Post on 27-Jan-2015
description
Get Ready ...
To prepare for this seminar you should download a copy of the following themes:● http://drupal.org/project/ninesixty● http://drupal.org/project/domicile
If you need to leave:● This session is recorded. If the recording fails, this is a similar
presentation to the one I gave at DrupalCon London.● The information is available in: Drupal User's Guide or workbooks
at Designtotheme.com.● Slides are available from: slideshare.net/emmajane
Workbook Author
www.designtotheme.com
Discount code available at the end of the webinar.
Book (Co)Author
Agenda
Theme Building● Theming philosophy● Process● Case study: Domicile
35 minutes
Summary● Questions/Answers● Discount Coupons
20 minutes
Theming Philosophy
Lazy Front End Developer
Working With OthersProduces More Honey
node.tpl.php
page.tpl.php
field.tpl.php
jplayer.tpl.php
Theming by tpl.php Files
Wastes Your Time
Minimum Viable Theme
UX
UX
UX
UX
Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Footprints
Theme Only What You Need To
Budget-Appropriate Web Design● Know your Drupal toolkit. Know your budget.● Focus on the biggest elements first.● Work closely with your designer and your client to
make sure you get the important things right.● Theme with the markup you have, not the markup
you'd like to have.● Pixel perfect design is for print. Get over it.
Accessible Web Design
“Accessible web design refers to the philosophy and practice of designing web pages so that they can be navigated and read by everyone, regardless of location, experience, or the type of computer technology used.” Australian Human Rights Commission
● Know your guidelines (508 or WAI).● Use a checklist.● Use an automated testing suite.● Test with users.
http://www.designtotheme.com/tutorials/automated-accessibility-testing
Responsive Web Design
“Any approach that delivers elegant visual experiences regardless of the size of the user’s display and the limitations or capabilities of the device” zeldman.
● Read: http://tinyurl.com/responsive-article
● Buy (and read): http://tinyurl.com/responsive-book
● Watch: http://tinyurl.com/pathtomobile
● Use: http://drupal.org/project/omega
(Eventually “all” base themes will be responsive.)
Theming Goals● Budget-appropriate.● Accessible.● Responsive.
Process
Steps to Making a Theme
1. Communicate with your whole team.
2. Plan your data structure.
3.Use wire frames to prove what you're saying about how the site ought to be built.
4.Build the site (ignore the theme).
5.Convert your wire frame to its grid layout.
6.Build out the HTML fragments in the relevant tpl.php files. Substitute CSS effects for PSD effects where possible.
7. Apply your theme to the site.
8.Refine as necessary based on the UX.
Data Model
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alan-dean/3513723498
Wire Frames
Begin Site Building
(This may affect site design decisions based on the theming goals of budget-appropriate, accessible and responsive.)
Grid Framework
http://960.gs/
CSS (Grid) Framework
Base Theme
● drupal.org/project/ninesixty● drupal.org/project/fusion● drupal.org/project/zen
To Build a Successful Theme
You must:● Know your data model.● Create wire frames describing page elements.● Identify the modules, templates and configuration
responsible for every element described in your wire frames.
● Use a grid framework in both your design files and Drupal templates.
● Use a base theme that meets your web design goals.
Case StudyBuild me a theme!
Steps to MVT
1. Prepare design.
2. Create theme shell (text files for Drupal).
3.Create regions.
4.Extract and embed images.
5.Launch MVT.
Domicile● Designed by Betty
Biesenthal.● Themed by Emma
Jane Hogbin (and the base theme NineSixty).
● Code available from http://drupal.org/project/domicile
Domicile Theme
Grid Overlay
Wire Frame for NineSixty Sub-Theme
Create a Theme Shell
sites/example.com/themes/theme_name theme_name.info page.tpl.php
Also: sites/all/themes/base_theme
Take a peek
1. Download the theme: http://drupal.org/project/domicile
2. Unzip the package.
3.Look at the files inside.
domicile.infoname = D7SBE - Domicile
description = A three-column design by Design House (www.design-house.ca) and themed by Design to Theme.
screenshot = screenshot.png
core = 7.x
engine = phptemplate
base theme = ninesixty
; Stylesheets.
; Regions
; Features
Build page.tpl.php from NineSixty
Identify These Shapes in Domicile
Define Regions and Blocks
Extract Images from the PSD
Hard Code Fixed Images
Minimum Viable Theme
Steps to MVT Summary
1. Prepare design.
2. Create theme shell (text files for Drupal).
3.Create regions.
4.Extract and embed images.
5.Launch MVT.
What's Wrong?
Pink sherbert photography http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/3372060864/
Theme by UX
Locate “problem” areas and fix with:● The administrative interface.● CSS enhancements.
And if you need more control add:● Helper modules.● Theme template files.● Theme functions.
Administrative Interface
CSS Enhancements
Relevant HTML source
Page element CSS styles
Apply Generic Styles
Apply Build-Specific Styles
Site Building/Theming Helpers
Themer Tools● Devel● Theme Developer● Firebug for Drupal
Layout● Panels● Context● Display Suite
Site Building● Views● Nodes in Block● Menu Block● Entity View Mode● Media● jPlayer● etc
tpl.php● page.tpl.php● node.tpl.php● page-front.tpl.php● block.tpl.php● Error pages: 403, 404, 500
Theme Functions
Finally...and only if you really must:● Preprocess functions.● Form altering functions.● Functionality-based PHP snippets.● (etc)
Domicile: the theme
Theme Building Summary
Minimum Viable Theme1. Prepare design.
2. Create required theme files.
3. Create regions in page.tpl.php.
4. Extract and embed images.
5. Launch MVT.
Theme by UX6. Administrative interface
7. CSS enhancements
8. Module helpers
9. tpl.php files
10.Theme functions
PSD to Theme Summary● Plan your theme from the data model out, not the template files in.
● Use relevant Drupal modules to break up content and display it in relevant locations.
● Extract only the images and colours you need from your PSD file.
● Using your grid, rebuild your design as a minimum viable theme in the fewest possible tpl.php files.
● Fix any outstanding problems according to the expected user experience with the site.
● Test your site using automated testing suites for cross-browser and accessibility issues. Then test again using as much real content and as many real people as you can afford.
● Cross your fingers and launch.
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1. PSD to Drupal Theme2. SBE Guide: Micro Site
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