[theme-reviewers] Are "page templates" allowed ?

[emin ozlem]

>
> But, how exactly is this any different than a normal Page? A user can
> quite easily just make a page and type their information into the post
> content box for that Page


Of course it can be achieved manually by embedding your google map and
typing in your info on the post screen. But it's annoying to do same things
over and over again. Isn't "templates" are for this, making our lives
easier and avoid the repetetive work ? (Like manually styling icons, the
map , the info etc.) Plus it may be overwhelming for the average user to
create a proper contact page.

And when the user switches Themes: what happens to that
> configuration/identity data: address, phone, email?
>

Well, the user will have to recreate his contact page from ground up, like
he would in the first place. Yeah the data would be "lost", i know what you
are getting at and i know how theme review community feels about "data
loss" upon changing themes. But it's not that kind of a data loss in this
case. It's not any different than typing in your social media @handle in
template options and have it shown as an icon in the front end. (Which i
believe most themes in theme dir do)

Every once in a while when i bring up something, it's shoot down one way or
another via theme guidelines limitations. I know they are there for a good
reason, but the themes dir is not going to evolve unless the guidelines are
flexed a bit when it's for the users good.

Anyway, as always, I give up, wont do it. Thanks for the replies though,
appreciate it.


2014-08-21 21:53 GMT+03:00 Otto <otto at ottodestruct.com>:

> I think that this question seems more complicated than it actually is,
> because of an inherent disconnect between the idea of "presentation" and
> "functionality" in the minds of a lot of theme authors.
>
> What is a "Contact" page, exactly? Let's examine this. :)
>
> A Contact page would necessarily have contact information on it, like
> name, email, perhaps address and phone number, maybe a map, etc. Now,
> directly, this seems like something for a Page Template. You have fields,
> you display those fields in specific ways, etc.
>
> But, how exactly is this any different than a normal Page? A user can
> quite easily just make a page and type their information into the post
> content box for that Page. Having specific "fields" for each of these
> actually limits the functionality more than simply giving them a freeform
> space to put whatever content they like. A Page Template displaying
> specific fields limits the user to using only those fields, or it limits
> them as to how those fields are displayed on the page.
>
> So rethink it a bit, a Contact Page Template might have specific
> functionality to display a map, for example, and having a field to put in
> an address would be useful for that map. But a user might want a map on
> other pages too. Perhaps a map widget would be more appropriate in such a
> case, and the page template would be better served providing a special
> layout to allow them to place larger widgets than normal instead.
>
> Page Templates work best when they're special in terms of the layout they
> offer, not just necessarily in terms of their intended use. A contact page,
> when you break it down, probably is more "boxy" than a normal page with a
> sidebar. Contact information is fairly narrow on the page, after all, so a
> narrower content space and a wider sidebar for any widgets desired would be
> preferable. Integration with a contact form plugin (or multiple plugins) is
> possible as well, and that narrows the purpose of the template too. A page
> template that simply offered a 50/50 split between content and sidebar
> would work for a lot of other possible uses too.
>
> I can see why it's tempting to make a system where a user puts in
> information X and it is displayed specifically in space Y, but this reduces
> the flexibility of the template. Instead of making it so limiting to a
> specific format, perhaps broadening the scope would be better. Give them a
> content space that fits with contact information without limiting the
> format in which they create their contact information.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> -Otto
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 21, 2014 at 12:44 PM, emin ozlem <eminozlem at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I've looked into guidelines and forums but couldnt find the answer. Btw,
>> where am i supposed to ask these kind of questions instead of emailing
>> whole maillist ?
>>
>> So, are page templates allowed in wp themes dir, i mean like a contact
>> page, page-contact.php which would show contact info from theme options
>> like address, email, phone etc. A google map, and maybe a contact 7 form
>> (not builtin of course-recommended).
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>> http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
>>
>>
>
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