Hi Chase, Thanks for sharing some of your process. I couldn't tell is the nested extension 0.8.1 compatible?
-Daniel On Feb 2, 2010, at 8:20 PM, Chase Allen James wrote: > I've built probably 20 sites in radiant and although each site has > similar requirements, there are just as many differences. I usually > have a default set of pages and CSS I create and I always use the > nested_layouts extension by default. > > Usually Home pages are different than child pages so I give them a > separate layout. > If I need a two column layout, I make a separate, two column template > using XHTML, CSS, and 960.gs columns for reference and stick in my > Radius tags to make the content happen. I started out trying to use > "if_url", "if_content part" and other conditionals to figure out if > the current page needed multiple columns or not, but I find it much > simpler now to make a unique layout depending on what the page > requires and just set the pages layout manually. The nested_layouts > extension makes it much simpler to roll out new layouts as needed. > > I found out the gain in building a pristine layout that automatically > adjusted to each page was not worth the time and effort and it was > usually complicated and difficult to change anyway. Just about every > time, the project I'm working on needs something unique (and rightly > so) so I don't bother building a catch-all layout. I just build it as > it comes. I'm sure if I got obsessed with building a "theme" it would > get hacked to pieces in the end anyway when it was put into > production. > > I really like the Joomla and Wordpress contrasting going on because I > love how Radiant topples those CMS's design philosophies. Every time > I work in Wordpress or Joomla I get frustrated because I don't have > the freedom of Radius and Layouts. > > On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 9:46 PM, Charlie Robbins > <[email protected]> wrote: >> I've got a template that might be helpful for you: >> >> http://github.com/indexzero/radiant-scribbish-theme >> >> It uses several content parts as well as the <if_content part="" />. Hope >> that helps you! >> >> Charlie >> >> On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 9:41 PM, Anton Aylward >> <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> Daniel O'Connell said the following on 02/02/2010 08:18 PM: >>>> Hello to all, >>>> >>>> I'm still trying to get my head around designing a website with >>>> Radiant in mind. The biggest problem for me seems to be figuring out >>>> how to write the layout html so that Radiant "knows" where the >>>> content will go. For instance, with a multi-column layout how do you >>>> determine where the body or other page part will go in the layout so >>>> that it makes sense in Radiant. >>>> >>>> Could any of you seasoned veterans explain the process you use to >>>> design a website with Radiant in mind. How do you create a theme? >>>> Create 1, 2 or more column layout? >>> >>> I started to write this up but I rapidly found that explaining it was >>> about 20-30 times as much work as doing it. >>> >>> Lets see it I can get it done quick. >>> >>> 1. Go to Andreas Viklund's site http://andreasviklund.com/ and >>> download a FREE template. Get a zip file and unpack it. >>> >>> 2. Put .. >>> The HTML a named template >>> The CSS in public/stylesheet >>> The images in /public/images >>> >>> 3. Go to the template. >>> Go the <head> section >>> Edit the reference to the stylesheet to match where you put >>> the stylesheet. >>> Go through the <body>to find references to images and edit them to >>> match where you put the images. >>> >>> 4. Create the "/" page. >>> Set its template to be named template you created in #1 >>> >>> 5. Test by pointing your browser at the base of the site. >>> It *should* look like Andreas' example. >>> If it doesn't, then you've made a mistake in #2 and #3 >>> >>> 6. Create some dummy content of you own in "/" >>> >>> 7. Go to the template and find out where in <body> the example >>> content is. Leave all the menu stuff alone for now. >>> Replace Andreas' wordage with >>> <r:content /> >>> >>> 8. Test. >>> You should now see your won content. >>> >>> 9. Gradually replace more of the basics in the template with your own >>> material. >>> >>> I strongly suggest doing this: >>> >>> a) take the main menu stuff from the template and put it in a snippet >>> called "mainmenu" and replace it in the template with >>> <r:snippet name="mainmenu" /> >>> >>> b) test >>> >>> You can do that with other chunks of stuff. >>> >>> With a bit of practice you can do that in less time than it took me to >>> write this. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Now, based on hard earned experience, >>> I suggest your template has bits like this in it ... >>> >>> <div id=sidebar> >>> <r:content part="sidebar-hi" inherit="true" /> >>> <r:content part="sidebar" inherit="true" /> >>> <r:content part="sidebar-page" /> >>> <r:content part="sidebar-low" inherit="true" /> >>> </div> <!-- end sidebar --> >>> <div class="clear"> </div> >>> >>> You'll soon figure out what to do with the "hi" "low" and page-specific >>> parts :-) >>> >>> You might also want to use this as your template's core >>> >>> <div id="content"> >>> <r:unless_url matches="^/$"> >>> <h1 class="headerstyle"><r:title /></h1> >>> </r:unless_url> >>> <r:content /> <!-- page main content --> >>> <p class="insidelink">[ <a href="#top">Back to top</a> ]</p> >>> <r:if_content part="extended"> >>> <div id="extended"> >>> <r:content part="extended" /> >>> </div> <!-- end extended --> >>> <p class="insidelink">[ <a href="#top">Back to top</a> ]</p> >>> </r:if_content> >>> <r:if_content part="extended2"> >>> <div id="extended2"> >>> <r:content part="extended2" /> >>> </div> <!-- end extended2 --> >>> <p class="insidelink">[ <a href="#top">Back to top</a> ]</p> >>> </r:if_content> >>> </div> <!-- end div.content --> >>> >>> If you don't see it at first, trust me, you'll soon find out why :-) >>> >>> I've also found it useful to have this like in the <head> >>> >>> <r:if_content part="head"> >>> <r:content part="head" /> >>> </r:if_content> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>> I know that Radiant is only at 0.8.1 (stable) But there really needs >>>> to be better theming ability, and more documentation for those who >>>> struggle as I do with the programming end of things. >>> >>> I'm not happy with the idea of introducing "theming" the way WordPress >>> or Joomla does into Radiant. Its too restrictive. If you just try >>> converting the nine free examples that Andreas gives you'll find that >>> they have awkward fits. >>> >>> I'm working on a site based on his '03' example. >>> http://andreasviklund.com/templates/andreas03/ >>> The top part has two extra bit, the "logo" where it says "speed and >>> accessibility" and the "caption" where it says "Presentation ..." >>> You need page-parts for those. You may -or may not- want them inherited. >>> >>> So "Obviously" the "theme" has to dictate what page parts you can or >>> cannot have. If you develop with andreas01 >>> http://andreasviklund.com/files/demo/andreas01/ >>> and then move to Andreas03, you're in a mess - you've moved from two >>> sidebars to one and you've got slots for two page parts that didn't >>> exist before. >>> >>> What's the solution? >>> >>> Well, OK, 0-sidebar, 1-sidebar and 2-sidebar types of "themes". >>> Uh-oh! Someone isn't going to like that! >>> >>> Perhaps you need to use Joomla after all ... >>> >>> >>> >>>> I would also >>>> love to see a "Radiant CMS for dummies" or other instruction geared >>>> for beginners offered for sale. >>> >>> I think the real problem with Radiant is that it *IS* so simple and >>> straight forward. >>> People have become used to intricate, complex, rococo things like >>> WordPress and Joomla, so they keep expecting Radiant to be equally rococo. >>> It isn't. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> All warfare is based on deception. There is no place where espionage is >>> not used. Offer the enemy bait to lure him. >>> Sun-Tzu >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Radiant mailing list >>> Post: [email protected] >>> Search: http://radiantcms.org/mailing-list/search/ >>> List Site: http://lists.radiantcms.org/mailman/listinfo/radiant >>> Radiant: http://radiantcms.org >>> Extensions: http://ext.radiantcms.org >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> Radiant mailing list >> Post: [email protected] >> Search: http://radiantcms.org/mailing-list/search/ >> List Site: http://lists.radiantcms.org/mailman/listinfo/radiant >> Radiant: http://radiantcms.org >> Extensions: http://ext.radiantcms.org >> > _______________________________________________ > Radiant mailing list > Post: [email protected] > Search: http://radiantcms.org/mailing-list/search/ > List Site: http://lists.radiantcms.org/mailman/listinfo/radiant > Radiant: http://radiantcms.org > Extensions: http://ext.radiantcms.org _______________________________________________ Radiant mailing list Post: [email protected] Search: http://radiantcms.org/mailing-list/search/ List Site: http://lists.radiantcms.org/mailman/listinfo/radiant Radiant: http://radiantcms.org Extensions: http://ext.radiantcms.org
