PW 3.0.14: File compiler, required fields, best practices

[ryan]

Getting closer to the ProcessWire 3.x stable release, version 3.0.14 focuses largely on updates and optimizations specific to recent GitHub issue reports. We also have optimizations and in-depth coverage of PW’s file compiler, some new options for required fields, along with a review of some best practices when working with fields. 

https://processwire.com/blog/posts/processwire-3.0.14-updates-file-compiler-fields-and-more/

[szabesz]

Thanks again, Ryan! For the update and for educating us (best practices with fields...).

[AndZyk]

Hello,

I am a little bit confused about the new file compiler template options.

I have a clean ProcessWire 3.0.15 dvns installation and the basic-page template. Now If I add the ProcessWire namespace to my template file

<?php namespace ProcessWire;

and set the file compiler for this template to "Auto" (default), it still compiles the template to site/assets/cache/FileCompiler/site/templates/basic-page.php.

Only if I set the file compiler to "No", of course, it doesn't compile. Shouldn't the "Auto" option detect if I had added the namespace manually and skip compiling the template? Also I noticed that, when I don't have the namespace added in my template file, the compiled files don't have the namespace added as well. Regardless of wich option (besides "No" of course).

Am I misunderstanding something and the namespace is added somewhere else or is this maybe a bug?

[LostKobrakai]

The file compiler does not add the namespace, but rather rewrites all instances, where class names where used without proper namespace.

new Page() => new \ProcessWire\Page()
new PageArray => new \ProcessWire\PageArray
if($page instanceof Page) => if($page instanceof \ProcessWire\Page)

Adding a namespace declaration to a file is not a good idea for the compiler, because it affects all used classnames, not only the processwire ones.

[AndZyk]

Adding a namespace declaration to a file is not a good idea, because it affects all used classnames, not only the processwire ones.

Honestly, I never worked with namespaces in PHP before. I just read in one of Ryan's blog posts, that you can add it to skip the file compiler.

So should I remove the namespace of my template files?

[LostKobrakai]

No, sorry. I meant it's not a good idea for the compiler to add a namespace declaration. You yourself can do what you want / need to do in your template files.

[AndZyk]

Actually I don't need the ProcessWire namespace at all in my template files. I just thought it would be good to add it manually to avoid that my template files would get compiled unnecessary. But since that doesn't work, I think I will remove the namespace again and set the file compiler for my templates to "Auto", as recommended. 

[szabesz]

Now If I add the ProcessWire namespace to my template file

<?php namespace ProcessWire;

and set the file compiler for this template to "Auto" (default), it still compiles the template to site/assets/cache/FileCompiler/site/templates/basic-page.php.

Actually, this is the blog post in question: the one about ProcessWire 3.0.14

I have just tested and you are right, it does not seem to work (PW 3.0.15). I set all the "Use Compiled File?" settings to auto, cleared the template compile cache folder (/site/assets/cache/FileCompiler/site/templates) and the files keep coming back. And my template files start with namespace ProcessWire;

[ryan]

The File Compiler may still compile the file, but that doesn't mean it'll use it. It can compile a file for no purpose other than to determine if there would be any differences provided by compilation. 

[szabesz]

The File Compiler may still compile the file, but that doesn't mean it'll use it. It can compile a file for no purpose other than to determine if there would be any differences provided by compilation. 

Thank you for clarifying this!

[bee8bit]

Thank you for your great CMS!

I have a litte issue that is related to the FileCompiler (in version 3.0.17, actually):

One of my templates contains the line

<?php include('asides/_comments.php') ?>

This is compiled to

<?php  include(\ProcessWire\wire('files')->compile('asides/_comments.php') ,array('includes'=>true,'namespace'=>true,'modules'=>true,'skipIfNamespace'=>true))?>

which gives me a Parse Error: syntax error, unexpected ',' (line 71 of [...]/site/assets/cache/FileCompiler/site/templates/post.php)

Setting $config->templateCompile = false; helps - but I suppose this is not the way you meant it to be.

I have seen https://processwire.com/api/ref/wirefiletools/compile-include/

Are you trying to compile include() in my templates to $wireFileTools->compileInclude() or do you expect me to use compileInclude() myself?