I think you're perfectly right P@t and when I read the Smarty code you wrote to replace get_html_menu_category PHP function, I really think you took the right decision!

I think this change will make [extension by rvelices] RV Menutree simpler to code, don't you think rvelices?

rvelices wrote:

I would say yes and no because moving complex php code (such as menu category) into smarty is just rewriting it in "pseudo" php which will make it less readable, less performant (usually because of the restrictions in smarty) and theme dependent ...

I don't think that new smarty code for menu category is really complex... I don't find it less readable than older php code (I'd like to say more readable!)
In the future, I'd like to create complex javascript template like smugmug... and for that, I think it's a good thing to remove all html code from php files.

rvelices wrote:

Note that if you start calling pwg functions from the template (which is perfectly feasible and it will probably happen) - it will just make things difficult for developers; not to talk about people who develop new themes

I know... but for menu category, I only use smarty functions (assign and if/else), and only one php function (str_repeat).
I think that it prove we can code "complex php code" in smarty with few things...

The HTLM chasing is open.

It will be nicer after. But you did the blocking point.