Designer Asks: "Do I Need A Developer to Create/Sell Themes for Marketplace?"
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Does selling themes in the marketplace always require a designer/developer team?
I'm a designer who has built C5 sites for various clients. I can take my raw HTML and convert it to a C5 theme, although I do not 'write' PHP by any means. I know my HTML/CSS and copy/paste the PHP to get my themes to C5. I love to design and want to sell themes in the marketplace ... can I do this alone?
I've worked with a developer in the past but he's no longer available (and I'm happy to work with a developer in the future) but I'm curious about the installation process of a new theme. (i.e. can't it just be unpacked and put into the themes folder?).
Thanks, Karen
I'm a designer who has built C5 sites for various clients. I can take my raw HTML and convert it to a C5 theme, although I do not 'write' PHP by any means. I know my HTML/CSS and copy/paste the PHP to get my themes to C5. I love to design and want to sell themes in the marketplace ... can I do this alone?
I've worked with a developer in the past but he's no longer available (and I'm happy to work with a developer in the future) but I'm curious about the installation process of a new theme. (i.e. can't it just be unpacked and put into the themes folder?).
Thanks, Karen
I would say that you can easily manage this yourself, but I encourage you to read through the guidelines and test your theme package yourself extensively before submitting to the marketplace.
Read more about it here:http://www.concrete5.org/developers/marketplace-submission-rules/...
Read more about it here:http://www.concrete5.org/developers/marketplace-submission-rules/...
Would creating a package be considered an advanced programming task? I know that's a relative question, but just trying to get a sense of whether it's something I can reasonably tackle (seeing as I'm a cut & paste coder for PHP).
I am currently working my way through these pages, which might be helpful for other designers exploring this question.
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/developers/system/packages/...
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/designers/packaging-...
I am currently working my way through these pages, which might be helpful for other designers exploring this question.
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/developers/system/packages/...
http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/designers/packaging-...
I suggest you take a look at a few of the free themes from the Marketplace and see for yourself. Compare the coded inside, and I think you will see that it's not that different between each theme. The code is also pretty easy to understand, especially since you have done some cut 'n' paste earlier (and so have seen php code before).
The How-To you have linked to is also an excellent source for understanding the packaging part.
The How-To you have linked to is also an excellent source for understanding the packaging part.
A huge programming sense is not needed for creating a theme package. But you should understand what you have cut & paste. Otherwise if you have faced any error, you can't fix it.
Citytech
Citytech
The biggest mistake I see in themes is the lack of understanding what the view.php is for.
The function of this file is critical to applications using single pages. Single pages use this file from the theme to "wrap" around the single page content.
As such, some newb designers fail to make this file a simple header, print innercontent, and footer. They errantly place sidebar content in this file. This is a very poor design as many single page applications have sidebar content in the application itself. An example of this would be the profile page. ProBlog has sidebar info built in as well.
So just make sure that your view.php file is clean and simple stupid. header, inner content, and footer.
I have a video on youtube about this topic as well here:http://vimeo.com/35407334
ChadStrat
The function of this file is critical to applications using single pages. Single pages use this file from the theme to "wrap" around the single page content.
As such, some newb designers fail to make this file a simple header, print innercontent, and footer. They errantly place sidebar content in this file. This is a very poor design as many single page applications have sidebar content in the application itself. An example of this would be the profile page. ProBlog has sidebar info built in as well.
So just make sure that your view.php file is clean and simple stupid. header, inner content, and footer.
I have a video on youtube about this topic as well here:http://vimeo.com/35407334
ChadStrat
Citytech