Magento 2 Sequence - Multiple Modules Overriding Same Template

Question

I am using Magento Commerce 2.2.6 running in developer mode.

I have multiple modules that are overriding the same template via the setTemplate action in layout xml. I am using sequence in the modules' module.xml files to control processing order with the intent of controlling which module will ultimately have it's template applied.

UPDATE: It seems Magento is not respecting the sequence specified in these modules. If I manually edit config.php and change the load order (B loads before A) then the modules load correctly/as expected. However, if I then disable and re-enable the modules via cli, Magento rewrites config.php and the order of the modules is switched back (A loads before B).

Below I have copied the module.xml and layout files from each of the conflicting modules:

Vendor_A module.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="../../../../../lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Module/etc/module.xsd">
 <module name="Vendor_A" setup_version="1.0.0"/>
 <sequence>
 <module name="Vendor_B" />
 <module name="MageWorx_Downloads" />
 </sequence>
</config>

Vendor_A catalog_product_view_type_grouped.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<page xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:View/Layout/etc/page_configuration.xsd">
 <referenceBlock name="product.info.grouped.options">
 <action method="setTemplate">
 <argument name="template" xsi:type="string">Vendor_A::product/view/type/grouped.phtml</argument>
 </action>
 </referenceBlock>
</page>

Vendor_B module.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="../../../../../lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Module/etc/module.xsd">
 <module name="Vendor_B" setup_version="1.0.0"/>
 <sequence>
 <module name="Aitoc_GroupedProductsOptions" />
 </sequence>
</config>

Vendor_B catalog_product_view_type_grouped.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<page xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:View/Layout/etc/page_configuration.xsd">
 <referenceBlock name="product.info.grouped.options">
 <action method="setTemplate">
 <argument name="template" xsi:type="string">Vendor_B::product/view/type/grouped.phtml</argument>
 </action>
 </referenceBlock>
</page>

It is my expectation that Vendor_A would have it's template applied because the sequencing specifies for it to be loaded after Vendor_B. However, the opposite is true.

If I comment out the setTemplate action in Vendor_B, then Vendor_A has it's template applied so it seems everything works except sequencing.

Does sequencing not work in the way I think it does or am I making some other erroneous error?

• Kristof at Fooman: Have you confirmed that your sequence changes have been applied to app/etc/config.php? A cache refresh is not enough - you need to enable/disable any module for the sequence to be written into app/etc/config.php.
• poor_documentation: @KristofatFooman derp, I had a typo in my module.xml files

Answer 1

I had a typo in my module.xml files. The first module node in:

<module name="Vendor_A" setup_version="1.0.0"/>
<sequence>
 <module name="MageWorx_Downloads" />
 <module name="Vendor_B" />
</sequence>

should not be self-closing and instead should be written as

<module name="Vendor_A" setup_version="1.0.0">
 <sequence>
 <module name="MageWorx_Downloads" />
 <module name="Vendor_B" />
 </sequence>
</module>

Sequencing now works as expected.

• Mr. Lewis: Is this answer for your own question or an edit? It it is an edit plus update the question.
• poor_documentation: It is an answer. Once I fixed the typo everything worked as expected.
• Marco Pallante: You are a life saver! It's been 3 days I'm struggling with modules loaded in the wrong order, checked so many times the module.xml files and completely not seen that damned self-closing node!

Answer 2

Sometimes you want to load a Module at the end of the sort order. In Magento 1 this could be done by changing the Vendor and/or Module name for the alphabetical order.

In Magento 2 you have to do a little more to load you module at the end of the sort order. Create a simple plugin on Magento\Framework\Module\ModuleList\Loader to change the sort order.

Example Module can be found in Mage2Gen

https://mage2gen.com/load/f3b3a7ce-bf5c-4a09-93a4-d3a1fbdfc717

I have written this totally explained in a Codeblog.

https://codeblog.experius.nl/magento-2-module-load-last-order-position/