Blank Component for t4_bs5_blank - Default Template

cssdaweb

With the T4 Blank Template, how do I create a menu item that will open a blank page? When I remove the 'component' via layer settings, it disappears in both the original and the copy of the template styles. Even with the 'component' removed I'm still unable to point a menu item to a blank page where I can build a page using modules only. The 'Blank' extension from Omar Muhammad hasn't been updated, and doesn't work with Joomla4. The 'Blank' extension from AlekVolsk produces a large blank area on the page where the menu item points, which I've not figured out how to overcome.

charles99

cssdaweb

Just create an article and then a menu link for the article. In the component area place a bold sentence. Meaning in your Article place the bold sentence and place your modules around the component area. You don't need to use those other modules.

"Special Saving for all new members"

"Below are the New Electric Vehicles"

Then you could place your modules above & below the component area.

You can also remove the component area in the template manager area. There are a number of ways to use T4 template without needing a third party module.

The article is the simplest way. Again create an article place a simple line of text that will act as a Text Banner then save the article. Then go to the menu manger and create a link for the article then save it. Go to your frontpage and the menu item you just created should be there. Click on the article link and it should redirect you to the article page with Bold Heading that you place in your article. Now place your modules in the position on the page.

Now if you know how T4 template area works you can simply remove the component area altogether. But when you update the template you will have to make the same edits in the template manager area. But using the article, as your work around you don't have to do anything when you update the T4 Template in the future. Even if you change the template, all you will have to do is adjust your module positions.

Remove the component area in T4 Template area. Make a copy of the template style. And the copy that you make will be used as your blank page. Click on the copy to open and in the layout area you are going to remove or delete the component area, and save your changes. exit out of the template manager area and go to the Main Menu and create a menu link and select the template copy you made in the template area. And when people click on the menu link you just made they will be redirect to your Blank page, while everyone else will be redirected to the other template with all your other links.

I hope this helps...

cssdaweb

charles99 Thank you for the quick response. Using your suggestion to create and display an article (bold statement) in the component position would work if we only needed it for the home page, but for our purposes, a site with multiple pages it wouldn't work since we don't want every page to have the same text banner and layout.

When I tried to achieve a blank page option by removing the 'component' area, I was still unable to create a menu item pointing to a page without it: creating a new menu item only allows for the creation of a limited selection of 'menu item types' (Articles, Configuration, Contacts, News Feeds, Privacy, Smart Search, System Links, Wrapper). All of them require the 'component' area for display.

Since creating this forum message, I have discovered a work-around that appears to be a viable option. What I've done, using the Column Settings options is to configure the Main Body 'component' area to be a 'Module Postion' instead of a 'Component' type. To simply things, I named the position 'Component'. To have the name appear as a 'position name' I had to add an entry in the template's templateDetails.xml file. Now, I'm able to create a menu item using the Blank Page Extension from AlekVolsk and have a module displayed, using menu assignment in the 'Component' position (what use to be the component area). I can also add other modules to the menu item to achieve the page layout desired.

charles99

Don't forget to make a copy of the template style first before removing the component area. And the copy you make will be your Blank Page while the main template style will control all your other links. In the main menu area all your links should be connected to the main template style, while your Blank Page to be connected to the copy you made in the template area.

In the Main Menu Manager there is a template selection box at the bottom just click on it and you can select which template style your menu link is connected to.

cssdaweb

charles99 This isn't working for me. When I remove the 'Component' column from the Main Body, save the Template Style as t4_bs5_blank-Default(2) or other name, reload the original t4_bs5_blank-Default style, put the 'Component' column back into the Main Body layout and save it, the 'Component' column reappears in the copy. The only way that I've been able to get the 'Component' column to be two Template is to duplicate the full Template then remove the 'Component' from the its style. Duplicating the full Template, not just the Template Style brings with it a lot of additional work since none of the site styling is retained in the duplicate Template so it has to be manually updated to match the original to get two templates that are alike except for one having a 'Component' column in the Main Body section, and one without the 'Component' column.

saguaros

Hi cssdaweb

In T4 based templates >> Layout Settings section, you can clone an existing layout to have a new layout.

And you can remove the component section in this cloned layout.

Then duplicate template style to use the new layout + assign this template style to the pages as you wish.

Regards

cssdaweb

saguaros Thank you. It was the cloning of the layout step in the process that I was missing. I now have two styles, one with the component column and one without that I can switch between to achieve the desired page layout.

saguaros

cssdaweb Yes, cloning layout will be helpful when you want to use different layout for different pages.

The same with the navigation in T4 framework, when you build multilingual website.

Let us know if you need any further help.

charles99

to do what you want to do you will have to make a copy of your style page. And the page where you just want to add modules to, would be the style page copy. The T4 Framework lets you remove the component area, so you could place all your modules on the layout style copy page, while putting everything else on the main page. You really don't need a third party module. When you go into the menu manager you have to link your menu item to the style copy page the same way you have to link the menu item in the template manager area.

But please keep in mind when using a third party module or plug-in when a developer fails to update their product when Joomla is updated it can broke your template or stop you system from working. This is why you should learn how thing works in T4 Framework. To do what you want to do does not require a third party module.

By copying the layout style page you can create an unlimited number of website designs.