Bugs Fixed

This version of framework is only for bug fixing, and no new features are included.

eScape

New theme is available on demo website and for test drive from yesterday. Theme has 20 styles built in (10 color schemes, each one with or without background image), and can be classified as business or portfolio theme. This is first theme to use new front page feature in xScape allowing use of template that is not made of normal content. This front page has own layout settings. In the next 2-3 days I will post tutorials on how to set eScape theme.

xScape 1.4

Next major iteration of framework is in works. And as a result, there will be new theme released before already announced news type theme. That next theme will be very simple, will have two sidebars (plus footer widgets area), and design will be controlled through control panel. This will be primarily personal or blog theme with very clean design, fast and as usual packed with all xScape features. Also, this theme will add another new feature in xScape and that is resize-able sidebars. That feature will be available in all themes once completed.

Another new feature is part of the next xScape release cycle, and that is Typography settings. First versions will add some decoration elements, but more will be added later.

Upcoming themes

Work on starScape II theme has also begun. So, current plan for theme release:

• Yet to be named theme: May 13 2010
• News theme: end of May 2010
• Another work in progress theme: middle of June 2010
• starScape II:  end of June / first week of July 2010

And more

Also, during next week, new Showcase page will be completed, and you can submit your websites using xScape for review and adding to the Showcase page.

Bugs Fixed

There are many bugs fixed with this release. This include minor problem with breadcrumbs on the 404 pages, missing nesting UL classes for drop down menus, small problems with Contactable module and several bugs with layout manager and other control panels.

gMap This module

This module now uses different jQuery library for Google Maps because of the problems with previously used gMap. And in the same time, a new features are added: traffic and streetview overlay and working change of the map type. Also, another display mode is added, allowing to display only static image instead of whole map. It’s limited with API for this, but most settings will work, and in the end you will see only static PNG image.

And more

Footer block is improved with few more tags added for customization including post and category. But, basis is created for adding menus into the footer: simple links and sitemap like menu elements (like the one on this website). This will be first introduced in eScape theme this week, and next week current themes will be changed to support that.

Menus Designer

New items are added to menus including Admin options (dashboard, profile, new post) and Login options (login, logout, register). But, more importantly, menus are nested by design. Previously you could add elements that are going to make drop down, but now you can move any element deeper within the menu.So, if you compare xScape Menus to WooNavigation or WordPress 3.0 native NavMenus, you will see that xScape is much more powerful and flexible with more options you can use to create wide range of items. A tutorial covering more aspects of menus coming later today.

New mapping desinger

Layouts Manager

As you can see, middle blocks got new buttons for moving blocks left and right. This will allow you to move sidebar from left to right. Also, master templates introduced in xScape 1.1, are now functional. Many more things are changed in layouts code allowing some of the things planned for next two themes (multiple sidebars is one of them).

Two tutorials covering all the changes and use of master template will be published later today.

Author Widget

Author Widget

Another new widget is added. This one allows you to set up About Author area to display some info about the author, gravatar and a read more link.

Both current themes are updated with new framework. Next theme is eScape and this one will be released by the end of the week. After that we are planning one news styles theme and long overdue starScape II.

Also, I can confirm that by the end of this week, or over next weekend, lite version of baseScape will be released. Making lite version of the framework wasn’t easy, but it’s almost done now. Lite framework will not get any new features any more, and only, if needed will be fixed from time to time.

Beside new themes, we have planned few more things for the framework, including 3 more widgets, but more on that soon. Stay tuned for number of new tutorials this week, and more improvements to Central Documentation.

First theme that will use xScape framework is almost completed, and is called baseScape.  This theme is now used to develop framework, and is very, very simple. Templates are all without single image, they will load very fast. Most important thing for this theme is clean design, typography and use of BluePrint CSS framework. But we will try to incorporate as many xScape features possible so that you can see what you can expect from the future themes. Anyway, here is what will be part of the xScape framework core:

• Ajax powered theme settings control panel
• Export and import settings
• Centralized upload of images
• Module for SEO optimization
• Controls for the header content
• Integration support for GD Star Rating
• Integration support for GD Affiliate Tools
• Additional Widgets (Twitter, Flickr, Ads and few more)
• Banner ads controls
• Support for multiple color styles
• Superfish based menus
• JavaScript powered menu builder
• Post editor integration widget
• Load control to minimize theme memory footprint
• Localization support
• Different additional page templates
• Auto-sizing images to thumbnails
• Cross browser compatible
• W3C Compliant XHTML & CSS
• Multiple sidebar control and management

I am sure that I have forgot some things in this list, and that it will be expanded over time based on our ideas and your needs to make customization as simple as possible. And if you have any suggestions right now, please leave a comment. By the end of the week I will post first screenshots from the Control Panel, and maybe some examples from the theme frontend.

As for the plans, right now there are several themes in the planning and design stages:

• baseScape
• StarScape II
• photoScape

So stay tuned for more.