Client Project - JavaScript Disabled and Out-of-Date Browser Warning

As you know not all browsers fully support HTML5 and CSS3, and since I’ve been coding my client project in HTML5 and CSS3, I’ve needed to add in a few extra features to tell the user to upgrade their browser with a short error message below. Example if the user is using Internet Explorer 8 or later –

!html

Also since the website uses a large chunk of JavaScript to create the weather widget, I’ve create a simple no script message. If the browser has JavaScript disabled –

!html

Warning – Your Browser has JavaScript disabled. Please enable Javascript to make full use of this site.

If sure there are better ways of going about it but here are two very simple examples.

Posted via email from City&Wool's Posterous

Client Project Mobile Site Using WPTouch Plugin for WordPress

WPTouch works brilliantly with my client porjects site! I've just selected the news page so club members can get their news on the go. It also includes a switch to the full site too.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from City&Wool's Posterous

Client Project Gallery Plugin for WordPress

In searching WordPress for a gallery plugins for my client project, I've come accross the NextGEN Gallery. I have used this plugin on a previous project and found it's ability to batch process images really helpful. It can crop, resize, create thumbnails, add watermark and create various galleries and albums which can all be adjusted through the plugin's settings. The gallery's supports lightbox box too which you add via another plugin.

I will also need to look at the images within posts and create thumbnails for them to be used in the blog posts.

Posted via email from City&Wool's Posterous

Further Client Updates

Today I finished the sites footer. I've added in an admin login section which replicates the login method of navigating to /wp-admin. This was done using the following code -

Once logged in, a simple dashboard appears allowing the user to access the full dashboard -

I've also added a simple but stylish jQuery scroll to the top button. The 'Top ^' links to '#top.' I'm also using the Google Code link to the latest jQuery file.

Posted via email from City&Wool's Posterous

A Look at WordPress Plugins For Creating Mobile Themes

One of the many positives for using WordPress as a site's Content Management System is its ability to install plugins. With 13,944 different plugins available it can be hard to find the right one for the job. In my case I want to look for plugins that assist in the creation of a mobile optimised version of my site.

Step 1 - Search the WordPress Plugin Directory for keywords such as 'Mobile'

Step 2 - A good tip for finding the best plugin is to search by 'Most Popular' or 'Highest Rated'

Step 3 - Find the best plugin, download and install!

Here is a short list of the 3 best plugins for optimising your website for a mobile device -

WPtouch

WPtouch automatically transforms your WordPress blog into an iPhone application-style theme, complete with ajax loading articles and effects, when viewed from iPhone, iPod touch, Android, Palm Pre, Samsung touch and BlackBerry Storm/Torch mobile devices.

The admin panel allows you to customize many aspects of its appearance, and deliver a fast, user-friendly and stylish version of your site to touch mobile visitors, without modifying a single bit of code (or affecting) your regular desktop theme.

The theme also includes the ability for visitors to switch between WPtouch view and your site's regular theme

WordPress Mobile Pack

The WordPress Mobile Pack is a complete toolkit to help mobilize your WordPress site and blog.

It includes a mobile switcher to select themes based on the type of user that is visiting the site, a selection of mobile themes, extra widgets, device adaptation and a mobile administration panel to allow users to edit the site or write new posts when out and about.

WordPress Mobile Edition

WordPress Mobile Edition is a plugin that shows an interface designed for a mobile device when visitors come to your site on a mobile device.

Mobile browsers are automatically detected, the list of mobile browsers can be customized on the settings page.

My Final Call
After looking at the plugins above, I've decided to use WPTouch for my client project. This is because it provides a more concise mobile version of the website and its design is modern and simple for all types of mobile devices. I also like that this plugin provides the user with the ability to switch between the desktop version and the mobile version of the site. For me this is important as sometimes I still want to view full sites on my mobile device.

Posted via email from City&Wool's Posterous

Client Project - Why I've Chosen to Use WordPress as a CMS

Firstly it's easy to install, given that your server fill the requirements, it's convenient for all types of users to use, instantly publish any content and it offers a wide collection of themes and plugins that can be used on any WordPress powered site.

As I have used WordPress on a previous project I am more familiar with it than any other Content Management System like Joomla or Drupal and although there are many other types of systems on offer, according to Google WordPress in shown to be more the larger trend of the three. 

Posted via email from City&Wool's Posterous

WordPress Integration - Client Project

Once I've received feedback from the client on the developed mock up, I will be able to roughly finalize the design. In the meantime I've just been trying to get my head around the structure of the site and how it's going to work as a custom WordPress theme.

I've been using these for some guidance -

Building Custom WordPress Theme

http://www.webdesignerwall.com/tutorials/building-custom-wordpress-theme/

How To Create Your Own Custom WordPress Theme

http://line25.com/tutorials/how-to-create-your-own-custom-wordpress-theme

Building a Stylish Blog Design Layout in WordPress

http://line25.com/tutorials/building-a-stylish-blog-design-layout-in-wordpress

How To Create WordPress Themes From Scratch Part 1

http://themetation.com/2008/07/14/how-to-create-wordpress-themes-from-scratch-part-1/

I'm also hoping to integrate some of the new HTML5 and CSS3 features too -

HTML5

http://diveintohtml5.org/

HTML 5 Cheat Sheet (PDF)

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/07/06/html-5-cheat-sheet-pdf/

CSS3

http://designshack.co.uk/articles/introduction-to-css3-part-1-what-is-it

CSS3 Cheat Sheet (PDF)

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/07/13/css-3-cheat-sheet-pdf/

Posted via email from City&Wool's Posterous

24 Days of WordPress - The WordPress Advent Calendar

24 WordPress tutorials in 24 days! Need I say more? Starting on December 1st 2011 I will be publishing one WordPress tutorial a day all the way up until Juleaften (misnomered by English speaking folk as “Christmas Eve”). The tutorials will cover everything from custom font embedding to menus, child-themes, plugin configurations and security features. Consider this your own geeky chocolate calendar: One box will be opened each day to reveal a surprise treat in the form of a tutorial that will help you add new features and functionality to your WordPress powered site.

via designisphilosophy.com

http://www.designisphilosophy.com/24-days-of-wordpress/24-days-of-wordpress/

Posted via email from interactive media's blog

Long time No Post(erous)

Since switching to WordPress.com in December last year, I haven't been able to keep this blog going. However, since finding out about Posterous, which I highly recommend for anyone wanting to build their social grid, I now can! By emailing your text, images or music to Posterous they then distribute the post to multiple sites. This means I've been able to add my Blogger to the long list of site which will be updated by Posterous.

Kitty&Wool's Upgrading... WordPress Time!

After much deliberation, I have decided to change my blog over to the wonderfully powerful WordPress! This is mainly for two reasons -

1. Blogger won't delete your blog (They even deleted their own blog once... http://bit.ly/6zURlr)
   
2. WordPress is a CMS (Content Management System) and I want to experiment with how it can be integrated into my website - http://www.danielryland.co.uk
3. It also displays some really good statistics on your blog, telling you how many views per day your getting.

OK, maybe that was 3 reasons but the first one was a bit of a joke.

So from now on, Kitty&Wool with be WordPress-ing instead of Blogger-ing and can be found here -

http://cityandwool.wordpress.com/

P.S. Notice Kitty&Wool has now become City&Wool... this, I hope, will become my professional brand.