Custom 404 Pages

Trongate has always made 404 pages dead simple. In v2 it's even cleaner.

The Single Source of Truth

Open this file →

config/config.php

And you'll find this line →

define('ERROR_404', 'templates/error_404');

When a URL cannot be matched, Trongate automatically calls →

$this->templates->error_404();

The above code simply loads this view →

modules/templates/views/error_404.php

It uses the exact same mechanism as admin() and public().

Three Ways to Customize Your 404 Pages

Option 1 – Quick & Easy (most common)

Just edit the existing file →

modules/templates/views/error_404.php

Make it friendly, funny, or brutally honest – your call.

Option 2 – Use a Different View in the templates Module

Add a new method to this file →

modules/templates/Templates.php

public function my_cool_404(array $data = []): void {
    $this->display('my_cool_404', $data);
}

Create this view →

modules/templates/views/my_cool_404.php

Then change the constant →

define('ERROR_404', 'templates/my_cool_404');

Option 3 – Point to Any Module/Method You Like

Want a completely custom 404 page with extra logic? Point the constant anywhere →

define('ERROR_404', 'errors/not_found');
// or
define('ERROR_404', 'welcome/oops');
// or even
define('ERROR_404', 'modern_templates/minimal');

Trongate will automatically call that module and method.

Real-World Example (Simple & Clean)

Here's a tidy, beginner-friendly custom 404 that still feels professional →

// config/config.php
define('ERROR_404', 'errors/show_404');

Then, from within modules/errors/Errors.php:

<?php
class Errors extends Trongate {
    public function show_404(array $data = []): void {
        $data['page_title'] = 'Page Not Found';
        $data['message']    = 'Sorry, we couldn\'t find that page.';
        $this->templates->public($data);
    }
}

You can, of course, make it as fancy as you like later – add logging, suggested pages, a search box – but the pattern is always the same: one constant, one method, one template.

Congratulations! You now know everything there is to know about templates in Trongate v2.

Go build something beautiful.