M.H.L.P

What is M.H.L.P?

M.H.L.P stands for Model, Helper, Library, Partial.

See the Coding Standards section for how to properly name your models.

Model

Your theme may require data from other services in your tempaltes, possibly even custom queries agains the database. Rather than handling this inline or modifying the core models you can load models in your themes.

A really good example of a template model might be API interactions like in the Serpent API.

class git_model {
	public function download()
	{
		if ( !defined( 'CHECK_TIMEOUT') ) define( 'CHECK_TIMEOUT', 5 );
		$scc = stream_context_create( array( 'http' => array( 'timeout' => CHECK_TIMEOUT ) ) );

		$git_downloads = file_get_contents( 'http://api.tentaclecms.com/version/', 0, $scc );

		$git_downloads = json_decode( $git_downloads );
		
		return $git_downloads;
	}
}

You can call your model like this

$git = theme::model('git');
$download = $git->download();

Helper

Every theme will look for and load your functions.php file. Helpers are in many ways reusable chunks of code. If your theme requires a set group of helpers to be loaded you could do so in your functions.php.

All of your helpers must be located in a folder in your theme called helper.

• /theme/
• /theme/helpers/
• /theme/helpers/file.php

Loading a helper: theme::helper('file');

Library

Your theme could require a PHP library that is not included by default.

All of your libraries must be located in a folder in your theme called library containing a folder with the library code inside.

• /theme/
• /theme/library/
• /theme/library/folder/file.php

Loading a library theme::library("folder","file");

Partial ( See Template Structure )

To load a part you can call theme::part( 'name' ); from any file, including other parts. Parts can accept an array of data theme::part( 'name', array('title'=>'My Home Page', 'assets'=>'default'))

This will make $title and $assets available in your part.

Objects and Arrays can also be passed to parts array('array_data'=>$array)

Some common parts would include header, footer, and sidebar

• part-header.php
• part-footer.php
• part-sidebar.php

To help keep your theme organized you can keep your partials in a folder like this theme::part( 'partials/name' );.