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Create template/theme for Codeigniter

Discussion in 'HTML & Website Design' started by HmR, Jan 23, 2016.

  1. #1
    Hello,

    this is my first post and thread here. I feel like this forum is very friendly and there are lots of talanted people here ^_^

    I've recently returned to web-development and web-design as a part of it. And my first start-up is private CMS (that I bought) based on Codeigniter. It have some really nice features that I could not find anywhere and they are easy to use. I don't have an option to edit main files of the project, they are encoded with Ioncube, but I can create new themes/templates. And actually I very need to do this, because I would like to have not only good features in backend, but also attractive view of my website in front. ;)

    The original developer described how I can find all the blocks inside the default theme. It is php vars. As I understand, what I need is to create new html code (with js/css for sure) and paste those php vars that will bring all functionality.

    I'm looking for advice from where to start building my future "rocket"-design templates. Could you, please, guide me? I wish to understand fully, so I can easy create lots of new templates/themes based on this CMS.

    My goals:
    - attractive + responsive design (mobile friendly);
    - integration of existing and development of new php-scripts to handle SEO/SMM tasks;
    - leightweight and fast.

    I understand that there are lots of ways how to make this (notepad, "drag-n-drop" editor, learning and reediting other's people code that I like and etc.), but I've decided firstly to ask the community of modern web-developers, so I may discover something new and adjust my way.

    It's no secret that future purpose of my websites is content-related platforms with ads.

    I've found that there are really lots of nice WP themplates and lots of people are hanging around WP nowadays too. Maybe it's stupid question, but how can I redesign WP themes for CI? And is it good idea?

    Thanks for helping! I'll try to bring back anything useful things that I can.
     
    HmR, Jan 23, 2016 IP
  2. HmR

    HmR Peon

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    #2
    Allright, since noone answering I will write what I've found myself.
    In few words, creating template/theme for Codeigniter is almost as easy as create template/theme for any other website, except one thing that I pointed earlier, you should add all php variables between right html tags in your template. That's it.

    About creating modern web-design - there are actually lots of sources where you can find useful info and it's a huge theme to think and speak about. I've started to look around html5 + css3 projects/examples/sales pages and top indexed websites and what I've discovered - they are all different. There are plenty of scripts and tools used to handle them like bootstrap, jquery, foundation or other similar and not only limited to that. At first glance, looks like everything is about how creatively and effectively you use javascript, css and php combination. Most of websites I don't feel good at all points, because even if some of them use great scripting functionality at the same time they loose their value with kind of bored and annoying pictures, videos and sounds. Seems like modern web-design is very much depends on design content quality and IM content also. So if you somehow overdo with IM (too many banners, selling pictures/videos, wrong size, not the right place and etc.) and/or use low-value design content, you will loose the overall value of your website.

    I think I've answered my own question, since I'd already started to develop my first template to new website with the use of tips I've just mentioned above.

    At this moment I hold the opinion that the "rocket"-website should have:
    - interesting content (information in all forms);
    - great design content used to build the look of the front-end;
    - nice and correct IM content (ads) with the right size and place;
    - and, of course, top functionality in the back-end.

    The only question I have to ask digitalpoint community and is: could you share what design content (images, video, sounds) do you feel attractive? And the same question about IM content. You can name the websites or reply with links.
    I know it's not good idea to speak about this questions in this thread, so I'll try to find the right topic and discuss there (or you can link me such topics). Thanks!
     
    HmR, Jan 26, 2016 IP
  3. R. Martin

    R. Martin Peon

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    #3
    There are a lot of resources with high quality, free and premium. You can search in Google 'Bootstrap Templates', for example. If you are looking for inspiration take a look at bestwebgallery, siteinspire, awwwards and similar sites.

    You can integrate them perfectly with your current Codeigniter files. Simply put one of those templates into the corresponding view folder and rename it with a name that matches the provided from the controller, or overwrite the current view content with the template's code (and use the variables sent from the controller as you need).

    Be sure to have a security copy to avoid mistakes. I also recommend you to learn the basics of that framework. In their page there is an easy and well explained tutorial to start with.
     
    R. Martin, Feb 2, 2016 IP
  4. deathshadow

    deathshadow Acclaimed Member

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    #4
    Most of what you'll see for off the shelf templates might LOOK very attractive, but they are universally ineptly coded rubbish, a giant middle finger to users with accessibility needs, could get you fined in some countries for failing to meet accessibility minimums depending on the type of site you are making, and on the whole is why the entire off the shelf solution industry from CMS to Templates is a giant scam preying on the ignorance of nubes or the unwillingness of certain types of site owners to take the time to learn a blasted thing.

    I would avoid ANY off the shelf answer if you actually care about users using the sites. The result is most always the road to failure; at best making the sites using them a miserable "also ran" or worse, an outright money pit. Hence why most web startups fail before they even get started.

    Honestly, that you apparently wasted money on a website where they didn't even actually give you the source and instead hid it behind that Ioncube scam artist bullshit kind of has me shaking my head...
     
    deathshadow, Feb 2, 2016 IP