Way Too Confusing

handspinners

Joined: 2005-03-23
Posts: 1

Posted: Wed, 2005-03-23 16:33

Hello;

I installed G2 about a week ago and have been reading through these boards trying to figure out how to customize the Gallery pages to fit in with the rest of the site, but I am just totally lost.

Layout, templates, themes. I've got 19 possible files open but don't really know which one or ones I need to be editing. I've designed sites using Mambo, B2Evolution, Wordpress, Pixelpost, etc. without much problem. I don't know php well, but do know html and css very well. G2 has me stumped and frustrated.

My site is http://www.prairiewool.com/gallery/. At this point I'd be happy if I could get rid of the left column, the heading information (underneath my header and above the greyed photo heading) and move the admin log in box somewhere less conspicious. I don't want the site to have users. Just me. So I don't want any log in boxes around.

Am I asking for something that isn't possible with this program? Is the design of G2 only able to be handled by 'experts' and not everyday users? Should I go looking for something easier?

I just want a simple photo gallery where I can post a photo have thumbnails automatically generated and put in the photo title and description.

Birdie
Frustrated and confused

rogermh

Joined: 2005-01-09
Posts: 102

Posted: Wed, 2005-03-23 17:51

Hi handspinners,

I wanted to echo that I have a lot of the same desires as you. My site is basically a personal website with only one user, me, so I don't want a log-in box. Obviously, the admin (me) needs to login, but I'd almost prefer a separate page for this (like http://mysite.com/g2/login) and not have it clutter up the main G2 page.

I also want to get rid of the sidebar as well as get rid of the pull-down menus underneath the thumbnails. I see that you have removed the pull-down menus on your site. This is what I want for the public view, but when I'm logged in as admin, I'd like them to be there to provide the functionality that it offers. Does your site do that?

I believe that help is on the way. I think that Bharat has said that the UI will be a big focus during the beta cycle as well as making G2 themes easier to modify. I also believe that mindless and others are currently working on a lot of CSS updates to the codebase. Hopefully it won't be long before G2 is something that "everyday users" will be able to customize and use.

Roger

mindless

Joined: 2004-01-04
Posts: 8601

Posted: Wed, 2005-03-23 18:39

1) we don't really have any documentation at this point, so it's up to you to look through the configuration screens and see what is available.. for example, Site Admin / General has an option to turn off the login form in the sidebar and just use a link in the top bar.
2) i'm mostly done with the CSS updates which makes working with themes/CSS quite a bit easier
3) you can customize a lot using local templates.. you might check the docs at smarty.php.net if the smarty syntax is too confusing. you can find the include for the sidebar in layouts/matrix/templates/albumBody.tpl and singleBody.tpl.. try removing that include in a local template and see what the result is..

RwD

Joined: 2005-01-09
Posts: 383

Posted: Thu, 2005-03-31 08:44

But is it smart doing layout and style changes allready?
I am just looking trough everything to only chasnge it when gallery2 is actually done. Before that I think that making your own customizations is a waste of time (sort of). What if part of the system gets changed? I am certain that the user interface will change visibly because the way the front-end is now it just doesn't match up with the amount of time that was put into the back-end. I myself do not like text too much, I expect some images to appear for certain actions for example to make it easier

Anyway, is it smart customizing now allready? It means I have to change whenever you do, plus I need to find out why my customization doesn't work anymore and if the changes on the standard aren't better then what I did and so on....

fryfrog

Joined: 2002-10-30
Posts: 3236

Posted: Thu, 2005-03-31 11:01

I guess it all depends on how brave and dedicated you are. I think layout/theme customizations are probably one of the safer things, next being perhaps modules. If you make an especially good theme or layout, it may even be included IN G2. Wouldn't that be nice?

If you are looking to use G2 in the way that handspinners is, you may be better of going with G1, coppermine or some other image gallery that is only available as "under development".

RwD

Joined: 2005-01-09
Posts: 383

Posted: Thu, 2005-03-31 11:19

Ok, so it isn't a waste of time then, so I can start :P
It being thursday today means I have an hour to look at how to do layouts :P

I want to accomplish a standard layout alike the 4images gallery (www.4homepages.de) because the way the matrix layout looks I do not like. I can probably copy the matrix layout and just change it until everything is layed out as I want; then do the styles. I am not sure how accurate I will get it as 4images is made in an old fashioned table way...

handspinners Joined: 2005-03-23 Posts: 1	Posted: Wed, 2005-03-23 16:33
	Hello; I installed G2 about a week ago and have been reading through these boards trying to figure out how to customize the Gallery pages to fit in with the rest of the site, but I am just totally lost. Layout, templates, themes. I've got 19 possible files open but don't really know which one or ones I need to be editing. I've designed sites using Mambo, B2Evolution, Wordpress, Pixelpost, etc. without much problem. I don't know php well, but do know html and css very well. G2 has me stumped and frustrated. My site is http://www.prairiewool.com/gallery/. At this point I'd be happy if I could get rid of the left column, the heading information (underneath my header and above the greyed photo heading) and move the admin log in box somewhere less conspicious. I don't want the site to have users. Just me. So I don't want any log in boxes around. Am I asking for something that isn't possible with this program? Is the design of G2 only able to be handled by 'experts' and not everyday users? Should I go looking for something easier? I just want a simple photo gallery where I can post a photo have thumbnails automatically generated and put in the photo title and description. Birdie Frustrated and confused
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rogermh Joined: 2005-01-09 Posts: 102	Posted: Wed, 2005-03-23 17:51
	Hi handspinners, I wanted to echo that I have a lot of the same desires as you. My site is basically a personal website with only one user, me, so I don't want a log-in box. Obviously, the admin (me) needs to login, but I'd almost prefer a separate page for this (like http://mysite.com/g2/login) and not have it clutter up the main G2 page. I also want to get rid of the sidebar as well as get rid of the pull-down menus underneath the thumbnails. I see that you have removed the pull-down menus on your site. This is what I want for the public view, but when I'm logged in as admin, I'd like them to be there to provide the functionality that it offers. Does your site do that? I believe that help is on the way. I think that Bharat has said that the UI will be a big focus during the beta cycle as well as making G2 themes easier to modify. I also believe that mindless and others are currently working on a lot of CSS updates to the codebase. Hopefully it won't be long before G2 is something that "everyday users" will be able to customize and use. Roger

mindless Joined: 2004-01-04 Posts: 8601	Posted: Wed, 2005-03-23 18:39
	1) we don't really have any documentation at this point, so it's up to you to look through the configuration screens and see what is available.. for example, Site Admin / General has an option to turn off the login form in the sidebar and just use a link in the top bar. 2) i'm mostly done with the CSS updates which makes working with themes/CSS quite a bit easier 3) you can customize a lot using local templates.. you might check the docs at smarty.php.net if the smarty syntax is too confusing. you can find the include for the sidebar in layouts/matrix/templates/albumBody.tpl and singleBody.tpl.. try removing that include in a local template and see what the result is..

RwD Joined: 2005-01-09 Posts: 383	Posted: Thu, 2005-03-31 08:44
	But is it smart doing layout and style changes allready? I am just looking trough everything to only chasnge it when gallery2 is actually done. Before that I think that making your own customizations is a waste of time (sort of). What if part of the system gets changed? I am certain that the user interface will change visibly because the way the front-end is now it just doesn't match up with the amount of time that was put into the back-end. I myself do not like text too much, I expect some images to appear for certain actions for example to make it easier Anyway, is it smart customizing now allready? It means I have to change whenever you do, plus I need to find out why my customization doesn't work anymore and if the changes on the standard aren't better then what I did and so on....

fryfrog Joined: 2002-10-30 Posts: 3236	Posted: Thu, 2005-03-31 11:01
	I guess it all depends on how brave and dedicated you are. I think layout/theme customizations are probably one of the safer things, next being perhaps modules. If you make an especially good theme or layout, it may even be included IN G2. Wouldn't that be nice? If you are looking to use G2 in the way that handspinners is, you may be better of going with G1, coppermine or some other image gallery that is only available as "under development".

RwD Joined: 2005-01-09 Posts: 383	Posted: Thu, 2005-03-31 11:19
	Ok, so it isn't a waste of time then, so I can start :P It being thursday today means I have an hour to look at how to do layouts :P I want to accomplish a standard layout alike the 4images gallery (www.4homepages.de) because the way the matrix layout looks I do not like. I can probably copy the matrix layout and just change it until everything is layed out as I want; then do the styles. I am not sure how accurate I will get it as 4images is made in an old fashioned table way...

Way Too Confusing

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