# TWiki Skins _Skins overlay regular templates with alternate header/footer layouts; topic text is not affected_ ## Overview Skins are customized [[TWikiTemplates]] files. You can use skins to change the look of a %WIKITOOLNAME% topic, for example, the layout of the header and footer. Rendered text between header and footer does **_not_** change. You can also use skins to define an alternate view, like a view optimized for printing. ## Defining Skins Skin files are located in the `twiki/templates` directory and are named with the syntax: **<scriptname>.<skin>.tmpl**. For example, the **Printable** skin for the `view` template is `view.print.tmpl`. Use the existing [[TWikiTemplates]] (like `view.tmpl`) or skin files as a base for your own skin, name it for example `view.myskin.tmpl`. ## Variables in Skins You can use [[template variables|Main/TWikiTemplates#TemplateVariables]], [[TWikiVariables]], and other predefined variables to compose your skins. Some commonly used variables in skins:
Variable: Expanded to:
%WIKILOGOURL% Link of page logo
%WIKILOGOIMG% Image URL of page logo
%WIKILOGOALT% Alt text of page logo
%WEBBGCOLOR% Web specific background color, defined in the [[Main/WebPreferences]]
%WIKITOOLNAME% The name of your TWiki site
%SCRIPTURL% The script URL of TWiki
%SCRIPTSUFFIX% The script suffix, ex: .pl, .cgi
%WEB% The name of the current web. Note: It is recommended to URL-encode the variable in form actions with %INTURLENCODE{"%WEB%"}% for proper handling in an internationalized environment
%TOPIC% The name of the current topic. Note: It is recommended to URL-encode the variable in form actions with %INTURLENCODE{"%TOPIC%"}% for proper handling in an internationalized environment
%WEBTOPICLIST% Common links of current web, defined in the [[Main/WebPreferences]]. It includes a [[Main/WebHome#GoBox]]
%TEXT% The topic text, e.g. the content that can be edited
%META{"form"}% [[Main/TWikiForms]], if any
%META{"attachments"}% [[Main/FileAttachment]] table
%META{"parent"}% The topic parent
%EDITTOPIC% Edit link
%REVTITLE% The revision title, if any, ex: (r1.6)
%REVINFO% Revision info, ex: r1.6 - 24 Dec 2002 - 08:12 GMT - Main.admin
%WEBCOPYRIGHT% Copyright notice, defined in the [[Main/WebPreferences]]
%BROADCASTMESSAGE% Broadcast message at the beginning of your view template, can be used to alert users of scheduled downtimes; is set in [[Main/TWikiPreferences]]
### The "Go" Box and Navigation Box The `%WEBTOPICLIST%` includes a "Go" box to jump to a topic. The box also understand URLs, e.g. you can type to jump to an external web site. The feature is handy if you build a skin that has a select box of frequently used links, like Intranet home, employee database, sales database and such. A little JavaScript gets into action on the onSelect method of the select tag to fill the selected URL into the "Go" box field, then submits the form. Here is an example form that has a select box and the "Go" box for illustration purposes. You need to have JavaScript enabled for this to work:
Bare bones header for demo only
%WEBTOPICLIST%
## Using Cascading Style Sheets The regular templates files currently do not use style sheets. Many skin developers choose to use them, it helps in separating style from content. Example: To use a style sheet for the broadcast message, add this to `view.myskin.tmpl`: Then add a div tag to the `%BROADCASTMESSAGE%` variable located after the `#PageTop` anchor or after the opening form tag:
%BROADCASTMESSAGE%
## Packaging and Publishing Skins See TWiki:Plugins/SkinPackagingHowTo and TWiki:Plugins/SkinDeveloperFAQ ## Activating Skins A skin can be activated in two ways: - Define the `SKIN` Preference variable in [[TWikiPreferences]], one of the [[WebPreferences]], or in a user - Main.admin - topic. - `Set SKIN = print` - Add `?skin=name` to the URL, for this example: - (for the print view skin) - (for the plain view skin that has no header and footer) The **?skin=name** URL parameter overrides the SKIN Preference value. -- [[PeterThoeny]] - 05 Jan 2003