For those of you that are using non-official core2 styles

[aveleh]

Hey guys,

We have some really exciting changes coming up in the next few days. However, it's going to break the styles of some people who are using core2-based non-official layers. That means that those of you who liked being on the cutting edge and so fiddled with a style to make it work with core2 or made changes to the functions in a core2 style to make your own style, you may end up having problems using your style as expected, or even getting it to compile.

I know we've already changed the names of the module function twice, but we've done it again, this time in a way that makes it more flexible. I can promise that when you see the way that nova designed and afuna implemented the modules, you won't care that you need to make some more edits. The new module functionality is amazing. If you're not already using Negatives, switch to it and see the Modules in action.

Anyway, core2 is giant enough that we're wanting to remove the depreciated functions earlier rather than later, especially for things like the modules which are already confusing. So, if you're a non-official core2 style user, you probably need to:

1. Do a find and replace to replace print_module_group_one() with print_module_group( "one" ), and the same for two and/or three and/or four.


2. Do a find for any instances of print_linkbar and replace it with print_management_links for EntryLite (entries and comments), and with print_interaction_links for UserLite.


3. Do a find for any instances of print_entry_poster. This may say something like $p->print_entry_poster($e). It should now be $e->print_poster().


4. Do a find for lang_user_wrote. Think about replacing it with print_entry_poster.


5. Bookmark this post so you can yell at me for not properly making sure we documented our overhaul.

We're going to be making a series of posts in the next couple of days talking about the overhaul and porting process, and better explaining how what we've done isn't just renaming a few functions, and how this is going to be really awesome for everyone in the long run. This is, of course, just in preparation of getting some good official documentation aimed for users of all levels and interest.

In the meantime, I'm working afuna, av8rmike, dani_the_girl, draigwen, jadelennox, liv, nova, rich, and ysobel as hard as possible, so please don't hesitate to give them love.

Comments

[av8rmike]

Opal is part of the LJ.com-only repository, so unless we seek & get permission from its creator, most likely not.

I hope we don't port Quite Lickable, because I think it's one of the uglier and hacked-up layouts on LJ. It's in the GPL, though, so that's not stopping us.

[turlough]

I know it's probably not likely since I don't think it's an open style, but I would love if Flexible Squares was imported. It's so flexible!

[aveleh]

One of the things we're doing with this overhaul is making sure that *all* of the styles will be flexible, and they're going to be standardized to each other. So, generally, you won't be picking a style because "oh, this one lets me put tags in the sidebar" (because they *all* will) or "oh, this one lets me choose whether or not to display icons on my Recent Entries page" (because they *all* will), but you'll be choosing one because you like the images that are included with it or because you like the colour scheme or because you like how the option to delete your comment is shown under your comment instead of on top of it.

This means that at the beginning, all the styles will be less flexible and have less options, because we had to rip a lot of this stuff out. But that's just so that when we're putting it back in, it's super easy to implement it in all of the styles, all the options will display in the exact same place in the customization wizard.

[turlough]

Yeah, I know that in the long run things will get easier it's just the thought of having to start from scratch with a new layout that is scaring me a bit, I've been using FS since before it was an official style :-)

[aveleh]

Aww :( Yeah, I get that. But even if/when we port styles, we change a lot of the CSS and the layout of the options. I'm trying to make it as painless as possible for you guys <3

[turlough]

I definitely need to sit down for a couple of days and don't do anything except read through everything you've changed about the style system. Right now I keep getting distracted by new shiny things all the time :-)

[av8rmike]

Yes, I expect that that is going to be one of our most frequent requests. FS is probably the most popular layout on LJ, but it's not in the GPL, and I don't know of any other plans regarding what we might do with it.

[turlough]

Yeah, especially people like me who's been using it since before it was an offical style :-) I've added so much functionality to it over the years that I'm kind of scared having to start from scratch with a new style.

[aveleh]

At some point I'm going to be posting a list of "here's the functionality that's on our radar" and asking for additional suggestions, so we can make sure that people are getting the functionality they crave.

And you won't even have to reprogram stuff to access it! You'll just get to call a function from core or set a property.

[turlough]

I'll be looking forward to that!

[baggyeyes]

Oh, crap. I forgot that about Opal. :(

And yeah, QL ain't pretty. Some of the layouts people have made for it are, though.

Quite lickable

[boji]

Another vote for porting (if that's the right term) Quite Lickable - as it was my style over on LJ and I'd like to get something close to it over here.

That said I basically changed all the colour codes to make a white background with a sidebar/links list and a background header which is what I'm going for predominantly. That and the ability to use Jazz font.

So, I'm waiting until more styles come on-line to see what I can modify close to what I had so that I can take advantage of all the brilliant wizards later.