Magento - injecting custom phtml block into 2columns-left.phtml not working

Question

In my local.xml file, i have markup to overwrite product catalog page. Inside of 2columns-left.phtml before breadcrumb i want to create custom category block with dynamic product category title, and description and background color depending on category name.

Problem is that my custom block not appearing. local.xml:

   <catalog_category_view>
        <reference name="root">
            <action method="setTemplate">
                <template>page/2columns-left.phtml</template>
            </action>
            <block type="core/template"  name="big_header" before="content" template="boilerplate/page/html/head/big_header.phtml" />
        </reference>
    </catalog_category_view>

boilerplate/page/html/head/big_header.phtml:

<h1>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX</h1>

When i add this block into: <reference name="head"> content from big_header.phtml appear normally.

I use Magento 1.7

Answer 1

Create a local.xml in your theme layout folder as below.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<layout version="0.1.0">
    <catalog_category_view>
        <reference name="root">
            <action method="setTemplate">
              <template>page/2columns-left.phtml</template> 
            </action>

          </reference>
          <reference name="content">
            <block type="core/template" name="big_header" before="content" template="page/html/head/big_header.phtml" />
        </reference>
    </catalog_category_view>
</layout>

Create templae as

Your theme name => template folder => page folder => html folder => head folder => and big_header.phtml file

I think "boilerplate" is your theme name.

Make sure the category page which you are checking is Page Layout set to "No layout updates" in admin area.

Catalog => Manage categories => choose your category from left sidebar => go to custom design tab and Page Layout field.

There is no need to use $this->getChildHtml('big_header') ;

Answer 2

Magento uses core/text_list blocks (such as content ) which will automagically render all child elements. Unforutnatley, root is not one of these. You need to edit your template page/2columns-left.phtml and add a call into it for your block - ie

<?php echo $this->getChildHtml('big_header') ?>