New Theme Manager module

[westis]

This is simply fantastic!

I am still to try it out myself tonight. But as Calguy feared on IRC last night I do have one question...

As many templates will have several stylesheets attached it will soon be very messy when several themes are installed. Also, many templates might use the same stylesheets (like the default templates). How can this be catered for?

I can think of two scenarios regarding this:
1) A template that is using the same kind of stylesheets as the default templates in 0.11 (Layout, Colours, Typography etc. + one template-specific stylesheet). Can a theme tell the Theme Manager to use one or more of those stylesheets (=already existing stylesheets are attached to the template that is uploaded) + one or several template-specific stylesheets that are added when installing the theme?

1b) These stylesheets could be installed if the user does not have them installed already. Perhaps an option during the theme install.

2) Each theme using a category in Layout/Stylesheets with the stylesheets belonging to that theme under it. Like the content hierarchy, to sort the stylesheets a bit better when they become many.

Summary of what I'm trying to say
Not sure I've made my ideas clear and not sure I know exactly what I would like anyway. But if others have similar ideas, please extend the discussion. Basically what I'm saying is that
1) there needs to be a way to order the stylesheets when they become many and
2) it should be possible to reuse the same stylesheets for many themes, like the default templates now are using the same stylesheets, apart from one or two that are template-specific.


Theme/layout/design forum

Wishy, what about a Theme forum, where we could talk/answer about CSS and such, and also, we discussed about doing a theme competition, this could go there. If you create such a forum, please move this very topic there...

As always, Pat, you come up with some great ideas! The purpose of such a forum could perhaps be even broader, so that we don't suddenly have too many forums if they are not all used frequently. It could be called something like Layout & design or Themes, templates and stylesheets (or perhaps one of those in the description). Well, just thinking out loud, using the forum like it's IRC...


Theme competition

About the competition, we could start something like this:
allow every user to submit 1 or 2 theme, and have a public vote. Let's see what could be the prizes

Another great idea that we've been discussing a bit on IRC. It would encourage people to share nice themes and thus making it easier for people who are not keen on creating a theme from scratch to start out from several nice, different themes.

Personally I don't think we should limit the number of contributions, or extend the limit. The more to choose from the better. But we could have two rounds, where the top five or so could be selected for a second round of voting. Or a group selecting the top ten or so contributions to be included in the voting. Or perhaps that would be too bureacratic...

Well, the form can be discussed, but now with a Theme Manager the theme competition is a great idea!

[Svenni]

Where can I find FormObjects 1.0.0, which the Theme Manager module needs to run? In the Sound Forge I find the section of this module, but no download ...

[westis]

Where can I find FormObjects 1.0.0, which the Theme Manager module needs to run? In the Sound Forge I find the section of this module, but no download ...

I think there are a couple of classes added to the core that are needed for the Theme Manager. I suppose that means you need to use a CMSMS version based on the latest svn (that is, after beta6). But this will be included in the 0.11 release tomorrow.

Calguy: correct me if I'm wrong.

[Svenni]

I think there are a couple of classes added to the core that are needed for the Theme Manager. I suppose that means you need to use a CMSMS version based on the latest svn (that is, after beta6). But this will be included in the 0.11 release tomorrow.

Oh ... thank you for this info.

[calguy1000]

ThemeManager 1.0.1 does not require FormObjects anymore.  It's available for download now.

[kermit]

theme manager 1.04 on cmsms 0.12.svn.2006-01-27

while it exports images found in the template file, it does not catch images referenced only in the css. (have not checked but i would also guess it misses other external files).


and if wishy & others are prowling about:

i know a theme manager is in the works for 0.12, have you guys incorporated a "standard" scheme for locating graphics and other external files associated with a theme? such as /siteroot/themes/theme-name/ or /siteroot/images/themes/theme-name/ ?  even if css and templates remain in the database, there should be some sort of defined structure on where these external files will go to eliminate any potential conflicts between different themes.

[calguy1000]

hmmm, can you attach the .xml theme file?  if you can that would be great as it seems to be just a parsing error.  In my tests with a default install it does encapsulate images and other files referenced in the css.

[kermit]

had to rename it as txt as the forum doesn't list xml as a valid attachment file type.

there should be several images referenced in the css that were located in siteroot/images/themes/cms_aura/ in my installation (placed there manually when creating the template).  if that location isn't "right" for the theme manager, then this is all due to me not finding any direction on the "proper" place to put the external files.

note i removed the template, css, and images from my test setup and i cannot re-import this:
--Add Me - module:ThemeManager string:error_problemsavingincludes--
tried renaming the file (b instead of a) and also the theme name near the top of the xml with the same error message.

i was using the aura template from leorex.com (so that's what this xml is, sans the css referenced graphics) to familiarize myself with the way cmsms handles templates and styles.. not planning on using it for anything, so i was going to share the progress i had made up to this point in case anyone wanted it, when i noticed that some files were missing from the exported xml.

if it matters, using 0.12.svn.daily with a .tar datestamp of 27 jan 2006 08:40 (which had updated a 0.11.2 release). testing via apache2/php4 on winxp via uniformserver.com only because it's slightly more convenient than me firing up breezy, and having to disconnect my gaming rig in the process



[attachment deleted by admin]

[kermit]

i just did another theme and tried to export it using theme manager and the same thing happened...

the css-referenced image did not get included in the xml file. this one also has a modified menu template (located in the database) that was omitted.

ThemeManager.module.php version info:
# Version: 1.0.4, Calguy1000

index.php version info:
#$Id: index.php 2506 2006-01-28 00:53:37Z wishy $

[calguy1000]

I released ThemeManager 1.0.5 onto the forge last night.  You should try that module
you will however have to re-create your .xml file, as I did change the dtd version.

[kermit]

I released ThemeManager 1.0.5 onto the forge last night.  You should try that module
you will however have to re-create your .xml file, as I did change the dtd version.

well. that did the trick for the css-referenced external files.. also saw css associations i didn't see in previous export attempts. it didn't see the custom menu template, but that's a new feature, wasn't really expecting it in there quite yet.. 

i couldn't figure out how to either upgrade or install (after uninstalling the old) the new one via the xml file. ended up having to uninstall and remove (from /modules) the old one and then copy over the extracted tarball instead.

is there a way (yet) to add 'readme' type info to a (packaged) theme, like there is with a module (help & about)?  i wrote out a page and a half worth of notes on this one particular theme, mainly so i don't get lost later on, but if anyone else ever installs the theme, it's info they should know too. and

also, if xml files with encoded data are going to be the 'standard' way to package and distribute modules and themes, how about a standalone binary or shell script (win32 & *nix/osx) to extract the files to a specified directory for inspection prior to installation?

[calguy1000]

Good idea for the readme, could you submit a feature request to the forge. 

with regards to previewing,  we're trying to think of some way you can import the theme in a click or two, and remove it just as easily, without having to remove all of the templates, and the stylesheets individually.

However, we want to maintain the current stylesheet and template independance so that you don't have to use themes.

[kermit]

about keeping themes and installed templates & css (and menus i suppose) separate:

have you figured out a way to keep an imported template from conflicting with existing templates, css, and menus (or other files)?

... this ended up being kinda long ... so i attached a txt instead, as to not fill up someone's screen too many times while browsing this topic. 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[calguy1000]

Imported templates and stylesheet names are prefixed with the theme name, which stops most interference, and the system won't let you install a theme twice

[kermit]

Imported templates and stylesheet names are prefixed with the theme name, which stops most interference, and the system won't let you install a theme twice

i've been basically doing that now with my template and css names.. (prepending resource names with a 'theme' name), such as "theme_description_of_resource"

that could get interesting..

i have: aura_2col_layout, aura_2col_screen, aura_2col_print in one "theme"

i export it as a theme name of cmsms_aura10.

someone imports it and all the resources get tagged cmsms_aura10_aura_2col_xxxxx.

they repackage it (changing things or not) as a new theme. now we end up with

theme aura_reloaded_11, that when reimported by a third person, contains resource names like aura_reloaded11_cmsms_aura10_aura_2col_xxxxx



i gather you're anticipating a scenario like this and have planned ahead a bit, so the theme manager knows when a resource was imported via a theme and can strip out the old theme name on a re-export (as a different theme name)?