PLEASE HELP!! Client growing impatient at progress. Trying to Concrete"ize" HTML Theme.
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I followed the steps in the video "How to concrete "ize" a HTML theme in 8 minutes and I am not showing the theme so I can activate it.
It is a very simple theme...I omitted the text and navigation in the image I uploaded.
I have a thumbnail.png file 120 X 90
I have a description.txt file
I have renamed the index.html file to default.php
I have replaced the href path with the gettheme path
All I want is to get this theme active so my client can have a blog. I have been building static sites for four years, this is my first cms. HELP!
It is a very simple theme...I omitted the text and navigation in the image I uploaded.
I have a thumbnail.png file 120 X 90
I have a description.txt file
I have renamed the index.html file to default.php
I have replaced the href path with the gettheme path
All I want is to get this theme active so my client can have a blog. I have been building static sites for four years, this is my first cms. HELP!
Where did you upload your new theme in the site's file system?
I have a hosting account with godaddy. This site is being placed on a private preview site that I use for clients to view their work before publishing to their domain.
So...in my hosting account my folder is greatpointpreview (actual url iswww.www.greatpointmedia-preview.com)...
within that domain is a subfolder called gifted.
I installed concrete5 to that subfolder
I opened concrete5.6.0.2
the second folder down is concrete
the themes folder within concrete tab container plain yogurt dark chocolate, etc are all in this themes folder.
I placed the gifted theme within this folder.
Thank you for taking the time to help me...much appreciated
So...in my hosting account my folder is greatpointpreview (actual url iswww.www.greatpointmedia-preview.com)...
within that domain is a subfolder called gifted.
I installed concrete5 to that subfolder
I opened concrete5.6.0.2
the second folder down is concrete
the themes folder within concrete tab container plain yogurt dark chocolate, etc are all in this themes folder.
I placed the gifted theme within this folder.
Thank you for taking the time to help me...much appreciated
Ah, okay. You need to create a folder ../gifted/themes/<theme_name> and upload your theme files there. Then you should be able to go into the themes panel in your dashboard and find the new theme showing there ready for install.
*edit*
Oops, make that ../gifted/concrete5.6.0.2(?)/themes/<theme_name>.
*edit*
Oops, make that ../gifted/concrete5.6.0.2(?)/themes/<theme_name>.
second instance of this post,
http://www.concrete5.org/community/forums/customizing_c5/custom-the...
http://www.concrete5.org/community/forums/customizing_c5/custom-the...
sorry, the first question didn't get a reply initially.
In the themes folder I have the folder "Gifted Theme for C5" already. Should it be named or placed somewhere else? This is where all the files...images, etc are located.
Have you tried naming the folder of your theme the exact way as it is called in the first line of the description.txt? Maybe theres a conflict somewhere there.
And maybe try avoiding space, use underlines if necessary...
Or - if it just does not work out and the theme is very simple - just modify one of the default themes...
If the first line of description.txt is: Gifted Theme for C5
Then your theme folder should be named: gifted_theme_for_c5
(This is per file naming style rules - "ALL filenames should be lowercase, with an underscore ("_") used to separate semantic terms. No uppercase permitted." http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/developers/system/coding-sty...
Then your theme folder should be named: gifted_theme_for_c5
(This is per file naming style rules - "ALL filenames should be lowercase, with an underscore ("_") used to separate semantic terms. No uppercase permitted." http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/developers/system/coding-sty...
This is true for many things, but not the description.txt file. You can put whatever you want on the first and second lines. It matters what the theme handle is when you install it via a package, but the handle and the description text file don't need to match up.
I am editing that right now per your suggestion.
Which themes folder? There is more than one.
In case it wasn't picked up before, your custom theme SHOULD NOT go in /concrete/themes folder, alongside the default themes. It needs to go in the most top level themes folder, which on a new install is going to be an empty folder.
/themes <- put theme in here
/concrete/themes <- don't put anything here
One of the golden rules of developing with concrete5 is that you NEVER touch anything within the /concrete folder. Instead, you use all those empty top level folders to place new themes, blocks, packages and overrides.
Also, I'd avoid a complicated name for your theme's folder. just called it 'gifted'. The description.txt file inside it is used to actually give the theme a proper name.
/themes <- put theme in here
/concrete/themes <- don't put anything here
One of the golden rules of developing with concrete5 is that you NEVER touch anything within the /concrete folder. Instead, you use all those empty top level folders to place new themes, blocks, packages and overrides.
Also, I'd avoid a complicated name for your theme's folder. just called it 'gifted'. The description.txt file inside it is used to actually give the theme a proper name.
<biting my tongue>
Kate- I truly appreciate your efforts. I think a. that I placed the files in the inner most theme folder which was an error and b. that I named the theme incorrectly...which I have corrected.
Now, the sudden panic from the realization that even if this concrete"izing" of my static HTML page works...and thanks to this forum it will, it does not give me the five pages I need with a blog, etc. I think the correct course of action was to install a basic theme and manipulate the CSS to make it look like the attached jpg. file (minus the text and navigation) UGH!!
Now, the sudden panic from the realization that even if this concrete"izing" of my static HTML page works...and thanks to this forum it will, it does not give me the five pages I need with a blog, etc. I think the correct course of action was to install a basic theme and manipulate the CSS to make it look like the attached jpg. file (minus the text and navigation) UGH!!
I hope this hasn't been too much of an ordeal for you, Chris...
What you were trying to do today is do-able, but the approach you're thinking about now - using an existing theme while developing your content - may make it easier to get your project moving forward again and help ease the learning curve a bit.
Meanwhile, you can be developing your custom theme and just plug it in after you've got it how you want it - without having to redo the content.
Feel free to give us a holler if you run into any more snags. :-)
What you were trying to do today is do-able, but the approach you're thinking about now - using an existing theme while developing your content - may make it easier to get your project moving forward again and help ease the learning curve a bit.
Meanwhile, you can be developing your custom theme and just plug it in after you've got it how you want it - without having to redo the content.
Feel free to give us a holler if you run into any more snags. :-)
Thank you Kate. The learning curve on this CMS journey has been an abstract lesson in frustration. The amount of help from the C5 forums has given me a light at the end of the tunnel.
I am going to take your advice (and others) and begin to take the design (basic layout attached) and modify the dark_chocolate theme. This way, as far as I can see, the blog and other php functionality is already in place where with my own theme template, it wasn't.
Last night after reading some FAQ's on CSS modification, one person posted information about renaming the dark_choclate theme and then modifying the description.txt file and uploading a new thumbnail.png
I followed those instructions and now the path got skewed somehow and my site disappeared.
Attached is my layout minus text and naviagtion.
Dimensions are:
header 960 X 231px
right content block 671 X 727
left sidebar 287 X 671
there is a 2px gray border #333333 between header and content blocks
and a 2px border between right content block and left sidebar
I want to place the verticle navigation in the left sidebar
Is this something that I could put together in a reasonable amount of time?
I am going to take your advice (and others) and begin to take the design (basic layout attached) and modify the dark_chocolate theme. This way, as far as I can see, the blog and other php functionality is already in place where with my own theme template, it wasn't.
Last night after reading some FAQ's on CSS modification, one person posted information about renaming the dark_choclate theme and then modifying the description.txt file and uploading a new thumbnail.png
I followed those instructions and now the path got skewed somehow and my site disappeared.
Attached is my layout minus text and naviagtion.
Dimensions are:
header 960 X 231px
right content block 671 X 727
left sidebar 287 X 671
there is a 2px gray border #333333 between header and content blocks
and a 2px border between right content block and left sidebar
I want to place the verticle navigation in the left sidebar
Is this something that I could put together in a reasonable amount of time?
Yes, that is something you should be able to do in a reasonable time.
I am amazed though, that you haven't been linked to these two how-tos yet:
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/designers/making-a-t...
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/editors/customize-a-...
I am amazed though, that you haven't been linked to these two how-tos yet:
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/designers/making-a-t...
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/editors/customize-a-...
First of all, your theme must be located in the root/themes folder and NOT the root/concrete/themes folder,
You should never add to or alter any of the files and folders inside the concrete folder,
Next, your theme folder name must be "name_of_folder" using underscores and not "name of folder",
Try to avoid using Capitols (although not critical it is just good practice),
Once you have your theme named and located properly you can then go to "extend concrete5" from the dashboard to install your theme,
Once installed you can go to "Pages & Themes" from the dashboard to Activate it..
*edit* Looks Mesuva and I posted at the same time but the message is the same..
You should never add to or alter any of the files and folders inside the concrete folder,
Next, your theme folder name must be "name_of_folder" using underscores and not "name of folder",
Try to avoid using Capitols (although not critical it is just good practice),
Once you have your theme named and located properly you can then go to "extend concrete5" from the dashboard to install your theme,
Once installed you can go to "Pages & Themes" from the dashboard to Activate it..
*edit* Looks Mesuva and I posted at the same time but the message is the same..
<biting my tongue harder>
Stop when your teeth meet
Don't you guys read the thread before posting? But no worries, it looks like the OP has enough help now.
Certainly do.
The summarisation of instructions was intentional. :-)
The summarisation of instructions was intentional. :-)
Yes Kate,
but your reply landed several positions up from the bottom of the page and it was obviously missed by both myself and mesuva,
No harm done and no offence intended..
but your reply landed several positions up from the bottom of the page and it was obviously missed by both myself and mesuva,
No harm done and no offence intended..
Haha - no offense taken. It was just cracking me up.
You just put your files in the wrong folder.
Read this for understand basic concrete5 guideline
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/developers/change-th...
>root/concrete are the core files, you should never touch those files. Have a look at the post link above for more details.
Add your theme folder in : >root/themes/ or >root/packages/
Read this for understand basic concrete5 guideline
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/developers/change-th...
>root/concrete are the core files, you should never touch those files. Have a look at the post link above for more details.
Add your theme folder in : >root/themes/ or >root/packages/
You just put your files in the wrong folder.
Read this for understand basic concrete5 guideline
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/developers/change-th...
>root/concrete are the core files, you should never touch those files. Have a look at the post link above for more details.
Add your theme folder in : >root/themes/ or >root/packages/
Read this for understand basic concrete5 guideline
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/developers/change-th...
>root/concrete are the core files, you should never touch those files. Have a look at the post link above for more details.
Add your theme folder in : >root/themes/ or >root/packages/
Can I bite my tongue now?
*chuckling*
DOH!!
That video is a bit outdated nowadays. Go check out this newer series of theme development videos.
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/recorded-trainings/theme-dev...