[wp-hackers] GSOC PROPOSAL : CHILD THEMES SUPPORT IN WORDPRESS
Deepak Seth
indk at ymail.com
Mon Apr 5 23:12:32 UTC 2010
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My GSOC Proposal online Site: http://gsocdk.wordpress.com/
Issue list online site: http://gsocdk.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/some-issues-involved-in-development/
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GSOC PROPOSAL : CHILD THEMES SUPPORT IN WORDPRESS.
Themes are vital component of any WordPress based site and as the WordPress Theme repository currently houses more than a thousand theme with over 13 Million Downloads and still counting…So it’s definetly a very important section to deal with..!!
My proposal is based on bbPress plugin idea that gives the ability to theme developers to upload Child theme (dependent on ParentThemes) in the WordPress Theme Repository.It also allows the WordPress site Administrator to manage Child themes from there WP-Admin panel.So basically my idea divides the functionality of my plugin into two parts.
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====SUPPORT OF CHILD THEMES IN WordPress SITE====
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* Theme Repository’s support for Child Themes : Since the introduction of Child theme a lot of developers have wanted the ability of theme repository to include Child Theme.
* WordPress Theme Preview Support for Child Themes. : The WordPress Theme Preview Site(http://www.wp-themes.com)currently can not preview Child Themes.
* Automated checking and validation for Child Themes.: WordPress currently supports Automated checking of uploaded Parent theme only(As they are the only ones supported.
* WordPress Theme Moderation Support.: WordPress moderation for theme were done for one type of theme only but as the Child Theme will be supported so they will require a better moderation system.
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====SUPPORT OF WordPress FOR CHILD THEMES====
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* Child Theme’s installation from within the WordPress administration Panel. Child Themes are currently not supported by WordPress admin and hence this section will make Installtion, Addition, Updation, Removal of Child Themes from within WordPress Administration Panel.
* Child Theme Editor. :Theme Editor will be enhanced to support Child Themes.
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------- WordPress 3.0 Theme related feature includes -------
* A better tabbed UI for downloading and management of Main Themes only.(No Support for Child Themes)
* Adds a New Twenty Ten Theme
* Theme Editor For Child Theme(Unresolved-Ticket #12716 )
* Custom Site Background Support(Great Feature)
----- My Plugin features for Administration Side Will include ------
* Another Interface for Child Themes to be installed with single click.(That includes a check for its dependency with the parent theme.)
* Upgraded Theme Editor for Child Themes as well.
* Support for version checking of child theme and there parent theme so as to find if they are compaitable with each other.
So, there is still no better support for Child Themes for the WordPress Administrator by WordPress 3.0.
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ISSUES INVOLVED IN SUPPORT OF WordPress FOR CHILD THEMES
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INSTALLATION ISSUES
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-If user tries to install child theme(manually)
-Parent theme exist
-parent version is compaitable
install theme
-Parent version is not compaitable
sol1: die with error incompaitable parent theme
sol2: download and upgrade existing parent theme
sol3: let user download and upgrade manually
-Parent theme doesn't exist
sol1: die with error
sol2: download and install the parent theme
- : what if WP theme repo doesn't have compaitable version
sol: version check before dowloading theme from repo.
- : what if WP theme repo doesn't have the theme.
sol: die with error.
-If user tries to install child theme (automatically)-from WP admin
-Parent theme exist
-Parent version is compaitable
download only child theme and install theme
-Parent version is not compaitable
sol1: die with error incompaitable parent theme
sol2: download bundled version and upgrade existing parenttheme and install new child theme as well.
-Parent theme doesn't exist
sol1: die with error
sol2: download and install the bundled parent+child theme.
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UPDATION ISSUES
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-If user tries to update parent theme
* Child theme is deactivated and is marked.though the site owner can reactivate it,as it might be yet supported.
-If user tries to update child theme
* Parent theme is to be updated first else child theme can not be updated.(can only be done if there is a chance of automatic update
* If child theme id updated and parent is same then theme is deactivated and a warning is shown to administrator if activated.
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DELETION ISSUES
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- If user tries to delete Child Theme
No issues involved and hence can delete it.
- If user tries to delete Parent Theme having Child Theme
Not Allowed
He has to first remove all Child Theme before Removing Parent Theme.
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SUPPORT OF CHILD THEMES IN WordPress SITE
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AUTOMATED CHECKER
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-Needs to check if the parent theme exist and its currently uploaded version is compaitable with child theme.
-Certain template files will not exist for child template so automated cheker needs to check on that.
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UPLOADING ISSUES
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-Check for presense of compaitable parent theme in repo.
-If not found reject submission.
-Some one tries to upload a grandchild theme.
-Will be rejected as template tag contains the theme slug which doesn't exist as parent theme.
-What if it exist??
-What happens if author updates the parent theme
-All child theme becomes incompaitable with current version
sol1: Keep previous version of parent theme on update.
-WHERE TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE IN FRONTEND??
sol2: Mark all child theme as incompaitable with current version.
//Doesn't seems to be a good idea
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FRONTEND ISSUES
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Download ways of child theme(from WordPress site)
* Bunduled with parent theme
* Standalone download(OR SHOULD THERE BE NO STAND ALONE VERSION)
* Required in case user has parent already installed(though it can be seperated but might create issues with new users)
I have tried to figure out some of the issues that are directly linked to the plugin (though there may be more),So i would please request everyone, please let me know you valuable suggestion and comments for its improvement of the issues, and if you posses another possible solution then please share it with me.Please help me out.
--Deepak Seth
The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/
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