Request for Feedback!

[momijizukamori]

So, there was some discussion in the comments of the latest dw_news post, and in the #dw-dev channel, about implementing a simple base color theme across ALL layouts we have (and all ones we will have in the future, theoretically). Me being me, I offered to give it a go myself. I did a quick mock-up on TR last night, and ported it across a few layouts to start. I'd really like to know how useable they are for other people, as it's designed to be a simple style for seeing the basic layout of each style without having to try and compare across colors as well (ie, looking at Bases in a purple theme, and Five AM in a pink one, and trying to see the underlying structure). And I am a test case of one, so *g*

Goals with this:
-make the underlying structure of a style easily apparent
-mimic the most commonly used scheming for a style (ie, all the themes for style A use colored title backgrounds, while most of the themes for style B don't)
-be accessible for the greatest number of users
-be nice enough that someone might want to actually use it as a theme *g*

So far I've just been doing stuff on the Recent Entries page, and I know I'm missing comment-styling, but these are drafts.

Monochromatic
Tabula Rasa
Bases
Basic Boxes

Comments

[momijizukamori]

Ahh, okay. And yes, I am - the comments that prompted this were more wanting a single color theme that all layouts had, for comparison, but on thinking about it, I realized it would probably be most accessible if it had the simplest styling necessary to get a 'feel' for layouts and the look of themes in those layouts, without worrying about colors. So it's sort of a balance between 'simplicity' and 'if you like this layout, most of the themes currently available look kind of like this'. Particularly as in some of the related threads, there was a certain amount of 'I don't want to fiddle with the wizard, I want already-made layouts that fit my needs'.

[ninetydegrees]

I know. I've read these comments.

currently available

If you mean to let people use these themes you won't be able to update them so there might be a point where the 'basic' theme and what the style generally looks like will be two different things. What then?

Edit: in case that wasn't clear I'm not against this project. I think this is a good idea and could be very useful to some users but I wanna make sure it works long-term. See what I mean?

[momijizukamori]

An excellent point, and one I hadn't considered. If we're lucky, the code for multiple preview versions will be available by then *g* Unfortunately anything I do will end up being a compromise - the wizard is really that powerful, in terms of options available. Which is great! But makes previews hard.

[ninetydegrees]

If we're lucky, the code for multiple preview versions will be available by then

But it won't the change the themes themselves. Previews can be changed. Themes used by users can't.

[momijizukamori]

Hmm, true. I think the two options then are either 1) have one set that can be changed that are system-only, and then just make the themes available when first created as normal styles as well (which would probably be more backend work), 2) accept that it's only going to be an approximation that is never going to be 100% perfect to how things exist or 3) make them unavailable in any form as 'useable' thems (though I've had three people already tell me they would use the Basic Boxes version right now if it was in the system)

[ninetydegrees]

Hmm. If the point of this is to let people compare styles more easily and particularly their default structure how about always using the same styling combos (as much as possible at least)? I mean if you put a back background to entry titles put it everywhere. If you put a border around entries, put it everywhere. That would also emphasize what isn't possible with this style (which in theory shouldn't happen because all default options should always apply but until we make things perfect...). I know it won't necessarily match the way most themes look like but how different would that make them look (also point #2 is true here too).

[momijizukamori]

Hmm, that may be a good compromise! Particularly as.. yeah, some of the styles don't use things in the default way (which I ran into with Bases). I'll have to play with things, see if I can get a good neutral-ish color scheme going that has enough range in values to make things clear.