[geeklog-devel] New GL default theme

[Oliver Spiesshofer]

Hi Eric,

I somehow object a clear cut and move to XHTML.
I would rather like to see a variable that allows the system to switch 
what kind of HMTL/XHTML is produced by the core code, set by the theme.
All the "/>" woud be replaced by something like "$X>" where the variable 
$X is either empty or includes a "/".

Oliver


=MF=Geiss wrote:

> Just doing a follow up, has anyone with CVS admin rights had the 

> opportunity to review the XHTML conversion code provided by dengen on 

> Sept. 17 in this thread: 

> http://eight.pairlist.net/pipermail/geeklog-devel/2007-September/002350.html. 

>

>

> Thx! :-)

>

> Eric 'Geiss' Warren

>

> =MF=Geiss wrote:

>> Quoting Oliver: "I don't 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."

>>

>> I may be mistaken, but I believe that the translation to XHTML 

>> included all the core php files, not just the .thtml files. If you 

>> look in the original archive (which I've attached to this email), 

>> you'll see that it looks like a full GL rewrite (at least to my 

>> untrained eye ;-) ). Also, if you visit the test site referenced in 

>> http://eight.pairlist.net/pipermail/geeklog-devel/2007-September/002350.html 

>> which is http://www.trybase.com/~sun/ you can see that it validates 

>> XHTML 1.0 Transitional.

>>

>> From lib-common.php line 903:

>>                          $feed_url[] = '<link rel="alternate" 

>> type="application/'

>>                          . $format_type . '+xml" hreflang="' . 

>> $A['language']

>>                          . '" href="' . $baseurl . $A['filename'] . 

>> '" title="'

>>                          . $format_name . ' Feed: ' . $A['title'] . 

>> '" />';

>>

>> From story.php line 550:

>> $featured_options = "<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"featured\" 

>> value=\"0\" />";

>>

>> So, can someone confirm this? I believe, dengen 

>> (http://eight.pairlist.net/pipermail/geeklog-devel/2007-September/002350.html) 

>> went to a lot of effort to go through this. I'm sure there have been 

>> code changes since they converted to XHTML from the CVS snapshot of 

>> Sept. 17th. I would think it important to capitalize on these 

>> wonderful changes before the codebases become too different.

>>

>> Thx!

>>

>> Eric "Geiss" Warren

>>

>> Oliver Spiesshofer wrote:

>>> 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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>>>>

>>>>

>>>

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