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Dear members, it is time to let you know what we were doing for the past 8 months besides releasing new templates and extensions.
This was a secret project which is about to come to life and will change the way you use YJSG template framework. Before you continue reading this lengthy article please note that YJSG v2.0.0 will be RC ready within few weeks.
Until than we would love to hear your feedback and any suggestion for new features before the RC1 is released.
Please post all your ideas in YJSG Template Framework Plugin forum.
Now to the details.
Our current template framework YJ Simple Grid, is due a huge makeover and our team has been working very hard to connect all the missing pieces. While you were asking for things that make your life easier, we have been noting them down and adding them in YJSG v2.0.0 one by one.
First major change is that YJSG v2.0.0 is Joomla system plugin which will make future updates that much easier for you and for us.
If you have noticed over 90% of files that you currently have within your templates folder are not used by you or we even tell you not to mess with them.
All these files have been moved outside the template and in to the plugin. Here is the difference between template CSS folders from old framework and new one;
Old template CSS folder
New template CSS folder
Besides cleaning up the css folder we went even further and emptied,layouts, html and elements folder and the yjsgcore is moved where it belongs. Inside the framework plugin.
Don't freak out , you are about to get blown away with the system that will power your websites.
YJSG v2.0.0 is unique in every way. Since Joomla itself gives you the chance to use template overrides, our template framework does the same but in a very special way.
Joomla MVC by default checks if extension override is available in the template and if yes than these are the files that will be used for presentation. This feature is great, but we template developers override these files first, before you do, so any effort from you to make the template very unique, goes away once you need to update. From YJSG v2.0.0 this is changed.
First extension override that you see is the one that is inside the framework plugin itself.
If you don't like that one you can copy your own from the extension folder and place it inside template html folder. You can also override all files that are located in plugin layout folder with your template layout folder. Not only that but you can copy the yjsgcore/yjsg_head.php to template layouts folder and take full control of all scripts and files that the template is loading inside the page head.
Now you are in total control! You can use our template framework and override it without even thinking if the update will brake your website. YJSG plugin update will always update the plugin files only. It will never touch your template files or overrides.
While working on this marvelous template framework, we looked around and just cant agree with thought that template that worked on framework version 1.0.0 , cannot be updated to 2.x. or any further version without major hacks or complete reconstruction.
We also cannot let you use the old framework and continue our development on new one. That would not be fair to you and we would certainly loose the trust that we have gained in the past 8 years.
What we also noticed is that even if we give you a patch that you just need to upload or we tell you to reinstall the template, some of you are not as technical as others and just thought of updating files kills your desire to use the framework itself.
This is why YJSG v2.0.0 has its own template updater that patches your old files automatically if there is a patch available. There is built in rollback feature that you can use if anything goes wrong. YJSG will never update template files unless you specifically tell it to. And it will never touch the overrides that you have placed in html or layouts folder.
The first and major patch that will be available is 1.0.16 to 2.0.0 which is essential so that your template gets the new structure. To make transition from v1.0.16 to 2.0.0 your template must run on 1.0.16. Update is not possible nor visible for any template that is running under v1.0.16.
Sure you can still use old templates but if you do not update you will be missing out on many new features. This patch does not touch any CSS files and moves only the default files that you don't need. First patch just affects specific lines inside;
To show you this in action here are few screenshots. For example we will use our latest template Smartline on a default Joomla 3.2.3 without special content which looks something like this;
Once the plugin is installed , it will tell you that there is new framework version available as soon as you assign old template as default. Here is a visual reference;
If you than follow the link to YJSG plugin and go in YJSG plugin manager, the system will show you following screen;
Once you click on update button wait few seconds;
And you will see;
Not only that your template is updated but you also have a backup in case anything goes wrong.
New Smartline;
The news item tools gives it away and it also shows that all small Bootstrap css bugs ( from Joomla 2.5 to Joomla 3.x ) have been fixed plus your template has a new engine that you can rely on.
By a simple click on restore button you can bring back the pre YJSG plugin template version;
Restoring Smartline
Smartline restored
Here is comparison between old Smartline template CSS folder and backed up one;
Old Smartline CSS folder
New Smartline CSS folder
As you can see the upgrade process is painless and it does not require any technical skills.
Now we are coming to some of the best options and features YJSG v2.0.0 has to offer. Since we are still in pre release stage , we will not talk about all options but will mention some major ones that you will love.
Up until version 1.0.16 YJSG template administration did have its own kick but 2.0.0 is something else.
This is old YJSG template manager;
and this is the new one;
As you can see not only that you get a brand new stylish template manager, but it also tells you if there is update available and it is completely interactive ( we will get to that ) plus it is cross Joomla compatible.
Up until YJSG v2.0.0 we basically had to support 2 different template administration areas and apply fixes and patches for each which were effected by almost every Joomla 3.x update. They were both visually different and some of you got confused going from 2.5.x to 3.x.
YJSG v2.0.0 template admin does not rely on Joomla admin template or it's files. It runs on its own and it looks the same in all previous and current Joomla versions which we will try to keep up with in all future Joomla releases.
Since the beginning of YJSG project we always wanted to visually show you how your frontend might look like before you hit save in template admin.
The new layout tab contains the complete frontend layout preview and if you move or remove the grid/topmenu calls from template index.php file the administration will visually show you the new layout. All grid boxes change their width once you are finished typing the sizes so you get exact replica of each module width.
Enough talk, here is the new Layout tab;
Now compare that to actual Smartline grids preview
Smartline Grids Preview
Looks the same doesn't it?
This feature will help you rearrange your template layout and always know how it will look like before you hit that save button.
As you can see from the image above, every part of the layout has its own settings panel. These are sliding panels that contain specific parameter settings for each.
For example, here is preview of your logo settings;
Every settings icon, opens sliding panel with either logo , grid or mainody grid settings.
Up until now, all demos development and content presentations depended in some way or the other up on the modules you have. Sliders, accordions and tabs are the essence of every great looking website. Even though we are in business of making Joomla extensions, we could not stay away from this one.
Yes, we did just that! We built in all of these inside your new template framework.
By simple hover over a module position you can see an icon for custom module chrome.
Once you click on it, you can choose what that module position should be. Slides, Tab Nav, Tab Pills, or an Accordion.
For example, if we publish 3 any type of modules in position top1 and in template manager we choose Top1 module position to be Slides;
Than we click on the top right settings icon of Top1 module position to adjust our slider;
and after clicking on the save button this would be the output;
Quick switch to Tab nav, Tab pills or Accordion chrome gives you this;
Tab Nav
Tab Pills
Tab Accordion
As you can see just having our template and our framework you don't need anything else. We did this to make it easier for you and to show you the power of real template framework.
Before I finish let me mention few more perks that YJSG v2.0.0 brings and to assure you that in no way we are leaving you or your website behind;
If you are still reading than all power to you!
Please take some time to think this over and we would be grateful if you can give us your feedback or suggestions.
Always there for you and your Joomla websites your YouJoomla Team.
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