Magento 1.9.3 calling a custom block in cart page unsuccessful

Question

I have a very basic module:

app/code/local/Demo/Custom/Block/Giftproducts.php

class Demo_Custom_Block_Giftproducts extends Mage_Core_Block_Template {

  public function getGiftProducts() {   
    //code omitted
  }

}

app/code/local/Demo/Custom/etc/config.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
  <modules>
    <Demo_Custom>
      <version>1.0.0</version>
    </Demo_Custom>
  </modules>
  <global>
    <blocks>
      <giftproducts>
        <class>Demo_Custom_Block</class>
      </giftproducts>
    </blocks>
  </global>
</config>

app/design/frontend/custom_theme/default/layout/custom.xml

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<layout>
    <default>
        <reference name="content">
        </reference>
    </default>
    <checkout_cart_index>
        <reference name="checkout.cart">
            <block type="custom/giftproducts" name="giftproducts" template="custom/giftproducts.phtml" />
        </reference>
    </checkout_cart_index>
</layout>

app/etc/modules/Demo_Custom.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
    <modules>
        <Demo_Custom>
            <active>true</active>
            <codePool>local</codePool>
        </Demo_Custom>
    </modules>
</config>

app/design/frontend/custom_theme/default/tempalte/custom/giftproducts.phtml:

<?php

echo 'got here';

In cart.phtml I then call the block like this:

<?php echo $this->getChildHtml('giftproducts') ?>

Everything is doublechecked, seems pretty clear, cache is cleared, however I just cannot get the template to bo executed. tired various combinations of declaration in xml file, but with no luck.

Any help or guidance is much appreciated.

Answer 1

app/code/local/Demo/Custom/etc/config.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
    <modules>
        <Demo_Custom>
            <version>1.0.0</version>
        </Demo_Custom>
    </modules>
    <global>
        <helpers>
            <custom>
                <class>Demo_Custom_Helper</class>
            </custom>
        </helpers>
        <blocks>
            <custom>
                <class>Demo_Custom_Block</class>
            </custom>
        </blocks>
    </global>
    <frontend>
        <layout>
            <updates>
                <demo_custom>
                    <file>demo_custom.xml</file>
                </demo_custom>
            </updates>
        </layout>
    </frontend>
</config>

app/design/frontend/{package}/{theme}/layout/demo_custom.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<layout>
    <checkout_cart_index>
        <reference name="root">
            <block type="custom/giftproducts" name="custom.giftproducts" template="custom/giftproducts.phtml" />
        </reference>
    </checkout_cart_index>
</layout>

app/design/frontend/{package}/{theme}/template/custom/giftproducts.phtml:

<?php echo $this->__('We got it'); ?>

app/code/local/Demo/Custom/Helper/Data.php

<?php
class Demo_Custom_Helper_Data extends Mage_Core_Helper_Abstract
{

}

cart.phtml

<?php echo $this->getBlockHtml('custom.giftproducts'); ?>

app/etc/modules/Demo_Custom.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
    <modules>
        <Demo_Custom>
            <active>true</active>
            <codePool>local</codePool>
        </Demo_Custom>
    </modules>
</config>

Answer 2

Your code seems correct, but you have not defined XML file for the layout in app/code/local/Demo/Custom/etc/config.xml.

Please define layout tag in config.xml file like below:

<layout>
    <updates>
        <custom>
            <file>custom.xml</file>
        </custom>
    </updates>
</layout>

Update: One more problem I have found that you have defined block class name as giftproducts:

<blocks>
  <giftproducts>
    <class>Demo_Custom_Block</class>
  </giftproducts>
</blocks>

but called it in custom.xml with:

<block type="custom/giftproducts" name="giftproducts" template="custom/giftproducts.phtml" />

which should be:

<block type="giftproducts/giftproducts" name="giftproducts" template="custom/giftproducts.phtml" />

in your case.

I think this should do the trick.