Hello,
If the body or right/left side modules are not the same height the template looks, in my opinion, very strange, especially if the height difference is big. How about to include a script (like you do in several templates for bottom modules) that would expand the body or module to the same height.
The template would look so much better, even if one changes the background color.
Also, do you plan to release a travel related template, my guess is that there are many of us using Joomla for travel related guides.
mfcphil
Friend
Half the battle is setting up the pages in the first place…you don’t need to have every page looking the same with modules positioned in left and right columns and then doing the content.
Why not do the content first then fit the modules in to the left and right side to make the page look balanced.
That said I do like the templates that you mentioned that move up and down to suit the footer.
Well, there are just to many different variations on content lenght on my site and I dont want to spend time adjusting the left and ridht side. The body autoheight should not be to hard to implement, or there could be a “dummy” module on the left or right side that expands together with the body.
The template would look so much better this way.
gzellers
Friend
I totally agree with this. With articles varying in length there is really no way you can possibly go through and make sure every element (left, body, right) are precisely the same length.
It looks really goofy with a giant gray block of nothing between the last module in the left sidebar and the footer…even more so if the body content area is small and the sidebars long.
If this has to be a custom fix that I pay for, so be it, but I’m hoping to get turned in the right direction. I’m happy to pay and then share the solution with others but I’m pretty surprised that this wasn’t considered in the overall design.
Please advise as I also think it won’t take the world to make it happen. Unfortunately, my PHP abilities end at the point where I can spell it.
gzellers
Friend
Well, I got a reply saying:
“This template doesn’t support that function, you can see that left columns and right columns have background like background of site. You should repair your content and modules at left and right, so them can have same height.”
But I’m not sure what there is to “repair”?! With dynamic content throughout the site, how can I possibly make 900+ pages conform to one set length? Heck, after someone logs in it’ll already be out of whack!
I can’t imagine that this is technically impossible and I’m willing to pay for the fix. Why can’t a left, a center and a right auto-adjust module be created? So long as these modules are in the last position when ordering them then they should be able to meet at the User 1, 2, 5, 6 areas.
Is this something that can be custom-coded? And if so…what’s the damage?
gzellers
Friend
Here is a screenshot of what I WANT it to do. Notice how the last module would extend to the User 1, 2, 5, 6 position.
Even if I just get ONE module for each (left, center, right) that has this auto-adjust then I’d be ecstatic…and I’d simply make sure that these modules were always last in the order of appearance.
This has to be possible.
Menalto
Friend
The easiest with this is to adjust your modules/content to be in as equal height at possible.
gzellers
Friend
How can I possibly do that with 900+ pages of dynamic content?
It should be possible to do. Joomlart has done this using javascript with bottom modules that all have the same height.
This template is a visual mess (just my opinion) unless there is a balance between left, center and rights sides.
Would be nice to have an official reply from Joomlart staff so that I can move on and choose another template if this can not be done.
gzellers
Friend
Agreed. My example doesn’t look TOO flawed because the gray areas are only a few inches. But the pages where I have longer articles look ridiculous and it’s even worse when the sidebars extend longer than the center area…I have this big gray 600-pixel wide void. 🙁
I’m hopeful they can take some time to address it because this template would totally rock (for my purposes, at least) if it had this modification. I know it CAN be done, but I’m not sure how motivated they are to tend to it, which is why I’m willing to pay for the time involved. It can’t take all that much to do since they’ve done it before.
Heck, because it’s a container with a background image, can’t we just create what they call “faux columns” a la http://www.alistapart.com/articles/fauxcolumns/?
Menalto
Friend
It can easy be done IF you modify the template, the way it is now it wont work out any good.
You have boxes for each module on left and right side. No good, if you drop the boxes and make the boxes for let and right columns you are on the right way.
And make another box for each module inside the left/right box.
1 user says Thank You to Menalto for this useful post
John Wesley Brett
Moderator
I would assume with “9000+” pages of dynamic content you would expect more than one blog entry? So won’t the left side fill itself out eventually…same with the discussions on the left. It appears your center column will be pretty static on the front. Very nice looking too, I might add.
My thoughts are to pay attention to your “perfect” layout on the front…the interior pages are forgiven by users. They’re going inside for a “specific purpose” versus just “generally looking” around on the front.
And don’t forget for those “looooong” articles inside…you can always page break them…to the size you need.
One note…I found it somewhat ironic that the “A List Apart” page you linked to is layed out in the exact manner you are trying to avoid. Did you notice? I don’t think viewers do either. Short on the sides…and loooooong in the middle…and growing longer with each comment. Unavoidable.
Just my thoughts.
John.
John Wesley Brett
Moderator
<em>@Menalto 86746 wrote:</em><blockquote>It can easy be done IF you modify the template, the way it is now it wont work out any good.</blockquote>
Menalto’s correct…very easily done!
How about this: In template.css remove all “background: …” statements from the following lines:
In less than 3 minutes, you’ll end up looking like the attached.
John
1 user says Thank You to John Wesley Brett for this useful post
John Wesley Brett
Moderator
And the front page looks pretty good too.
gzellers
Friend
Thank you very much for the replies. I will give this fix a try to see how it looks. I simply liked having the boxes for each module because it kept everything nice and separate.
I’ll give the above a try and post the results.
Thanks again and I’ll be back soon! 🙂
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