We thought it would be fun to run a series of hands-on working meetings to churn out some "rules-based" themes created for a number of popular "grid-based CSS frameworks".

If you're not familiar with either "grid-based css frameworks" or "rules based theming" see the What's & Why's in the resources below. We meet once a month — 3-4 sessions would be good to cover all the parts and get some practice/troubleshooting time in.

SERIES GOAL: Build a library of re-usable grid-based based frameworks for Plone — so everyone can move from mockup to done faster.

So… the next Plone Los Angles User Meeting will be our 1st Session!

WHEN: Thursday December 1, 2011 @ 7pm

WHERE: UCLA Campus @ IT Services (Murphy Hall) Room TBA

WHAT: Bring an html/css mockup file, your laptop (with plone 4 running)

TOPIC: Intro to Grid-based CSS Frameworks & Rules-based Theming Workflow

HANDS-ON STUFF: Everyone will pick a favorite CSS Grid framework (see resources below.) We'll roll your html mockup into the css framework (or better yet, bring one pre-rolled to share.)  Make sure you install plone.app.theming We'll practice writing our first "rules file" to map mockup to Plone

NEXT STEPS: We'll go off with our new workflows & rock out the grid-based mockup + rule file we started … next sessions we'll work on cleaning things up for re-use.

RESOURCES

Read-on … these items will get you ready to go from 0 …

A. Basic Background 411: The WHAT'S & WHY'S:

What are Grid-Based CSS Frameworks?

Grid-based CSS frameworks are a bundle of css files that have been debugged cross-browser to give you a fast leg up to making grid-based CSS websites. Grids are an old-school typography concept that help layouts look sharp — usually based on ratios.

Here's a quickie overview article: http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/html-css-techniques/which-css-grid-framework-should-you-use-for-web-design/

An archive on all things Grid: http://www.thegridsystem.org/?s=grid+template

What is Rules based theming?

Rules-based theming use xml + html (xslt) to take a designer's static html/css mockups and map them to a complex dynamic website (like a CMS or Web Application) without messing with either's code.

Why?

Here's my typical workflow — I'm a designer and live on the front-end of things. I make html/css mockups and wire frames and then hand them off to a member on my team who has to translate this into the application or CMS we're using (and sometimes I'm also that person) .. Either way — there's usually some pain involved at this point — and cursing … broken code … hair tearing … Wouldn't it be awesome to keep part A … and change up part B?

B. Pick a Grid-Based CSS Framework (here' are just a few):

• Blueprint: http://www.blueprintcss.org/
• 960GS: http://960.gs/
• Baseline: http://baselinecss.com/
• Less Framework 4: http://lessframework.com/
• YUI 2 Grids: http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/grids/

C. Get your Plone instance ready for using "Rules Based Theming":

Diazo + plone.app.theming

Introduction to the Diazo Project: http://diazo.org/introduction.html

To integrate a diazo workflow with Plone there is a Plone product called plone.app.theming:

plone.app.themeing (or using Diazo with Plone): http://pypi.python.org/pypi/plone.app.theming

Meeting Location:

Bar Pico
http://www.barpico.com/directions.html
2819 Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 310-8872

between 28th and 29th on Pico blvd!

Topics:

Send off for Heather And Luke!

Heather and Luke are leaving LA for Seattle! come join us and say your goodbyes.

Meeting Location:

Barney's Beanery
1037 Broxton Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 443-7777

Topics:

Plone Symposium East 2011 update - Michael Miller

Michael Miller will be sharing his experience attending the "Weblion Plone Symposium East 2011" Other Talks - TBA...

Lightning Talks

Step on up!

The agenda will include updates on Plone projects from several departments at UCLA and presentations on Plone-related topics.

Schedule

• 1:00 - Welcome (Luke Brannon, UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies and Co-Manager, Los Angeles Plone Users Group)
• 1:10 - IT Services CMS Hosting Project Update (Albert Wu, IT Services, formerly AIS and CTS; Rose Rocchio, UCLA Office of Information Technology)
• 1:30 - Roundtable: State of Plone at UCLA (Chris Patterson, Office of Information Technology; Caroline Kong, Social Sciences Computing; Alex Man, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science; Luke Brannon, Graduate School of Education & Information Studies; Mary Tawfall, School of Dentistry; Mike Takahashi, Marketing & Special Events)
• 2:15 - break
• 2:30 - Upgrading a Plone 3 Theme for Plone 4: Beyond the Basics (Heather Wozniak, UCLA Office of Information Technology) - SLIDES
• 3:00 - Integrating Plone with CashNET, UCLA's New Payment Processor (Luke Brannon, UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies)
• 3:30 - What to Expect from Plone 4.1 (Alec Mitchell)

Time & Location

We kick off World Plone Day at 1:00 PM in the UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies video class room (Moore Hall 3027) and will continue through 4:00 PM.

The formal presentations will be followed by a happy hour in Westwood at Barney's Beanery.

Maps and parking instructions linked below.

• UCLA, Moore Hall 3027
• UCLA Campus Maps & Parking

Details on 7 Grand

Directions

We'll talk about what we've been working on as well as future plans for World Plone Day as well as another LA Sprint.

Truxton's American Bistro
8611 Truxton Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 417-8789

Barney's Beanery
1037 Broxton Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 443-7777

If you are planning on attending, we kindly ask that you please RSVP to this meeting so that we have a better idea of how many people will be showing up.

Presentations/Topics to be covered are as follows:

• Presentation: TBA
• Lightning Talks
  We'll ask everyone present to share their favorite Plone add-on with us. Come on, you know you wanna!  Show us a cool Plone Trick you learned or that product that saved your day.

• What topics would you like to see presentations/discussions on? Do you need help with Plone or have questions? Do you want to share special knowledge with your fellow group mates?

Please see our Directions and Parking Information web page for more information.

We are trying out a new format for our October meeting.  Everyone should bring their laptops and their Plone projects.  We'll share ideas, show off recent projects, and help each other troubleshoot design and development issues.  If all goes well we plan to alternate this casual, working group format with our regular presentation-and-discussion style meetings.

Our meeting location, South on Wilshire, has free WiFi plus happy hour specials until 8pm.  Check out the menu at southsantamonica.com

If you are planning on attending, we kindly ask that you please RSVP to this meeting so that we have a better idea of how many people will be showing up.

Presentations/Topics to be covered are as follows:

• Presentation: Theming with XDV, Michael Miller
  An overview of how to setup collective.xdv on your development site and demo of how to map a theme.  Based on the awesome knowledge and experience acquired during the West Coast Plone Sprint 2010.
• Lightning Talks
  We'll ask everyone present to share their favorite Plone add-on with us. Come on, you know you wanna!  Show us a cool Plone Trick you learned or that product that saved your day.

• What topics would you like to see presentations/discussions on? Do you need help with Plone or have questions? Do you want to share special knowledge with your fellow group mates?

Please see our Directions and Parking Information web page for more information.

Presentations/Topics to be covered are as follows:

• Quick and Easy Rounded Corners - Presented by Heather Wozniak
  This presentation will demonstrate how easy it is to add rounded corners to your Plone themes using a free jquery library and a little CSS. By combining these techniques, you can get nicely rounded corners (and more!) in all the major browsers.  The presentation will cover how to add the relevant scripts and CSS through-the-web and in your own theme product.

• Lightning Talks
  We'll leave the floor open for 5 minute Lightning Talks - anyone who wants to can do one - Come on, you know you wanna!  Show us a cool Plone Trick you learned... Wow us!

• What topics would you like to see presentations/discussions on? Do you need help with Plone or have questions? Do you want to share special knowledge with your fellow group mates?

Please see our Directions and Parking Information web page for more information.

Presentations/Topics to be covered are as follows:

• Plone Symposium East 2010 - Michael Miller & Luke Brannon
  Michael and Luke will share their impressions of the conference as well as information about Plone Edu.

• Lightning Talks
  We'll leave the floor open for 5 minute Lightning Talks - anyone who wants to can do one - Come on, you know you wanna!  Show us a cool Plone Trick you learned... Wow us!

• What topics would you like to see presentations/discussions on? Do you need help with Plone or have questions? Do you want to share special knowledge with your fellow group mates?

Presentations/Topics to be covered are as follows:

April 28, 2010 is World Plone Day!

Come join us on Wednesday April 28, 2010 from 1pm-4pm at UCLA to celebrate World Plone Day.

• Wednesday April 28, 2010 @ 1pm-4pm

WHERE:

If you are planning on attending, we kindly ask that you please RSVP to this event so that we have a better idea of how many people will be showing up.

World Plone Day Agenda

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm:

• "Welcome" and "Introduction to Plone" - Michael Miller

• "Where is Plone Headed? A Look at Plone 4 & 5" - Michael Miller
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Plone - Heather Wozniak

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm:

• "Extending Faculty Staff Directory" - Luke Brannon
• "Designing with Deliverance and Collective.xdv" - Mike Takahashi

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm:

• "Dexterity: The Future of Plone Content" - Alec Mitchell

• lightning talks/tips & tricks - share a topic of interest with everyone!

We look forward to seeing you!