Wordpress Coders: Widget-ready?

Originally Posted by Blue Ire First off, until recently, Widgets (You still aren't spelling it correctly) were only recently introduced as more than aplugin to wordpress, therefore your argument that 'if you can't use widgets you should change CMS' is moot. Beyond that, you pretty much have no idea what you are talking about. I can make this point no better than by showing a bit of the code from your main page... Code: <div id="mainbox"> <div id="topborder"></div> <div id="header"> <div id="logo"></div> <div id="headerpic"></div> <div id="links"> Are you kidding me? The first six lines of your code contain 6 divs... ouch. And then after that you have a nav that isn't even a list, just a bunch of links in a div... speaking of accessibility. Code: <div id="links"> <a href="index.html" title="Home" class="nav">Home</a> <a href="complete_websites.html" title="Complete Websites" class="nav">Complete Websites</a> <a href="services.html" title="Services" class="nav">Services</a> <a href="quote.html" title="Request a Quote" class="nav">Request a Quote</a> <a href="portfolio.html" title="Portfolio" class="nav">Portfolio</a> <a href="faq.html" title="FAQ" class="nav">FAQ</a> <a href="hayward.html" title="Hayward Residents Info." class="nav" id="navright" >Hayward Residents Info.</a> </div>

I somehow guessed you were going to bring that up. I did that a while ago and I have been meaning to change it. I can show you my more recent works if you don't believe me. For example, my menu is a list over at **Removed** see note. (I'm only showing this particular link because I have not, and will not be paid for it..it's a long story and i'm not going into it here. It's not one of my favorite works though. Also, it's not completely finished. It will be removed off my server soon by the way). Also, I don't totally understand your point about my divs at the beginning of my page frankly. I include my mainbox div for my overall wrapper to center the whole page, and I include divs separating header, main content, and footer for readability and additional styling if ever need be. (the version my server is sending you seems to be cutting out some of my indentations :S ).

I will admit, there was a time where I opted to writer less code over more semantic code, which is where the way that I did my site came from. I've gotten away from that though.

Regardless, criticizing my work isn't answering the question and isen't excactly relevant to this conversation (it's like you want to start some sort of war) My argument is not, "if you can't use wigets, then you should change your CMS" word for word, but wigets are a pretty usefull tool that there really isn't an excuse not to use them if you can, and there arn't many times when you can't use them. Please give an example of when you wouldn't want to, or couldn't, use wigets at all. I would personally like to know. Also, lets not turn this into some sort of flame war please :S I just want to have an intelligent discussion.

EDIT: NOTE: I decided to remove it. It isn't done and I don't feel like having you criticize something that isn't finished :S Because I could critisize myself just as easily. I can pm you some private links if you really don't believe me.

EDIT2:

Originally Posted by JamesH Code: <table> <tr> <td>Oh snap I can't put a 'validation web 2.0' button on my site anymore!</td> <td>Guess that means no more Widgets too :( </td> </tr> </table> Hah, take that!

If that is from one of Blue Ire's works, I think I am going to start all out laughing that he is criticizing me :S "Tables are for Tabular Data" From what I can see, that doesn't look like tabular data.

EDIT3: I don't think it is....I seriously doubt he would, from what i've seen. Sorry for all the edits.

EDIT4: One last edit...I promise. For example, over at the site you are selling - http://csssocial.com/. If you were to turn that into a wordpress theme, you could have two different sidebars, each with different styling to accommodate the different kinds of content/layout. Then the user could add more ads/images and or more content to those bars easily. (by the way, I really like that design).

I'm thinking you guys don't have a clue what widgets are in WordPress... Widgets is not a way of coding, it's a plugin. It doesn't matter if you put it in lists or in divs... It's a WordPress plugin that lets you add sidebar items dynamically without having to edit your source-code.

Those saying widgets don't allow flexibility are wrong. If you are unable to use widgets, it's either because it would have no purpose or it is because of poor code. It is easily possible to have n sidebars, and to be able to "widgetize" them all.

For a clear definition, visit this page.

Originally Posted by Gille I'm thinking you guys don't have a clue what widgets are in WordPress... Widgets is not a way of coding, it's a plugin. It doesn't matter if you put it in lists or in divs... It's a WordPress plugin that lets you add sidebar items dynamically without having to edit your source-code. Those saying widgets don't allow flexibility are wrong. If you are unable to use widgets, it's either because it would have no purpose or it is because of poor code. It is easily possible to have n sidebars, and to be able to "widgetize" them all. For a clear definition, visit this page.

Ok champ, setup a widgetized side bar using sIFR without hacking the widget code. Oh, what's that? It isn't flexible enough? Noooo, you don't say!

Here is an easier one... set the widgets to use images for their titles (without individual classes)... What? Can't do that either? Oh my!

Include the blogroll via widgets, but instead call it "My Online Friends" What? You can't simply change the title? My, what a bummer, and here you said it was soooo flexible... ,


The one thing about TF is you can always count on people who don't have a clue to spout off (as if they actually know something) on things they know nothing about - it's called Dunning-Kruger syndrome.

Originally Posted by Gille I'm thinking you guys don't have a clue what widgets are in WordPress... Widgets is not a way of coding, it's a plugin. It doesn't matter if you put it in lists or in divs... It's a WordPress plugin that lets you add sidebar items dynamically without having to edit your source-code. Those saying widgets don't allow flexibility are wrong. If you are unable to use widgets, it's either because it would have no purpose or it is because of poor code. It is easily possible to have n sidebars, and to be able to "widgetize" them all. For a clear definition, visit this page.

That's my point. Unless you are using nested lists, Wordpress will prevent you from adding widgets dynamically.

You can add your own type of styling

Blue Ire :

1. Code:

   <?php
   if ( function_exists('register_sidebar') )
       register_sidebar(array(
           'before_widget' => '<div class="widget">',
           'after_widget' => '</div>',
           'before_title' => '<h2 class="sifr">
   ',
           'after_title' => '</h2>',
       ));
   ?>

   Solved your problem already?
2. I'm afraid I can't answer that, though it might be possible by setting the title with the image tag of your choice.
3. Might want to try changing the categorie "Blogroll" to "My Online Friends"... You never know...

I don't understand why you're so stressed out about it?

lol thanks Blue Ire, he's getting closer to spelling it right...

but wigets are a pretty usefull tool

Yeah there is a D in WIDGETS. At least its better then wigits.

Originally Posted by Gille You can add your own type of styling Blue Ire : Code: <?php if ( function_exists('register_sidebar') ) register_sidebar(array( 'before_widget' => '<div class="widget">', 'after_widget' => '</div>', 'before_title' => '<h2 class="sifr"> ', 'after_title' => '</h2>', )); ?> Solved your problem already? I'm afraid I can't answer that, though it might be possible by setting the title with the image tag of your choice. Might want to try changing the categorie "Blogroll" to "My Online Friends"... You never know... I don't understand why you're so stressed out about it?

1) Uh, nope, that won't do it.

2) Nope.

3) Stressed about it? Say you want four links lists in four different places, all with different categories and titles... Can't do it with widgets... The links list will include them all.

Originally Posted by Blue Ire Ok champ, setup a widgetized side bar using sIFR without hacking the widget code. Oh, what's that? It isn't flexible enough? Noooo, you don't say! Here is an easier one... set the widgets to use images for their titles (without individual classes)... What? Can't do that either? Oh my! Include the blogroll via widgets, but instead call it "My Online Friends" What? You can't simply change the title? My, what a bummer, and here you said it was soooo flexible... , The one thing about TF is you can always count on people who don't have a clue to spout off (as if they actually know something) on things they know nothing about - it's called Dunning-Kruger syndrome.

Well, another thing about online forums is you can always count on someone to possibly prove you wrong or exploit you (like you brought up my site that I've been too lazy to fix for a while). Lets go down the list why don't we.

1. sIFR
Response: I'm assuming you are talking about what is at http://wiki.novemberborn.net/sifr/What+is+sIFR. To tell you the truth, I never heard about it before...it seems kind of neat and I like its backwards computability for browsers not supporting flash. Well, other than creating a plugin and or new widget yourself, you could check out http://www.paradisegarden.org/wp-con...-flashytitles/. You tell it the classes of the elements you wish to change to have a specific style and you are done. I haven't tried it though, so I can't say too much about it, but it seems pretty neat and very easy to use.

2. set the widgets to use images for their titles
Response: If you mean have background images with generated text (not text as part of the images), that's pretty easy to do with some styling magic. As for otherwise, each different kind of wigedt (or however you spell it...i've seen like 3 or 4 spellings now of it in this post :S) does have its own special classes which you can use to style them in CSS. Though...it's not all perfect....hopefully it will be fixed in the next release. If you don't believe me though, activate wigets and notice the tags for the wiget items.

EDIT: I'm not completely sure what you mean by individual classes. You can easily change all of the titles background graphics for all of the widgets (I think i spelled it right finally) and you can do individual styling since the individual classes are there to begin with. Further explanation, if needed, would be nice.

3. but instead call it "My Online Friends"
WHAT?! YOU CAN'T?! Oh, your kidding! Of course your kidding. Steer yourself to your wordpress admin, then blog roll, then click edit next to some of the links. Create a new catagory, enable it for that link, and uncheck the original catagory. Wa-la! You changed the blog roll title. If you want to get rid of Blog Roll, and replace it with somethign else, make sure no links are in the blog roll catagory, and you will have affectively changed the title.

That's where I really got you :-P If you need a demonstration, i'll create one. Either way, it coulden't be easier, and with no modification to core files.

I have fairly effectively provided simple solutions that do not involve modification to core files for everything you have stated. Feel free to comment.

EDIT: Ohhhh, I missed one. Lets prove you wrong again with relatively simple solutions Though...this isen't as nice a solution I will admit, but it does allow the users to move them around and what not.

4. "3) Stressed about it? Say you want four links lists in four different places, all with different categories and titles... Can't do it with widgets... The links list will include them all."
Response: Well, first off, I have no tried this, but it should work (since it dosen't need to be in the loop...there shoulden't be a problem). After you have installed the php wigets plugin you can use the reference over at http://codex.wordpress.org/Template_...list_bookmarks to have individual wigets for individual categories. Regardless, it still a fairly quick and simple solution. Also, you could always be the one to create a new wiget/plugin for having catagory specific blog rolls. You'd make a lot of people happy and or you could use it privately for your clients.

Anyways, I'm generally not someone to make a post about something I dont' feel I can defend. Well, that's it for now

set the widgets to use images

My word hes got it!!! and there was much rejoice.

Thanks Indy, that isn't hard to code at all (using nested lists), so I'll start that soon.