load tag before extends

[ztorstri@…]

I'd like to be able to load a template tag before extends. I don't want to use a context processor because I don't want every view that uses RequestContext to get the variable. Here's the detailed situation:

I'm designing an app, and I want the "base.html" template to be a configurable in the settings file. So a user downloads my application, goes to the settings file, adds the setting "BASE_TEMPLATE_NAME=somestring", and then all of my templates automatically inherit this base template.

If I use a context processor, then every other page on their site that uses RequestContext will get this variable as well. I tried to use a template tag to return the base template setting, but I can't put anything before extends.

[chrismedrela]

What's wrong about putting BASE_TEMPLATE_NAME into RequestContext? This variable doesn't seem to be secret so you don't need to hide it from other templates.

Anyway, I'm -1 on emulating 'private' variables (variables visible only in a specific template) using template tags.

[ztorstri@…]

Replying to chrismedrela:

What's wrong about putting BASE_TEMPLATE_NAME into RequestContext? This variable doesn't seem to be secret so you don't need to hide it from other templates.

Anyway, I'm -1 on emulating 'private' variables (variables visible only in a specific template) using template tags.

It's not about being private, it's about being wasteful. There's no reason to load the variable in templates that don't relate to the app.

I ended up writing a mixin that defines get_context and I inherit it in the views that need the base template. It was a satisfactory solution, but I still think it's worth considering allowing template tags to be loaded before extends.

[Tim Graham]

I guess we could consider a patch, but absent that, I'm going to close this since there are other ways to accomplish this as described above.