Theme Roller for CSS Framework

[sfrisk]

This is based on the conversation in #17. We should have a way for users to modify variables in a variable file to help customize their download of the css framework to best match their design vision.

[arschmitz]

For reference
http://themeroller.jquerymobile.com/
http://jqueryui.com/themeroller/
http://getbootstrap.com/customize/#less-variables

[rxaviers]

FWIW, do NOT implement ThemeRoller to generate a download bundle. Instead make it an interface that allows designers to generate variables.less. Keep it simple. For the reasons given on #17 (comment).

[sfrisk]

I meant it for modifying variables, but for clarification, I'll indicate it's only for changing a variable file

[jslegers]

@rxaviers :

variables.less? Don't you mean variables.scss?

[rxaviers]

I mean variables.. :)

My concern is allow developers change variables in a sane way via code.

[prasunanand]

Looking at the themeroller website of jquery UI. I don't think its very user friendly. I would suggest of adding guiders that allow the user to easily define the components of their theme in a step-wise manner. In the chassis 1.0 , I don't think we would be having a lot of components but still we should be thinking of a proper UX that makes the devs adopt Chassis to create their custom theme as it develops.

[sfrisk]

We're looking to have a theme roller closer aligned with jQuery Mobile's themeroller, rather than jQuery UI's

[prasunanand]

For the swatches we should be taking the components and not the the entire webpage as in Jquery Mobile themeroller. And my stress is on creating guiders that allows devs to define their theme in a stepwise manner.

[rohmulan]

The jQuery mobile theme roller is pretty user friendly, I like the idea of multiple swatches certainly something we should consider in the long run.
I have one query @sfrisk , the themeroller will generate onlly a variables.scss file? or compiled css?

Both will have their benefits, we should start with variables.scss file, and later add an additional option to output compiled css if the user wants. Not all of our users will know sass to compile it themselves?

[arschmitz]

@prasunanand swatches are a concept that wont exist in chassis this is something specific to jquery mobile and is going to be going away. It basically provided a way to create multiple themes within a single theme. We decided it turned out to be a bad idea in the long run. More just look at the ui and how the themeroller works.

[arschmitz]

@geekman-rohit it will create both.

[rohmulan]

In that case, @arschmitz , would it be a good idea to have the custom builder(allowing users to choose which parts they want : form,table,grid etc.) in the theme-roller itself? Or will that be separate?

[arschmitz]

I don't think we had fully decided this yet so far we have been discussing them as different things. However its possible for them to be a single thing.