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HomeHomeUsing DNN Platf...Using DNN Platf...Skins, Themes, ...Skins, Themes, ...The BEST way to create skins....The BEST way to create skins....
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3/29/2007 7:04 AM
 

Thanks leupold.

Great link by the way. I'll download and check it out.

 

 
New Post
3/29/2007 10:08 AM
 
I have my own DNN custom skinning company, www.fatbirdstudio.com, and I have done over 150 custom skins and I always use HTML. I have several reasons for that:

1. HTML skins are version independed
2. My customers can them selfs make some minor changes if they like
3. Full CSS control witch makes it easier to have cross browser support

The argument that you can see your change directly without having to parse the skin if you edit in the ASCX file, I dont really understand it. What do you change in the ASCX file? In my opinion the proper way to do it is to have the skin 100% controlled with CSS and that is the only file you have to change to alter the skin. I never change the HTML file after I code it. Just change in the CSS and press f5 to see the results.

But ofcourse this is my way of doing it and its fun and educational to read how other do it.

Regards,
Amer
www.fatbirdstudio.com
 
New Post
3/29/2007 11:51 AM
 

Thanks for your imput Rema.

I think I will definitely stick to HTML, especially since I am already comfortable with it.

 
New Post
3/31/2007 3:17 PM
 

rema wrote
In my opinion the proper way to do it is to have the skin 100% controlled with CSS and that is the only file you have to change to alter the skin.

That's nice when you can.  I often have to tweek a skin to make it compatible between browsers which can often call for an added div wrapper or the breaking up of a div in the orginal layout into a table, or perhaps to include a section into a span to allow a more specific class to be used, again to make it work cross browser.  But I probably have more of those issues to deal with as I make sure my skins use a standards complaint doctype, as I do not want to work in "quirks mode" as the default doctype in DNN and your skins use.  Over the years, I have had way too many problems working with "quirks mode" to ever allow my sites to fail standard complaint doctype and drop into quirks mode, too many issues living on the quirks mode edge.

As for css, I heavily rely upon it, but as I mentioned there are times when some additional code is required once testing on multiple browsers begin.  When you have a good base template though, most skins can follow that same template and be fine, but if you move outside the box a bit on a skin, you can be right back into the muck with cross browser issues, not to mention those times when you think you might just want to add a little something-somthing to an area.

BTW, your site is quite beautiful!

 
New Post
4/2/2007 11:01 AM
 

From the posts here I think you can see that the "Best" way to work with skins is whatever way gets the job done that you feel comfortable with.  I often start a sking in HTML, then edit the ASCX file.  But all of that really depends on what the end result I'm going for is.  I have no trouble doing CSS in either HTML or ASCX, so that's not the issue.  I'm no longer that good in Dreamweaver, so a WYSIWYG editor doesn't help me much.

But all of this is personal.  You may work in a different way than I do, and that's great.  If it works for you, do it.  If not, explore other options.

Jeff

 
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