ThemeFrame Video #2
 

Watch the current state of ThemeFrame in this video:

http://themeframe.com/video/

A usable first version should be available within very few days. When you hear "just a few things missing" in the video, that means "a few things to make it usable and to release a first Beta".

- Drag & Drop Layout Areas
- Fully WYSIWYG Live Preview
- Nearly no page reloads ever, Ajax everything
- Creates static CSS and JS files for best live performance
- Only 1 DB query per page view on the front end no matter how many options
- Import & Export configuration files, load a style you made earlier and re-use it, e.g. with a few changes
- Upload images directly or choose from WP uploads folder

- Not implemented yet, but will be in the very near future: Smooth fonts, Effects for the Drop Down Menus, Rotating images with smooth effects and different images on page type or individual page basis, Ajax for comments and wherever it makes sense

All donors with a total donation of $40+ will get full & free access to the Beta and the following Final Release. Once the Beta is out, this opportunity will be gone but you will be able to buy a Paid Subscription (not enabled yet) to the BFA Forum, where you can download and discuss ThemeFrame.

Incredible work Flynn!

Exciting, Flynn! Can't wait to get my hands on this.

I notice you're developing this using WP 2.8.5. I think the 2.8.6 upgrade was mostly about a security patch or two, but I just wanted to make sure there won't be issues for those of us who are using 2.8.6 now.

Thanks for the update :)

This looks very nice! :)

Wow! Amazing work. Again, I can't wait to give this a try! :)

Is there any import function for atahualpa, or will we have to start from the beginning?

I'm a bit afraid knowing the countless hours I have invested to get a usable and nice Atahualpa....

Flynn, I have two MU sites running now. How cool would it be if I could use ThemeFrame to custom-design themes for my users based on their needs? Will I be able to set things up just-so, and then save that design with a unique name so I can upload it to a user's folder? If you can make that happen, my man, you will have a real killer app.

Paulae, since you will be able to save the design as a css style sheet calling it what ever you want. I think this will do exactly what you want

While I qualify for the beta, I will likely purchase ThemeFrame at some point anyway. You do incredible work Flynn, and you deserve to be supported!

Flynn,

Very exciting update on progress since the last video.

1. Particularly pleased with all non-theme files going into wp-content rather than a few of them sometimes needing to be uploaded within the theme directory structure. As you said on the video this should make upgrading much simpler and safer now that the odd stray image won't get overlooked.

2. Drag & Drop functionality for the header layout - excellent work, the ultimate in WYSIWYG.

3. Export (and Import) for the current settings is a real plus. It's a quicker and simpler backup feature (than having to export the whole of a WP database) which is therefore much more likely to get used. It's also likely to be used more frequently as a result and should lead to less lost work.

It looks like Themeframe is going to be a great Christmas present!

Keep up the great work!!

Any more news Flynn? :)

Flynn. Loookkkiiing Gooood!! I can't wait to get my grubby little paws on this fantastic app. You and I seem to have at least one thing in common. Perfectionism. I can understand that you do not want to release something that is not just quite right. But hey, this release will be in Beta. Right? If you give us something to play around with we can send you feedback as to what works and what doesn't. Please don't take this the wrong way. I am not slamming you in any way. I am just really starting to salivate here. I know there are members that have been waiting longer than me, so I can imagine how they feel, anticipating the release. Pleeease just give us something.;);)

I turned this into a standalone application (you'll get the whole code) plus theme, instead of a plugin plus theme. The application creates everything that is better pre-produced as static files, such as the CSS, JS and PHP files, and the theme controls remaining live settings, like which template to use for which page and SEO settings (which will miss in the Beta).

Settings are saved in files rather than MySQL which makes them very transparent and portable. There's also no requirement for creating databases. The installation is just 1) writing the username & password into a config file and 2) uploading the app.

The static, pre-produced files will be good for live performance. The whole system is also easy to follow, and the resulting themes are easy to hand out to clients. I noticed some posts where users of frameworks were complaining that they had to re-do the settings on the client's installation. This is not the case with Themeframe.

The reason to make it a standalone application was to be more independent from Wordpress. The plugin wasn't using much Wordpress code anyway, and what it used, it used just to "get past" Wordpress.

This delayed things a bit but I am very close. I am making the theme part now which will be rather limited in the Beta or else it would take too long and I understand that I am more than overdue...

No worries, you just focus on getting a working beta. :) Keep up the good work!

Very exciting. It's like waiting for Christmas morning to arrive. :p

Yes, I'm really hoping we get a beta before the 25th..
Dave

Stand-alone is even beter! :) good luck...

Right, then Christmas will be hell for the kids while we all lock ourselves in a room and play. Flynn, do us and our families a favor and release it after the New Year. Those of you waiting, if you don't have a family then use the time to do something for someone else. I have found 2 families at school who have broken computers and can't afford to fix them. Have one fixed and working on the other. Personally I know if this new toy lands on my door over the next few weeks I will be tempted to play with it. Part of me hopes its A New Year present.
Oh! Will be back tomorrow to check!

Just made another donation - I'm anxiously looking forward to ThemeFrame - anything I can do to help test or document, please let me know.

keep up the good work Flynn and happy holidays!

Jack
[Yes, my avatar now has skis -- we just got 2-3 of snow and my favorite resort opened early!]

Does this mean that the hundreds (thousands?) of Wordpress third party plugins will be usable, or not?

Not sure what you mean ? Why would themeframe have to do with plugins?
It simply generates a WP theme based on your settings...
Imagine a product for WP that made plugins not work ! I think not!
Sorry if I've misunderstood.
cheers Dave

I retract my question. The term "standalone" is my point of confusion, but the meaning will sort itself out with use of the product, I assume.

I'm SO glad WordPressZen replied to the "Showing Off Atahualpa" thread with a comment mentioning ThemeFrame ... I had no idea of it's development.

I searched the forums and found the videos and Wow!

I immediately made my donation so I could be in on the beta and get the final product.

Awesome. Thanks Flynn.;)

Flynn,

My business partner recently made a PayPal donation of $50, but doesn't participate in the forum and has no user ID. Can you connect that payment up to my ID so I can get the ThemeFrame beta?

If so, I can email you the info off-forum. Thanks.

I absolutely love atahualpa and am looking forward to trying out ThemeFrame.

Sheryl

Thank you for Atahualpa. Its a great theme.
Looking forward to Themeframe. Hope I am in on time for the beta.

I for one am a little bummed that Themeframe will NOT be a plugin anymore, as I find that to be much easier to deal with as opposed to installing the program on my server... As I am the only one who uses the themes I make (I don't have clients)

Can anyone explain to me the reason for the change? I'm assuming it has to due with usability. I read the above quoted thread but don't truly understand the need for it to be a standalone application unless it's a change to accommodate the majority of users who have clients.

I'm not complaining mind you, just trying to figure it out. I'm sure I'll be able to make it work, it will just take me a little longer to wrap my head around it.

You'll just upload the files like you would upload a plugin, and instead of going into the WP admin area and clicking on a button there, you'd go to yourdomain.com/themeframe/ and set the settings from there. The application will access the Wordpress settings from the outside and automatically, so there's no difference regarding convenience or possibilities of the app, i.e. it can figure out which plugins are activated and what the various WP settings are. And this application if just for creating the static files. There's also a theme part which is installed as a a regular WP theme. That theme has a control panel for all the settings that are better set in the WP database on a per-page basis.

The app could have been a plugin but there's no real need for it other than having a button inside the WP admin area. To create it as a plugin quite a few things have to be programmed differently just to get along with Wordpress and to avoid conflicts with other plugins. I already had it as a plugin so for now it required more effort to change it to standalone, but it allows me to add more features with ease in the future without always having to program around Wordpress just to have that button in the admin area.

Would you need to upload Themeframe to each domain in order for the settings to be applied, or can you create a new theme while working on domainA and then use it on domainB?

For instance, I might want to use it to create custom themes for some of my WPMU users, and then later create a new theme for my own use on another domain.

I haven't been around in a while, just checked in to see the progress and found the video. All I can say is "Awesome!" Can't wait for the beta release so I can take it for a spin. Great work, Flynn! :)

I just stumbled over the ThemeFrame late today! Talking about being lucky!

Of course I quickly became a member and donated. When you've seen the quality of Atahualpa that was a no brainer.

Hi,

I have not been added to the necessary forums to allow me access (as of Jan 3rd).

Can someone (Flynn/Juggledad) please add me to the members forums? I made a Paypal donation on Dec. 31st. but do not yet have access.

Can you also tell me exactly what forum or Url to go to once you do provide me with access?

Thanks.

Is it too late to make another donation to get to the beta of ThemeFrame?

You should have access to the ThemeFrame Members forum. Please let me know if you don't.

This is Incredible.. Its Awesome... Hats off to you all...

I noticed Juggledad answered to a question similar to mine - this script giving the MU users the ability to customize their own themes - very interested in this. In the meanwhile you moved from a plugin to standalone code - will this idea still apply or do we need some glue-code to put everything together (manage files, permissions, profiles etc)

I've paid my $80! Great work, and very exciting. Thanks for all the hard work!

iPuppet, you are set now

Hi, I've made a donation of 80USD (big investment for a personal user!)

How can I get themeframe and use the forums?

Thanks

Samuel you should be able to access the themeframe members forum now