How To Create Custom Template Pages in Thesis Theme

(Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes)

Note: I’m happy to help registered users of the Thesis theme when I can. Just point me to your account on the DIY Themes forum (you should have the link, right), we’ll take it from there.

Thesis theme for WordPress is an excellent piece of gear. What it doesn’t handle “out of the box,” it can be easily persuaded to handle with a minimum of fuss and bother. For example, custom page templates are not explicitly supported in Thesis, but are easy to implement, and I’m going to show you how.

The procedure requires 2 simple steps:

1. Create the custom page template file
2. Create the custom page template function

1. Create a custom page template file

Go to your thesis theme root directory, typically wp-content/themes/thesis151. You will see files named “archives.php,” “no_sidebars.php” and “custom_template.php.” Add your file there, say “cool_page.php.”

Add a single function to this file “cool_page();” It doesn’t really matter what you call it, but mirroring the file name makes it easy for everyone, including yourself, to see what’s going on. Here’s a source code listing of what that looks like:

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<?php
/**
 * Template Name: Cool Page
 *
 * A custom template framework for creating pages with 
 * wholly arbitrary layouts.  DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE. Instead, 
 * use the thesis_hook_custom_template() hook
 * to specify the contents of div#content_box. 
 * Be sure specify which page should receive which code 
 * by dividing your action using the is_page() conditional tag.
 *
 * @package Thesis
 */
 
cool_page();

NOTE: Make sure you change the name of the template on line 3 so it will correctly appear in your page template menu.

By the way, if you’re finding this article useful, send an empty email to wp-weekend.customtemplate@aweber.com to get more useful tips, tricks, lessons on WordPress, news on security updates, etc. You’ll the get the cutting edge stuff a couple of times per month. It’s spam-free, privacy protected, yadda yadda yadda. You’ll have to confirm to get in; opting out later is an easy click. Just an empty email to wp-weekend.customtemplate@aweber.com does the trick.

2. Create a custom page template function

Now you need to add some code for rendering the page. Define the cool_page() function in custom_functions.php, and populate it using code you rip out of these files:

• lib/html/frameworks.php
• lib/html/content_box.php
• lib/html/templates.php
• lib/html/hooks.php

The easiest way to figure out what code to use is to print each of these files on paper, along with custom_template.php. Then follow the control of flow using a red pencil. Figure out which functions you want on your final page, circle those in blue pencil. Once you have it figured out, type it all in by hand. Actually, I just cut-n-paste, but I’m lazy and I’ve been programming long enough to follow it in my head… (is that a good thing or a bad thing…?). If you cut and paste, watch out for the “smart quote” problem.

Here’s what my code looks like:

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/* MY COOL PAGE CUSTOM TEMPLATE */
// Function is called from wp-content/themes/thesis/cool_page.php
function cool_page() {
 
	get_header(apply_filters('thesis_get_header', $name));
	echo '<div id="container">' . "\n";
	echo '<div id="page">' . "\n";
	//thesis_header_area();
	//thesis_content();
	echo '	<div id="content_box" class="no_sidebars">' . "\n";
	thesis_content_column();
	echo '	</div>' . "\n";
	echo '</div>' . "\n";
	echo '</div>' . "\n";
        get_footer(apply_filters('thesis_get_footer', $name)); 
}

Some of the lines are commented out to show you where to put calls for various parts of the page.

Now, when you add a new page, you should be able to select Cool Page from your template selection drop down box on the New Page page.

NOTE: The function above produces an *extremely* stripped down page, no navigation. Don’t test it on a production blog. Here’s a screenshot:

No header, footer, sidebars, nav menu... totally custom page template!

If you’re a Thesis hacker, you should give this a try. It’s easy and fun!

Other solutions

There are other ways to do this, notably by modifying custom_functions.php and adding code to select page layout based on page ID or category, etc.

I find this clunky, and difficult to understand and maintain. Because the selection is done with numbers instead of logical entities (names), it requires looking up page IDs for every page you want rendered with the custom template, and modification each time you add a page using that template.

However, it does have the advantage of being “Thesis Portable.” That is, you only need to move what’s in the custom directory and nothing else.

Lagniappe

Just to be absolutely and thoroughly pedantic about literate programming, “thesis_get_header” from the source listing above really ought to be named “thesis_get_html_head” because:

1. thesis_get_html_head says what it does.
2. The word “header” is overloaded and requires context to parse meaning. “html_head” means exactly one thing, no context required. Read “Head vs. Header — A critical difference for modifying WordPress themes” for in depth explanation.
3. It confused me initially. I knew I didn’t want a header… but without including the head element of the html, I didn’t get any of the required CSS files controlling the page display.

It’s true about literate programming: elegance and good taste matter!

I run several websites using Thesis. If you’re serious about mastering WordPress, Thesis has a lot to offer, and I recommend—without reservation—that you purchase a license for your own use. Thesis has an excellent affiliate program as well, which you should join when you purchase your license.

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Tagged as: head, Layout, Programming, Thesis