Theming and Branding
From StatusNet
Theming:
- What we have: microformats heavily used on the site. Supposed to help designers because they don't need to learn new vocabularies.
- need a standard file structure; but there are different names
- files: display.css on top of that are the other themes (adds colours an images). Imports the base and then adds background colours, icons.
- If you want to develop a theme you can create a new theme, import the base and change the colours (if the layout is close)
- You can't change the HTML. You have to make a plugin for that. Intentional -- wanted to make theming easier.
- Admins can quickly pick themes from a drop-down list (instead of having to edit the CSS files by hand)
- the tpl folder controls what the site outputs generally, it is not specific HTML markup.
- Need to have a walk-through: which variables can be used? documented examples of how to create a plugin to change the HTML/layout
- want to be able to add site footer, sidebar with ads, etc. explain where the blocks are laid out.
- need to have a theming plugin.
- want to leave editing CSS files to the experts. make trivial updates easy.
- use the account pages to update your layout using drag-and-drop. concern: feasibility. alternate: have placement locations and say where you want it to appear using drop-downs (not drag-and-drop).
- use the WordPress model: most common implementation of CMSes therefore make it easy to learn statusnet theming using wordpress as the model
- critical to have a master file which is the wrapper for how the page works and where the plugins get inserted.
- need to explain between a theme and a plugin.
- Create themes based on common vocabulary (microformats, RDFa?)
- Document better
- Theming plugin
- Edit -> Drag and drop stuff -> Save
- Import themes from WP
- Integrating SN into your own site
- Explain the difference between theme and plugin for designers. Where do I start? What are people expecting?
- Perhaps a single template file that devs can copy/paste code into containers
[edit] Attending
- @sthibault - Stéphane Thibault
- @emmajanedotnet - Emma Jane Hogbin