Brainstorming: What do we "need" template-wise?

[yellowled]

No, not at all, I think we should keep it simple though and just offer users the most requested options. Anything else should be changed in the code - or using AKB's template editor plugin.

Simple sounds great I think we pretty much agree that the best method is to have users overwrite an existing bg image. So which are the most requested options? I don't have a clue, I don't get requests

If you think it's OK I'll send you the plugin_calendar.tpl and style.css to include in the 'bulletproof' template.

Hand it over

Oh, by the way, the template and calendar are so far only tested on mac - they probably fall apart in IE6

So what? Everything falls apart in IE6 ...

YL

[d_cee]

So which are the most requested options?

I'd say:

• change the header image
  insert logo or image into blank header
  change position of the header image
  switch h1 off
  switch h2 off

Carl may have something to add.

Hand it over

I'll sort it out in the morning and send it you - might check it out on the PC first

Dave

[yellowled]

So which are the most requested options?

I'd say:

• change the header image
  insert logo or image into blank header
  change position of the header image
  switch h1 off
  switch h2 off

Maybe not really "switch off" but rather "hide" h1 and h2? We could do that pretty easily using the Fahrner Image Replacement code I mentioned earlier. Two more options in the theme config and some code in the index.tpl ...

Concerning the first three points: Maybe we should leave that out altogether for the vanilla template we're building here. It will be much easier to do that in a "finished" template which has already been built using the vanilla template. So somebody takes our vanilla code, builds a pretty template using a header image, some user overwrites this image and uses his own ..?

YL

[yellowled]

Little update: I just now uploaded an updated template to the sandbox and an updated zipfile to the well-known url.

NEWS:
- added a skiplink to the archive page ({$serendipityBaseURL}/archive - is this correct or do we need something else in case URL rewriting isn't active?)
- added theme option to hide blog title and/or description (set it to "NO" to hide, the description will be "Show blog title/description?", but I still haven't edited the lang_*.inc.php files )

YL

[d_cee]

Hi YL

I've pm'ed you a link for the calendar files.

- added a skiplink to the archive page ({$serendipityBaseURL}/archive - is this correct or do we need something else in case URL rewriting isn't active?)

erm... I think so! - but Garvin will know for sure. Don't think he's reading this thread though.

hide, the description will be "Show blog title/description?"

sounds good - and yes probably letting users change the header in a finished theme makes sense.

I'll take a look at the zip tonight

Dave

[yellowled]

I've pm'ed you a link for the calendar files.

Updated sandbox and zipfile. Looks good to me, but I've changed the CSS a little in order to give the calendar a flexible width, which will work better with the general layout in my opinion. Looks good in FF/Linux, don't know about Win

erm... I think so! - but Garvin will know for sure. Don't think he's reading this thread though.

Nope, doesn't work if URL rewriting is disabled. I've changed it to "{$serendipityBaseURL}index.php?/archive" which works in both cases.

and yes probably letting users change the header in a finished theme makes sense.

It's a little 'the easy way out', but I suppose it's the sane thing to do.

Sooo ... we have the calendar, we have most of the theme options we wanted to do, we have tableless forms (although we still have the option to go with the form code you posted) ... what else is left to do?

lang_*.inc.php files, cleaning up the style.css, adding more necessary base code to it, ..?

YL

[carl_galloway]

I've just downloaded your latest bulletproof zipfile, and I want to make a code suggestion.

Where you use FIR, the H1 and H2 both have two calls to the variable, by changing the code you could reduce these to one each. At present you have;

Code: Select all

<h1>{if $template_option.firbtitle == 'false'}<span class="invisible">{/if}<a class="homelink1" href="{$serendipityBaseURL}">{$head_title|@default:$blogTitle|truncate:80:" ..."}</a>{if $template_option.firbtitle == 'false'}</span{/if}</h1>

make it;

Code: Select all

<h1><span class="{if $template_option.firbtitle == 'false'}in{/if}visible"><a class="homelink1" href="{$serendipityBaseURL}">{$head_title|@default:$blogTitle|truncate:80:" ..."}</a></span</h1>

This is the only change you need to make, and you don't even need to add a .visible class to the stylesheet, although you could create a .visible {} as a placeholder with an explanation so users don't accidently create a visible class for other parts of the template.

[yellowled]

I've just downloaded your latest bulletproof zipfile, and I want to make a code suggestion.

Great, thanks. Already updated. Can't write much now, have to watch snooker

YL

[yellowled]

Hrmpf. Seems like I had a little typo in that last code change - must not confuse } and ] ... fixed that and along the way included the lang_*.inc.php files. It would be great if you guys could have a look at it, I'm not sure whether they're 'verbose enough' for new users.

Have a nice weekend, I'm probably out until Monday.

YL

[carl_galloway]

I'm pretty much out for the next couple of weeks as well, although I'll try to keep popping in for updates.

[d_cee]

I'll download the latest and take a look this weekend - if my busy schedule allows

Dave

[hgoor]

If you guys can make template that works like the way described here:

http://alistapart.com/articles/switchymclayout

Then I think you REALLY accomplishe something!

[abdussamad]

I have a suggestion to make regarding template options. I suggest that we implement a way to configure common template options independent of individual templates. Most templates have common options related to configuring the top nav bar etc. and it can be really tedious for the user to configure each template individually. This is especially the case with the nav bar since you have to reenter all your link urls and anchor text each time you switch templates. It would be great if we could agree on common theme options that can then configured once and are reflected in all supporting themes. Of course themes can still supply their own options but they will respect the common options as well.

[carl_galloway]

Problem is it's not about making the template use the same navbar names, many of them already do, the problem is that the navbar link details are stored in the db as specific to the template, as designers we can't change this unless Garvin steps in, in fact we're still waiting for him to read this thread and make observations about some of the stuff mentioned on the first page.

[abdussamad]

What I am trying to do is this:
a) Get your opinions on whether a feature like this is a good idea and that you will use it in your future templates.
b) Get your opinions on what common options to include.

With regard to b I can think of the following:

a) navbar links plus anchor text
b)toggle author name display

Any others that you might like to see?

With regard to the implementation I am willing to take a crack at implementing a simple plugin to do this. The idea I have is that the plugin simply provides an interface to configure these common options. It does not actually display anything but just stores the values in the DB. Templates then read these stored values and react accordingly. I have never developed a plugin before but I am willing to try if you guys will support it in your templates