[preview][free] ModernStyle

[Bloc]

ModernStyle is a preview of a theme for SMF 2.0(and prob. will be ported for 2.1) thats light on color and use simplified layout without losing too much functionality. Basically its a rehash of the style/templates used in my SMF-inspired script at my norwegian blog site. It will support most SMF mods and have a variation of a function I have used before in themes: different templates for mimicking galleries/blogs. The goal is to set a whole category as one or the other..but we'll see if its practical or not, or if it should be board-based.

Anyway, some screenshots with more to come are attached, showing the topic template, with full-view of attached images in a lightbox manner.

Some notes:
- This theme will be free with a Mozilla Public licence
- Available on the SMF themesite(after submission and approval there eventually)   
- Demosite will be at http://www.bjornhkristiansen.com/SMF2 in due time.

Comments are welcome.

[margarett]

Features list looks great and the all-white layout is actually nice (as I'm more into dark themes)

Great works, congrats!

[Ken.]

Looks great Bloc and it looks like my kind of theme! 

Looking forward to seeing the demo and the chance to give it a run on my site.
Will it be compatible with TP?

[Bloc]

Features list looks great and the all-white layout is actually nice (as I'm more into dark themes)

Great works, congrats!

Thank you Since it simpler in css and html it will quite easy to make dark variations, something I am keen on doing rather soon.

Looks great Bloc and it looks like my kind of theme! 

Looking forward to seeing the demo and the chance to give it a run on my site.
Will it be compatible with TP?

Yes, it will. Its also CSS responsive so some adjustments for TP have to be made of course..that prob. goes for SimplePortal too.

[Ken.]

Good deal. 

[lurkalot]

Very nice looking theme bloc.  I'm a bit of a dark theme guy too, so look forward to seeing a dark version in action.  Need a nice responsive one for my guitarist site. 

[Bloc]

The theme have had some progress made, and now have a demo-site where you can check out the style. Added features are:

- A clean style for maximum content focus
  http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php

- Ability to show whole categories as a blog or a gallery
  http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?board=8.0
  http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?board=6.0

- Ability to control the aspect ratio of images in the gallery part, set per forum or category. All images are shown as CSS3 backgrounds for consistant viewing.
  http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?board=8.0
  http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?board=9.0

- original attached pictures are shown as a CSS3 full-view + attached pictures are separated from attached other files.
  http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?topic=19.0#att15

- In the blog and gallery parts the original post can be shown on all pages.

- Example of poll
  http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?topic=5.0

- Only one type of admin/profile/etc menu are shown, that of the sidebar variant.
  http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?action=profile;u=1

- Responsive CSS and mininal amount of styles are used.

[margarett]

If this wasn't a family friend forum I would swear.

That is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most good looking, fluid and overall amazing theme I've ever seen. Period.
I'm blown away. Trying hard not to swear. Really hard. F............

edit: some small issues yet --> http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?action=profile;area=statistics;u=1

[Bloc]

Thanks Yes, its quite a few issues left tbh..but working through them. Just thought I would post the progress so far.

[Bloc]

- Added custom page for showing the "blogs", taken from selected categories.
- various fixes in templates/CSS

http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?action=blogs

[Bloc]

edit: some small issues yet --> http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?action=profile;area=statistics;u=1

The issue with member stats should be better now:
http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?action=profile;area=statistics;u=1

[Biology Forums]

Will this be released to the public?

However, it's simplicity can be confusing. For example, you should make the PHP argument that if the thread has 1 page only, no need to show page number. This eliminates the need for the confusing {B} and {T} letters. If you'd like, they should be replaced with arrows.

Not that my forum's styling comes close, but notice how I don't include the page numbering when it's not required: http://biology-forums.com/index.php?topic=403003.0

[Bloc]

Yes, it will be a public/free theme.

I quite like the B and T lol..of course I thought of arrows first, but this is more fun. As for pageindex..I guess one could do that, but its what SMF usually does so I kept it the same. 

[Biology Forums]

I look forward to using it! Also found this bug (shown below). Maybe you can replace "my community" with an icon of a house in tighter screens.

[Bloc]

Yes, thanks for pointing it out, it was forgotten. Icons will work great there.

For narrow screens its always going to be some compromises, so the question has been what to change and how much. But thats vital for me: if the theme cannot be used *properly* on a mobile phone(narrow screen) its not worth doing. What I haven't done so far is to account for those devices that are physically small - but with high resolutions. The higher the resolution + available physical size the more I can move away from the one-column-style, but without the full desktop/laptop style. (meaning still touch-optimized) Planning to use min-resolution xxx dpi for this.

Also, I haven't done submenus on a narow screen.Maybe going for a sidemenu that unfolds on top of the content, like the Gmail app does...

[Wiki80]

You can download the theme from somewhere ?

[Bloc]

Not yet, Wiki80, but its close now..I am almost done.

It will also be submitted to the SMF theme site, but the approval process might take some time so I will create another download link in the meantime, most likely on my demosite. I will post here once its active.

[Biology Forums]

Another thing to consider, in board view, the filters are at the bottom. Right now, that might not be problematic because the boards are empty, so it would probably be a good idea to put them at the top, perhaps?

[Bloc]

- The theme is now ready for use and can be downloaded at:
http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?topic=23.msg26

- 3 variants: light, dark and blue (blue is now the DEFAULT color-variant):
http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?theme=3;variant=light
http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?theme=3;variant=dark
http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?theme=3;variant=blue

Next up is testing itagainst various mods, a SMF 2.1 version and submitting both eventually, to SMF themesite.

As always, comments are welcome.

[Biology Forums]

Wowii! Will be using this very soon, I hope within this week once my schedule opens up

[margarett]

The dark version is ausum!
BTW, a small note (the dark version): http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?action=profile;area=showposts;u=1
the "/" divider between board/topic is black and it looks weird when all remaining text is white

[Biology Forums]

Hey bjorn67, a question based on curiosity. You've created some pretty awesome themes with some pretty awesome features, like popup profiles. Why don't you add some of those features on newer themes you make, such as this one? By the way, not taking away from the awesomeness found here!

[Bloc]

margarett,
looking at the error now(in addition to errors reported by the SMF themesite approval team)

Shuban,
I see your point..but I always try to have a particular direction with a theme. As I been dormant for some time I didn't want to re-visit old things, not much anyway. Fresh eyes and all that. I've got another theme in the works too, and that one is the same: starting fresh.

As for popups generally - as long as they can be clicked open instead of "hovered" open its worthwile. But it has to fit the theme "spirit" I guess. In this theme I quite liked the simple nature of just the avatar, name and post. No more, no less...

[Bloc]

- new version with some fixes added: v1.0.2.

You can always see which version you have by hovering over the theme credits in lower right corner.

[Ken.]

Looking great Block.

I'm giving it a test run on my live site now... just installed it, so there will be changes and adjustments over the next few days. This will likely be installed as my default theme. 

[Bloc]

Great, Ken. I have yet to test with TP - if you are using that - but will over the next days. A few more color versions and perhaps more choice in the blog/gallery section might be interesting too.

Its rather now, that I feel its almost done, that I can truly see how its working(and needed improvements lol). Not to mention errors in the code, often discovered by users. 

[lurkalot]

Great, Ken. I have yet to test with TP - if you are using that - but will over the next days. A few more color versions and perhaps more choice in the blog/gallery section might be interesting too.

Yeah doesn't play nicely with TP yet, some menu issues.  Bloc,  I've also noticed the calendar page has some css issues the text is unreadable.

Looking great so far though. Nice work.

[Bloc]

Ah, yes, the dark version didn't change enough on that page. Sorted now, will upload to a newer version soon.

[Bloc]

Ok, this theme was not approved by the SMF team so the only option for those that do want to use it, is to download it from my site. Posting the link once again:

http://protendo.org/smf20/index.php?topic=23.0

I will continue to update and announce updates in this topic. Any questions might be had here too - in lack of a proper support topic.
v1.0.2 - fixed a few more issues, among others the dark versions light-on-light areas.

[Kindred]

1 category set up as a blog,
no categories set up as a gallery,
The setting: Show menu divided into types set to checked

Clicking on the Galleries menu item generates:

Code Select Expand


You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ')
AND 1=1' at line 6
File: /.../Themes/modernstyle102_20/index.template.php
Line: 716


same error if
no blogs
1 gallery
Show menu divided into types set to checked

Code Select Expand


You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ')
AND 1=1' at line 6
File: /.../Themes/modernstyle102_20/index.template.php
Line: 716


[Antechinus]

Ok, this theme was not approved by the SMF team...

What was the reason?

[Antes]

Ok, this theme was not approved by the SMF team...

What was the reason?

Keeping the queries inside template files.

[Antechinus]

Ah. Righty o then.

[Bloc]

1 category set up as a blog,
no categories set up as a gallery,
The setting: Show menu divided into types set to checked

Clicking on the Galleries menu item generates:

Code Select Expand


You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ')
AND 1=1' at line 6
File: /.../Themes/modernstyle102_20/index.template.php
Line: 716


same error if
no blogs
1 gallery
Show menu divided into types set to checked

Code Select Expand


You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ')
AND 1=1' at line 6
File: /.../Themes/modernstyle102_20/index.template.php
Line: 716


Thanks, I will look into them 

Ok, this theme was not approved by the SMF team...

What was the reason?

Keeping the queries inside template files.

Its ok. One of the reasons I do this at all is to expand upon themes so of course I am going to keep those lol. On the other hand, judging by the number of downloads it doesnt seem to warrant making separate theme and mod out of it.. so i might as well take the artistic freedom and be happy with the creation at least. 😊

[Ken.]

Looking good Bloc. 
Any progress on making it compatible with TP and SP?

[Warpath]

I get this when I try to upload the zip file...

An Error Has Occurred!
Package upload failed due to the following error:
"Although the package was downloaded to the server it appears to be empty. Please check the Packages directory, and the "temp" sub-directory are both writable. If you continue to experience this problem you should try extracting the package on your PC and uploading the extracted files into a subdirectory in your Packages directory and try again. For example, if the package was called shout.tar.gz you should:
1) Download the package to your local PC and extract it into files.
2) Using an FTP client create a new directory in your "Packages" folder, in this example you may call it "shout".
3) Upload all the files from the extracted package to this directory.
4) Go back to the package manager browse page and the package will be automatically found by SMF."

[Bloc]

Looking good Bloc. 
Any progress on making it compatible with TP and SP?

Working on it actually, will upload the progress soon - and TP of course.

[Bloc]

I get this when I try to upload the zip file...

An Error Has Occurred!
Package upload failed due to the following error:
"Although the package was downloaded to the server it appears to be empty. Please check the Packages directory, and the "temp" sub-directory are both writable. If you continue to experience this problem you should try extracting the package on your PC and uploading the extracted files into a subdirectory in your Packages directory and try again. For example, if the package was called shout.tar.gz you should:
1) Download the package to your local PC and extract it into files.
2) Using an FTP client create a new directory in your "Packages" folder, in this example you may call it "shout".
3) Upload all the files from the extracted package to this directory.
4) Go back to the package manager browse page and the package will be automatically found by SMF."

Its not a mod, you should upload it through the theme upload function => Admin / Themes and layout / Manage and install 

[Warpath]

thanks for that lol worked that time

[Ken.]

Just installed to my live site.

This is one of your best efforts Bloc! It is an amazing theme, I love it! 

[Ken.]

Couple of small issues Bloc:

In the theme block the thumbnail image breaks out.


Also, the child boards don't show on the forum boardindex... as seen here in your WorkDesk2 theme.

[Biology Forums]

Just installed to my live site.

This is one of your best efforts Bloc! It is an amazing theme, I love it! 

On the mobile phone, everything is broken. Is Tinyportal a must have, because that's what's hurting the design

[Bloc]

Just installed to my live site.

This is one of your best efforts Bloc! It is an amazing theme, I love it! 

On the mobile phone, everything is broken. Is Tinyportal a must have, because that's what's hurting the design

No, TP is very optional lol, the theme is built for non-portals foremost. But since I know TP so well, I tried to adjust the theme so it can be used on phones too.

But what exactly is broken? Do you have any examples? (i suspect its phones with high resolutions, I haven't dealt with them yet)

[Bloc]

Couple of small issues Bloc:

In the theme block the thumbnail image breaks out.


Also, the child boards don't show on the forum boardindex... as seen here in your WorkDesk2 theme.

Yes, the child boards were an conscious omission from the theme..I am contemplating an alternative design that will take them into account. My problem - or challenge/goal rather - is to make the boardindex more exciting and more natural to read. Messageindex is beginning to be that, but boardindex should not be exactly like it, IMHO. So I got some thinking to do there.

Theme block I will look into.