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nekkidfish

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Registered: 12/16/04
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confused

I am new to this, so please don't shoot me for what may seem to be stoopid questions.

I have read through some of the documentation, but it is not an easy read for me. Basically, I don't understand much of it. But, I am not a very geeky person when it comes to understanding new things.

Can someone tell me, for instance, let's say I want to put a new image at the top of all my pages, and get rid of the blue header with the Geeklog logo -- how do I go about that? I'm not sure where to look for that in all of the files installed.

I would like to create a new theme, but don't know how, and don't understand the documentation here. Sad

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!!

HUGz and happy holidaze! Jules
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tmarquez

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Quote by nekkidfish:I would like to create a new theme, but don't know how, and don't understand the documentation here. Sad


Wow Jules, not to sound harsh, but if you can't even figure out how to replace the logo, you're going to have a very difficult time creating a new "theme".

However, you just need more of an understanding of HTML and what is called style sheets (style.css). All the theme templates are in the layout directory. I would make a backup copy of your current theme to a new directory and fiddle around there if I was you. This allows you to tamper and learn what each template does without "destroying" your site.

Good luck.
T.Marquez Jr. -
Webmaster -
www.indianapolisfilm.net - Geeklog 1.4.0sr5-1
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nekkidfish

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Hi tmarquez ... and don't worry about sounding harsh ... it's all about learning, which is why I'm here. Mr. Green

While I am a graphics gurl, and not a geeky gurl, I am sure there are others like me that can't make heads or tails of the documentation.

My blog is currently in WordPress, which also took me a bit to learn how to customize and add hacks too ... and it was with the help of nice peeps in their forum that got me there.

I am an admin at GTHelp.com, where we have discussed these issues before. Geeks (whom I love) write in a way that is very hard for non-geeks to understand. Ergo, a number of people give up and never learn new software/blogs/whatever.

So ... I understand that the block colors, etc. are all in the css files ... but I just need some direction understanding where to start ... in looking on how to customize the header, etc.

I hope I'm not asking too much ... and I hope no one takes offense to me saying that the documentation is a hard read for some. It was not my intention to offend anyone.

I'm just trying to learn!

HUGz! Jules
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machinari

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Registered: 03/22/04
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the best place to start would be the header.thtml file. this is where the logo and main page colors can be edited.

you should be able to find the logo's size, shape, and name from this file and then create your image accordingly placing it in the proper image directory, etc.

it only gets easier from there Wink have fun!
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nekkidfish

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Kewl ... thanks machinari! I appreciate the direction!

HUGz and happy holidaze! Jules
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xardoz

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Lemme add note to Machinari's suggestion:

Be VERY careful if you use an HTML editor like FrontPage or DreamWeaver - my FP at home automatically "corrects" the page code, which really screws it up.

Try just using NotePad, or if you use WordPad (or another word processor) save as "text only."
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nekkidfish

Anonymous

Thanks x!

To make sure I understand though ... if I edit the file in wordpad or notepad, and make any changes, I would save it with its original name header.thtml though, right?

With the thtml extension?

HUGz! Jules
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machinari

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yes, you leave the file name as is. The point is that you should use a text editor rather than a WYSIWYG like frontpage or dreamweaver. These programs tend to create changes not compatable with Geeklog's template system.

hope that helps
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Creator

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I've always used Dreamweaver to edit themes and never had any problems with it. Just make sure you set the properties to open the .thtml document in code view and do not use the WYSIWYG aspect.

Just my two cents
L. Whitworth
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ScurvyDawg

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Another way to change the image would be just to look at its properties on your webpage so you know its location and then replace it with an image of your choice. Certainly it works best if you keep it the same dimentions but thats easy peasy.

Just my two cents
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nekkidfish

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When I look at all the files, there is a file called 'layout' ... and when opened, it has something like 7 layouts.

Can you tell me which layout is auto installed when Geeklog is installed and running?

Say it is running on the 'Professional' theme, is it okay to delete all of the other layouts in that folder?

Thanks and hugz! Jules
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machinari

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Quote by nekkidfish:Say it is running on the 'Professional' theme, is it okay to delete all of the other layouts in that folder?

It is OK.
just be sure to check your config.php for the default theme setting. if you haven't touched that setting and you are running 1.3.10, then it will be set to display the professional theme and all is good--if you decide to delete the other themes that is.
appreciate all the hugz Embarassed
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nekkidfish

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Thanks machinari!

If I ever learn how to customize the thing and do different layouts, I am going to write a non-techno tutorial for newbies like me! Confused

And no biggee ... I love hugz! Chest-Slam Celebration

And Kisses too! Jules
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Nekkidfish

Anonymous
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Okay, with a buddies help, I'm starting to understand how to change things.

However, the peeps that want to use Geeklog have requested a 'custom template' which I question.

I mean, it seems to me that Geeklog is set up mainly be just be customized in the header and css color areas, although I have seen other designs on here that I can tell they've done a lot more (like background images, etc.)

I'm just wondering how much work is involved, and what other stuff I need to learn to really design a 'custom' template for these folks.

The one I've messed with today is based off the professional theme.

http://virtualwebgistics.com/geeklog/index.php

HUGz and thanks for any insight you can give me. Jules
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machinari

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Glad to hear things are going well.
One thing I like to try and do is to take a theme and "bend" it--or at least see if it will bend. I'll start with a theme that has similar lines to what I am trying to achieve, and then go thru all the template files adjusting the "bend."

Anybody can change colors and logos... but "bending" a theme, as I like to call it, involves a bit more: utilizing borders rather than images; hr's instead of background colors; background colors instead of borders; 2 columns instead of 3; 4 columns instead of 2; lots of CSS for dropshadow effects and absolute positioning of blocks and logos, etc; header images that drop down behind the block columns and/or the center column into the content area; etc.

Some of the funkier ideas that I have involve mixing Geeklog's functionality with the theme. For example (not my idea but a good one): custom block template files (this can be implemented by any theme) allowing not only the block columns to have their own look, but each individual block can also have it's own look. If my client has an particular add block created, my theme would reflect that add block's uniqueness using two new block template files (see functions.php in the theme folder for more info), which utilize styles and layouts different from the default blocks design.

CSS-P is a good way to go as well. Their is great flexibility and less overhead using CSS-P. Though some traditional Geeklog theme features are a bit more difficult to achieve. But why stay traditional I say!

basic layout is the key whether you go tables or CSS-P. Columns or quadrants or indexes--let your imagination loose on them.
Blah Blah Blah Blah ...
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nekkidfish

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Well, in this case I am not just limited by my imagination, but by my lack of knowledge. Confused

I've looked through the themes, and I found 4 that I think I could alter to make fit their needs, but I would love to learn how to 'bend'.

Before I learn how to bend ... how do I go about getting the 4 custom templates:

Klear Blue
Plax
Smooth Blue (I think this one I already have installed)
Blue Moo

Once I find their downloads, do I just upload those to the layout folder?

After answering these questions ... how can you teach me to bend. Very Happy

HUGz! Jules
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machinari

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Those few themes you mentioned may need to be updated to function with the latest stable release of Geeklog as there were a few template file changes to accommodate the core changes. That involves copying over a few files at the very least to make them functional.

Where to get them... hmmmm... You could try the demo site. There were quite a few themes available at this site also, but I'm not sure--last time I visited, the theme tester was not enabled.

As for "bending"... that really just involves understanding the content that replaces the variables in the template files, e.g., is it a list, links, para's, clock, block, date, story, comment, wide, thin, etc... and then placing those variables, like {menu_elements} or {left_blocks}, into your design. The bending part is putting the square variables into your circle, so to speak. So of course you'll need basic HTML and some CSS. Beyond that, you'll need time to get used to which template files are responsible for what content on which page.
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nekkidfish

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Beyond that, you'll need time to get used to which template files are responsible for what content on which page.

That's where the problem lies. HTML, css, etc. are no problem. I just have the hardest time understanding what drives what, and what needs to be changed.

I did find where to download those templates ... so do I just upload those to my 'layout' folder?

HUGz! Jules
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machinari

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hmmm.. well now, I looked around quickly and cant seem to find them for download.. I'll keep looking
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machinari

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lol, ok.. and yes, upload them to your layout folder.. most likely, if they have not been updated, you will get an error about missing template files.

if you want to compare the professional theme, which ships default with GL lately, with those custom themes to see which files are or are not there, then just copy the missing files over from professional to your custom. the look may be off in somecases, probably not tho, but the themes will now function.
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