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    • easiest theme to mod, use as a basis for a new theme?

    Posted by StuManUSA on Tue 07 of Oct, 2008 19:00 GMT-0000 posts: 1

    Hello,

    I am getting started making my first TikiWiki theme. I already have a design converted to HTML/CSS, now I need to turn this into a TikiWiki theme.

    Boy, the .tpl files really get complex.

    Before I get started, what in your opinion is the best Theme to use as a template, or a starting point, and from there create my own out of the theme.

    I am looking for the most basic working Theme in your arsenal.

    My design calls for a header, left navigation column, right body area, and footer. A basic, flexible width, 2 column layout.

    Thanks!

    Reads: 22976
    Posted by Gary Cunningham-Lee on Wed 08 of Oct, 2008 01:48 GMT-0000 posts: 254 Japan

    I made a few comments at the tikiwiki.org forums, and will add a bit here. For a full-page-width theme, I'd use the *litecss layout method. This will probably be the default in Tiki 3, finally replacing the current old-school table layout. The tiki.tpl files in templates/styles/feb12 or /darkroom or /tikinewt or /thenews use this method, so could be the starting point. Because the columns are kept in place by means of floats and margins, it's important to make sure the dimensions are consistent. I'm writing up a wiki page on that now, and will post it shortly.

    For a single side column, you can just turn off the right column on your Look & Feel admin page; no need for anything special in the files.

    I'd avoid customizing template files if possible. They are a bit complex until you're familiar with how they work. If CSS is enough to provide the styling, that'd be easiest. If you want to move things around more than CSS can handle, then template modding is needed, but the downside is that theme-specific template files miss out when the default files are updated, unless you're careful to monitor updates and keep yours in synch.

    -- Gary