WordPress Custom Page Template in a different directory

2 comments

1. WordPress uses get_page_template() to determine the template file to use which can be altered by filters:

   //for pages
   add_filter( 'page_template', 'My_custom_page_template' );
   function My_custom_page_template( $page_template )
   {
       if ( is_page( 'my-custom-page-slug' ) ) {
           $page_template = 'pathto/custom-page-template.php';
       }
       return $page_template;
   }
   
   //for posts 
   add_filter( 'single_template', 'My_custom_page_template' );
   function My_custom_page_template( $single_template )
   {
       if ( is_single( 'my-custom-page-slug' ) ) {
           $single_template = 'pathto/custom-post-template.php';
       }
       return $single_template;
   }
   

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2. I wanted the same functionality as this. It seemed as though it is impossible to do this without core changes, but i managed to get it working – in a slightly different way.

   Create a page template in the root of your Theme, call it themename-page-loader.php

   In that file put the following code:

   /**
    * Template Name: ThemeNAME Page Loader
    */
   
   global $post;
   
   // Define the post_name and the file name of the current page
   $pslug = $post->post_name;
   $pname = $pslug . '.php';
   
       // Load the TEMPLATE file in your custom directory
       require_once( TEMPLATEPATH . '/views/' . $pname );
   

   Then in your theme root, create a folder for your pages, in this example i called mine views. Inside this folder you put your page templates, just make sure the file name is the same as the page name you set in WP_ADMIN.

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