10 replies to this topic

[Weppa333]

In ICP2.3 I had to make changes to compiled.css

I couldn't find a place in the ACP where this file can be searched (which is a pain) or where other files included in block can be searched.
This is imho something to fix in future revisions of IPC, because it creates to "kind" of css, the ones you can edit in the ACP "look and feel" and the ones you just can't.
It doesn't sound right or usable to me.

This beeing said.

What is the proprer, intended way of making a change to compiled.css ?
By editing the file itself ?
Thru ACP - if so, where ?

What about revisioning ? Upgrading to 2.3.1 just overwrites compiled.css, that's not very user friendly.

For some changes, I could deal with creating conflicting rules in ipb_styles.css with the !important flag, but hell, that's an ugly trick.

I'd appreciate the expert's input on this,

[Marcher Technologies]

In ICP2.3 I had to make changes to compiled.css

I couldn't find a place in the ACP where this file can be searched (which is a pain) or where other files included in block can be searched.
This is imho something to fix in future revisions of IPC, because it creates to "kind" of css, the ones you can edit in the ACP "look and feel" and the one you just can't.
It doesn't sound right or usable to me.

This beeing said.

What is the proprer, intended way of making a change to compiled.css ?
By editing the file itself ?
Thru ACP - if so, where ?

What about revisioning ? Upgrading to 2.3.1 just overwrites compiled.css, that's not very user friendly.

For some changes, I could deal with creating conflicting rules in ipb_styles.css with the !important flag, but hell, that's an ugly trick.

I'd appreciate the expert's input on this,

.... you are NOT supposed to edit that file... ever.... that breaks being able to customize it by skin.... and the compiled block template css...
ipcontent.css... note the last bit of that skin css file... you ARE supposed to !important over it... the base styles there(in compiled.css) are ones of layout in the case of block template css, and external use primarily.
Basically, editing that file serves 0 purpose... and is a core file edit for literally destroyed minor gains on any upgrade.
You can customize a block template's css/js from its directory easily.... .but... if you do that to a developers stock Block Template css/js... expect that to get nuked on the author updating their work... not truly seeing a need for an interface.... but meh, that's a different subject.

[Weppa333]

Well there was some stuff I couldn't do by !important (I can find it for reference if that's of any use) - I think it's related to the (weird btw) min-width/max-width stuff some fields have, !important did not want to overwrite them...
I'll look into this

Thanks for confirming there is no proper way to edit that file... There is no DOC for all of that so as a customer, we're a bit on our own

You have to agree with me that proposing to customers, that are probably already confused by blocks' separate CSSes (the "unfindable in ACP CSSes", to !important conflicting CSS rules to overcome compiled.css is really complicated

[Marcher Technologies]

Well there was some stuff I couldn't do by !important (I can find it for reference if that's of any use) - I think it's related to the (weird btw) min-width/max-width stuff some fields have, !important did not want to overwrite them...
I'll look into this

Thanks for confirming there is no proper way to edit that file... There is no DOC for all of that so as a customer, we're a bit on our own

You have to agree with me that proposing to customers, that are probably already confused by blocks' separate CSSes (the "unfindable in ACP CSSes", to !important conflicting CSS rules to overcome compiled.css is really complicated

I can.. but in the same token... those same customers want that tidy out-of-the-box functionality... sans block templates(WITH their separate css/js)... pre-made solutions like this become less usable/approachable, as in wrapper-less usages the costumer would have to manually include the css/js files.

[Weppa333]

I'm not in the inner workings of IPB just yet (altough I'm a quick learner, I finally got used to my user table beeing called "members" and my threads table beeing called "topics" )
But I really don't understand why IPC blocks simply don't "inject" their CSS and HTML code in the same area where the IPBoard CSS and HTML are stored...

WHy on earth is there this complied.css/compiled.js "monster" (which was not served from CDN, a bug I filed and that was fixed, thanks bfarber) is beyond my comprehension...
Let's not even talk about IMAGES referenced by these "extra" CSS files...

It sounds so much easier to put the CSS and HTML templates where they belong, in look and feel...
But again, there are probably technical reasons for not doing so. It just sounds weird.

[Marcher Technologies]

I'm not in the inner workings of IPB just yet (altough I'm a quick learner, I finally got used to my user table beeing called "members" and my threads table beeing called "topics" )
But I really don't understand why IPC blocks simply don't "inject" their CSS and HTML code in the same area where the IPBoard CSS and HTML are stored...

WHy on earth is there this complied.css/compiled.js "monster" (which was not served from CDN, a bug I filed and that was fixed, thanks bfarber) is beyong my comprehension...
Let's not even talk about IMAGES referenced by these "extra" CSS files...

It sounds so much easier to put the CSS and HTML templates where they belong, in look and feel...
But again, there are probably technical reasons for not doing so. It just sounds weird.

They do not belong in Look and Feel.
I see value in view/edit/revise block template css/js, plenty.... I could use that.
IPC Templates and assets do not belong in the Look & Feel area of the ACP.... for a reason.
they are not tied to skins.
they are not changeable by skin.
They do not require adding a template to the skin.
There are Content Templates in your skin... but frankly, these are far less easily customizable(forms) simply Because they ARE in the skin system.. and you may not select a different one per database.
I suspect you will be seeing more of Content moved out of Look & Feel due to customers needs in Flexibility from Content, not moved in.
Not discounting the bug mentioned btw.
but... 1 large compressed cached file..... is better than 30/40 block js files separate for the specific page.... right? same for css.... unless I'm missing a rather large mark.

[bfarber]

Here, wrote this to help explain how it works

http://community.inv...-resources-r751

[Weppa333]

I sincerely appreciate the time you took the explain all of this to everyone, I'm sure you've got other things to do, and I'm sure this well help a lot of people

[Marcher Technologies]

as do i... as a note, if you use content blocks in other apps(by hook or by manual crook) it is beneficial to have the overrides in ipb_styles.css.... as ipcontent.css does not parse outside of content, the default styles shine through in this case... or one could edit the css properties of ipcontent.css to parse everywhere..... tis a choice.

[Weppa333]

this might be why some of my !important where ignored. I'll double check.

[bfarber]

We are working hard at getting all of our developer documentation brought up to speed. Everything there should be up to date (it was either rewritten for IPB 3.3/IPC 2.3 or updated if necessary) and we have many more articles in the works. It's just a process that takes time is all.