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Move on from 960 grid?
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- Annatech
- Rocketeer
- Posts: 75
- Thanks: 0
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Here it is:
I am officially tired of the 960 grid.
Anyone else feel this way?
Now for some constructive criticism.
There is one option I've always wanted to get out of a Rockettheme template which I can't do without modifying the core template files:
A single column which can break-down into a medium rectangle on top of two left/right columns on top of another medium rectangle.
Check out JA Teline III (or II), for example. I'm not posting the link here - you can Google it.
The issue I've run into with the grid system is that there is no way to modify it, really without modifying the Gantry framework.
Also, the structure of the template is broken down into so many elements that it makes it difficult to "gently" hack in a way that upgrades are *not* prohibitive.
My recommendation:
1. Keep doing what you're doing with the grid. It's great for novices who want GUI access to layout adjustments.
2. Maybe, just maybe, provide more developer friendly templates which take well to customization. For example: Most of the templates before the 960 grid-based Gantry framework.
OR
This one is a biggie...
Develop a new, pro-framework, which completely abstracts the design and layout of the template. It is based on a library which provides the underlying structure for tag-based content insertion (module positions, content areas, and other dynamically controlled elements which reference the new framework).
The idea here would be that the design and layout can be completely customized, but that the dynamic elements rely on the framework for advance manipulation of the template contents.
Upgrades to such pro templates would only affect the underlying structure, while the template customizations would remain intact. You could control this providing upgrade packages to such, pro-templates.
Another idea...
Build a back-end interface into the template editor screen:
1. Allow jQuery-based Ajax-like GUI control of template-elements using drag&drop techniques.
2. Allow the creation of new module positions and the automation of updates to templates.xml file so the new positions are readily accessible for module positioning.
3. Update the template's index.php file and allow for creation of multiple template styles which can be saved through this interface.
Advantage:
No need to rely on a specific grid system. Developers can create their own CSS/DIV-based layouts via the GUI (although it would not hurt to provide some defaults).
Disadvantage:
It would be complicated on your part to customize the design of such new templates in any particular direction.
Although...
Maybe the idea here would not be to create specific *Designs* for such pro templates, but instead to release the framework for building (a fully customizable framework, not just a pre-defined grid).
What does everyone else think about this?
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- Alex Devine
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 547
- Thanks: 0
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I think you are missing the point of this website!
It is not just for experienced dev's that develop using the framwork only.
This site provides templates that anyone can use with the very simple joomla framework, most do not want to be messing with code and making edits to the backend.
Now if RT was to go down the route you have posted then the support would drop from what Andy is doing, creating out of the box templates for members to use.
Now yes there are a select few who like to learn and mess with the framework beyond the very simple to use gantry admin interface.
A note on the 906 grid, you can very easy edit past the 960px grid, there are posts up about it.
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- Annatech
- Rocketeer
- Posts: 75
- Thanks: 0
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Nobody is missing the point of this website.
It's not just for experienced devs just like it's also not just for novices. In fact, how many "novices" do you think will jump through the hoops required to setup a hosting environment, create databases, check/set linux folder/file permissions and FTP content before they've even started to install the template (assuming they are not starting with a Rocketlauncher).
Not that I'm saying this is rocket science or anything, but it's certainly beyond starting a Weebly website or creating an account on Wordpress.com...
Getting back to my post - take a look at some of the details I described about a potentially new and more flexible framework.
I've been a Rockettheme member for years now and I've watched them evolve their templates into incredibly configurable, user friendly and feature-rich frameworks.
But, I feel that the 960 grid is a dead end for long-term theme design. Pretty much all the website feel the same, just with different backgrounds, module styles and css color themes. The customization at that point moves into module position usage and extension implementation (in the form of modules). But, even with that, the rules of the grid have to be obeyed. Once you stray away and start hacking the core, you compromise upgradability.
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Andy, if you are reading this, please take note that if you want to stay ahead of the curve, you will have to differentiate from the rest of the pack by providing the best toolset for your experienced developers. As template become
I know you've put A LOT of hard work into the current framework, the website and the multiple supported platforms and extensions. For that you have my greatest respect (actually, you've always had my greatest respect!).
I'm just sounding off here because, over the past several months, the Gantry framework has come to limit what I want to do with my client's websites. Example, I was going to use Reaction for two websites for one of my clients, but I ran into too many areas where template customization required extensive hacking to the framework and template, making upgrades very frustrating. I ended up going with a competitor's template.
For another website, I wanted one of the newer templates running the Gantry Framework, but I ended up implementing Affinity (for which I am eagerly awaiting an update for support of JomSocial 1.8.x) because modifications where a little more straight-forward.
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