xScape theme framework is some 70% complete, with one major feature in development. Right now I am working on the Layout Manager that will allow you to control theme templates (all of them) from the control panel. But, before that, here are few more things already done.
Expanding the theme
Theme will have over 100 actions allowing you to tap into almost everything and add your code, expand some things and more. To allow all this, theme features very advanced loader that controls inclusion of CSS, JS files, adding jQuery on load statements. Every module in the theme uses that loader to activate based on the settings.
Framework is isolated from the theme, and in theory it can be updated without messing the theme. Theme actually extends the base framework classes and adds own settings, additional modules and other things. Visually, each theme will contain different styles. They will change colors, images and fonts and that will be isolated for use in the separate style files. So, changing things will be very easy, and will allow us to include many different styles with each theme.
Plugin will support Post Thumbnail (WP 2.9), and will be expanded with anything new added to WP 3.0, and I will soon start testing with WP 3 development version.
Widgets & Modules
Number of widgets built in is not yet final, but for now there are several: Flickr, Twitter, Video Player, Search, Ads, Feedburner.
As for the modules, right now framework include: Breadcrumbs, Pager, Contact Form (AJAX powered), two different types of menus, SEO module, integration with GD Star Rating and more. SEO will allow you to add and control many important SEO elements without need for complex SEO plugins. Still, SEO will not be as elaborate as with specialized plugins, but for most uses will be enough.
As for the requirements, xScape requires WordPress 2.8 or newer. Right now I am developing with PHP 5.2, but I will test with other versions. Since framework needs JSON, I have added JSON php implementation for PHP older than 5.2.
What’s next?
During this week I will post completed designs screenshots for first premium themes: baseScape and photoScape. Also, as soon as baseScape is done, GD Star Rating website will switch to that new theme (most likely by the end of next week).
Tags: ajax, color schemes, content integration, control panel, customizations, data image, different color, framework classes, frameworks, layout manager, menus, page templates, photoScape, resize images, thumbnail, video player, wordpress, wp versions, xScape
So the first two themes will be premium ones. When can we expect a free one ?
Will there be a premium version of the framework or only one version. (with themes implementing premium functions).
Can you tell us more about how this will integrate in the WP machinery. will the Framework be a kind of theme stub that as to be installed as a theme or will it be a separate component to build a theme from it.
What will the licensing for the framework be ?
Both themes will be released as free and premium. As for the framework, it will be part of each theme. It would be very complicated to have framework separate from theme. And framework also will have free and premium version. Free version will be stripped of some functionalities. And free themes will have only one or two built in styles, while premium will be packed with many different styles.
As for the support. Free themes will have only limited support that will cover bug reporting and fixing, while premium themes will have full premium support, regular and important updates. Once the first theme is done, I will complete theme features pages with comparison of free and premium themes.
I can confirm that there will be two premium licenses available: standard and developer, and developer will include PSD sources for design and email support tickets. Single theme license will include one time payment. Once we have 3 or 4 themes published, there will be bundle licenses available that will be subscription based and will include all published and all future themes.