diff --git a/class/IconHandler.php b/class/IconHandler.php
index be883da..c5a51f2 100644
--- a/class/IconHandler.php
+++ b/class/IconHandler.php
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ public function assignImages($images): void
      */
     public function render()
     {
-        //$this->template->assign_by_ref("image", $this->images);
+        //$this->template->assignByRef("image", $this->images);
         $this->template->assign($this->images);
 
         return \count($this->images);
diff --git a/class/OnlineHandler.php b/class/OnlineHandler.php
index cff1ef9..ae34797 100644
--- a/class/OnlineHandler.php
+++ b/class/OnlineHandler.php
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ public function render(Smarty $xoopsTpl): void
             $online['users'][] = $user;
         }
 
-        $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('online', $online);
+        $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('online', $online);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/class/TopicRenderer.php b/class/TopicRenderer.php
index 29fcd7a..0f4477b 100644
--- a/class/TopicRenderer.php
+++ b/class/TopicRenderer.php
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ public function buildSelection(\Smarty $xoopsTpl): void
         $since              = $this->vars['since'] ?? $this->config['since_default'];
         $selection['since'] = \newbbSinceSelectBox($since);
 
-        $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('selection', $selection);
+        $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('selection', $selection);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ public function buildSearch(\Smarty $xoopsTpl): void
         $search['since']    = @$this->vars['since'];
         $search['searchin'] = 'both';
 
-        $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('search', $search);
+        $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('search', $search);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ public function buildHeaders(\Smarty $xoopsTpl): void
             $headers_data[$header]['title'] = $title;
             $headers_data[$header]['link']  = $this->page . '?' . \implode('&', \array_merge($args, $_args));
         }
-        $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('headers', $headers_data);
+        $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('headers', $headers_data);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ public function buildFilters(\Smarty $xoopsTpl): void
             $status[$link]['title'] = $title;
             $status[$link]['link']  = $this->page . '?' . \implode('&', \array_merge($args, $_args));
         }
-        $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('filters', $status);
+        $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('filters', $status);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ public function buildTypes(\Smarty $xoopsTpl)
             $status[$id]['title'] = $type['type_name'];
             $status[$id]['link']  = $this->page . '?' . \implode('&', \array_merge($args, $_args));
         }
-        $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('types', $status);
+        $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('types', $status);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ public function buildCurrent(\Smarty $xoopsTpl)
         //$status['link'] = $this->page.(empty($this->vars['status']) ? '' : '?status='.$this->vars['status']);
         $status['link'] = $this->page . (empty($args) ? '' : '?' . \implode('&', $args));
 
-        $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('current', $status);
+        $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('current', $status);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ public function renderTopics(\Smarty $xoopsTpl = null)
 
         if ($this->noperm) {
             if (\is_object($xoopsTpl)) {
-                $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('topics', $ret);
+                $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('topics', $ret);
 
                 return;
             }
@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ public function renderTopics(\Smarty $xoopsTpl = null)
         $result = $this->handler->db->query($sql, $this->config['topics_per_page'], @$this->vars['start']);
         if (!$this->handler->db->isResultSet($result)) {
             if (\is_object($xoopsTpl)) {
-                $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('topics', $ret);
+                $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('topics', $ret);
 
                 return;
             }
@@ -1118,8 +1118,8 @@ public function renderTopics(\Smarty $xoopsTpl = null)
         }
 
         if (\is_object($xoopsTpl)) {
-            $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('sticky', $sticky);
-            $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('topics', $topics);
+            $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('sticky', $sticky);
+            $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('topics', $topics);
 
             return;
         }
diff --git a/edit.php b/edit.php
index 42cc30a..6938092 100644
--- a/edit.php
+++ b/edit.php
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
         'content' => $p_message,
     ];
 }
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('posts_context', $posts_context);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('posts_context', $posts_context);
 // irmtfan move to footer.php
 require_once __DIR__ . '/footer.php';
 require_once $GLOBALS['xoops']->path('footer.php');
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index 2c7c937..8606d79 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
         'xoops_module_header',
         '
     <link rel="alternate" type="application/xml+rss" title="' . $xoopsModule->getVar('name') . '" href="' . XOOPS_URL . '/modules/' . $xoopsModule->getVar('dirname', 'n') . '/rss.php" >
-    ' . @$xoopsTpl->get_template_vars('xoops_module_header')
+    ' . @$xoopsTpl->getTemplateVars('xoops_module_header')
     );
 }
 $xoopsTpl->assign('xoops_pagetitle', $xoops_pagetitle);
@@ -225,8 +225,8 @@
 }
 
 unset($categories, $forums_array, $forumsByCat);
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('category_icon', $category_icon);
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('categories', $category_array);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('category_icon', $category_icon);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('categories', $category_array);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('notifyicon', $category_icon);
 
 $xoopsTpl->assign(
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@
         $userstats['lastvisit']   = sprintf(_MD_NEWBB_USER_LASTVISIT, formatTimestamp($last_visit, 's')); // irmtfan should be removed because it is for anon users too
         $userstats['lastpost']    = empty($userstats_row['user_lastpost']) ? _MD_NEWBB_USER_NOLASTPOST : sprintf(_MD_NEWBB_USER_LASTPOST, formatTimestamp($userstats_row['user_lastpost'], 's'));
     }
-    $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('userstats', $userstats);
+    $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('userstats', $userstats);
     // irmtfan add lastvisit smarty variable for all users
     $xoopsTpl->assign('lastvisit', sprintf(_MD_NEWBB_USER_LASTVISIT, formatTimestamp($last_visit, 'l')));
     $xoopsTpl->assign('currenttime', sprintf(_MD_NEWBB_TIMENOW, formatTimestamp(time(), 'm')));
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@
 ///** @var Newbb\StatsHandler $statsHandler */
 //$statsHandler = \XoopsModules\Newbb\Helper::getInstance()->getHandler('Stats');
 $stats = $statsHandler->getStats(array_merge([0], $forums_available));
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('stats', $stats);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('stats', $stats);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('subforum_display', $GLOBALS['xoopsModuleConfig']['subforum_display']);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('mark_read', XOOPS_URL . '/modules/' . $xoopsModule->getVar('dirname', 'n') . '/index.php?mark_read=1');
 $xoopsTpl->assign('mark_unread', XOOPS_URL . '/modules/' . $xoopsModule->getVar('dirname', 'n') . '/index.php?mark_read=2');
diff --git a/list.topic.php b/list.topic.php
index 440094c..950dcb4 100644
--- a/list.topic.php
+++ b/list.topic.php
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
         'xoops_module_header',
         '
     <link rel="alternate" type="application/xml+rss" title="' . $xoopsModule->getVar('name') . '" href="' . XOOPS_URL . '/modules/' . $xoopsModule->getVar('dirname', 'n') . '/rss.php" >
-    ' . @$xoopsTpl->get_template_vars('xoops_module_header')
+    ' . @$xoopsTpl->getTemplateVars('xoops_module_header')
     );
 }
 //$xoopsTpl->assign('xoops_module_header', $xoops_module_header);
diff --git a/post.php b/post.php
index 7ccfacd..b9c4d7d 100644
--- a/post.php
+++ b/post.php
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@
         'meta'    => _MD_NEWBB_BY . ' ' . $p_name . ' ' . _MD_NEWBB_ON . ' ' . $p_date,
         'content' => $p_message,
     ];
-    $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('post_preview', $post_preview);
+    $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('post_preview', $post_preview);
 }
 
 if (Request::getString('contents_upload', null, 'POST') || Request::getString('contents_preview', null, 'POST')
diff --git a/reply.php b/reply.php
index 1b1511e..dfd1cae 100644
--- a/reply.php
+++ b/reply.php
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@
         'content' => $p_message,
     ];
 }
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('posts_context', $posts_context);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('posts_context', $posts_context);
 // irmtfan move to footer.php
 require_once __DIR__ . '/footer.php';
 require_once $GLOBALS['xoops']->path('footer.php');
diff --git a/search.php b/search.php
index 1fe5abd..eed067f 100644
--- a/search.php
+++ b/search.php
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@
 $select_forum .= '<option value="all">' . _MD_NEWBB_SEARCHALLFORUMS . '</option>';
 $select_forum .= newbbForumSelectBox($forum);
 $select_forum .= '</select>';
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('forum_selection_box', $select_forum);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('forum_selection_box', $select_forum);
 
 /* searchin */
 $searchin_select = '';
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@
 // irmtfan get since from the user for selction box
 $since        = Request::getInt('since', $GLOBALS['xoopsModuleConfig']['since_default']);
 $select_since = newbbSinceSelectBox($since);
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('since_selection_box', $select_since);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('since_selection_box', $select_since);
 
 if ($xoopsConfigSearch['keyword_min'] > 0) {
     $xoopsTpl->assign('search_rule', sprintf(_SR_KEYIGNORE, $xoopsConfigSearch['keyword_min']));
diff --git a/viewforum.php b/viewforum.php
index 3a3da58..73c0b5c 100644
--- a/viewforum.php
+++ b/viewforum.php
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
         'xoops_module_header',
         '
     <link rel="alternate" type="application/xml+rss" title="' . $xoopsModule->getVar('name') . '-' . $forumObject->getVar('forum_name') . '" href="' . XOOPS_URL . '/modules/' . $xoopsModule->getVar('dirname') . '/rss.php?f=' . $forum_id . '" >
-    ' . @$xoopsTpl->get_template_vars('xoops_module_header')
+    ' . @$xoopsTpl->getTemplateVars('xoops_module_header')
     );
 }
 $forumDescription = $forumObject->getVar('forum_desc');
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@
     }
 }
 $parentforum = $forumHandler->getParents($forumObject);
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('parentforum', $parentforum);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('parentforum', $parentforum);
 
 $criteria = new \CriteriaCompo(new \Criteria('parent_forum', $forum_id));
 $criteria->add(new \Criteria('forum_id', '(' . implode(', ', $forumHandler->getIdsByPermission('access')) . ')', 'IN'));
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@
     $subforum_array = $forumHandler->display($forums, $GLOBALS['xoopsModuleConfig']['length_title_index'], $GLOBALS['xoopsModuleConfig']['count_subforum']);
     $subforum       = array_values($subforum_array[$forum_id]);
     unset($subforum_array);
-    $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('subforum', $subforum);
+    $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('subforum', $subforum);
 }
 
 //$categoryHandler = \XoopsModules\Newbb\Helper::getInstance()->getHandler('Category');
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@
 }
 $forum_selection_sort .= '</select>';
 
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('forum_selection_sort', $forum_selection_sort);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('forum_selection_sort', $forum_selection_sort);
 
 $order                 = (!Request::getString('order', '', 'GET')
                           || 'ASC' !== Request::getString('order', '', 'GET')) ? 'DESC' : 'ASC';
@@ -204,12 +204,12 @@
 $forum_selection_order .= '<option value="DESC"' . (('DESC' === $order) ? ' selected' : '') . '>' . _MD_NEWBB_DESCENDING . '</option>';
 $forum_selection_order .= '</select>';
 
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('forum_selection_order', $forum_selection_order);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('forum_selection_order', $forum_selection_order);
 
 $since = Request::getInt('since', $GLOBALS['xoopsModuleConfig']['since_default'], 'GET');
 require_once __DIR__ . '/include/functions.time.php';
 $forum_selection_since = newbbSinceSelectBox($since);
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('forum_selection_since', $forum_selection_since);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('forum_selection_since', $forum_selection_since);
 
 $query_sort = $query_array;
 unset($query_sort['sort'], $query_sort['order']);
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@
 
 [$allTopics, $sticky] = $forumHandler->getAllTopics($forumObject, $criteria_topic);
 
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('topics', $allTopics);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('topics', $allTopics);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('sticky', $sticky);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('rating_enable', $GLOBALS['xoopsModuleConfig']['rating_enabled']);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('img_newposts', newbbDisplayImage('topic_new', _MD_NEWBB_NEWPOSTS));
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@
     require_once __DIR__ . '/include/functions.topic.php';
     $xoopsTpl->assign('forum_topictype', getTopicTitle('', $types[$type]['type_name'], $types[$type]['type_color']));
 }
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('typeOptions', $typeOptions);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('typeOptions', $typeOptions);
 
 $query_status = $query_array;
 unset($query_status['status']);
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@
     //    /** var Newbb\PermissionHandler $permHandler */
     //    $permHandler      = \XoopsModules\Newbb\Helper::getInstance()->getHandler('Permission');
     $permission_table = $permHandler->getPermissionTable($forum_id, false, $isAdmin);
-    $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('permission_table', $permission_table);
+    $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('permission_table', $permission_table);
     unset($permission_table);
 }
 
diff --git a/viewpost.php b/viewpost.php
index c8262c0..3c22743 100644
--- a/viewpost.php
+++ b/viewpost.php
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
             'name' => $parent_forumObject->getVar('forum_name'),
         ];
         unset($parent_forumObject);
-        $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('parentforum', $parentforum);
+        $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('parentforum', $parentforum);
     }
     $xoopsTpl->assign('forum_name', $forumObject->getVar('forum_name'));
     $xoopsTpl->assign('forum_moderators', $forumObject->dispForumModerators());
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@
             'xoops_module_header',
             '
             <link rel="alternate" type="application/xml+rss" title="' . $xoopsModule->getVar('name') . '-' . $forumObject->getVar('forum_name') . '" href="' . XOOPS_URL . '/modules/' . $xoopsModule->getVar('dirname') . '/rss.php?f=' . $forum_id . '" >
-            ' . @$xoopsTpl->get_template_vars('xoops_module_header')
+            ' . @$xoopsTpl->getTemplateVars('xoops_module_header')
         );
     }
 } elseif (!empty($GLOBALS['xoopsModuleConfig']['rss_enable'])) {
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@
         'xoops_module_header',
         '
         <link rel="alternate" type="application/xml+rss" title="' . $xoopsModule->getVar('name') . '" href="' . XOOPS_URL . '/modules/' . $xoopsModule->getVar('dirname') . '/rss.php" >
-    ' . @$xoopsTpl->get_template_vars('xoops_module_header')
+    ' . @$xoopsTpl->getTemplateVars('xoops_module_header')
     );
 }
 // irmtfan remove and move to footer.php
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@
 }
 
 //$xoopsTpl->assign('viewmode_compact', ($viewmode=="compact")?1:0);
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('viewmode_options', $viewmode_options);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('viewmode_options', $viewmode_options);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('menumode', $menumode);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('menumode_other', $menumode_other);
 
diff --git a/viewtopic.php b/viewtopic.php
index 88982e2..4a735ab 100644
--- a/viewtopic.php
+++ b/viewtopic.php
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@
         'xoops_module_header',
         '
     <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="' . $xoopsModule->getVar('name') . '-' . $forumObject->getVar('forum_name') . '" href="' . XOOPS_URL . '/modules/' . $xoopsModule->getVar('dirname') . '/rss.php?f=' . $forumObject->getVar('forum_id') . '" >
-    ' . @$xoopsTpl->get_template_vars('xoops_module_header')
+    ' . @$xoopsTpl->getTemplateVars('xoops_module_header')
     );
 }
 
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@
     }
 }
 // irmtfan for backward compatibility assign forum_post_or_register smarty again.
-$xoopsTpl->assign('forum_post_or_register', @$xoopsTpl->get_template_vars('forum_post') . @$xoopsTpl->get_template_vars('forum_register') . @$xoopsTpl->get_template_vars('topic_lock'));
+$xoopsTpl->assign('forum_post_or_register', @$xoopsTpl->getTemplateVars('forum_post') . @$xoopsTpl->getTemplateVars('forum_register') . @$xoopsTpl->getTemplateVars('topic_lock'));
 
 if ($topicHandler->getPermission($forumObject, $topicObject->getVar('topic_status'), 'reply')) {
     $xoopsTpl->assign('forum_reply', '<a href="' . XOOPS_URL . '/modules/' . $xoopsModule->getVar('dirname', 'n') . '/reply.php?topic_id=' . $topic_id . '"> ' . $t_reply . '</a>');
@@ -468,14 +468,14 @@
 }
 // END irmtfan add restore to viewtopic
 
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('admin_actions', $admin_actions);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('admin_actions', $admin_actions);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('viewer_level', (int)($isAdmin ? 2 : is_object($GLOBALS['xoopsUser'])));
 
 if ($GLOBALS['xoopsModuleConfig']['show_permissiontable']) {
     //    /** var Newbb\PermissionHandler $permHandler */
     //    $permHandler      = \XoopsModules\Newbb\Helper::getInstance()->getHandler('Permission');
     $permission_table = $permHandler->getPermissionTable($forumObject, $topicObject->getVar('topic_status'), $isAdmin);
-    $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('permission_table', $permission_table);
+    $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('permission_table', $permission_table);
 }
 
 ///////////////////////////////
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@
                 'name'  => _MD_NEWBB_POLL_VIEWLOG,
             ];
 
-            $xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('adminpoll_actions', $adminpoll_actions);
+            $xoopsTpl->assignByRef('adminpoll_actions', $adminpoll_actions);
         }
     }
     // END can add poll
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@
 $xoopsTpl->assign('mode', $mode);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('status', $status);
 //$xoopsTpl->assign('viewmode_compact', ($viewmode=="compact")?1:0);
-$xoopsTpl->assign_by_ref('viewmode_options', $viewmode_options);
+$xoopsTpl->assignByRef('viewmode_options', $viewmode_options);
 unset($viewmode_options);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('menumode', $menumode);
 $xoopsTpl->assign('menumode_other', $menumode_other);