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Let make Twiki even nicer.

With a set of templates and a directory for each SKIN we can let the user change the appearance of the whole Wiki.

-- AndreaSterbini - 24 Aug 2000

It may be enough simply support a link to some CSS, e.g. attached to user's page with personal settings. At least, it will be 90% enough for such cases as unusual displays, accessbility issues etc.

-- IvAn - 07 Sep 2000

I have implemented the first version of a "skin-able" TWiki to change the header and footer layout (not the renderd text itself). This is useful to define a different layout (i.e. some users prefer Ward's classic WikiWiki layout), or to get an alternate view (i.e. print for a printable view; plain for an empty view without header and footer)

• A skin is defined as a template. Add .skin-name to the tamplate name just before the .tmpl suffix, i.e. the "print" view skin template is /twiki/template/view.print.tmpl (Red color added for clarification)
• A skin can be set in two ways:
  • Define the SKIN preference variable in TWikiPreferences, one of the WebPreferences, or a user preference. I.e.
    • Set SKIN = wikiwiki
      Note: Who has time to create the classic wikiwiki skin?
  • Add ?skin=name to the URL, i.e. for this topic say:
    • http://twiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Codev/TWikiSkins?skin=print (for the print view skin)
    • http://twiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Codev/TWikiSkins?skin=plain (for the plain view skin without header and footer)
  • The ?skin=name URL parameter overrides the SKIN preference value.

(Currently I can't update TWikiAlphaRelease because SourceForge has a CVS authentication problem since their server move. I filed a support request some time ago, but SourceForge support is really slow. I will soon make a TWikiBetaRelease as a workaround.)

-- PeterThoeny - 16 Jan 2001

Commited to TWikiAlphaRelease and made a TWikiBetaRelease.

-- PeterThoeny - 20 Jan 2001

This is a really lovely extension! Now I can enable/disable the "comments" view of my webs as I like!!

• My webs now use the preference SKIN = replyon
• there is a link "Hide comments" link in my view.replyon.tmpl that sets skin=replyoff
• and a "Show comments" link in my view.replyoff.tmpl that sets skin=replyon

-- AndreaSterbini - 23 Jan 2001

What kind of "comments"? Could you attach the skins to this topic?

-- PeterThoeny - 24 Jan 2001

Have a look at http://twiki.dsi.uniroma1.it/twiki/view/Architetture for a teaching web with students comments (I am using the ReplyPlugin attached to TWikiPluginAPI)

[ sorry ... I have changed the site ... no more comments ... students now can directly edit all course material ... AndreaSterbini ]

-- AndreaSterbini - 25 Jan 2001

We should add a Skins web both for Skin development and for Skins deployment, so that:

• a skin named KoolName is packaged as a KoolName.zip file
• it contains a documentation topic named Skins.KoolName with a set of categories explaining its prerequisites (if any)
• all gifs/jpeg/files needed are attached to the Skins.KoolName topic.
• the skin templates are named (obviously) view.KoolName.tmpl etc...
• the "Set SKIN = ..." values are automagically linked to the Skins web

This boils down to a KoolName.zip package that contains at least the following files:

• templates/view.KoolName.tmpl
• data/Skins/KoolName.txt
• pub/Skins/KoolName/*

-- AndreaSterbini - 06 Feb 2001

I have done something else to customise the look of the wiki.. I have reduced the .tmpl file to include a Variable that is set either from the WebPreferences page, or on the user's page, that way the user has complete control... but it does mean that my home page is a huge mess. Another suggestion I have is to move Personal preferences from the UserName page to a UserNameSettings page (or have the location of the UserNameSettings page as the only thing that you set on the UserName page)..

-- SvenDowideit - 13 Feb 2001