Curved Slate Beta Available for Download

I have decided to arbitrarily declare that my theme, Curved Slate, is now "beta". The link to the latest tar is available below. My very own blog is currently running the "out of the box" version of curved slate that is included in the download. So, there's your stinkin' live preview.

The only thing you probably can't see at this blog is the reloaded node submission form. The screenshot is seen below:

Before you download 

1. Curved Slate only works on drupal 4.7. I'm sure it could be easily ported back to 4.6, but I am lazy.

2. Curved Slate uses rico, and prototype javascript libraries to create curved corners. For this theme to work properly, you must copy the jstoolbox directory included in the tar file to your modules folder and enable it.

Features 

1. Every curve in this theme is generated with pure and simple code. A combination of prototype 1.5, and rico allows you to create curvy boxes using a simple syntax at the bottom of your page.tpl.php file. For example, the curvy bordered boxes in this site's sidebar are created by the following line of code:

roundCorners('div.block',{border:'#eeeeee'}); 

You can find more examples of how to use this code at the bottom of this theme's page.tpl.php file.  

2. Your primary links now support expanding, multi-layered menus  as described in my popular tutorial on using CSS to generate Horizontal navigation menus. Or, just click one of this site's primary links to see them in action. A future release will aim to do these menus a tad bit more elegantly.

3. Node links now automatically generate CSS friendly classes on the fly. So, in theory, if you add a new module that creates a new link for nodes, the template.php file will automatically assign a class to that link that you can style. The practical use of this is shown in the unique icons for each link at this site (e.g. nick lewis's blog, add new comment, ect...)

4. ALL CSS fluid three columns layout with footer ordered with content on top, and sidebars on the bottom. (the holy grail...). Oh, and it works on IE explorer and firefox, AND supports min-max widths on both browsers. "Look ma, no tables!".

5. main content expands and contracts in response to the existence, or lack of existence of sidebars.

6. Oh, and its replaced a lot of stock menu link bullets with sexy icons that chicks dig. 

What Currently Sucks About Curved Slate

1. The organization of everything needs... uh ... improvement

2. I need to get the freakin' credits together.

3. Unpredictable behavior with prototype 1.5 beta, and older browsers in generating the curves.

4. Applying curves automatically renders an item to display as a block.

5. Me -- at times.

6. Lack of documentation

7. Dem' fine devils in the details

8. It isn't exactly *lightweight*, yet. However, it can be lightweight if the node-links class generation code in the template.php file, and JStoolbox module is disabled.

But hey, that's why this is a beta release. I'm going to bed now.

How You Can Help Make This Theme Better

One of the advantages of sharing this theme with the public is that I'll in effect get a full-fledged focus group for free. Let me share a secret with ya'll. While I take pride in my development work, my self image doesn't rest upon constant praise. Actually, I encourage each of you to point out every flaw you find in the theme. Now there is a right way to say something in the theme sucks, and a wrong way. I've provided some helpful examples of how to offer feedback:

Wrong Way: "Hey dude, this totally sux. It doesn't work. and you sux. Oh, have you -- like -- ever heard of a SPELLCHECK dude! (pfff...)"

Right Way: "Nick, what the hell are you doing? 

Let's start with the way you've organized the theme: WTF is the distinction between the img folder, and the icons folder? They both contain icons -- and mysteriously, imgs contains a bunch of unused icons. Is that supposed to be some sort of f#cking gift? Why have two folders?

So -- what's up with the completely empty forms.css stylesheet, and what's up with "typography.css"  are those like some sort of suprise? Is there perhaps a secret message coded in typography.css, because as far as I can tell it serves no purpose.

And another thing -- when I open node.css, I would think that I would find -- well, styles for nodes... but instead I'm suprised with the links styles! The node styles are hidden away in style.css. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed that. Its kind of like Christmas and a youth group scavenger hunt -- and I LOVE scavenger hunts.

Oh, do I get a prize if I find more than 50 CSS claesses that are not used anywhere in the theme? I think that would be fun, its like an easter egg hunt! O! look mommy, I found an .agate class AND a press release class that serve no purpose.  

But no seriously, I thought it was really cute how you left evidence of a feable organizational attempt in the stylesheet. Its so funny to see TYPOGRAPHY and then see the styles for body, html #main, and other major page elements. Maybe you should become a magician.