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1. artaudo
   Member
   Posted 2 years ago #

   Hello All ...

   Here's what I'm looking for before you read my situataion:

   - 3 Column Template
   - Dynamic top nav, independent of left nav
   - profile/registration builder
   - login/remember me
   - shopping cart

   ... but really at this point I'll settle for navigation I can get to work on one Theme.

   I've been at this for the third day, and 18 hours now. I got the host, and domain, etc, then installed WP most recent version. Picked out several themes, and started to shop for plugins. Now, I've been developing a site for a non-profit, and been through this R & D phase for quite some time. Php/Mysql and Ajax. I'm not new to this. So, I know what I want ...only, every freaken theme I find, and plugin I want to add, they don't work or match or ...whatever. I didn't want my head to buzz like a monitor, and here I am.

   Pretty general, you might say.
   Well, what gives, this stuff is supposed to be user friendly, and I am no novice. Here's the punch line: If I wanted to scower through lines of code for hours to tweak something to work, well ...I WAS doing that before, putting the project together piece by piece ...then WPs highly integrations options looked better and better.

   For example, very simple crap you'd think: Like, a top navigation and a side navigation that you don't have to tweak, and that work, independently. But, it appears that each Theme Template carries it's own personality, of coding style that is.

   So, how long does it take to pair a plug-in/widget with a Theme ...how many hours of trial and error, especially what I am looking for. I'd like to get the two other sites into MU, and time is ticking. Anything will help, as I keep plugging away. Cheers!

2. esmi
   Theme Diva & Forum Moderator
   Posted 2 years ago #

   When selecting themes, it's probably a good idea to focus on this that have been updated in the last 6-12 months to reduce the chance of older themes that use deprecated template tags. Personally I'd simply run a 3-column tag filter on http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/tag-filter/ and see what pops up with the right kind of layout.

   Might be better to avoid themes with lots of additional functionality since you have a pretty specific list of priority features and you need to avoid any conflicts.

   - profile/registration builder
   - login/remember me
   - shopping cart

   http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/

   Focus on plugins that are documented as compatible with 2.8.

   I'd like to get the two other sites into MU

   Using MU is likely to add an extra layer of complexity. Not all plugins will work effectively in MU right now. http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/ might be a good place to ask for recommendations.

   I'm fairly sure that both:

   http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/eshop
   http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-e-commerce/

   will work on MU.

3. 14ner
   Member
   Posted 2 years ago #

   try this which is built as a child theme:

   http://www.chris-wallace.com/2009/07/17/simplecartjs-a-free-wp-e-commerce-thematic-child-theme/

4. artaudo
   Member
   Posted 2 years ago #

   Thanks both of you. I feel like I jumped into the river, with calmer expectations, and someone was there to throw me a towel. Not a white one. Anyhow, thanks for the telescope "esmi." Seems you do quite a bit of posting, and Buena Vista & Collegiate Peaks are in my backyard "14er." I'm concentrating on Practical WordPress Themes. I've also tried to provide you, and others that will stumble here with some early sign-posts, with pearls to come

   What I'm looking for, now:

   A really big downer, is the HOME link that is stuck on most menus and theme templates. Extremely annoying, when your trying to catch a rhythum. It seems the index.php is being read as a Home link, and thrown into the menu; and I've spent time swimming inside the loops and conditionals trying to find it and can't.

   Looking for a flexible theme with some liquidity ...without asking for the world. It's not all going to be a downhill ride I can see.
   Themes that have got the box, or interface, as it were, chopped up in divisions for widgets, are limiting ...and content is supposed to be king. In the end, I think I'm really hoping to duplicate something of the Amazon (I said the 'A' word) experience, with the WP Tools. The theme builders seem to want to own you, kinda ... So, registration, profile builder; with a login/remember me plugin are still on my list, trying not to feel whipped by the currents so far.

   Otherwise, here's my work so far I hope will help others:

   Two things have helped me get a focus. I am using the PixoPoint horizontal menu. This is compatible up to 2.8.4, and I am running the brand new WP 2.8.6, and it works well with a couple of templates I'm banging on. Then, there is a video I stumbled upon, on how to manage parent/child page arrangements, as far as implementing them in a horizontal menu with the pages widget left sidebar, from the McBuzz.Com on YouTube. Seems simple, but it was a helpful fundamental for me.

   I am noticing a lot of themes really are restrictive. When you've been banging out code with independence on your side for awhile, it's not a little distracting. So, I found this tutorial, from ThemeShaper.com teaching you how to build a theme from scratch. I'm thoroughly familiar with Xampp, as well as PHP/Mysql, and have installed Xampp Lite.

   I am beginning to notice the ceiling and walls with wordpress themes, though by no means do I feel I own a comprehensive world view.

5. 14ner
   Member
   Posted 2 years ago #

   Hi Artaudo,

   Another great resource could be this e-book for you.
   http://rockablepress.com/books/rockstar-wordpress-designer/

   I am not exactly sure what you are trying to do entirely but certainly anything is possible using wordpress.

   Yale is my favorite Collegiate Peak

   -14ner

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