Lately I haven’t posted anything much mainly because I have been working on a new look for Moe Moe Rabu. Yes, Version 4 of moemoerabu.net is coming hopefully soon as it is time to change it’s look. Here is just a list of reasons why:
- Want a more simpler and more neater look.
- A look that suits people with monitors with a 1024 x 768 resolution. The current version is optimised only for those with 1280 x 1024, since that is what I am running.
- A theme that doesn’t use as much images mainly for bandwidth purposes and hopefully faster loading times.
- More functionality out of WordPress with a different theme.
- Hopefully the new theme will fix the Technorati problem. Every time I make a post, it pings back my categories for some odd reason.
The theme I have chosen is the K2 theme as it has a lot of functionality and uses modules that’ll allow me to control what is shown on particular pages. But the look will be based on the default theme but totally customized and re-optimized to hopefully make a few things easier to present. Of course this is also a re-educating experience as I’m starting to remember the things about CSS that I learnt during uni. There are a few features I want to add to the new look but I’m having trouble trying to either find a plugin in or a PHP hack. The following are a few things I have yet to figure out:
- A way to count how many times a post has been viewed, and place this count value next to the title of a post.
- A small mini blog section on the sidebar so I don’t have to do a proper post.
- With the K2 theme, it uses a livesearch feature. I want to use just a normal search feature that has a search button.
That’s all I can think of for now, but there might be more later. At most all I have done is the major layout of the beta but I have yet to figure out a color scheme and to create a header image. All up I’m not exactly sure how long this will take me, could be a few days, could be a few weeks but I am hoping to get it up and running. Also I will be moving to a new hosting soon but I need to get around to fixing the clutch in my car first as that is my top priority. I’ll still continue blogging to an extent, however I am still unsure what else to blog other than Hayate and sola from the new season. Though I’ll be choosing soon.
So if anyone knows on how to solve the features I am after, please leave your feedback as it would help me greatly.
note: for those interested, you can view the beta here. Don’t mind the colours as I’ve yet to decide since I’m working on the layout.
Somehow on firefox, it doesn’t fit 1024 exactly. (i didn’t look into why)
You might want to hold up the changes until wordpress 2.2 comes out, which would be in about 2 weeks.
quick search shows the following plugin.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/mini-posts/#post-189
http://djuki.padrino.co.yu/blog/?p=75
(i’m quite sure that the features you want are easily available by plugins. i just haven’t had the time to google for them)
I haven’t touched k2 in a while, but previously they had an options page that let you choose between livesearch and normal search. if this doesn’t exists, i can then help you look into making it a normal search. (not difficult)
I’ve hacked themes all the time for wordpress, so if you encounter any problems, can give me a shout! haha
Hi Phil, just passing onto you thoughts for the second bullet point list. What you are requesting is kinda what CMS’s do, since in them, can configure areas in the blog page and then power them with any kind of plugin. Drupal might be worth a check (its still php) to see if it has features you want, although you might still can live with WordPress. Because you said that you are having trouble finding a plugin or php hack for Wordpress, may have to get your hands dirty or look wider at the available options if you want to get serious with your blog. WordPress might go really far havent experienced it yet since I dont blog yet. Ive recently built a site on Drupal which is going live soon.
Laters mate,
Cheers tekk.
TedFox: I saw those plugins a while ago and tried them but they don’t do what I want exactly. If I come across any trouble I’ll let you know.
lotekk: I’ve seen it on other WP blogs but I think it’s kind of like an Asides module, but from what I have been experimenting with it works slightly different.