it" as you say? I think it is the task of 
designers to manipulate design, not that of editors.

Webdesigners rather work with ftp than with filemounts. In this case 
there is no reason to place html templates, if you want to use them at 
all, into vulnerable editor areas.

As to the priciple of separating coding and layout and the teams. That 
is fullly O.K. by idea. The way I build extensions follows this pattern. 
The design is im most cases completly capsulatet into CSS.

If the situation you describe means that any designer quickliy firing up 
any wysiwyg-tool is responsible for the html code, it may lead to a 
quicker startup. It may not lead to better code results, better 
maintenance or anything that is worth  to be called accessibility. In 
the worser cases it will result in a heavy barrierer of HTML tables und 
days of code debugging as the original poster Dan has mentioned.

Lean accessible HTML/CSS design requires a little bit more knowlage 
about "CSS-Programming". It requires the designer to be openminded to 
learn modern technologies, to produce better output. That may result in 
less dragging and dropping, in a far smaller amount of html code and 
greater importance of CSS knowledge.

If s/he wants to provide and manage the little remaining HTML code in 
form of HTML-templates or in form of typoScript is a mere matter of 
taste then. If you organize your complete setup in form of an extension 
typoScript may be a resonable choice even for the HTML templating. You 
can work "in one place" this way.

Elmar