[buddypress-trac] [BuddyPress Trac] #7157: UI to pick Template Packs

[buddypress-trac]

#7157: UI to pick Template Packs
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 Reporter:  DJPaul          |       Owner:
     Type:  defect (bug)    |      Status:  new
 Priority:  strategic       |   Milestone:  Future Release
Component:  Administration  |     Version:
 Severity:  normal          |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                  |
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Comment (by imath):

 As @hnla said, we already have a "template pack switcher" for the
 [https://github.com/buddypress/next-template-packs BP Nouveau] Template
 pack. It's pretty simple and the confusion is not possible with themes as
 it resides in a 4th tab of the BuddyPress settings area.

 It can displays any template pack if they exists in `WP_CONTENT/bp-
 templates`, the one that is bundled with the plugin and the BP Legacy
 template pack.

 So it can be a start. But considering UI, we should also consider a few
 things i've met while building some of the features of the next template
 pack we're working on :

 ==== 1. How a template pack is listed into this UI ? ====
 Template pack are not themes or plugins, so we can't rely on
 WordPress.org? Should we provide a way to upload a zip archive of the
 template pack and add `WP_CONTENT/uploads/buddypress/bp-templates` to the
 possible locations?
 End users should have a lot of choices between template packs, we can't
 build everything, should we allow others to be listed into this UI? How
 can they be referenced a flat text file/posts on BuddyPress.org?? How are
 we importing the zip archive? link to github?

 ==== 2. How a template pack is upgraded ? ====
 So far BP Legacy was upgraded with BuddyPress. But we won't be able to
 bundle all template packs into the plugin in the future. If there's
 something to do, the UI must take it in account and do HTTP requests to
 see if an upgrade is needed for example.

 ==== 3. How a template pack deals with i18n ? ====
 BP Legacy uses the 'buddypress' text domain, but any other like BP Nouveau
 must use another domain. So where these pot/po/mo files should be located,
 how they will be generated (< for this i've extended the WordPress tool to
 generate specific pot files, because again Template Pack is not a plugin
 or a theme), How they will be used to be translated by the community?
 Again the UI must take this in account because the list can't just be a
 list of names, it must include a description and ideally not in english
 but in the native language of the end user... (for the template pack
 switcher we thought about some additional columns like the supported
 components, or feedback messages like BuddyPress/WordPress required
 versions). But i think they should include at least a screenshot/ a link
 to more informations about the template pack etc...

 These are another 3 important points this UI will need to deal with :)

 Don't hesitate to test The next-template-packs plugin that is including
 the BP Nouveau Template pack, you'll have a nice overview of a possible
 very simple UI :)

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Ticket URL: <https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/7157#comment:5>
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