How to override an admin theme template?

Question

I would like to override app/design/adminhtml/default/default/template/page.phtml

i'm currently using an extension that overrides app/design/adminhtml/default/default/template/page/header.phtml with a file in app/design/adminhtml/default/default/template/extname/page/header.phtml

i have recently made changes to the page.phtml file, but i would like to override it in the right way, but i'm not sure how. i was going through the codes to see how the extension developers override header.phtml but i cant figure it out.

can anyone tell me how to override this specific file?

Answer 1

Go to your extension's admin layout file or create one if you don't have yet.

default/default/layout/your_xml.xml

and add this in default section:

<layout>
    <default>
       <reference name="root">
          <action method="setTemplate">
              <template>your_path/page.phtml</template>
          </action>
       </reference>
    </default>
</layout>

I haven't tested but should work. Good luck.

Answer 2

You can declare a new primary theme for your admin area by customizing config (e.g. app/etc/local.xml) with the following:

<config>
    <stores>
        <admin>
            <design>
                <theme>
                    <default>your_theme</default>
                </theme>
            </design>
        </admin>
    </stores>
</config>

This will just set another level of fallback, and you can copy this and other custom templates/layout/etc under the right path in app/design/adminhtml/default/your_theme/

Answer 3

First of all I'm not believe this is the correct way of overriding adminhtml templates. But I try this approach and it works, So just wanna share.

Add this to your custom Module config.xml

<stores>
        <admin>
            <design>
                <theme>
                    <default>default</default>
                    <template>mycustom</template>
                </theme>
            </design>
        </admin>
</stores>

Now You can just override by copying templates from default to mycustom app\design\adminhtml\default\default\template\sales\order\view\history.phtml app\design\adminhtml\default\mycustom\template\sales\order\view\history.phtml