New Project - What do you think
For some time I have been considering creating a basic set of WordPress theme templates with popular layouts but without any other styling so web designers who don’t know WordPress can make a theme without worrying about the WordPress code.
I’ve come up with these layouts as a starting point:
- 2 column, right sidebar, fixed width, 800px.
- 2 column, left sidebar, fixed width, 800px.
- 3 column, left and right sidebar, fixed width, 800px.
- 3 column, 2 sidebars on right, fixed width, 800px.
- 2 column, right sidebar, fixed width, 1024px.
- 2 column, left sidebar, fixed width, 1024px.
- 3 column, left and right sidebar, fixed width, 1024px.
- 3 column, 2 sidebars on right, fixed width, 1024px.
- 2 column, right sidebar, fluid width.
- 2 column, left sidebar, fluid width.
- 3 column, left and right sidebar, fluid width.
- 3 column, 2 sidebars on right, fluid width.
The templates would of course be prepared for localisation and have Widget sidebars but only have the basic layout styles. You would then have to provide the styling and any images.
I want to build all of these layouts around one basic xhtml layout that never changes. Then it would be a matter of choosing the required stylesheet and dropping it in the theme’s folder.
One potential problem with this is the redundant files such as the extra sidebar in a 2 column theme. I don’t want to over complicate the code so I am considering 2 options. Either include the call to the redundant template file with a conditional statement so if it is deleted it doesn’t show or just setting the display to hidden in the style sheet.
Alternatively I could just make a whole theme for each layout based around the same templates.
I’m still considering this but would love to know what you think about the concept.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 27th, 2007 at 10:00 pm and is filed under My Projects, WordPress Themes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
February 27th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
Ainslie, that sounds brilliant!! For example, I am OK in XHTML and CSS design, but have no idea about how to implement or port the designs for WordPress. Your concept would open up the WordPress world for me in many ways. I think your concept is very good. It reminds me a little of the project that Andreas is working on, with modularized templates. Both your and Andreas ideas will push webdesign to a level that has been unknown until now. I vote for a BIG YES for you to continue the project. I think it would become an historic contribution to the WordPress community.
February 27th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
I think a lot of designers are in the same position. They could take a basic theme and design it around my barebones framework, but they don’t necessarily know or even want to know about the workings of WordPress.
I want to keep is simple so I am not sure which is the best way to go - 1 theme with lots of options/layouts or different themes.
I have seen Andreas’ modular template and this could work in a similar way as wordpress is already modular.
The difficulty I think will be keeping it easy to understand and providing enough documentation to explain how to use it.
February 27th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
It has already been done, by someone you know. The concept is not identical to yours and it has not been launched yet, but the overall idea is the same and it will be released soon. But don’t let that stop you, two sets of themes are of course better than only one.
February 27th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Hi Andreas,
Is this your modular template ported for WordPress?
What I had in mind was similar but maybe not as modular, although it could be! It would be easy to provide different layouts based on which template file was chosen. Sort of a theme pick-n-mix.
I don’t want to step on your toes and repeat what you are doing though!
February 27th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
This sounds intriguing, Ainslie. I would be keen to see how this develops, especially after the cool work you have done on other themes.
February 27th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Well it would be a theme with a basic layout and elements with id’s and classes ready to style.
I suppose it will still need a lot of work to get it to look how you want but you wont have to worry about the WordPress code.
February 28th, 2007 at 1:31 am
No, it is not the modular template turned into WP. And also not any new Sandbox theme, or any new minimalist collection. Only a set of very simple themes with classic layouts, intended for web designers who want to add images the final touch by themselves.
It has been done a number of times before, but these theme sets usually don’t get very popular since they are not useful for the big crowd, only for a very limited amount of people. But I’m doing my own set anyway since many of my site visitors have requested it. Go do it you too!
It would of course not be to step on anyones toes, it could be a great help for others and that is always good.
February 28th, 2007 at 7:56 am
To Ainslie and Andreas.
It’s a great idea no mater who makes it, and probably greatly appreciated by the ever growing Wordpress community. And when you are new to something as complicated as Wordpress, any help you can get is wonderful
/salute Ainslie and Andreas