WordPress "include TEMPLATEPATH" or?

Question

I built something like this:

Index Container Widgets Area

and I created a widget for that -

Categories Widget - Index Container .php

with this in:

<?php include (TEMPLATEPATH . '/includes/containers/container-grid-categories.php'); ?>
<?php ///include (TEMPLATEPATH . '/includes/containers/container-list-categories.php'); ?>

and for example in the /includes/containers/container-grid-categories.php

is this:

<?php   //include (TEMPLATEPATH . '/includes/containers/container-grid-categories/grid-thumbs.php'); ?>
<?php  include (TEMPLATEPATH . '/includes/containers/container-grid-categories/grid-tumbs-details.php'); ?>

So, my questions, with this everything is working fine, the question is this a good way to make what I did (include TEMPLATEPATH)? Or use another way, and if that what way? Thanks

Answer 1

Long answer short: the absolute-best answer, for template-part files in a subdirectory, is to use locate_template()

I would recommend referencing the stylesheet path for template file includes, so that those template part files can be easily over-ridden by Child Themes. So, ideally, you should use get_stylesheet_directory_uri().

Some differences/explanation of all the functions listed by @kaiser:

• get_stylesheet_directory_uri()/get_template_directory_uri() return a URL
• get_stylesheet_directory()/get_template_directory() return a file path
• All four of the *get_*_directory_*() functions perform SSL checking
• TEMPLATEPATH/STYLESHEETHATH are simple constants, return a file path, and do not perform SSL checking

So, the four get_*_directory_*() functions are preferred to using TEMPLATEPATH/STYLESHEET; however, they aren't really intended for locating template part files in subdirectories. In such a case, the best option is to use locate_template() directly. (See here for a great writeup and comparison of all of the above options.)

Answer 2

There are several way to acchieve this:

    TEMPLATEPATH // Path to your (parent) themes root dir
    STYLESHEETPATH // Path to your parent/child - if present - dir
    get_template_directory_uri();
    get_template_directory();
    get_stylesheet_directory();
    get_stylesheet_directory_uri();

    // to load a file: path_and_file_name.php which searches in child dir first, then parent themes dir
    get_template_part( 'path_and_file_name' ); // appends .php automagically
    get_template_part( 'path_and_file_name', 'suffix' ); // loads: path_and_file_name-suffix.php

/**
 * Directoy structure
 * @return (array) $dir_struct | directory structure
 */
function wpse21093_get_dir_struct()
{
    $dir_base  = get_template_directory().'/includes/';
    $dirs[] = 'containers';
    // add more folders
    // $dirs[] = 'widgets';
    foreach ( $dirs as $dir )
    {
        $dir_struct[ $dir ] = trailingslashit( $dir_base.$dir );
    }
    return $dir_struct;
}

/**
 * Loading files for larger structures the *smart* way ...
 * Searches in all folders supported by the theme, defined by the user
 * Allows a {$suffix} to be appended to mimic the get_template_part(); behavior
 */
function wpse21093_load_file( $file_name, $suffix = '' )
{
    $dirs = wpse21093_get_dir_struct();
    foreach ( $dirs as $supported => $dir )
    {
        if ( empty ( $suffix ) )
        {
            if ( file_exists( $dir.$file_name.'.php' ) )
               require_if_theme_supports( $supported, $dir.$file_name.'.php' );
        }
        else
        {
            if ( file_exists( $dir.$file_name.'-'.$suffix.'.php' ) )
               require_if_theme_supports( $supported, $dir.$file_name.'-'.$suffix.'.php' );
        }
    }
    return;
}

// Then call it like this:
add_theme_support( 'containers' ); // add support for folder
wpse21093_load_file( 'container-grid-categories' );