Image Sliders & Testing

I’m in the mood for a better WordPress image slider..

Something I realized when I was looking over this site, is I install plugins to test them out, however once uninstalled you can see what they look like or are.. so I’m going to screen shot them. I currently am using the slider that comes with NextGen Gallery, however I don’t like that I see the loading circles, so I wanted to see if I could find something else. I just need a simple image slider, nothing fancy.

I 1st installed Smooth Slider

However it seems to really be for sliding content so a little too complicated for me. No place to easily add slider images. I didn’t go any further into trying it out.

You can purchase a premium slider for $8. Again I didn’t research it, as it wasn’t what I was looking for.

Next I installed Soliloquy Lite, looks like it’s more what I’m looking for…

Soliloquy Test Video

Looks like exactly what I’m looking for! Yippy!

Parts of a web page

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How to break apart the pieces of a website page

For a point of reference when I’m discussing a web page, I break a site into the following areas:

Main Background
- Page
  - Header
  - Content
    - Menu
    - Sidebar
  - Footer

When designing a website it’s a good idea to have an idea about the parts of a website page. Each pieces of this puzzle makes up what your site will look like and what it’s actually made of. Now with completely fluid design you may only have one single block your designing. However most sites still have a two-parts. What I call the Main Background & the Page.

The two main parts of a webpage

Many sites, have a main background and then the Page sits inside this. However there are sites that now run from edge to edge sizing everything based on the width of the display. Even with the sizing based on the display you can have a two part site.

Each block that is placed inside the Page can have a different background, it’s kinda like cells inside a table or spreadsheet. Blocks are cells, and just as you can format each cell differently in a table or spreadsheet the same can be done within a webpage.

The Page

The page it typically broken up into 3 Main Blocks. The header, content, footer. Each can again have their own background.

Three main blocks of the page

Two Additional Blocks

There are 2 additional blocks that are also typically added found on a webpage. The Menu and a Sidebar. The menu can be place anywhere, and there may even be more then one. Typically found toward the top of the page it could be in any of the three main blocks; header, content, or footer. The Sidebar is either placed on the left or right side in the Content block, some sites have two sidebars.

The menu & the sidebar

Let’s talk about your header

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What’s in your header?

Whats the layout or inside your header? Your header or banner area of your site can be as complex or as simple as you’d like it to be.

Do you want information? A menu? A logo or graphic? Or just your site title?

Once you know the layout you need to decide how you want your header built. Should you use a graphic, html, or a mixture.

HTML or Graphic for your site title

What font you want to use, and if there is to be a graphic or logo that is part of it.

Once you know that you can decide if your best choice is if you want it created on the fly or as a graphic.

On the fly: HTML – need to use a font that can be shared on the web.
e.g.: Google or other font sites like font squirrel.

Graphic: Font either you or I own, one that can be purchased, or downloaded free.

Why use HTML?

You can’t find the font anywhere but Google or another web font provider.
You want to use that same font elsewhere on your site, in heading or other places.
You want to be able to change it whenever the mood strikes you.

Why use a Graphic?

You have access to more fonts.
Less load on your site.
You can get extremely exact in the placement of each letter.
You can use more then one font easily.

A design graphic can be used on both.. however placement again with the graphic version would be more exact then the html.

Thesis 2 AaaRrrrrGgggg

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Thesis 2 nightmare

This is not a final judgement, however right now I could throw Thesis 2.x thru the window. I may be very sorry I ever suggested Thesis to any of my clients.

I do remember when Headway first updated I was frustrated as well, so I don’t yet want to say it’s horrible until I’ve actually finished up a design. However I have spent days, yes not just hours but days, trying to get what I would call a simple design up, looking good and activated.

Yes, I want to customize it, however it’s not a complicated design. This client has wanted an up-dated site for a bit, and me an my big mouth told her that once 2.x was released we could get to work on it. When it was released in October I put her off for a month as I thought it was just initial bugs, however a month+ later and it’s still a train wreck.

Breathing….

I wasted 2 days just realizing that skins that work in 2.01 don’t in 2.02. Now that I have that worked out… on to the next.

Happy All Hallows Eve

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uNeedStuff is in costume for the day