<div>I've begun development of a Visual Studio.Net 2005 starter kit, written in C#, to help jumpstart new Atlas based websites.
It's targeted to developers who want to have a good foundation for the layout and design of an Atlas website (by using the YUI library). The starter kit is currently in beta, and contains 7 templates based off of the standard YUI page grids (with plans to add
more, non-standard, layouts as well).
I plan to develop two kits. The first one, as described above, will primarily be a template based kit... to get new sites started quickly. I also plan to add in sample CSS based menus, tabs, etc... and add in the CSS adapters toolkit as well. Time to make those
asp.net 2.0 controls output some nice clean XHTML!
The second kit will be more advanced. It will contain come AJAX controls that will fit nicely into the Yahoo! page grids. Also plan to develop some of the controls based off the Y! Design patterns.
As with all projects, features can come and go... and it will be a living project. I believe in the "release early, release often" mentality. So expect more changes, and soon!
I am planning to write a few how-to's for this starter kit. If anyone tries to use the kit and has questions, let me know. For now, I'll develop some standard how-to's such as how to develop a new content page based on one of the YUI templates.
As part of my promise to improve the site supporting my starter kit(s), I'm showing a
preview on one of the how-to's I've created. This one is simply showing how to start a new project using the starter kit.
I was working on it at 2:00am and it's not completed to my liking yet (in other words, the formatting will be improved).
As always, feedback is appreciated.
I've made some massive improvements to the site supporting my starter kits. Lot's of consolidation, and a couple additional sections that didn't exist before (the Think Tank, and the FAQ).
I also released a new version and renamed the first starter kit to AYSK:Grids (instead of Atlas YUI Starter Kit #1).
Here's a copy of the change-log, since it's 3am and I forgot to upload to my site.
From version .8 to .9
- Added App_Images as a default folder: used to store sitewide images that are not theme specific. Feel free to rename this directory if you prefer to name your images directory differently.
- Added CSS_CodeSnips as a tmp folder: used to store the sample css based menu. Not needed for site functionality, but added to the starter kit to provide developers with quick cut-n-paste css menu options. Each folder within the CSS_CodeSnips folder houses
one css based menu (the html, the css, and the images). In .9, there are no CSS menus
yet. They will be in for the 1.0 release.
- Project name changed to ASYK:Grids. This new name better describes this release, as there are going to be several releases of this starter kit. Currently planning the next release to be called ASYK:Patterns.
- Added the ATlas Toolkit assemblies to the project. This will enable you to use the Atlas Toolkit extenders in your web apps.
- Added .txt documentation throughout each of the folders to explain what I use each folder for. You should delete those .txt files from your projects (after reading them preferably, :D )
- Added default placeholder folders for .png graphics (both sitewide and theme-only).
-------------------------------
Expect some pre-built, CSS-based, menus ready for use in your Atlas web apps in the next release!
What does AYSK:Grids do for me?
Speeds development of your ASP.NET 2.0 web apps. Whether you choose to use Atlas or not, the included Yahoo UI page grid templates and ready to use CSS menus (currently includes 48 menus!) can greatly decrease your development time. AYSK:Grids also takes advantage
of the cross-browser typographical and HTML rendering normalization features of the Yahoo! UI library.
Future versions will include more css menus, lists, containers, etc! Many aspects of CSS development will be included!
I'm also currently working on the next fork of my kit, AYSK:Patterns. This kit will include all the features from AYSK:Grids, but also include many ready to use Atlas web controls to speed development of your AJAX applications!
Stay tuned for more!
And, as always, feedback is very welcome! Thank you and happy coding!
What does AYSK:Grids version 1.1 bring?
The 2 most requested layout templates, the 3 and 4 column layouts. Along with this release I've created a new how-to, for changing the new templates into elastic templates (currently they are static width). It's actually quite easy to do. Technically, the technique
can work for all the included templates, but works best in the yui-t7, yui-3col, and yui-4col layout templates.
I also updated the template viewer on my site to have a pixel-based ruler show the exact dimensions of each column shown inside the viewer. Currently I have 6 of the 9 templates in the viewer, and of course plan to add them all in.
Stay tuned for more!
And, as always, feedback is very welcome! Thank you and happy coding!
When you say sample pages using the library, do you mean the Yahoo! UI Library javascripts? If so, the next kit, AYSK:Patterns will delve more deeply into the javascript side of the YUI.
If you're asking whether pages have been developed using the kit, I do have some internal projects that I've begun by starting from the AYSK:Grids kit. Once complete, and hosted, I'll provide links.
It's really quite simple, just start a new project based on the AYSK:Grids kit, create a new .aspx file, and use one of the included .master template file located in the App_Masters directory.
Of course, more how-to's to come in the future. The kit, and site, are always being updated. Check back frequently for the latest.
I've updated the template viewer to include a preview of every layout available in the AYSK:Grids starter kit. In addition, I developed an elasticity switcher so you can preview each layout in both static and elastic widths. The switcher was developed primarily
with the Yahoo! UI library, so the switch is done client side and is very fast (and no page refresh).
I'll be posting a how-to on developing the elastic switcher with the Yahoo! UI library in the future. And, the control will be available in the first release of the upcoming AYSK:Patterns starter kit.
ChadThiele
Participant
983 Points
274 Posts
Atlas and Yahoo! User Interface Library Starter Kit
May 16, 2006 09:11 AM|LINK
It's targeted to developers who want to have a good foundation for the layout and design of an Atlas website (by using the YUI library). The starter kit is currently in beta, and contains 7 templates based off of the standard YUI page grids (with plans to add more, non-standard, layouts as well).
I plan to develop two kits. The first one, as described above, will primarily be a template based kit... to get new sites started quickly. I also plan to add in sample CSS based menus, tabs, etc... and add in the CSS adapters toolkit as well. Time to make those asp.net 2.0 controls output some nice clean XHTML!
The second kit will be more advanced. It will contain come AJAX controls that will fit nicely into the Yahoo! page grids. Also plan to develop some of the controls based off the Y! Design patterns.
As with all projects, features can come and go... and it will be a living project. I believe in the "release early, release often" mentality. So expect more changes, and soon!
The address is: www.atlasyuistarterkit.com
Thanks, and please provide feedback!
Enjoy!
PS
I’ll be adding more features to the website about the kit as well… ;D</div>
ChadThiele
Participant
983 Points
274 Posts
Re: Atlas and Yahoo! User Interface Library Starter Kit
May 16, 2006 01:16 PM|LINK
Thanks everyone, hope you find this kit useful.
ChadThiele
Participant
983 Points
274 Posts
Re: Atlas and Yahoo! User Interface Library Starter Kit
May 18, 2006 01:46 AM|LINK
I was working on it at 2:00am and it's not completed to my liking yet (in other words, the formatting will be improved).
ChadThiele
Participant
983 Points
274 Posts
Re: Atlas and Yahoo! User Interface Library Starter Kit
May 19, 2006 05:17 PM|LINK
I also released a new version and renamed the first starter kit to AYSK:Grids (instead of Atlas YUI Starter Kit #1).
check it out: www.atlasyuistarterkit.com
Thanks again!
Thanks to all who have tried out my kit!
Here's a copy of the change-log, since it's 3am and I forgot to upload to my site.
From version .8 to .9
- Added App_Images as a default folder: used to store sitewide images that are not theme specific. Feel free to rename this directory if you prefer to name your images directory differently.
- Added CSS_CodeSnips as a tmp folder: used to store the sample css based menu. Not needed for site functionality, but added to the starter kit to provide developers with quick cut-n-paste css menu options. Each folder within the CSS_CodeSnips folder houses one css based menu (the html, the css, and the images). In .9, there are no CSS menus
yet. They will be in for the 1.0 release.
- Project name changed to ASYK:Grids. This new name better describes this release, as there are going to be several releases of this starter kit. Currently planning the next release to be called ASYK:Patterns.
- Added the ATlas Toolkit assemblies to the project. This will enable you to use the Atlas Toolkit extenders in your web apps.
- Added .txt documentation throughout each of the folders to explain what I use each folder for. You should delete those .txt files from your projects (after reading them preferably, :D )
- Added default placeholder folders for .png graphics (both sitewide and theme-only).
-------------------------------
Expect some pre-built, CSS-based, menus ready for use in your Atlas web apps in the next release!
ChadThiele
Participant
983 Points
274 Posts
Re: Atlas and Yahoo! User Interface Library Starter Kit
May 23, 2006 02:34 PM|LINK
Version 1.0 of the Atlas YUI Starter Kit (this release is now called AYSK:Grids) has been released!
Get it at: www.atlasyuistarterkit.com
What does AYSK:Grids do for me?
Speeds development of your ASP.NET 2.0 web apps. Whether you choose to use Atlas or not, the included Yahoo UI page grid templates and ready to use CSS menus (currently includes 48 menus!) can greatly decrease your development time. AYSK:Grids also takes advantage of the cross-browser typographical and HTML rendering normalization features of the Yahoo! UI library.
Future versions will include more css menus, lists, containers, etc! Many aspects of CSS development will be included!
I'm also currently working on the next fork of my kit, AYSK:Patterns. This kit will include all the features from AYSK:Grids, but also include many ready to use Atlas web controls to speed development of your AJAX applications!
Stay tuned for more!
And, as always, feedback is very welcome! Thank you and happy coding!
ChadThiele
Participant
983 Points
274 Posts
Re: Atlas and Yahoo! User Interface Library Starter Kit
May 30, 2006 02:55 PM|LINK
Get it at: www.atlasyuistarterkit.com
What does AYSK:Grids version 1.1 bring?
The 2 most requested layout templates, the 3 and 4 column layouts. Along with this release I've created a new how-to, for changing the new templates into elastic templates (currently they are static width). It's actually quite easy to do. Technically, the technique can work for all the included templates, but works best in the yui-t7, yui-3col, and yui-4col layout templates.
I also updated the template viewer on my site to have a pixel-based ruler show the exact dimensions of each column shown inside the viewer. Currently I have 6 of the 9 templates in the viewer, and of course plan to add them all in.
Stay tuned for more!
And, as always, feedback is very welcome! Thank you and happy coding!
Ed_DeGagne
Contributor
4555 Points
911 Posts
Re: Atlas and Yahoo! User Interface Library Starter Kit
Jun 01, 2006 01:23 PM|LINK
Chad,
I converted your AYSK:Grids project template over to VB.NET. I can send it to you (or anyone else interested), just email me or IM me.
One question, do you have any actual sample projects with a page or two that actually uses the library?
Thats the only thing missing, other than that, great job!
ChadThiele
Participant
983 Points
274 Posts
Re: Atlas and Yahoo! User Interface Library Starter Kit
Jun 01, 2006 02:59 PM|LINK
When you say sample pages using the library, do you mean the Yahoo! UI Library javascripts? If so, the next kit, AYSK:Patterns will delve more deeply into the javascript side of the YUI.
If you're asking whether pages have been developed using the kit, I do have some internal projects that I've begun by starting from the AYSK:Grids kit. Once complete, and hosted, I'll provide links.
It's really quite simple, just start a new project based on the AYSK:Grids kit, create a new .aspx file, and use one of the included .master template file located in the App_Masters directory.
Of course, more how-to's to come in the future. The kit, and site, are always being updated. Check back frequently for the latest.
Thanks again,
Chad
Ed_DeGagne
Contributor
4555 Points
911 Posts
Re: Atlas and Yahoo! User Interface Library Starter Kit
Jun 01, 2006 04:31 PM|LINK
I am all set Chad. I went ahead and created a sample project using all the templates just to test them out.
Again, if you need the VB.NET conversion, don't hesitate to ask. No sense in wasting your time converting it when I've already done so.
Thanks again.
ChadThiele
Participant
983 Points
274 Posts
Re: Atlas and Yahoo! User Interface Library Starter Kit
Jun 14, 2006 04:30 PM|LINK
I've updated the template viewer to include a preview of every layout available in the AYSK:Grids starter kit. In addition, I developed an elasticity switcher so you can preview each layout in both static and elastic widths. The switcher was developed primarily with the Yahoo! UI library, so the switch is done client side and is very fast (and no page refresh).
I'll be posting a how-to on developing the elastic switcher with the Yahoo! UI library in the future. And, the control will be available in the first release of the upcoming AYSK:Patterns starter kit.
Thanks for your time!