I need to work on some custom templates and overrides for K2. I am fairly good at HTML and CSS, but consider myself mediocre at best with PHP.

I am in a situation where the templates I have for K2 don't do what we need. They have way too much junk in them and I need to clean up the layout.

Does anyone have an extension they could recommend that would help with this process? Ideally something that would allow me to create and edit Templates/Overrides in the Joomla backend. Maybe I am dreaming, but I would hope something like this was out there.

The other question is regarding templates. Does anyone sell templates that are JUST for the K2 items. I have a great template I am using from JoomlaShine, but its K2 templates really stink for what we need. I would like to add some K2 only templates that might be better for my needs.

Thanks for the help,
Doug

Hello Doug,

I don't think working through the backend for these overrides is a good practise.
Firstly no editor can match the power and the boost of your productivity that tools like Sublime Text, Coda or Aptana provide for you.

Secondly, This could a potential security issue and finally I don't think there is a need for your server to execute all these heavy tasks.

I have to disagree on a few things you said. First, the security issue gets no greater with an editor on the backend. I already have FTP programs and file managers on the admin side. If someone is sophisticated enough to get into my backend then I am already in deep @#$@. A template editor makes it more convenient after someone breaks in to do something malicious, but it does not open a wider vulnerability.

Why would a K2 template manager and editor be heavy lifting. I am not asking for a completely new templating system, just tools with a bit of knowledge of how the K2 templating system works that allow me to edit and manage templates and overrides. K2 already has places where I am editing and I already have plugins such as JCE that give me fairly sophisticated tools to do this editing. The functions needed to do this are not terribly different than what are already in place.

What I am trying to avoid is having to learn a bunch of new tools like the ones you mentioned. The learning curve on templates and overrides is high enough as it is and I am not a full time developer. There is little clear documentation on the process that is helpful for someone who isn't a full time PHP programmer. I don't want to make this my career, I just want to change the way items are presented in a few locations so the site can look better. My knowledge is good enough to do basic to mid level tasks. I just need a tool that helps make sure I do things in the right place and the right way.

Actually it's not about making a career it is about making your life easier.

From my personal experience external editors and IDE programs are a lot faster and easier to use than online editors, but the choice is up to you and the perfect workflow is somewhat of a controversial thing.

Since you are already familiar with front-end code the small PHP parts might not be as difficult as you think.

The piece of advice I can give you is copy the PHP variables from the default K2 templates (good editors support split screen viewing and editing) and c/p them in your overrides since you already have a good knowledge of HTML/CSS.

That way you stick to what you know best and you don't really have to get deep into programming.

PS. if you want a very simple editing tool with no add-ons and no learning curve you can try Adobe Brackets.
It's free and can do wonders for you.

I only need to do 3 templates and I was really hoping to avoid having outside programs, learning file structures, figuring out the FTP and file transfers and learning how to code in PHP.

There really is a need for a quick and simple way to create a template for displaying items. I already have a template for my site that I am not going to change and I have found almost no K2 only templates. Please let me know if they are out there.

As an example the XTC Content wall component allows me to make small changes to the layout and HTML of what I am displaying. The editor isn't great but the concept works very well. I was able to quickly do exactly what I needed without ever figuring out what folder to use and hoping some file will magically get recognized.

The documentation on templates and overrides in K2 is also fairly weak. Everything assumes you are a programmer and I have not found any step by step examples showing just a basic change. The video I found on the topic seemed to discuss everything but templates and overrides for about half the recording. I appreciate the effort, but it was barely useful.

The reason I use joomla is so I don't have to dive too deep into any of this.