Hi.. Id like to install some new themes, but there are just 2 themes, and the last one posted in 2006. I would be nice to have some others options.
Hi.. Id like to install some new themes, but there are just 2 themes, and the last one posted in 2006. I would be nice to have some others options.
Theme approach proved to be unsuccessful as it took too much effort to keep it in sync with the rest of the application, while offering almost no additional value.
For example, in last few years we added about 20 new fields to the program, including some pretty complicated stuff like collaborations or custom field system. To support all these new features, every theme needed update, and that's really a deal breaker.
So we don't encourage using the obsolete themes anymore, because they don't support essential OrangeCD features. Eventually they will be removed from the website. Of course, any customizations to standard Default V6 theme, or any custom-made themes will still continue to work for the time being!
Andrei
To support all these new features, every theme needed update, and that's really a deal breaker.
so what the best thing that can we do?
I wrote my own theme. I update it when OrangeCD makes new features available, if they're features I use. For example, I never implemented rating stars because for the moment none of my music is rated.
Writing themes takes time, and there's a learning curve at the front, but I don't consider it a terribly steep one. I write software for a living, however, and was already familiar with DHTML, the language used to describe the theme layout and to reach into the database for information. It may be steeper if you're not familiar with those things.
I also started with one of Andrei's themes, and altered it to fit my preferences. That's much easier than starting from scratch.