Zikula Community

• **unknown user**
  
  

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  Posted: Mar 08, 2006 - 11:17 AM

  Well after getting my eyes burned by looking at thousands of different templates on Templatemonster.com I finally got it narrowed down to these 12 templates that I actually like.
  
  10449
  10398
  10359
  10080
  9878
  9568
  8774
  4920
  3985
  2549
  2408
  1978
  
  You can go to templatemonster.com and put in these numbers in the item number box and it will show you the template that we are considering. Now is the process for me to select a template that I like and then get it working with Postnuke and AutoTheme and then handing that over to whatever web designer and letting them modify it or is the process select template, modify the template and then make it fit for AutoTheme and postnuke? I just want to know the order that I need to take. I am open to any and all advice to pick a template.
  
  The industry that we are in, Asphalt business, is not very IT centric. As you can probably imagine many companies don’t even have websites and then the majority of the websites out there are very basic and are more functional than fashionable. I would like to follow suit, but also have a website that has a bit of pop to it. I think that these templates sort of fit that bill. Please let me know if I can provide any more details, for instance competitor websites, customer websites, etc. Please let me know.

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• HalbrookTech
  
  

  • Rank: Developer
  • Registered: Dec 31, 1969
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  Posted: Mar 08, 2006 - 11:26 AM

  It's a new theme, why use AutoTheme instead of the core Xanthia engine?
  
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• **unknown user**
  
  

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  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 02:27 AM

  I was under the impression that AutoTheme was easier to figure out and use? Now I am doubting that. Hell I spent $100 on the commerical version as well. Damn

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• uheweb
  
  

  • Rank: Helper
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  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 03:19 AM

  Both have their strengths - AutoTheme has some add-in plugins that might benefit you, as well as the support since you bought the commercial version. I know that a recent AutoTheme version had trouble (not sure of the fix) with a certain .76? flavor of PN, so be sure to check that out before you set up your whole site and start trying to implement the AutoTheme.
  
  You'll be fine with it. With either Xanthia or AutoTheme, the themes are now comprised of templates. The templates contain tags that tell the specific engine where to place the content - ie, main content, block areas, etc. So, get your template (graphics, layout, etc), then try to find a SIMILAR AutoTheme theme. Then, modify the AutoTheme theme to your desired layout and graphic scheme making sure to maintain the TAGS that render the content.
  
  UHEweb

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• **unknown user**
  
  

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  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 03:31 AM

  So now I need to buy a template and then also I have to buy a theme? I thought you bought a template then did the modifications that you wanted to the template and then made it into a theme. I am so confused at this point. I believe I have found my template that I like from templatemonster.com and I really want to move forward on it, but I may have issues with AutoTheme and would like to clear those up before proceding further.
  
  I am not even sure if I have AutoTheme installed right. I have contacted support at www.spidean.com, but the support is slow over there.

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• Lobos
  
  

  • Rank: Expert
  • Registered: Dec 02, 2002
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  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 03:56 AM

  Hi there,
  
  We specialise in integrating template monster (TM) templates to AutoTheme. Basically as you have probably found out this job is not as easy as it looks due to the fact that most TM templates require quite a bit of layout manipulatation to function properly in the CMS environment. We can provide you with a XHTML / CSS / AutoTheme solution that will boast uniform display in all the major browsers now and in the future.
  
  Save yourself further headaches and contact us for a quote: info[**at**]webvida.com
  
  -Lobos
  
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  Professional PHP Framework Services: Concept, Development and Deployment

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• **unknown user**
  
  

  • Rank: Helper
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  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 03:58 AM

  We converted hundreds of them as well. Lobos is right -- there is often more to it than there really should be given that TM uses squirrely code at times.
  
  http://www.autothemes.com

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• HalbrookTech
  
  

  • Rank: Developer
  • Registered: Dec 31, 1969
  • Last visit: Jun 01, 2010
  • Posts: 6859

  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 04:16 AM

  mblanco1976

  I was under the impression that AutoTheme was easier to figure out and use?

  
  That is subjective, and personally, I definitly don't think it's $100 easier to figure out. If you're going to hire someone to do the work for you, then it's really 6 of 1 half a dozen of the other. They are both similar in that they allow you to use straigh HTML with custom tags.
  
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• **unknown user**
  
  

  • Rank: Freshman
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  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 04:26 AM

  Guys I have not bought a template yet. I would like to select the right template as to avoid alot of customization (cost). I still know I will need someone to do the custom work for me on the intial load, but could you guide me on where to look for a template so that I can keep my cost down? If template monster is not the right place for me to select a template please advise.

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• HalbrookTech
  
  

  • Rank: Developer
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  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 05:17 AM

  Any template you find runs the rist of needing more work done on it. Best bet may be to just contract with one of the theme developers to do custom work.
  
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• Lobos
  
  

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  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 06:16 AM

  Any of the templates at TM will be fine, BUT NOT the FULL FLASH sites - flash headers are ok, but it is not possible to put the full flash sites into postnuke. Basically when we convert a TM template to AutoTheme we rewrite the XHTML from scratch and reslice the graphics template. This is because the markup inluded with TM templates is basically shite... but the designs are nice :)
  
  -Lobos
  
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  -Lobos
  Professional PHP Framework Services: Concept, Development and Deployment

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• **unknown user**
  
  

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  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 02:37 PM

  Well rewriting from scratch sounds expensive. So why dont you point me in the right direction on where to find a template.

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• HalbrookTech
  
  

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  Posted: Mar 09, 2006 - 04:56 PM

  As I said, you're going to have that potential on any template you have. If you're going to buy a template AND pay someone to convert it, you may be better off getting a custom quote.
  
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• **unknown user**
  
  

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  Posted: Mar 10, 2006 - 02:04 AM

  I thought by using a postnuke, phpnuke, etc. That it allowed you to easily select templates, make modifications and then get them ported over to what CMS you are using fairly easily.
  
  So now I am wondering what he advantages are of using postnuke?

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• uheweb
  
  

  • Rank: Helper
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  Posted: Mar 10, 2006 - 04:10 AM

  mblanco1976 -
  
  Some background may be order as you seem confused about the relationship of a "design","theme", "template" and "CMS" engine.
  
  Postnuke is a CMS engine - nothing more, nothing less. It is not a website design package, a template or a theme.
  
  Postnuke will USE a theme to place its CMS content into.
  
  THEMES are made up of one or more templates - the actual HTML code used. The CMS engine only knows how to put its content into the template IF TOLD WHERE TO DO SO with the use of tags - such as , , etc. Postnuke will scan your template HTML files, substituting its output into the place you've put these tags.
  
  A design is just the visual elements and layout - it can be a full-blown HTML file, merely a graphic that you can slice up and use as needed, etc.
  
  SO, If you buy a NON-postnuke design, it first must be coded into HTML and broken down into the various templates that postnuke uses - ie, home, main, centerblocks, rightblocks, leftblocks. So the THEME made from the visual design you bought becomes several different templates that are now postnuke compatible.
  
  IF you get a Postnuke theme (Xanthia or AutoTheme), the theme is already basically set-up with the right tags and templates. You can then EDIT the templates to put in your custom graphics and styling (ie, infuse your own design into the existing templates).
  
  Either way, its very straightforward - get a DESIGN you like..or make one up. THEN, either use an existing Postnuke theme and edit it to reflect your design.
  
  OR
  
  Put together or buy a graphic / HTML rendition of a design you like and have someone RE-CODE it into the templates needed for postnuke to function.
  
  The advantages are numerous - once you have your templates done, you can adjust the templates to affect ALL your pages at once. Your pages are no longer static that you must edit each and every one, but dynamic - contained in the database, seperating layout from content. Also, it leads to automation - member management and submissions, blocks and mini-modules to manipulate and add interesting functionality, etc. Also, as the content is in the database, it makes it easy to extract and use it elsewhere - duplicate, backup, move to a different site - with some SQL knowledge or tools.
  
  As for your last comment, EVERY CMS has different ways of handling templates - a MAMBO, PHP-nuke, postnuke CMS could all have the same DESIGN (same look, layout, etc.) but the templates and coding necessary for the CMS to place the content in the right place necessitates correctly coded templates FOR EACH.
  
  I hope that clears up some confusion. While Postnuke might seem overwhelming for someone just learning about web design and web applications, its a powerful package - just a different learning curve than trying to make static web pages from a single graphical design. Good luck to you!
  
  UHEweb

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