TemplaVoila is the most powerful of the TYPO3 templating methods. With this templating extension an experienced developer can produce sites with very flexible layout options for the content editor. Also, any site layout that can be produced in HTML can be integrated into TYPO3 using Templavoila.

However, sometimes developers struggle getting their heads around TemplaVoila or else use it awkwardly. Few use it efficiently or to its potential.

Although the tutorial Futuristic Template Building gives an introduction of how to use the features of TemplaVoila (TV), I have not found a comprehensive resource for describing how to most effectively use this extension in a day to day production environment.

After working with TV for some time, I have been able to develop an approach and set of favorite practices for TemplaVoila that works well for me. This site is an attempt to share those practices and the QuickSite package I use to build my sites. I use the term favorite practices over best practices as I do not have any pretension of this approach being the definitive word on TYPO3 templates. However, for me this approach has made templating one of the easiest things I do in my development work.

You can subscribe to news about the this framework in the form to the right. This will give you periodic news about the framework including updates to the QuickSite, bug fixes, tips, etc. I promise not to flood you inbox with junk and you can unsubscribe at any time.

What do these four pages have in common?

They all run off the same TemplaVoila page template.

To use the techniques presented in this site, at a minimum you need to:

• have a solid understanding of HTML and CSS.
• have the ability to look at a visual layout and determine the HTML structure needed to produce it for the web (i.e. where you need div's, what needs to be floated, etc.)
• be able to write HTML with a text editor. If you use a visual editor that keeps you from dealing with the source then you will not be able to use this framework.
• have some ability in coding TypoScript (or know someone who does)

Ideally, you will:

• have worked through the TemplaVoila tutorial entitled Futuristic Template Building.
• have experience in building sites with TemplaVoila (the more the better)
• have strong experience in coding TypoScript, HTML, CSS and JavaScript

My guess is that developers who use TemplaVoila to build a lot of sites will find it easier than most to understand this framework since they are already familiar with TypoScript, front-end code and TemplaVoila.

This site is organized so as to be read sequentially.  Work you way through each section starting in the upper left of the menu. There is a download section which provides the Busy Noggin QuickSite package which runs this framework and which I use as a starter for all my sites.

This framework is provided free of charge by Busy Noggin, Inc., a web development company, and was authored by Ron Hall of Busy Noggin. You can find out more about our company at www.busynoggin.com.