Learn how to customize websites with XOOPS, the open source CMS that helps non-developers build dynamic community websites, intranets, and other applications. This concise book shows you how to use XOOPS themes and modules to design everything from simple blogs to large database-driven CMS portals.
Web designers and current XOOPS users will learn how to create a site theme with CSS and jQuery libraries, including techniques for making additional modules conform to the site's look and feel. Although XOOPS uses the PHP-based Smarty templating system, all you need is a bit of XHTML and CSS experience to get started.
Learn the workflow for turning an idea into a full-featured website
Become familiar with XOOPS’ theme-building tools, and set up PHP and MySQL environments
Port an existing XHTML template to XOOPS
Create themes with the 960 Grid System to save time and reduce code
Use jQuery-based UI libraries to achieve complex effects
Blend new modules into your theme with the template override function
Go beyond traditional block layouts to customize your homepage
Chapter 1 Before the Journey
Prepare the Tools
Chapter 2 Elements of a XOOPS Theme
Necessary Elements of a XOOPS Theme
A Simple Example
Chapter 3 Converting an Existing XHTML Template
Get the CSS Template
Plug It into XOOPS
Further Modifications
Chapter 4 Styling XOOPS and Creating a Theme from 960
More on Styling XOOPS
Dealing with XOOPS Template Style
Smarty: I Want to Know More
More on Smarty: Tricks and Examples
Create a Theme with 960
Chapter 5 jQuery and UI Libraries for XOOPS Themes
Link Your Theme to jQuery
Case1: jQuery Used Separately (Adding a Slider to Your Theme)
Coding (X)HTML and CSS
Adding jQuery Effect
Case2: jQuery Integration (Transform Your Blocks into Tabs)
Sun Ruoyu is a UI designer, web designer, author, and XOOPS 3 core designer. He is a two-time XOOPS Innovation Award Winner (in 2009 for successfully leading the redesign project and in 2010 for contribution in improving UI and designs), and winner of the 2010 NEA OSS Forum "Best Technology" Award for XOOPS 3.
About Me Designer, Developer, Educator, Maker, Sys Admin
Pros
Accurate
Cons
Not comprehensive enough
Best Uses
Expert
Intermediate
Comments about O'Reilly Media Designing for XOOPS:
Very good and complete outline of the XOOPS templating system. I've been using XOOPS since 2003, have made several themes, and still bought this book (and it managed to reveal several things I hadn't figured out).
I only gave it 4 stars, though, because I am not fond of the writing style e.g.: "Now I am going to explain how to..." instead of just explaining it.
Although it is a "design" book, I would have benefitted from a "designers introduction to creating a module" chapter.
7/29/2011
(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
5.0
Excellent Book!
By Current XOOPS user
from Cincinnati, OH
About Me Designer, Developer, Educator
Pros
Accurate
Concise
Easy to understand
Helpful examples
Well-written
Cons
Best Uses
Expert
Intermediate
Novice
Student
Comments about O'Reilly Media Designing for XOOPS:
This book is a very good comprehensive guide to creating new themes for XOOPS CMS and to converting existing HTML theme templates, so they work with XOOPS.
