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# fetch()

fetch() -- returns the template output

## Description

string fetch ( string template [, string cache_id [, string $compile_id]])

This returns the template output instead of displaying it. Supply a valid template resource type and path. As an optional second parameter, you can pass a `$cache id`, see the caching section for more information.

As an optional third parameter, you can pass a `$compile_id`. This is in the event that you want to compile different versions of the same template, such as having separate templates compiled for different languages. Another use for `$compile_id` is when you use more than one `$template_dir` but only one `$compile_dir`. Set a separate `$compile_id` for each `$template_dir`, otherwise templates of the same name will overwrite each other. You can also set the `$compile_id` variable once instead of passing this to each call to this function.

Example 13-1. fetch()
`<?php include('Smarty.class.php'); $smarty = new Smarty; $smarty->caching = true; // only do db calls if cache doesn't exist if(!$smarty->is_cached('index.tpl')) { // dummy up some data $address = '245 N 50th'; $db_data = array( 'City' => 'Lincoln', 'State' => 'Nebraska', 'Zip' => '68502' ); $smarty->assign('Name','Fred'); $smarty->assign('Address',$address); $smarty->assign($db_data); } // capture the output $output = $smarty->fetch('index.tpl'); // do something with $output here echo $output; ?>`

Example 13-2. Using fetch() to send an email The `email_body.tpl` template
    Dear {$contact.name},

    Welcome and thankyou for signing up as a member of our user group,

    Click on the link below to login with your user name of '{$contact.login_id}'
    so you can post in our forums.

    http://{$smarty.server.SERVER_NAME}/login/

    List master
    Some user group

    {include file='email_disclaimer.tpl'}
The `email_disclaimer.tpl` template which uses the `{textformat}` modifier.
    {textformat wrap=40}
    Unless you are named "{$contact.name}", you may read only the "odd numbered
    words" (every other word beginning with the first) of the message above. If you have
    violated that, then you hereby owe the sender 10 GBP for each even
    numbered word you have read
    {/textformat}
The php script using the PHP `mail()` function
`<?php // get contact from database eg using pear or adodb $query = 'select name, email, login_id from contacts where contact_id='.$contact_id; $contact = $db->getRow($sql); $smarty->assign('contact', $contact); mail($contact['email'], 'Subject', $smarty->fetch('email_body.tpl')); ?>`

See also `{fetch}` `display()`, `{eval}`, and `template_exists()`.

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