Encapsulated Plugins - frontend is_enabled() check

[balihr]

You could have an auto-loaded observer as part of the encapsulated plugin's file-set and code that observer such that it sets a 'global' variable that indicates its presence.

The code that's deciding whether/not to include that centerbox could then simply check for !empty($plugin_presence_indicator) to do its thing.

Damn it, Cindy, that was a brilliant idea - I would never have thought of that! Many thanks!

For anyone who would like to do the same, here's the solution:
Add a new file in your zc_plugins/your_plugin/version/catalog/includes/classes/observers/ named auto.yourplugin_plugin_presence_indicator.php (in my case auto.testimonials_plugin_presence_indicator) with the following content:

<?php
/**
 * Observer class used to indicate the plugin is active
 */
class zcObserverTestimonialsPluginPresenceIndicator extends base
{
    public function __construct()
    {
        // Declare the global variable and set it to true
        global $testimonials_plugin_presence_indicator;
        $testimonials_plugin_presence_indicator = true;
    }
}

Don't forget to change the class name based on file name.

That's it - now you have a global variable you can use anywhere in the system. In my case, I'm using it like this:

<?php
if (!empty($testimonials_plugin_presence_indicator)) {
    require($template->get_template_dir('tpl_modules_testimonials.php',DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'templates'). '/tpl_modules_testimonials.php');
}
?>