[geeklog-devel] New GL default theme

Sun Oct 14 05:37:14 EDT 2007

Geiss,

I have submitted a change to the CVS that removes the 
left-blocks-in-footer variable from the config.php and defaults it to 
true. In adition, I added the right-blocks-in-footer variable and 
defaulted it to false.
If you change one of them now in the function.php of the template, you 
can create CSS themes w/o any tables.

I dont know about the XHTML changes submitted. However, a LOT of the 
HTML code created in the functions is pure HTML, not XHTML. I would 
suggest that we start using XHTML after the complete PHP-generated HTML 
is able to output both depending on a config setting.

The new theme looks great. If you want to take the CVS and remove all 
the tables from your layout please go ahead. I am a bit off for the 
coming 6 days so dont expect quick answers from me :-)

Oliver

=MF=Geiss wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I didn't receive any feedback on my previous thoughts re: a new GL 
> default theme, so I decided to go ahead and do a mockup (since a 
> picture is worth a 1000 words :-) ). Please check it out at 
> http://geiss.getmyip.com/gl141/ and give me your thoughts.
>
> I am also wondering if anyone with admin rights to CVS has added the 
> XHTML changes submitted by  mystral-kk/ /in this devel email: 
> http://eight.pairlist.net/pipermail/geeklog-devel/2007-September/002350.html 
> . This would be a big help in moving forward with new themes.
>
> Thx!
>
> Eric "Geiss" Warren
>
>
> =MF=Geiss wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Long time lurker, first time contributor. Go easy! :-)
>>
>> It sounds like the real question is, does one bite the bullet now or 
>> later? Personally, I would like to see now. XHTML and CSS layouts are 
>> the way to go IMHO. The landscape is changing rapidly, and I know 
>> everyone hates to hear it, but GL's layout shows its age more and 
>> more every day. If the steps aren't taken now, then when? If one 
>> waits 2-3 releases, they are very realistically talking about year(s) 
>> until a layout revisit.
>>
>> I have some ideas for a new default theme, basically a Frankenstein 
>> of the existing Refresh_F theme (re-worked colors, etc.) and the 
>> header background at http://www.bartelme.at. I also think the main 
>> site needs to be re-designed to be more "surfer" friendly. Let me 
>> explain. Like others have said before, the average joe coming to 
>> gl.net to check it out will get their first impression (like it or 
>> not) from the way the site looks. Too much info (especially 
>> text-based stuff) on the main page is overwhelming. There are ways to 
>> still incorporate a lot of info, but let the user experience it at 
>> their own pace. For example, I like the Extras tab toward the bottom 
>> of http://complementaryduo.com/ that expands and repositions itself 
>> at the top of the page. Something similar could be tied into the 
>> static pages in that when you set a static page to be the Extras 
>> section, its content would appear in the slide-down box. Almost like 
>> a "featured" static page. Also, more block real estate could be saved 
>> by moving login/my account info into a slide-down header similar to 
>> http://www.builtbybuffalo.com. I would be willing to proceed with 
>> work on a new theme, and gl.net re-layout, if of course I have the 
>> blessing of the core team and the help of all the wonderful people 
>> here. :-) My goal is to make GL eye catching and interesting. Yes, 
>> some of the javascript I mentioned above is eye-candy, but there 
>> needs to be a certain amount of it, if gl is going to appeal to a 
>> wider base of users.
>>
>> GL does a lot of things right, I think a theme's functions.php file 
>> should be put to more use with regards to selecting column layout, 
>> etc. The person who converted the GL layout to transitional XHTML 
>> already put forth a lot of effort that would be a great place to 
>> start, and it sounds like Oliver is willing to put forth additional 
>> backend effort to make it a reality. I see a need for a developer 
>> road map, as organization of teams and a clear vision for the future 
>> of GL are lacking. But other than that, it sounds like there are 
>> those willing to make it happen. They're just waiting for a green 
>> light from... somebody.
>>
>> What time frame are we shooting for the 1.5 release? Like I said, I 
>> am willing to put in some significant hours, but I don't want to see 
>> things drag on forever. Again, I think a clear road map and timetable 
>> would be beneficial to help everyone focus and prioritize. GL has a 
>> great core, a great forum, and a great media gallery. Now it needs a 
>> great look. ...maybe a new name and tagline... gl - the cms for the 
>> rest of us. :-)
>>
>> Respectfully,
>>
>> Eric aka "Geiss" Warren
>>
>> Oliver Spiesshofer wrote:
>>> Here is the current state of affairs regarding the layout:
>>>
>>> It would be quite easy to do CSS-only layouts, as I found out now. 
>>> Only very minor changes are necessary to create a center-left-right 
>>> HTML/CSS, one of them being to add a right_blocks_in_footer config 
>>> to the left_blocks_in_footer, and the other a flag to COM_showBlocks 
>>> that makes the function simply return if there are left or right 
>>> blocks in the layout and therefore assign different classes to 
>>> elements in either footer or header.
>>>
>>> Now the problem: If we want a layout that has the center in the html 
>>> before the left and right blocks, we cannot have a footer anymore 
>>> that spans the whole page as far as I could find out. The ideal 
>>> layout for center-first HTML is described here: 
>>> http://glish.com/css/7.asp If anyone manages to put a footer there, 
>>> please tell me how. The footer would have only the width of the 
>>> story, if the left/right blocks are shorter, there will be a blank 
>>> space.
>>>
>>> So the only thing left over, if we want a footer, is to have a left, 
>>> right, center, footer order in HTML and float everything to the left 
>>> (http://css.maxdesign.com.au/floatutorial/tutorial0916.htm). This 
>>> would require to display all blocks in the header, I do not really 
>>> know however what those left_blocks_in_footer are doing in the 
>>> config in the first place, this should be set only in the theme.... 
>>> well, in an ideal world this would not be necessary anyhow since all 
>>> elements would be joined together in one central function.
>>>
>>> So here is my proposal:
>>> 1. modify COM_siteHeader and COM_siteFooter so that either of them 
>>> can display right and left blocks (for the left blocks, that is 
>>> already the case, so why not for both?) This is to allow theme 
>>> authors to really do what they want and not be forced to a certain 
>>> order of the main 3 elements. This would be obsolete once we 
>>> introduce step 5.
>>> 2. Add an option to simply tell if blocks are there to 
>>> COM_showBlocks, so that in the header and footer, layouts of 
>>> elements can differ depending on the existence of left and right 
>>> blocks.
>>> 3. Use a table-free layout for the professional theme with 
>>> left-right-center floated.
>>> 4. (draft) Introduce a minimal-layout where the CSS only is changed 
>>> to display the center first. I am not sure how to make mobile 
>>> devices to choose this by default, and how this will look like, but 
>>> I will try to find a proper solution before introducing any of this.
>>> 5. (draft) Create a new function that creates all elements in one go 
>>> and replaces the COM_siteHeader + center + COM_siteFooter. Both ways 
>>> will be available but the aforementioned will be deprecated and 
>>> removed 3-4 (?) versions later.
>>>
>>> comments, suggestions, flying axes?
>>>
>>> Oliver
>>
>
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