Change Layout of Joomla article list with custom php - php

Question

Having spent a few days banging my head against a brick wall with this I need some help. I basically want to change the code here:
<div class="itemList">
<?php if(isset($this->leading) && count($this->leading)): ?>
<!-- Leading items -->
<div id="itemListLeading">
<?php foreach($this->leading as $key=>$item): ?>
<?php
// Define a CSS class for the last container on each row
if( (($key+1)%($this->params->get('num_leading_columns'))==0) || count($this->leading)<$this->params->get('num_leading_columns') )
$lastContainer= ' itemContainerLast';
else
$lastContainer='';
?>
<div class="itemContainer<?php echo $lastContainer; ?>"<?php echo (count($this->leading)==1) ? '' : ' style="width:'.number_format(100/$this->params->get('num_leading_columns'), 1).'%;"'; ?>>
<?php
// Load category_item.php by default
$this->item=$item;
echo $this->loadTemplate('item');
?>
</div>
<?php if(($key+1)%($this->params->get('num_leading_columns'))==0): ?>
<div class="clr"></div>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php endforeach; ?>
<div class="clr"></div>
</div>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php if(isset($this->primary) && count($this->primary)): ?>
<!-- Primary items -->
<div id="itemListPrimary">
<?php foreach($this->primary as $key=>$item): ?>
<?php
// Define a CSS class for the last container on each row
if( (($key+1)%($this->params->get('num_primary_columns'))==0) || count($this->primary)<$this->params->get('num_primary_columns') )
$lastContainer= ' itemContainerLast';
else
$lastContainer='';
?>
<div class="itemContainer<?php echo $lastContainer; ?>"<?php echo (count($this->primary)==1) ? '' : ' style="width:'.number_format(100/$this->params->get('num_primary_columns'), 1).'%;"'; ?>>
<?php
// Load category_item.php by default
$this->item=$item;
echo $this->loadTemplate('item');
?>
</div>
<?php if(($key+1)%($this->params->get('num_primary_columns'))==0): ?>
<div class="clr"></div>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php endforeach; ?>
<div class="clr"></div>
</div>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php if(isset($this->secondary) && count($this->secondary)): ?>
<!-- Secondary items -->
<div id="itemListSecondary">
<?php foreach($this->secondary as $key=>$item): ?>
<?php
// Define a CSS class for the last container on each row
if( (($key+1)%($this->params->get('num_secondary_columns'))==0) || count($this->secondary)<$this->params->get('num_secondary_columns') )
$lastContainer= ' itemContainerLast';
else
$lastContainer='';
?>
<div class="itemContainer<?php echo $lastContainer; ?>"<?php echo (count($this->secondary)==1) ? '' : ' style="width:'.number_format(100/$this->params->get('num_secondary_columns'), 1).'%;"'; ?>>
<?php
// Load category_item.php by default
$this->item=$item;
echo $this->loadTemplate('item');
?>
</div>
<?php if(($key+1)%($this->params->get('num_secondary_columns'))==0): ?>
<div class="clr"></div>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php endforeach; ?>
<div class="clr"></div>
</div>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php if(isset($this->links) && count($this->links)): ?>
<!-- Link items -->
<div id="itemListLinks">
<h4><?php echo JText::_('K2_MORE'); ?></h4>
<?php foreach($this->links as $key=>$item): ?>
<?php
// Define a CSS class for the last container on each row
if( (($key+1)%($this->params->get('num_links_columns'))==0) || count($this->links)<$this->params->get('num_links_columns') )
$lastContainer= ' itemContainerLast';
else
$lastContainer='';
?>
<div class="itemContainer<?php echo $lastContainer; ?>"<?php echo (count($this->links)==1) ? '' : ' style="width:'.number_format(100/$this->params->get('num_links_columns'), 1).'%;"'; ?>>
<?php
// Load category_item_links.php by default
$this->item=$item;
echo $this->loadTemplate('item_links');
?>
</div>
<?php if(($key+1)%($this->params->get('num_links_columns'))==0): ?>
<div class="clr"></div>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php endforeach; ?>
<div class="clr"></div>
</div>
<?php endif; ?>
</div>
So that 'leading' displays a certain number of articles, then 'primary' displays the next two, 'secondary' the next four and so on.
Any help on how to do that would be great

Answer 1

The file is located here:
/layouts/joomla/content/category_default.php
To override it place a copy here:
[YOUR_TEMPLATE]/html/layouts/joomla/content/
You can read more about Joomla layouts here:
Sharing layouts across views or extensions with JLayout