eXist-db include html template in .xq data

exist-db, html, templates, xquery

Solution

eXist-db's templating framework, by default, operates on requests for files with the `.html` file extension, not for `.xq` files. As you have found, the templating framework passes results from non-`.html` files through unchanged. (You will see the special handling for `.html` files if you open the `controller.xql` file in the app's collection.) Thus, instead of `ksearch.xq`, have your form submit the search parameters to an `.html` file that uses the templating framework's conventions to call XQuery code, e.g.,

<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" data-template="templates:surround" data-template-with="templates/page.html" data-template-at="content">
    <div class="app:show-search-results"/>
</div>

This `app:show-search-results` class (which I made-up) would point to a function in the `app` module (in `/db/apps/myapp/modules/app.xqm`) called show-search-results(), with the conventional arguments as used elsewhere in template functions. This is where you would put your search XQuery code.

Problem

i have an index.html data where I included the template through: ``` <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" data-template="templates:surround" data-template-with="templates/page.html" data-template-at="content"> ``` At the index html site I included a keyword search form, and the idea is when I click on the search button it should call an .xq file to request the search results: ``` <form method="GET" action="ksearch.xq"> ``` When I submit the form, the ksearch.xq page opens, but even though I include the same template div as above: ``` <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" data-template="templates:surround" data-template-with="templates/page.html" data-template-at="content"> ``` The ksearch.xq page does not have the template applied. It seems that when I call an .xq file the template is not applied, but when I call a plain HTML file, the template is applied. So the question is how can I use this template also in output of an .xq file? Thanks in advance.

Original source