Template System (Override & Customize Templates)

The Template System allows developers to fully customize the frontend output of the plugin without modifying core files.

👉 This follows WordPress best practices:

• Safe customization
• Upgrade-safe overrides
• Theme-level control

🎯 Why Template Override Matters

By default, the plugin uses built-in templates.

But you can:

• Change layouts
• Modify HTML structure
• Add custom UI
• Integrate with any theme

👉 All without touching plugin core files.

📂 Template Structure

Inside the plugin:

/templates/
├── archive/
├── single-movie/
├── single-series/
├── single-episode/
├── loop/
├── dashboard/
├── auth/
├── global/
├── pages/

Each folder represents a specific frontend area.

🔁 How Template Override Works

To override any template:

Copy from:
plugin/templates/{file}.php

Paste into:
your-theme/movie-engine/{file}.php

📌 Example

Override movie archive page:

Plugin:
templates/archive/archive-movie.php

Theme:
your-theme/movie-engine/archive-movie.php

👉 WordPress will automatically use your theme version instead of plugin default.

⚙️ Supported Override Locations

Template Type	Example File
Archive	archive-movie.php, archive-series.php
Single	single-movie.php, single-episode.php
Loop	loop-item.php
Dashboard	dashboard.php
Auth	login.php, register.php
Global	header.php, footer.php

---

🧠 Important Notes (VERY IMPORTANT)

⚠️ 1. Do NOT Edit Plugin Files

❌ Wrong:

/wp-content/plugins/movie-engine/templates/...

✔ Correct:

/wp-content/themes/your-theme/movie-engine/...

⚠️ 2. Keep File Structure

• Maintain the same folder structure
• Maintain file names

👉 Otherwise, the override will not work.

⚠️ 3. Template Updates

When plugin updates:

• Templates may change
• New features may be added

👉 You must manually update overridden files if needed.

⚠️ 4. Do NOT Remove any Class

Example:

<div class="movie-engine-archive-wrapper">

❌ Removing classes can break:

• AJAX filtering
• Layout system
• Player functionality

🧱 Template Example (Basic)

<?php get_header(); ?><div class="movie-engine-archive-wrapper">
<div class="movie-engine-container-fluid">
<!-- Movie Loop -->
</div>
</div><?php get_footer(); ?>

🔄 Versioning System

Each template includes version info:

@version 1.0.0

👉 When version changes:

• Compare your overridden file
• Update if necessary

⚙️ How It Works (Behind the Scenes)

User visits page
   ↓
Plugin loads template
   ↓
Checks theme override
   ↓
If exists → use theme file
Else → use plugin default

🎯 Use Cases

• Custom Netflix-style UI
• Integrate with a custom theme
• Add ads or banners
• Modify layout structure
• Add custom fields

🧠 Best Practices

• Only override what you need
• Keep templates minimal
• Use a child theme for overrides
• Document your changes
• Compare after plugin updates

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Editing plugin files
❌ Removing required CSS classes
❌ Breaking HTML structure
❌ Not updating templates after update