Difference between revisions of "X-Cart:CSS and JavaScript optimization"

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To optimize operations with CSS and JavaScript, we have added the load_defer and load_defer_code Smarty tags. Both these tags handle the operations of assembling and displaying of code for JavaScript and CSS:
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To optimize operations with CSS and JavaScript, we have added new Smart tags - 'load_defer' and 'load_defer_code'. Both these tags handle the operations of assembling and displaying of code for JavaScript and CSS:
  
 
* <tt>load_defer</tt> - assembles code
 
* <tt>load_defer</tt> - assembles code
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To ensure the correct operation of CSS/JS optimizers, make sure that the CSS and JS files are available for reading and writing in the <tt>/var/cache</tt> directory (according to the rules set in the default /var/.htacess and var/cache/.htaccess). This also applies to versions 4.4.2 and newer.
 
To ensure the correct operation of CSS/JS optimizers, make sure that the CSS and JS files are available for reading and writing in the <tt>/var/cache</tt> directory (according to the rules set in the default /var/.htacess and var/cache/.htaccess). This also applies to versions 4.4.2 and newer.
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[[Category:X-Cart user manual]]
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[[Category:X-Cart developer guide]]
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[[Category:X-Cart user manual]]
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[[Category:X-Cart developer guide]]
  
 
[[Category:X-Cart user manual]]
 
[[Category:X-Cart user manual]]

Revision as of 12:44, 20 November 2011

To optimize operations with CSS and JavaScript, we have added new Smart tags - 'load_defer' and 'load_defer_code'. Both these tags handle the operations of assembling and displaying of code for JavaScript and CSS:

  • load_defer - assembles code
  • load_defer_code - displays code.

The logic of the tags depends on the store configuration variables: Use speed-up tool for CSS and Use speed-up tool for Javascript.

If these variables are disabled, load_defer displays the entered code immediately and load_defer_code doesn't do anything.

Code can be assembled two ways:

  1. Contained in an external file.
  2. Entered directly in a template.

In the first case, you pass the 'file' parameter, which is the path from the skin to the file (JavaScript or CSS). For example:

{load_defer file="js/popup_open.js" type="js"}

In the second case, you pass the 'direct_info' parameter, which contains the code to be passed to the optimizer. For example:

{capture name=admin_preview_js}
var txt_this_form_is_for_demo_purposes = '{$lng.txt_this_form_is_for_demo_purposes|wm_remove|escape:javascript}';
var txt_this_link_is_for_demo_purposes = '{$lng.txt_this_link_is_for_demo_purposes|wm_remove|escape:javascript}';
{/capture}

{load_defer file="admin_preview_js" direct_info=$smarty.capture.admin_preview_js type="js"}

'load_defer' – accumulates code of a certain type in the global stream for the optimizer.

'load_defer_code' – registers accumulated code of a certain type with optimizer, connects the entry point of an optimizer with a registered identifier by the place in the code and clears the global stream for this type.

Script – optimizer’s point of entry to its own queue – selects code for this type and this identifier – checks its relevance (if necessary, rebuilds code cache) and returns the code as an external file (with the respective headers).

CSS is considered optimal when it is entirely declared and called prior to the <body> tag (specifically, between the <head> and </head> tags). Another recommendation is to keep it all in a single file. If these are observed, the style is not going to be rebuilt while loading DOM and the styles if they are specified below.

That is why /skin/common_files/customer/service_head.tpl includes the {load_defer_code type="css"} tag, and the entire CSS is included earlier, in {include file="/skin/common_files/customer/service_css.tpl"}. For example:

/skin/common_files/customer/service_head.tpl

{include file="customer/service_css.tpl"}
... skipped code ...
{load_defer_code type="css"}

/skin/common_files/customer/service_css.tpl

{load_defer file="lib/cluetip/jquery.cluetip.css" type="css"}

Regarding JavaScript, assembling and registering JavaScript code goes in two stages:

  • Immediately before the </body> tag.
  • Before the <body> tag (specifically, between the <head> and </head> tags).

In the first case, the {load_defer_code type="js"} tag is included into /skin/common_files/customer/home.tpl, and all the JS is included earlier in other files. For example:

/skin/common_files/customer/home.tpl

{include file="customer/content.tpl"}
... skipped code ...
{load_defer_code type="js"}

/skin/common_files/customer/content.tpl =>

/skin/common_files/customer/right_bar.tpl =>
/skin/common_files/customer/menu_cart.tpl =>
/skin/common_files/customer/ajax.minicart.tpl
{load_defer file="js/ajax.minicart.js" type="js"}

In the second case, {load_defer_code type="js"} tag is included in /skin/common_files/customer/service_head.tpl, and all the JS is included earlier in /skin/common_files/customer/service_js.tpl"}. For example:

/skin/common_files/customer/service_js.tpl

{load_defer file="js/common.js" type="js"}

/skin/common_files/customer/service_head.tpl

{include file="customer/service_js.tpl"}
... skipped code ...
{load_defer_code type="js"}

It is highly recommended to place JavaScript code at the bottom, i.e. right above the </body> tag. In this case, the code will be loaded and executed after the browser has built the DOM.

Much of X-Cart functionality does not take this into account and place JavaScript code before the <body> tag, thus making JavaScript code run while the page is being loaded.

Besides that, with the current functionality, it is not always possible to use the 'load_defer' tags, so sometimes JavaScript code is included directly.

queue parameter

To improve the flexibility and define a code execution order, we are introducing the "queue" parameter for the load_defer tag (set to 0 by default), which determines the order for the execution of code within a resulting code given by optimizer.

For example, the code in /skin/common_files/onload_js.tpl

{load_defer file="onload_js" direct_info=$smarty.capture.onload_js type="js" queue="1"}

When using the

url(path_to_css)

construction in your CSS, use relative paths in it. And make sure to have no spaces in the path_to_css parameter.

X-Cart 4.4or above

When working on the design, you can disable caching for buy_now.tpl and other templates. Since version 4.4.3, you can do that by adjusting the 'Use cached buy_now.tpl template calls' option. In version 4.4.2, you can disable caching for buy_now.tpl by manually replacing

$smarty->caching = 2;

with $smarty->caching = 0; in /include/templater/plugins/function.include_cache.php. The older versions do not use template caching.

Also, when working on the design, you may want to turn off the 'Do not check if templates are changed (Smarty compile_check)' option. This is applicable to versions 4.4.2 and newer.

You can force rebuilding the target files by removing all the /var/cache/*.css and /var/cache/*.js files (versions 4.4.2 and newer).

To ensure the correct operation of CSS/JS optimizers, make sure that the CSS and JS files are available for reading and writing in the /var/cache directory (according to the rules set in the default /var/.htacess and var/cache/.htaccess). This also applies to versions 4.4.2 and newer.