[Phpwebsite-developers] Re: phpWebSite face lift

[Shaun M. <sh...@ae...>]

On 26 Feb 2006, at 19:56, Michael H=F8j Rasmussen wrote:

> Hi Shaun and Kenneth.
>
> This just to inform you about some changes I have made today to the
> phpWebSite user interface.
>
> Starting from the article I once wrote about consistent user =20
> interface in
> phpWebSite, and the following discussion in the community, I have =20
> started to
> give phpWebSite a small face lift. I have mainly tried to get a =20
> consistent
> look and feel across lists and input forms.
>
> My first priority was to ensure, that almost all of my changes =20
> would work
> with older css files and those themes already developed to =20
> phpWebSite. My
> second priority was to stay as close to the original layout as =20
> possible. My
> third and final priority has been to open up for some smarter and more
> powerful ways of styling phpWebSite.
>
> I think the most controversial decision I have made so far is the =20
> layout of
> the input forms. Hopefully it won't give to much excitement in the
> community.
>
> I know the release date for 0.10.3 is getting closer. I have only =20
> managed to
> update the templates for linkman, skeleton and users module. =20
> Skeleton is
> only for documentary purpose. I will try to look at the other =20
> modules the
> following days and see how far I get. I do not think we should wait =20=

> for a
> complete face lift of all modules before we release 0.10.3, but =20
> hopefully I
> can manage to get a couple of more modules in, before 0.10.3 is =20
> locked down
> for release candidate 1.
>

Michael, Just looking through these changes so far.

Moving as much html out of the php code as possible is a good idea.

I'd personally prefer keeping H1 and H3 instead of introducing H2 =20
into the templates as the title and sub title, as that will break =20
less themes and certainly it won't break my themes since I rely on =20
the templates containing H1 and H3. It's a long established tradition =20=

I don't think we should change. I use sIFR replacement on H1 and H3 a =20=

lot for instance so chaning to H2 will give me crap fonts again.

You've introduced more tables. Generally, that's to be avoided. In =20
particular, in the comments module, it makes the form wider. Please =20
be aware that some users are using fixed width themes that may only =20
have room for narrow layouts of 400px. Creating forms which have the =20
label alongside the text entry causes problems for those themes. I =20
also think adding tables to layout forms is retrogressive. =20
Personally, I'd be inclined to use a definition list for form layout.

If it can be avoided, I'd rather not use inline styles if we're =20
defining a set of classes now. Seems pointless.

I noticed you'd added 'datatable', 'label', 'value' and 'formtable' =20
classes. These need to be formalised and documented so that users who =20=

may have defined them already in their own themes know they are used. =20=

We shouldn't introduce CSS classes without defining a set that we're =20
going to stick with going forward in to Fallout. Saying that, I don't =20=

know if Matt's defined a set yet for Fallout so now is possibly our =20
chance. :-)

I've copied this to the developers list for further input.



Shaun
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