Switch to tmpl=component in plugin code

Question

Just like using tmpl=component in a URL, I would like to change the tmpl= in a system plugin.

This, of course, does nothing:

$app = JFactory::getApplication();
$app->setTemplate('component', null);

Answer 1

If you want to mimic something being set from the URL, you should push it into JInput:

$jinput = JFactory::getApplication()->input;
$jinput->set('tmpl', 'component');

All code that runs after your plugin will see tmpl=component.