Templates and Templating

Hello all,
i know you use the smarty template system, but can you use the bootstrap template system, i use bootstrap all the time yet have occasional used smarty, my personal opinion is i don't like smarty but like i said it's my opinion.
if so how can this be done , just simply put in the css code and such or would i need to fully recode it?

 

Hi,

ISPConfig does not use smarty.
Bootstrap is not like smarty, those are two different code layers (php <-> html/css).

ISPConfig will get a completely new template and theme in the next major release (not 3.0.5.x) that will probably be bootstrap-based.

 

ok sorry thought it did, thought i read somewhere it did. but anyway would it be easy to put in bootstrap template to use for the style of the login and the user panel?

 

Changed above answer accordingly.

 

Thanks

Thanks mate that will help quite a lot when i change from the dreded cpanel to ispconfig lol (yes im an old cpanneler) but looking for a better alternative (and not meaning free but litterally better)
im looking to create some custom plugins for my sites but im a little confused with the api but thats should be a new thread

 

I think adding bootstrap to a project is putting yourself into trouble following bootstrap's updates. As it has proved so far they do major changes all the time breaking the design completely. I regret using it on one of my projects It is nice, but in practice you end up chasing their updates...

 

It is nice, but in practice you end up chasing their updates...

That's only true if you follow their updates. There is nothing wrong with picking the latest version and sticking with it. However I suspect once a Bootstrap theme becomes official then folks will want to keep it updated with the latest.

It's not the look of the style that is so important, although it's great, but the mobile first responsive nature of the framework that is essential for any long term website theme. ISPConfig is pretty well unusable on a Nexus7 and impossible on a Nexus5. A BS3 theme would fix that.

 

I agree to everything you said if we take as a standard that we are not going to follow any bootstrap update. Are we ? Sure it will add responsive ability.

I believe it should be added using a php class or a php function in the theme, so in case someone designs another theme and doesn't want the theme to load the default bootstrap or not even load it at all, they can just omit that class or function. Similar to what Joomla does:

Code:

JHtml::_('bootstrap.framework');

Imagine a theme that loads the latest bootstrap while the default is ages old. Or a theme that uses it's own responsive engine and styling. This is the proper way. Same goes for jquery and similar libraries. They should be added using a class.

In no way we want an overloaded browser. Even more important is the ability to have choice.

This all may sound weird to some though

 

I would imagine the current default theme would always remain as a legacy fallback option so no one would lose out on the extra "bloat" if they did not want it. However, having jQuery loaded up could lead to more AJAX friendly pages so the initial extra load time could be more than made up for during ongoing usage.

I no longer use ISPConfig because I simply refuse to let my clients see the antiquated web interface.

 

I am a fan of jquery and I use it when I need extras without a second though.

I don't see the current ispconfig 3 theme such ancient as you describe it no. But I do find it a little problematic in relation to it's ajax functionality. I have disabled as much as I could but it still lags sometimes.

I have in plan to create a theme for ispconfig but I don't know when, I need to find the time. So I am not yet aware if things are already kinda simplified or not in the ispconfig theme area, because none likes to do code hacks.

So either have a class that loads bootstrap and other libs from outside the theme directory, or have everything that is theme-relative such as css and js inside the theme directory and nowhere else. Both are good ways and will help the theme designers do more.