Drupal 7 - Adding blocks to a page - php

Question

This is my current set up.
I have created a new custom theme with the following regions.
regions[header] = Header
regions[content] = Content
regions[footer] = Footer
page.tpl.php
<div id="Header">
<div class="row">
<div class="span12" style="text-align:center;padding-top:20px;">
<div><img src="logo.png" width="150" height="150" alt="KT Logo"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row"> </div>
</div><!-- /Header -->
<div id="Navigation">
<div class="row" style="text-align:center;">
<div class="span12" style="text-align:center;">
<?php print render($page['header']); ?>
<hr class="style-two">
</div>
</div>
</div><!-- /Navigation -->
<div id="Content">
<div class="row"> </div>
<div class="row">
<div class="span8 offset1">
<h1><?php print $title; ?></h1>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row"> </div>
<div class="row">
<div class="span10 offset1">
<?php print render($page['content']) ?>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row"> </div>
</div><!-- /Content -->
<footer>
<div class="row">
<div class="span12">
<img src="separator.png" alt="separator">
<?php print render($page['footer']); ?>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row"> </div>
</footer>
</div><!-- /container -->
This all works well and I have created several basic pages fine. The problem comes when I want to have a custom "content type" with 2 blocks on a page, one with main content on left, one with a sidebar on right. Now I'm not completely understanding how the regions work.
I am wanting something like the sidebar_second effect but I'm not sure how it would set in with my widths. Here is a screenshot of my regions. http://goo.gl/XFVnl
So I think I need to change the way my content region is displayed so that it can include the sidebar region?
Thanks for any help

Answer 1

Content-type specific templates are usually node.tpl.php files, and page templates are page.tpl.php files.
page.tpl.php file is already included when you are using a node.tpl.php
First, add ALL the regions to the .info file of them theme. This directly affects which regions are available in blocks administration page.
It's not necessary to have all the regions you defined (in .info file) to present in all page.tpl.php files.
As you have 3 regions in the page.tpl.php file, leave it and it will continue to work.
But to override the page.tpl.php for specific node types, you will have to set them in the theme's template.php file. You simple "ask" Drupal to use this page.tpl.php file is node type is a "page" (for example).
Add this to your template.php file. Drupal will not look in to page--node-book.tpl.php file for an alternative page.tpl.php file if the node type is (machine name) is "book".
<?php
function themename_preprocess_page(&$variables) {
if (!empty($variables['node'])) {
$variables['theme_hook_suggestions'][] = 'page__node_' . $variables['node']->type;
}
}
?>
Now you can copy the page.tpl.php file to page--node-[type].tpl.php and make your changes there. Whatever you put in this file will be used for page template for that node type.
(Note: 2 hyphens between "page" and "node", and one between "node" and "[type]")
Remember to clear caches if you can't see the changes.

Answer 2

I believe the first step is to declare a sidebar region in your .module file along with your other regions even if it will not be displayed on every page.
In your page template you can check (psuedo-code)
if (isset($page['sidebar'])) {
<div sidebar float left theme this how you want>
print render($page['sidebar']);
</div>
}
Now when you create a block you can specify a specific path for it to show up on or a specific content type for it to show up on. The code above will check if the page has a block in your sidebar and render it accordingly.
You will probablly be more likely to get answers if you post on drupal stack exchange.
https://drupal.stackexchange.com/