Magento custom block shows Fatal error: Call to a member function setTemplate() on a non-object

Question

I have created one block inside my custom module but it's not working. My module is working fine but my block is not working when I call my block from footer.phtml file it shows 'Fatal error: Call to a member function setTemplate() on a non-object'. Actually I want to show some message in my frontend using my custom block.I have mentioned my code below

local/Monojit/Custom/controllers/IndexController.php

<?php
class Monojit_Custom_IndexController extends Mage_Core_Controller_Front_Action
{
   public function indexAction()
    {   

        $this->loadLayout();    

        $block = $this->getLayout()->createBlock(
            'Mage_Core_Block_Template',
            'my_block_name_here',
            array('template' => 'custom/test.phtml')
        );

        $this->getLayout()->getBlock('content')->append($block);
        $this->renderLayout();
    }

}
?>

local/Monojit/Custom/Block/Mycustomblock.php

<?php
class Monojit_Custom_Block_Mycustomblock extends Mage_Core_Block_Template

{
//public function _prepareLayout()
//    {
//      return parent::_prepareLayout();
//    }

    public function _construct() {     
        parent::_construct(); 
        $this->setTemplate('custom/test.phtml');     
    }
    public function getmessage()
     {
       $msg = "showing my custom block";       
       return $msg;
     }   
} 
?>

local/Monojit/Custom/etc/config.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<config>

<global>

<modules>

<monojit_custom>

<version>0.1.0</version>

</monojit_custom>

</modules>

<blocks>

<custom>

<rewrite>

<custom>Monojit_Custom_Block_Mycustomblock</custom>

</rewrite>

</custom>

</blocks>
<helpers>
  <custom>
      <class>Monojit_Custom_Helper</class>
  </custom>
</helpers>
</global>

<frontend>

<routers>

<custom>

<use>standard</use>

<args>

<module>Monojit_Custom</module>

<frontName>custom</frontName>

</args>

</custom>

</routers>

<layout>

<updates>

<custom>

<file>custom.xml</file>

</custom>

</updates>

</layout>

</frontend>

</config>

I have created one theme (copied modern theme) inside frontend/default/monojit Changed admin design configuration as well,created necessary folder as well inside skin.screenshot pic

design/frontend/default/monojit/template/custom/test.phtml

//want to fetch data from my block 
<p>This is your custom block called programatically.</p>

localhost/magento/index.php/custom page shows my message correctly but when I call my block from footer.phtml page

<?php echo $this->getLayout()->createBlock('custom/mycustomblock')->setTemplate('custom/test.phtml')->toHtml(); ?>

It shows 'Fatal error: Call to a member function setTemplate() on a non-object' Do I need to create any layout.xml file? Please help me how can i fix my issue.thanks

Answer 1

Put the following code under <blocks> node in your config.xml and try.

<global>
    <blocks>
        <custom>
             <class>Monojit_Custom_Block</class>
        </custom>
. . . . 
</global>

Answer 2

getLayout() is not a method of the footer block code, hence it is false, not an object.

Creating a child block in this way is not good practice. You should add your block definition in your layouts.

in your case, you would add this in your local.xml layout file:

<reference name="footer">
   <block type="custom/mycustomblock" name="custom.block" as="custom_block" template="custom/test.phtml"/>
</reference>

then in your footer.phtml you can use $this->getChildHtml('custom_block');

if, for whatever reason you do want to continue with placing code in the template, adjust your line to this:

<?php echo Mage::getSingleton('core/layout')->createBlock('custom/mycustomblock')->setTemplate('custom/test.phtml')->toHtml(); ?>

Answer 3

<?php
class My_Booking_IndexController extends Mage_Core_Controller_Front_Action
{
    public function indexAction()
    {
        $this->loadLayout();
        $this->renderLayout();            
        echo $this->getLayout()->createBlock('core/template')->setTemplate('booking/booking.phtml')->toHtml();

    }
}