Question: How to access config.element in templates

[erkr]

Hi

I read in the documentation that templates can use template variables like config.entity , config.forge and config.element.
So I tried to access the result from my templated element.entities in other marco's:

    element:
      type: entities
      title: "{{card_title}}"
      entities: |
           {{ get_my_filtered_template_entity_row_entities() }}
      # returns a list of selected (custom:template_entity_row formatted) entities

Example is a template to hide the card:

  forge: 
    hidden: |
      {{ config.element.entities | default([])  | count == 0 }}

Here I tried to use template variable config.element.entities , but that doesn't resolve (always empty list).

Main idea is to avoid rendering get_my_filtered_template_entity_row_entities() multiple times.
What I basically try to achieve is having one templated element, and use the result by other templated elements.

So I don't yet understand what is the intended use of these Template variables (config, config.forge and config.element). The example given addresses config.entity. Is that the only one? or just an example of addressing many more card elements?

Best Eric

[dcapslock]

In the context of forge config.element.entities is the initial config, not the resolved template. If your element entities was a static list then it would be as you expect. If you want to take a look then use {# uix.debug #} in your templates and inspect the variables in the template debug object in Browser console.

If you are concerned with efiiciency then there is no need. If you use the same template in the same context (so has same template variables) then template shares a cached version and only is sent to backend once.

[erkr]

Ah that clarifies why the value lookup failed. Learning all the time.
I now reorganised my actual version in order to use exactly the same macro for both populating entities and setting hide.

My concern was indeed for some older tablets loading visibly slow.
That seems to improved a little, thanks!

I have to admit that I normally don't look into the browser console. Most gibberish to me. But I want to learn, and will try {# uix.debug #}

Best Eric

[dcapslock]

My concern was indeed for some older tablets loading visibly slow.
That seems to improved a little, thanks!

Note that the template used in forge will not be identical to the template used in element as their variables will be different. But if you use multiple times in forge and element it will only be the one template sent to backend.

For slower devices check out Frontend States Throttling in case your states are busy with many updates which usually causes slowdowns.

[erkr]

{# uix.debug #} reveals a lot of sensible info, including how often the template got processed vs reused. Very nice!!!
(and marco runs indeed twice per card for element.entities and forge.hide, when loading, after that mainly reuses)