Where do *you* start with a new layout?

davidgordon · 2005-11-08 08:50:36

How do you go about designing a new Textpattern site design?

I’m not sure the best way to start, do you create a site with no styles and then add those in later. Are you designing the style and code (forms etc) at the same time? Do you have a selection of ‘starting point’ layout templates, create a totally new design, or start with the default TXP design.

I’m not sure the best way to start so am looking for your thoughs.

Thanks

DG

zero · 2005-11-08 19:39:51

Personally, I get an idea for my layout, alter txp divs where necessary filling with dummy text. Then when the basic layout looks near I start playing with forms etc. So its css and xhtml hand in hand as I go.

I have no idea how the pros do it.

paularms · 2005-11-08 20:30:33

I start by making a mock-up with Photoshop® because my experience with the web is that anything is possible, so I make what I want it to sort of look like with Photoshop® and then start cutting images into background images and coding together the basic layout elements with HTML and CSS.

Then, once I have a basic framework for layout and styles and images, I start running it through Textpattern and keep on adding and changing until I am done.

Last edited by paularms (2005-11-08 20:31:12)

ubernostrum · 2005-11-08 21:58:42

I call my partner, who’s the designer, and tell him to open up Photoshop and build something pretty.

Seriously.

In return, he can call me and show me something and tell me to “make it work”.

Michael · 2005-12-01 21:40:27

Layout-O-Matic. Afterwards a lot of manual work.

kimiko · 2005-12-02 01:55:53

I just created my first TextPattern project which includes my custom designed template. I did the following:
1. Made a template as a normal .html and .css file outside TextPattern.
2. Copy and pasted the markup into TextPattern.
3. Replaced the different elements with TextPattern-tags.
4. Moved chunks of HTML into their own Form.

My website is currently password-protected till I’m done though.

wmike1503 · 2006-01-04 19:45:00

Just managed to mess up my default CSS file – can anyone post the CSS for me to copy back into my default CSS sheet – what a dummy!!

Cheers!

mike

druzli · 2006-01-04 20:12:49

My first steps are pencil and paper. I usually make the layout, often with layout o magic(nice start, speeds up things) and finish the look locally. Then paste the code to TXP. Sometimes i mock up things with Photoshop, but I really like doing things straight with XHTML/CSS. Forms and stuff I do afterwards in TXP.

Evdawg · 2006-01-04 20:21:45

I’m just getting started with textpattern theming, but my steps so far are:

1. Pencil and paper: sketch out the main page layout.
2. Think about the sections and how they will interact with the pages.
3. Copy the default pages and stylesheets as backups (btw, wmike1503 I emailed you the default css… I didn’t want to clog up the forums)
4. Wipe all existing pages and stylesheets (except the backups of course), and start constructing the site’s structure with a blank slate.
5. After all the structure is done… save a copy to my harddrive and style a css sheet locally (because I can’t stand editing css in textpattern).

wmike1503 · 2006-01-04 20:28:04

Hi there,

Thanks for that – much appreciated.

I’ve designed a good number of site with CSS – I’d just managed to paste some code over the default – silly me!

Mant thanks!

Regards,

Mike

wmike · 2006-01-26 14:25:48

Hi,

Because textpattern uses html & css it is extremely easy to customise – take a look at my site <code>http://www.wrightplace.co.uk</code>.

This is a pure css site producing validated code with textpattern as its backbone.

I’m still learning -but it is certainly worth going through the textpattern learning curve – not a really steep one if you have some experience with css/html.

Cheers!

Mike

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#1 2005-11-08 08:50:36