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diff --git a/docs/customising/themes.md b/docs/customising/themes.md index a51ed447e..163e174bf 100644 --- a/docs/customising/themes.md +++ b/docs/customising/themes.md @@ -21,27 +21,93 @@ You don't need to be a programmer in order to make simple changes, but you will need to be confident enough to copy and change some files. If you're not sure about this, [ask for help](/community/)! +<div class="attention-box info"> + A theme is the way you tell Alaveteli which parts of your site look and behave + differently from the core site. These differences are implemented as a + collection of files (separate from the core Alaveteli source code), which + Alaveteli uses to override its default code. +</div> + +<div class="attention-box warning"> + When you customise Alaveteli, you should <strong>always use this + theme mechanism</strong> instead of editing the core Alaveteli files. If you + do not — that is, if you make custom changes to the main Alaveteli + source code — you may not be able to update your site with newer + Alaveteli code (new features and occassional bugfixes). + <p> + <em>Sometimes</em> you may want to change the core templates in a way that + would benefit everyone, in which case: great! But please discuss the changes + on the mailing list first, make them in a fork of Alaveteli, and then issue + a pull request. + </p> +</div> + +## Your theme is a separate repo + + +We use +<a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#git" class="glossary__link">git</a> +to manage Alaveteli's source code, and Alaveteli expects your theme to be in +a git repository of its own. + +Although you *can* start customising your site on your +<a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#development" class="glossary__link">development server</a> +by playing with the `alavetelitheme` theme that Alaveteli ships with, we recommend +you make it into your own repo as soon as you can. If you're seriously customising +— and certainly before you can deploy to a +<a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#production" class="glossary__link">production server</a> — +you must do this. Make sure you choose a unique name for your theme (and hence its +repo). If your site is `abcexample.com`, we suggest you call your theme +something like `abcexample-theme`. + +Alaveteli's `themes:install` rake task, which installs themes, works by +getting the git repo from the URL specified in the config setting +[`THEME_URLS`]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/customising/config/#theme_urls). This is +why your theme must be in its own git repo. + +One way to create your own theme is to fork the `alavetelitheme` theme from +[https://github.com/mysociety/alavetelitheme](https://github.com/mysociety/alavetelitheme) +(giving it your own theme name), edit it or add files, and deploy it with `themes:install`. +Alternatively, since your site already has the default theme's files within it, +you can duplicate `alivetelitheme` (in `lib/themes/`) and change its name. + +<div class="attention-box helpful-hint"> + Here's an example of a complex theme in action: see the theme repo at + <a href="https://github.com/mysociety/whatdotheyknow-theme">https://github.com/mysociety/whatdotheyknow-theme</a>. + This is the theme for UK's Alaveteli instance + <a href="{{ site.baseurl}}docs/glossary/#wdtk" class="glossary__link">WhatDoTheyKnow</a>. + You can see it + <a href="https://www.whatdotheyknow.com">deployed on the WhatDoTheyKnow website</a>. + This happens because the WhatDoTheyKnow server has this setting in <code>config/general.yml</code>: + </p> + <pre><code>THEME_URLS: + - 'git://github.com/mysociety/whatdotheyknow-theme.git'</code></pre> +</div> + ## What you might want to change The most common requirement is to brand the site: at a minimum, -[inserting your own logo](#changing-the-logo) and [colour scheme](#changing-the-colour-scheme). You may also want to tweak -the different states that a request can go through. You'll also want -to edit the categories that public bodies can appear in (i.e. the -groupings on the left hand side of the -"[View authorities](https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/list/all)" page -on WhatDoTheyKnow. - -There may also be other things you want to customise -- drop a line on -the developer's mailing list to discuss what you need. We're still working -out the best way of doing these kinds of customisations! - -In any case, the important principle to bear in mind is that the less -you override and customise the code, the easier your site will be to -maintain in the long term. Any customisation is possible, but for -each customisation beyond the simple cases documented here, ask -yourself (or your client), "can we possibly live without this?" If the -answer is "no", then consider starting a discussion about a pluggable -way of achieving your goals, rather than overriding any of the core +[inserting your own logo](#changing-the-logo) and +[colour scheme](#changing-the-colour-scheme). You should also +[add the categories](#adding-your-own-categories-for-authorities) +that authorities can appear in (you can see these as groupings on the left-hand +side of the [View authorities](https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/list/all) page +on <a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#wdtk" class="glossary__link">WhatDoTheyKnow</a>). +You may also want to +[tweak the different states](#customising-the-request-states) that a request can +go through. + +There may also be other things you want to customise -- talk to us on the +developer's mailing list to discuss what you need. We're happy to help work out +the best way of doing customisation and it's even possible that what you want +has already been done in someone else's theme. + +The important principle to bear in mind is that the less you override and +customise the code, the easier your site will be to maintain in the long term. +Any customisation is possible, but for each customisation beyond the simple +cases documented here, ask yourself (or your client), "can we possibly live +without this?" If the answer is "no", then always ask on the mailing list about +a pluggable way of achieving your goals before you override any of the core code. ## General principles @@ -49,120 +115,172 @@ code. We try to encapsulate all site-specific functionality in one of these places: -* Site [configuration]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/customising/config/) - (e.g., the name of your site, the available - languages, and so on — all in `config/general.yml`) -* Data (e.g. the public bodies to whom requests should be addressed) -* A theme, installed in `lib/themes`. +* **site configuration**<br> + use the [config settings]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/customising/config/) + for example, the name of your site, the available languages, and so on. + You change these by editing `config/general.yml`. +* **data**<br> + for example, the public authorities to whom requests should be addressed, + and the tags and categories for grouping them. You control all this + through the + <a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#admin" class="glossary__link">admin + interface</a>: see the [admin manual]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/running/admin_manual). +* **a theme**<br> + installed in `lib/themes`. + The page you're reading now is all about what you can do in a theme. -This document is about what you can do in a theme. +By default, Alaveteli ships with the sample theme (`alavetelitheme`), so your +`config/general.yml` contains this: -By default, the sample theme ("alavetelitheme") has already been -installed. See the setting -[`THEME_URLS`]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/customising/config/#theme_urls) -in `general.yml` for an explanation. + THEME_URLS: + - 'git://github.com/mysociety/alavetelitheme.git' -You can also install the sample theme by hand, by running: +You can also install the theme by hand, by running: bundle exec rake themes:install +This installs whichever theme is specified by the +[`THEME_URLS`]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/customising/config/#theme_urls) +setting. + The sample theme contains examples for nearly everything you might -want to customise. You should probably make a copy, rename it, and +want to customise. We recommend you make a copy, rename it, and use that as the basis for your own theme. +<div class="attention-box info"> + The + <code><a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/customising/config/#theme_urls">THEME_URLS</a></code> + setting allows you to specifiy more than one theme — but + normally you only need one. +</div> + ## Make sure your theme is as lightweight as possible -The more you put in your theme, the harder it will be to upgrade to -future versions of Alaveteli. Everything you place in your theme -overrides things in the core theme, so if you make a new "main -template", then new widgets that appear in the core theme won't appear -on your website. +The more you put in your theme, the harder it will be to upgrade to future +versions of Alaveteli. + +Everything you place in your theme overrides things in the core theme, so if +you make a new "main template", then new widgets that appear in the core theme +won't appear on your website. If you want them, you'll need to manually update +your version of the template to include them, and potentially you'll need to +do this every time the core theme changes. + +Therefore, you should consider how you can brand your website by changing +as little in the core theme as possible. An extreme -- but not impossible -- +way to do this is to rebrand the site by only changing the CSS, because this +means *none* of the templates are being overridden. -Therefore, you should consider how you can brand your website without -changing much in the core theme. The ideal would be if you are able -to rebrand the site by only changing the CSS. You will also need to -add custom help pages, as described below. +However, even with minimal customisation, you must also add custom help pages +(described below). Alaveteli's default help pages are deliberately incomplete. +We know that every installation is going to be operating in different +circumstances, so a generic help text cannot be useful. You must write your +own, for your own users. ## Branding the site -The core templates that comprise the layout and user interface of an -Alaveteli site live in `app/views/`. They use Rails' ERB syntax. -For example, the template for the home page lives at -`app/views/general/frontpage.html.erb`, and the template for the "about -us" page is at `app/views/help/about.html.erb`. - -Obviously, you *could* edit those core files directly, but this would -be a Bad Idea, because you would find it increasingly hard to do -upgrades. Having said that, sometimes you may want to change the core -templates in a way that would benefit everyone, in which case, discuss -the changes on the mailing list, make them in a fork of Alaveteli, and -then issue a pull request. - -Normally, however, you should override these pages **in your own -theme**, by placing them at a corresponding location within your -theme's `lib/` directory. These means that a file at -`lib/themes/alavetelitheme/lib/views/help/about.html.erb` will appear -instead of the core "about us" file. +The core templates define the layout and user interface of an Alaveteli site. +They are in `app/views/` and use +<a href="{{ site.baseurl }}" class="glossary__link">Rails</a>' +ERB syntax. For example, the template for the home page lives at +`app/views/general/frontpage.html.erb`, and the template for the "about us" +page is at `app/views/help/about.html.erb`. + +As described above, although you *could* edit those core files directly, this +would be a Bad Idea, because you would find it increasingly hard to do upgrades. + +Instead, you should override these pages *in your own theme*, by placing them +at a corresponding location within your theme's `lib/` directory. For example, +this means that if you put your own copy of the "about us" template +in <code>lib/themes/<em>yourtheme</em>/lib/views/help/about.html.erb</code>, +then that will appear instead of the core "about us" file. ### Changing the logo -Alaveteli uses Rails' [asset pipeline](http://guides.rubyonrails.org/asset_pipeline.html) to convert and compress stylesheets written in -<a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#sass" class="glossary__link">Sass</a>, -the css extension language, to minified concatenated css. Assets are stored in core Alaveteli under `app/assets` - in `fonts`, `images`, `javascripts` and `stylesheets`. -The default theme has corresponding asset directories in `alavetelitheme/assets` Asset files placed in these directories will override those in the core directories. As with templates, a file at `lib/themes/alavetelitheme/assets/images/logo.png` will appear on the site instead of the logo from `app/assets/images/logo.png`. +Alaveteli uses Rails' [asset pipeline](http://guides.rubyonrails.org/asset_pipeline.html) +to convert and compress stylesheets written in +<a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#sass" class="glossary__link">Sass</a> +into minified concatenated CSS. Assets are stored in core Alaveteli under +`app/assets` -- in `fonts`, `images`, `javascripts` and `stylesheets`. The +default theme has corresponding asset directories in `alavetelitheme/assets` +Asset files placed in these directories will override those in the core +directories. As with templates, a file at +<code>lib/themes/<em>yourtheme</em>/assets/images/logo.png</code> will appear on the +site instead of the logo from `app/assets/images/logo.png`. ### Changing the colour scheme Alaveteli uses a set of basic <a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#sass" class="glossary__link">Sass</a> -modules to define the layout for the site on different device sizes, and some basic styling. These modules are in `app/assets/stylesheets/responsive`. The colours and fonts are added in the theme - alavetelitheme defines them in `lib/themes/alavetelitheme/assets/stylesheets/responsive/custom.scss`. Colours used in the theme are defined as variables at the top of this file and you can edit them here. +modules to define the layout for the site on different device sizes, and some +basic styling. These modules are in `app/assets/stylesheets/responsive`. The +colours and fonts are added in the theme -- `alavetelitheme` defines them in +`lib/themes/alavetelitheme/assets/stylesheets/responsive/custom.scss`. Colours +used in the theme are defined as variables at the top of this file and you can +edit them in your version of this file in your own theme. ### Changing other styling -To change other styling, you can add to or edit the styles in `lib/themes/alavetelitheme/assets/stylesheets/responsive/custom.scss`. Styles defined here will override those in the sass modules in `app/assets/stylesheets/responsive` as they will be imported last by `app/assets/stylesheets/responsive/all.scss`. However, if you want to substantially change the way a particular part of the site is laid out, you may want to override one of the core sass modules. You could override the layout of the front page, for example, by copying `app/assets/stylesheets/responsive/_frontpage_layout.scss` to `lib/themes/alavetelitheme/assets/stylesheets/responsive/_frontpage_layout.scss` and editing it. - -You can load extra stylesheets and javascript files by adding them to `lib/themes/alavetelitheme/lib/views/general/_before_head_end.html.erb` - -## Adding your own categories for public bodies - -Categories are implemented in Alaveteli using tags. Specific tags can be -used to group authorities together as a category. Categories themselves -are grouped under category headings on the side of the "View -authorities" page. You can create, edit and reorder categories and -category headings in the admin interface, from the "Categories" admin -menu item. You can apply the category tags you have created to -authorities under the "Authorities" admin menu item. For an authority to -appear under a category, the category's "category tag" must be one of -the tags applied to the authority. +To change other styling, you can add to or edit the styles in +`lib/themes/alavetelitheme/assets/stylesheets/responsive/custom.scss`. +Styles defined here will override those in the sass modules in +`app/assets/stylesheets/responsive` as they will be imported last by +`app/assets/stylesheets/responsive/all.scss`. However, if you want to +substantially change the way a particular part of the site is laid out, +you may want to override one of the core Sass modules. You could override the +layout of the front page, for example, by copying +`app/assets/stylesheets/responsive/_frontpage_layout.scss` to +<code>lib/themes/<em>yourtheme</em>/assets/stylesheets/responsive/_frontpage_layout.scss</code> +and editing it. + +You can load extra stylesheets and javascript files by adding them to +<code>lib/themes/<em>yourtheme</em>/lib/views/general/_before_head_end.html.erb</code> + +## Adding your own categories for authorities + +You should add +<a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#category" class="glossary__link">categories</a> +for the authorities on your site -- Alaveteli will display the authorities grouped +by categories if you have set any up. Alaveteli uses +<a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#tag" class="glossary__link">tags</a> +to assign authorities to the right categories, but you should add tags anyway +because they are also used by the site's search facility. Together, categories +and tags help your users find the right authority for their request. + +You can set all this up using the +<a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#admin" class="glossary__link">admin interface</a>. +See [more about categories and tags]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/running/categories_and_tags/) +for details. ## Customising the request states As mentioned above, if you can possibly live with the [default Alaveteli request statuses]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/customising/states/), -it would be good to do so. Note that you can set how many days counts -as "overdue" in the main site config file — +it would be good to do so. You can set how many days must pass before +a request is considered "overdue" in the main site config file — see [`REPLY_LATE_AFTER_DAYS`]({{ site.baseurl }}docs/customising/config/#reply_late_after_days). -If you can't live with the states as they are, there's a very basic -way to add to them (which will get improved over time). There's not -currently a way to remove any easily. There is an example of how to -do this in the `alavetelitheme`. +If you can't live with the states as they are, there's a very basic way to add +to them (we're working on this, so it will be improved over time). Currently, +there's no easy way to remove any. There is an example of how to do this in the +`alavetelitheme`. To do add states, create two modules in your theme, -`InfoRequestCustomStates` and `RequestControllerCustomStates`. The -former must have these methods: +`InfoRequestCustomStates` and `RequestControllerCustomStates`. + +`InfoRequestCustomStates` must have these methods: * `theme_calculate_status`: return a tag to identify the current state of the request * `theme_extra_states`: return a list of tags which identify the extra states you'd like to support * `theme_display_status`: return human-readable strings corresponding with these tags -The latter must have one method: +`RequestControllerCustomStates` must have one method: -* `theme_describe_state`: Return a notice for the user suitable for +* `theme_describe_state`: return a notice for the user suitable for displaying after they've categorised a request; and redirect them to a suitable next page -When you've added your extra states, you also need to create the following files in your theme: +When you've added your extra states, you also need to create the following files +in your theme: * `lib/views/general/_custom_state_descriptions.html.erb`: Descriptions of your new states, suitable for displaying to end users @@ -171,26 +289,33 @@ When you've added your extra states, you also need to create the following files 'completion' states, for displaying on the categorisation form that we ask requestors to fill out * `lib/views/general/_custom_state_transitions_pending.html.erb`: As - above, but for new states you might characterise as 'pending' + above, but for new states you might characterise as *pending* states. You can see examples of these customisations in [this commit](https://github.com/sebbacon/informatazyrtare-theme/commit/2b240491237bd72415990399904361ce9bfa431d) for the Kosovan version of Alaveteli, Informata Zyrtare (ignore the -file `lib/views/general/_custom_state_transitions.html.erb`, which is +file `_custom_state_transitions.html.erb`, which is unused). ## Adding new pages in the navigation -`alavetelitheme/lib/config/custom-routes.rb` allows you to extend the base routes in -Alaveteli. The example in `alavetelitheme` adds an extra help page. -You can also use this to override the behaviour of specific pages if -necessary. +You can extend the base routes in Alaveteli by modifying +<code>lib/themes/<em>yourtheme</em>/lib/config/custom-routes.rb</code>. +The example in `alavetelitheme` adds an extra help page. You can also use this +to override the behaviour of specific pages if necessary. ## Adding or overriding models and controllers -If you need to extend the behaviour of Alaveteli at the controller or model level, see `alavetelitheme/lib/controller_patches.rb` and `alavetelitheme/lib/model_patches.rb` for examples. +If you need to extend the behaviour of Alaveteli at the controller or model +level, see `alavetelitheme/lib/controller_patches.rb` and +`alavetelitheme/lib/model_patches.rb` for examples. -## Working with themes +## Quickly switching between themes -You can use [`script/switch-theme.rb`](https://github.com/mysociety/alaveteli/blob/master/script/switch-theme.rb) to set the current theme if you are working with multiple themes. This might be useful for switching between the default `alavetelitheme` and your own fork. +On your +<a href="{{ site.baseurl }}docs/glossary/#development" class="glossary__link">development server</a>, +you can use +[`script/switch-theme.rb`](https://github.com/mysociety/alaveteli/blob/master/script/switch-theme.rb) +to set the current theme if you are working with multiple themes. This can be +useful for switching between the default `alavetelitheme` and your own fork. |