Finding and editing CSS files

[RPJ]

I am trying to edit the stylesheet for the default theme NCleanBlue. The template says to edit Layout:NCleanBlue, but the only option I can find is to use the CMSMS edit window which opens when I click on the name (or the pencil icon) on the Layout screen.

Editing files in the CMSMS editor is very frustrating as there are no line numbers, search facilities, colour coding of sections etc. I would prefer to use some thing like Notepad++

I can see the files on the server using FileZilla, but cannot find the file which I assume is called NCleanBlue.css.

Where am I going wrong?

[Apologies if this has been answered before, I searched but could not find a post which covered this issue]

Thanks - RPJ

[Wishbone]

The stylesheets, templates, UDTs, etc are in the database, not in a file. You can try using Template Externalizer, which puts these in editable files and keeps the database synched up.

http://dev.cmsmadesimple.org/projects/externalizer

[mcDavid]

Just install the EditArea module, it works great!

[RPJ]

Thanks for your suggestions... I am beginning to think I may be too stupid for CMSMS.

I followd the link to Externaliser and found a page of code. I have no idea what to do with it and if there are some instructions I could not find them.

So I tried the alternative suggestion Edit Area.

I found EditArea zip and the screen grabs look good, but the Installation instructions say "You should extract EditArea somewhere in your website" What? I don't understand what that means.

I have extracted the Zip file to a local folder. Should I FTP it to my server? If so where?

Or should I install it as a Module? If so where is the XML file that the install routine is requesting.

I expect a learning curve but I am getting vertigo.

Thanks anyway - RPJ

[uniqu3]

These are modules so you either unpack downloaded packages to /modules folder of you CMSMS setup or upload XML in CMSMS Modules backend or use ModuleManager and simply install modules that you want/need without uploading, unpacking or whatever.

[scelle]

When editing Styles, I simply paste all the CSS code into some more usable editor, like Notepad++, make necessary changes and then paste it back to built-in CMSMS editor.

But now I'll try the EditArea.

[EDIT:] From some reason, I couldn't find the EditArea module, but I have found something better: AceEditor. It seams like an excellent syntax highlighter. Just install it, then go to My Preferences -> User Preferences, where you can set it as the active syntax highlighter.

[RPJ]

Yeah, that would work.

Cheers - RPJ

[M@rtijn]

[EDIT:] From some reason, I couldn't find the EditArea module, but I have found something better: AceEditor. It seams like an excellent syntax highlighter. Just install it, then go to My Preferences -> User Preferences, where you can set it as the active syntax highlighter.

Wow! This is module is ace!
Released today, thanks for mentioning this, has made my day

[scelle]

It really is a great and helpful module. Thanks uniqu3!

P.S. Add [SOLVED] in the topic's subject!

[mcDavid]

[EDIT:] From some reason, I couldn't find the EditArea module, but I have found something better: AceEditor. It seams like an excellent syntax highlighter. Just install it, then go to My Preferences -> User Preferences, where you can set it as the active syntax highlighter.

Wow! This is module is ace!
Released today, thanks for mentioning this, has made my day

Hmm I took a look at it but I like EditArea much better. It's got automatic language recognition, a "full screen" mode, some neat search options and it can also be set as wysiwyg editor so you can use it for editing page content.

It's a shame that it seems to be removed from the forge...