Using custom services or liferay services in liferay themes (velocity templates)?

Question

How to use custom services method in liferay themes in velocity files like init_custom.vm, portal_normal.vm etc.

I see liferay provides a l

Answer 1

It is possible.

1. The following code shows how to get the services:

   // Fetching instance of my custom services
   #set ($myCustomLocalService = $serviceLocator.findService('myCustomServices-portlet', 'com.my.custom.service.MyCustomLocalService'))
   
   // Fetching instance of UserLocalServiceImpl
   #set ($userLocalService = $serviceLocator.findService('com.liferay.portal.service.UserLocalService'))
   

2. Then simply call the service methods:

   #set ($listOfItems = $myCustomLocalService.getAllItems())
   
   #set ($listOfUsers = $userLocalService.getUsers(0, 99))
   

_{For Liferay 6.1 CE GA1: I found this class VelocityVariablesImpl (see methods like insertHelperUtilities, insertVariables) which actually makes all the variables and helper utilities available to the velocity templates.}