Multi Downloaded 600 Times
I just noticed earlier today my child-theme Multi of the Desk Mess Mirrored theme has been downloaded 600 times!
I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks to the WordPress Download Monitor, its usefulness allows me to easily provide this link to the current version (1.4.5) which also displays a downloads counter: Multi (607)
I do have plans to update this child-theme to more current standards; and, match the version number of its parent theme, Desk Mess Mirrored. I will also be working towards being able to submit this child-theme, as well as allowing other theme authors to submit child-themes, to the WordPress Extend Themes repository within my capacity as a member of the WordPress Theme Review Team.
Although I will continue to maintain Multi here so it remains available, once WordPress.org opens the theme repository (hopefully to all themes as parents) and Multi meets all the review criteria it will reside there as its primary download source.
Desk Mess Mirrored 1.7
Desk Mess Mirrored version 1.7 is now live in the WordPress Theme repository. This version saw quite a few updates mostly adding support for functions found in WordPress 3.0 and higher versions.
Here is the recent changelog:
Changelog as of July 18, 2010:
-- Version 1.7
- released: July 20, 2010
- add License URI to style.css title block
- minor change to `the_content` "more" text
- css form fine-tuning
- code clean up to meet WP Standards
- moved default search into `sidebar-1` (a popular requested in end-user feedback)
- add `custom menu` support
- add `custom background` support
- add `post-thumbnail` support to posts and pages
- add `editor-style` support
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* Internet Browsers Reviewed *
* ========================== *
* *
* Apple Safari v5.0 (Mac) *
* Apple Safari v5.0 (PC) *
* Firefox v3.6.6 *
* Google Chrome v5.0 *
* Internet Explorer v8.0 *
* Opera v10.60 *
* *
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Ground Floor 1.5.1
The free WordPress Theme Ground Floor version 1.5.1 has just been approved into the WordPress Theme repository. Under the new review process here is its Trac ticket: http://themes.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/278.
Here is the latest changelog.txt, too:
Changelog as of Jul 5, 2010
= Version 1.5.1 =
- released: July 5, 2010
- published: July 26, 2010
- style updates for the `comment_form()` function
= Version 1.5 =
- released: July 5, 2010
- cleaned up code to meet WP Standards
- adjusted content_width value
- fixed page with comments closed message
- removed feed links from header; using `add_theme_support( 'automatic-feed-links' );`
- removed `legacy.comments.php` file as it is no longer referenced.
- add the use of `comment_form()`
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* Internet Browsers Reviewed *
* ========================== *
* *
* Apple Safari v5.0 (Mac) *
* Apple Safari v5.0 (PC) *
* Firefox v3.6.6 *
* Google Chrome v5.0 *
* Internet Explorer v8.0 *
* Opera v10.10 *
* *
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Now that Ground Floor v1.5.1 has been published it will go back into the queue for further updates. Given the recent changes to the WordPress Theme Review process and the features from version 3.0 that I still want to add there is more code to be written … in the meantime, Enjoy!
Desk Mess Mirrored 1.6
After an extended stay in the WordPress Extend Themes review queue the latest version of Desk Mess Mirrored is now live and available for download here.
Following is the recent changelog:
Changelog as of June 12, 2010:
-- Version 1.6
- released: June 12, 2010
- added Belorussian language files by Patricia Clausnitzer at http://pc.de
- WP: general code clean up to meet WP Standards
- WP: updated comments.php to use comment_form() function; old comment form will be removed with next theme revision (post WordPress v3.0)
- CSS: increased default font size to 14px
- CSS: minor adjustment for BNS Plugin styles and 'ul.children li' property
- CSS: add "YUI Reset" and "WordPress Rules" (and necessary adjustments)
- Removed unused graphics: comh2.png; flickr.png; footer-mozliia.png; footer-wp.png; socialbck.png; and, twitter.png. This will not affect existing installations as updating will not remove any existing files.
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* Internet Browsers Reviewed *
* ========================== *
* *
* Apple Safari v5.0 (Mac) *
* Apple Safari v5.0 (PC) *
* Firefox v3.6.3 *
* Google Chrome v5.0 *
* Internet Explorer v8.0 *
* Opera v10.10 *
* *
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-- Version 1.5.1
- released: Apr 23, 2010
- published: Apr 28, 2010
- each file noted with its last updated version starting at version 1.5
- WP: correction to widget definition in functions.php and sidebar.php
-- Version 1.5
- released: April 18, 2010
- removed `show_avatar` function (not used)
- reviewed for compatibility with WordPress 3.0
- using `add_theme_support` added: `post-thumbnails`, `nav-menus`, and `automatic-feed-links`
- added BNS Modified Post function (requires WordPress 3.0)
- WP: added third widget area to sidebar
- WP: adopted default widget code as standard
- CSS: removed 'text-align:center' property from 'widget' class
- additional modifications to meet current guidelines as found at: http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development_Checklist.Shades 1.5.1
Shades version 1.5.1 has passed through the current WordPress.org Theme Review process and is now available for downloading or upgrading as the case may be. Here is the most recent changelog.txt excerpt:
Changelog as of June 19, 2010:
-- Version 1.5.1
- released: June 19, 2010
- published on WordPress.org: ...
- corrections to sidebar.php to remove "second" id=searchform
- WP: changed `the_time( 'M j, Y' )` to `the_time( get_option( 'date_format' ) );`
-- Version 1.5
- released: June 15, 2010
- cleaned up code in functions.php
- clean up code to meet WP Standards
- WP: updated comments.php to use comment_form() function; old comment form will be removed with next theme revision (post WordPress v3.0)
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* Internet Browsers Reviewed *
* ========================== *
* *
* Apple Safari v5.0 (Mac) *
* Apple Safari v5.0 (PC) *
* Firefox v3.6.3 *
* Google Chrome v5.0 *
* Internet Explorer v8.0 *
* Opera v10.10 *
* *
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-- Version 1.4
- released: Apr 24, 2010
- published on WordPress.org: Apr 28, 2010
- Shades of Darkness child theme is no longer included
- add revision details to each file
- updated bns_dynamic_copyright() function
- add class and ID to function widget definition
- added WordPress version 3.0 Navigation Menu core widget style elements
- additional modifications to meet current guidelines as found at: http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development_Checklist.
Also, as a follow-up to the June 2010 Updates post, I have personally seen to verifying all themes that have been recently submitted are confirmed in the review queue, each with its own Trac ticket; and, Shades would have been approved earlier but I felt I would have been in conflict approving my own theme(s).
June 2010 Updates
Obviously there is a great deal of activity in the WordPress community with the release of version 3.0.
Theme designers and plugin developers have been very busy updating and improving their respective works, myself included. I made updates to a few of the BNS series of plugins … WP_DEBUG is your friend! Although I still have a small issue with a plugin I am currently reviewing. The plugin code works as it is expected to, but therein lies its issue. At this time it is of little significance, but I will likely need to rewrite a large part of the code to eliminate this last little issue.
Also, currently the Desk Mess Mirrored and Shades themes are in the theme review queue, which itself is undergoing some potentially significant changes.
Recently, Ian Stewart wrote a tweet calling out to individuals interested in helping out with the theme review process. Interestingly I was the first to respond. There are actually several qualified individuals that are now helping Joseph Scott sort through and review new and existing themes. This process unfortunately has added a noticeable delay in the process but the expectation is it will only be a temporary as the theme review process moves into the hands of more than one or two individuals; and, these new reviewers catch up on the learning curve.
I look at this as yet another way to contribute back to the community and so do several of the other theme reviewers. This is a work in progress and I look for it to be one of constant improvement as well; and, it has given me a whole new insight into the theme review process. It is a lot more involved than you would first imagine.
New WordPress Plugin: BNS Chess.com Badge
One of my all time favorite past-times is to play Chess. I enjoy the game on many levels from the artistry of the pieces to the elegance of their moves; the strategies of planning and the fruition of patience. I recently came across the Chess.com web site and started playing online via their free services. There are many sites that offer similar services but this one caught my attention.
I also found they offered a badge you could place on your own web site or page. I liked the look and feel of the badge but also realized it was completely static. You would need to copy and paste the code every time your “rating” changed. I thought this could be made into a dynamic plugin for WordPress and went about contacting the good people who run Chess.com.
After several emails I was happy to be provided with an API that I incorporated into the plugin by one of the developers, “Matt”. Now, once the plugin is activated and the widget placed accordingly, all you have to do us enter your Chess.com user name and the rest is dynamically maintained for you.
This plugin was quite quick to write. The turn-around time from blank page to publication in the WordPress Extend Plugins repository was less than 24 hours. You can find more information on the BNS Chess.com Badge plugin page, or on the WordPress page here.
PS: If you would like to see the plugin live, just visit my personal domain at EdwardCaissie.com and look for Your Move?
Desk Mess Mirrored 1.5.1
Version 1.5.1 is a maintenance update as it appears there was a “fat-finger” error introduced in the Desk Mess Mirrored version 1.5 that causes the sidebar widget areas to become unavailable.
This release was uploaded to WordPress.org on Apr 23, 2010 but has not been approved as I suspect the WordPress 3.0 bug sprint has pulled all their resources into that endeavor. Please be patient, once this version (1.5.1) is available the issue with the sidebars will be resolved.
NB: Version 1.5.1 of Desk Mess Mirrored is now live at <http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/desk-mess-mirrored> as of Apr 28, 2010, unfortuantely the automatic update is not currently working. Please download the theme and see below.
Once downloaded, you can un-zip the file and upload the contents to overwrite the existing theme via FTP; or, you can change to the default theme, delete the existing Desk Mess Mirrored (version 1.5) theme, upload the zip file under Appearance | Themes | Add New; then, activate the theme.
Shades 1.4
Hot on the heels of the Ground Floor theme update, I have just uploaded the latest version of the free WordPress theme Shades. This version, 1.4, also concentrates on cleaning up the code and preparing for the upcoming release of the WordPress 3.0 – see the latest changelog for more details:
Changelog as of Apr 24, 2010:
-- Version 1.4
- release: Apr 24, 2010
- Shades of Darkness child theme is no longer included
- add revision details to each file
- updated bns_dynamic_copyright() function
- add class and ID to function widget definition
- added WordPress version 3.0 Navigation Menu core widget style elements
- additional modifications to meet current guidelines as found at: http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development_Checklist.
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* Internet Browsers Reviewed *
* ========================== *
* *
* Apple Safari v4.0.5 (Mac) *
* Apple Safari v4.0.5 (PC) *
* Firefox v3.6.3 *
* Google Chrome v4.1 *
* Internet Explorer v8.0 *
* Opera v10.10 *
* *
* IE 6 - basic functionality *
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As noted, the Shades of Darkness child theme is no longer included with this parent theme but it is still freely available for download on the Shades theme page.
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