WordPress how to create templates and url in custom plugin - wordpress

Question

I know how to create a single page and archive page but now I am trying to move everything into a custom plugin. So far I created my custom post type, 'location' and I created my files
/templates/archive-location.php
/templates/single-location.php
How can I get mysite.com/locations to read my archive-location.php all within my custom plugin.
***Update****
I was able to get my single page to work. Now how do I make it so this can be included in any site? For instance I don't know their layout, should I include header and footer?
I need it so if I remove my plugin, mysite.com/locations doesn't exist anymore.

Answer 1

Here is a code for dynamically create custom templates during custom plugin is activated.
suppose i want to create two page first and second and i would like to assign custom templates to it.
Put below the code in your custom plugin's main file like index file of your custom plugin.
/* Runs when plugin is activated */
register_activation_hook(__FILE__,'news_plugin_install');
/* Runs on plugin deactivation*/
register_deactivation_hook( __FILE__, 'news_plugin_remove' );
function news_plugin_install() {
$newsGagPages = array(
'First Page',
'Second Page'
);
foreach ($newsGagPages as $postTitle) {
$my_post = array(
'post_title' =>$postTitle,
'post_status' => 'publish',
'post_author' => 1,
'post_type' => 'page',
'post_status'=>'publish');
if(!get_page_by_title($postTitle))
{
$pageID = wp_insert_post($my_post,true);
}
if($postTitle =="First Page" ){
add_post_meta( $pageID, '_wp_page_template', 'template-first.php' );
}
if($postTitle =="Second Page" ){
add_post_meta( $pageID, '_wp_page_template', 'template-second.php' );
}
}
}
class PageTemplater {
/* A Unique Identifier */
protected $plugin_slug;
/**
* A reference to an instance of this class.
*/
private static $instance;
/**
* The array of templates that this plugin tracks.
*/
protected $templates;
/**
* Returns an instance of this class.
*/
public static function get_instance() {
if( null == self::$instance ) {
self::$instance = new PageTemplater();
}
return self::$instance;
}
/**
* Initializes the plugin by setting filters and administration functions.
*/
private function __construct() {
$this->templates = array();
// Add a filter to the attributes metabox to inject template into the cache.
add_filter('page_attributes_dropdown_pages_args',array( $this, 'register_project_templates' )
);
// Add a filter to the save post to inject out template into the page cache
add_filter('wp_insert_post_data',array( $this, 'register_project_templates' )
);
// Add a filter to the template include to determine if the page has our
// template assigned and return it's path
add_filter('template_include',array( $this, 'view_project_template')
);
// Add your templates to this array.
$this->templates = array(
'template-first.php' => 'First',
'template-second'=>'Second ',
);
}
/**
* Adds our template to the pages cache in order to trick WordPress
* into thinking the template file exists where it doens't really exist.
*
*/
public function register_project_templates( $atts ) {
// Create the key used for the themes cache
$cache_key = 'page_templates-' . md5( get_theme_root() . '/' . get_stylesheet() );
// Retrieve the cache list.
// If it doesn't exist, or it's empty prepare an array
$templates = wp_get_theme()->get_page_templates();
if ( empty( $templates ) ) {
$templates = array();
}
// New cache, therefore remove the old one
wp_cache_delete( $cache_key , 'themes');
// Now add our template to the list of templates by merging our templates
// with the existing templates array from the cache.
$templates = array_merge( $templates, $this->templates );
// Add the modified cache to allow WordPress to pick it up for listing
// available templates
wp_cache_add( $cache_key, $templates, 'themes', 1800 );
return $atts;
}
/**
* Checks if the template is assigned to the page
*/
public function view_project_template( $template ) {
global $post;
if (!isset($this->templates[get_post_meta($post->ID, '_wp_page_template', true)] ) ) {
return $template;
}
$file = plugin_dir_path(__FILE__). get_post_meta($post->ID, '_wp_page_template', true);
// Just to be safe, we check if the file exist first
if( file_exists( $file ) ) {
return $file;
}else {
echo $file;
}
return $template;
}
}
add_action( 'plugins_loaded', array( 'PageTemplater', 'get_instance' ) );