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Moderators : Ray

Different layouts for pages

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9 Replies

Last Post: by Franz 10/10/2011 11:33:43 PM

• #0  9/30/2011 2:48:20 AM

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  Franz Copper lv1 48 Points 3 Threads 6 Posts

  Hi, I've been playing around for a while with DNA and I'm really enthusiastic about this really greate CMS. Great work!!! But when I go into implementing some pages, I came to some limitations, that seems to be a problem. 1. I'm missing a documentation about theming and customizing pages. This would be a necessary paper, to get started! Also a documentation about the object model would be helpful. 2. When trying to get different layouts to different pages, I had the problem, that _Layout.cshtml in shared folder is always used for new pages. I don't know a way to define a custom view for the new page and to reference to an other layout view. 3. It would be a nice feature in style designer, to define a custom class instead of using the defined classes and the changes should be saved to a seperate css-File. I hope my request is reproducable. Thanks for your support in advance Franz

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• #1  9/30/2011 5:28:02 AM

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  Ray Copper lv1 188 Points 22 Threads 202 Posts

  Hi: 1. I'm working for the css element document but i don't want my users to read it. I'd like to make DotNetAge more easy to design themes than editing style sheets. But i also will write the css and object model documents as soon as fast. 2. Have you read this document before ? http://www.dotnetage.com/publishing/dna/2011/08/31/6909/extending-action-as-webpage.html I think it maybe helpful for adding a custom webpage. 3. Point to #1, i will try to improve the Style Designer that allow users create an awesome theme and never tough the css source. Sharing my ideas and codes to make things change.

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• #2  9/30/2011 6:47:53 AM

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  Franz Copper lv1 48 Points 3 Threads 6 Posts

  Hi Ray, Thank's for your immediate response. that was really fast. I think it's a good idea, to design themes only in style designer, but also mention that there are designers out there that swear on editing css with their text editor. I think that it is very difficult, to get all the different requests to webdesign handled with a visual tool. So it would be a good idea, that there is a clear structure of files belonging to a theme. My impression is, that this is currently not. I.e. -Layout.cshtml is a global file, but better should be inherited for a theme. Also Layout_x_x.cshtml is in a different location. The idea with inheritance of global views to theme views would be a nice idea, to get more flexibility. Thank you again for your assistance and keep up your really good work. Regards Franz

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• #3  9/30/2011 8:18:47 AM

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  Ray Copper lv1 188 Points 22 Threads 202 Posts

  freh Also Layout_x_x.cshtml is in a different location. The idea with inheritance of global views to theme views would be a nice idea, to get more flexibility. That's awesome and it's very easy to implement! Thank you for your suggestion! In order to express my gratitude i have add this feature to new checkIn. Get the latest version and enjoy! Usage: The DotNetAge will search "_Layout.cshtml" in the current theme folder for prerequest, if it exists DotNetAge will use it as default global layout. Otherwise the default _Layout.cshtml file will be used. Sharing my ideas and codes to make things change.

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• #4  10/4/2011 12:03:37 AM

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  Franz Copper lv1 48 Points 3 Threads 6 Posts

  Hi Ray, that's a really good news! Thanks for this quick response. I will have a look right now. One more little question: Is there a way, to have different layout views for different pages? In MVC you only have to add Layout = "~/Something.cshtml" or pass it as a parameter to the view in controller method. But as pages are dynamical I see no possibility to define a special layout for one single page. Would it be possible, to add a field in the new page dialog, where it is possible, to define a custom layout view? Or would that have an impact on your style designer? Regards Franz

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• #5  10/4/2011 6:45:54 AM

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  Ray Copper lv1 188 Points 22 Threads 202 Posts

  Hi freh: There are some confusion about the Layouts. 1.Master Layout - _Layout.cshtml the default master layout file for all dynamic pages and view pages. 2.Page Layout - DotNetAge offers 12 default page layouts that you can change your page layout in web page editor. Do you want to the page layout to your special layout file out of 12 default layouts? - Or - You wants a layout designer to create the page layout dynamically? Thanks Sharing my ideas and codes to make things change.

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• #6  10/4/2011 7:23:00 AM

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  Franz Copper lv1 48 Points 3 Threads 6 Posts

  Hi Ray, Thank you for response! I mean, that there should not be one master layout for all dynamic pages. Instead, of this, my idea is, to define different master layouts and asign it to a new or given page. I.e. Page1 has _Layout.cshtml, but Page2 has _Layout2.cshtml. Furthermore, I think, that your idea with the page layout designer would be really helpful. As there are requests in Web design, that could not be solved the standard way. Thank you for your assitance. Maybe as I learn more about DotNetAge and I go deeper into the source code, I will be able to contribute some code. Regards Franz Btw. Why isn't it possible, to change the layout of the Home - page?

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• #7  10/4/2011 8:56:58 AM

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  Ray Copper lv1 188 Points 22 Threads 202 Posts

  Hey, please think about this: if one page has one layout file that means the master layout is useless. Master layout means one layout for all page. One by one layout is page layout. Sharing my ideas and codes to make things change.

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• #8  10/4/2011 10:26:55 PM

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  Franz Copper lv1 48 Points 3 Threads 6 Posts

  I mean a master layout for a group of pages! What Do you think. Does that make sense? As there is no feedback, I want to precise what this would be good for. If you plan to have different pages for mobile devices and for standard web browsers, it would not be enough, to have one layout view. (Btw. this would be a nice feature for one of the next releases of DNA) Or i.e. you want to present different layouts to users with different languages. As you see it will make sense, to have the flexibility to change layout views. What do you think about that, Ray? Regards Franz

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• #9  10/10/2011 11:33:43 PM

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  Ray Copper lv1 188 Points 22 Threads 202 Posts

  Hi Franz: First of all, i am sorry to say so long to get back to you.I has been very busy,that no attention to the reply post.I spent a lot of time thinking about your mentioned issues it's so good for DNA ! 1. I have no idea how to add a master layout for a group of pages. And i think that is not so useful for a website. When you want "group" your pages and use different layout what not create a team site and use other theme ? 2.Obviously the DNA default layout is not good for mobile devices, and i am working with this now. For mobile devices maybe not use the current webpage layout mechanism, and i want to add a Layout designer to create layouts for classical web browsers and mobile browsers. In future version we maybe use XML to define a webpage layout. Thanks Sharing my ideas and codes to make things change.

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