The main limitation is that Flash does not support html syntax. If Flash could dynamically render html the implementation of this SiteBuilder would be far simpler.

From that design the individual layout of every box and text field needs to be understood in several ways. As it stands right now, the basic things I look for are related to color and size. These veriables will become the things that are changed in the user's CSS file. Once I have isolated what I want to change in an object I need to find the exact place (in terms of characters from the start of the file) in the CSS file where its appearance is defined.

One of the harder tasks is then using Flash to draw the previews of the live elements. Each box, or text field, must be coded using ActionScript and drawn using coordinates. The elements must be drawn using ActionScript and not the Flash Authoring tool because dynamically updating them is done using ActionScript.

If you want to help, or try it yourself, it might be more fun to draw out a layout of your choice using pen and paper. Then hacking up a CSS file to support your layout.

Introduction: This site builder has been designed to be an easy to use tool to help individuals update the look of their UThink Blogs. While basic functionality is still being added the idea of how the tool should work is this:

• A user loads the tool.
• From the thumbnails at the bottom, the user selects one that (s)he wants to work with.
• The default arrangement of that style loads into the main working area. The user then selects the different options and customizes the look of the blog.
• The user then 'hits' the button to export the code.
• The user logs into their UThink Blog and copies the code into either a new css file or over an existing one.

Here's a brief description of the functionality of the SiteBuilder as it stands:

• The lower portion of the tool is a placeholder for thumbnails of the different templates that users can customize.
• Clicking on any template thumbnail takes the user to that thumbnails working area.
• When moving between templates any and all changes will be lost! This is because the working area is dynamically generated each from a CSS file each time the area is loaded.
• The 'Help' button, for now, reloads the introductary page where a link to help is available
• Yes, it does make sense to change this eventually


• The lower right corner contains the two main features that are used by every template
• The 'Copy to UThink' button copies the template's CSS code, with the user's modifications, to the system clipboard.
• Once the user has this code in the clipboard it is up to them to login to the UThink website and update their current CSS file with the code in their clipboard
• Eventually, it would ideal to have the SiteBuilder integrated with the UThink menu system so that users would not have to cross the boundry themselves, but I think the SiteBuilder needs further development before that is even considered.
• The 'Add Color' button really serves no extra purpose
• When a user enters a six digit color value into the textbox and hits enter the color is then added to every templated option that involves color
• The 'Add Color' button was added to provide a clear action to take to add the color to the lists


• The right side of the tools contains the options for customizing the layout
• At the top of the area are three buttons for most templates; Title, Entry, and Other
• Each button brings up options associated with that area of the layout
• Unlike switching between templates, when switching between Title, Entry, and Other the user's customizations are kept in tact.


• The main area of the tool is an area for the user to watch their customizations as they are made.
• An important thing to remember is that the preview provided by this tool is not a HTML preview, it is made entirely in Flash
• Because it is not a true HTML preview, the layout seen by the user cannot exactly match how it will look in a web browser


• Finally, here is a short list of odds and ends that you should consider when using the SiteBuilder
• Not all of the customizable elements export to the CSS code at this moment.
• Some of the text fields are editable. They've been left that way so users can modify some default titles. The idea behind that is that if a user has a really long blog name, they might error in chosing a font size for the blog name that is too large.
• For some reason text resizing with Courier selected doesn't work properly with Flash. It seems like Flash only has four sizes for the font; unlike Serif and Arial, which scale nicely from size 4 to 96

etc, visit here to try it out.

only the page background color and page link color are functional now; in terms of outputting code to your clipboard.

More by Wednesday!

So, if you're reading this. You should try my prototype.

P.s. Clicking the image in the lower right gives you a special little message in your clipboard.

screen resolution of 1024x768 for ease of use
macromedia flash plugin version four or higher
mouse

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I've also included the style-sheet and index I use with my photo blog, P-Land. The index has some personalizations that I'll remove from this public version; eventually.

Old UThink: style-sheet ][ index

P-Land: style-sheet ][ index

Eventually, I'll clean these up into more usable forms.

Also, if you have a design for your own blog that you want to share, please contact me. I'd be great to create a library of designs that users have made and wish to share and make available for others.

If I am able to complete the template design page, I would then like to focus on the design of this main page. I think that the page should not deviate too far from the default UThink template. Maintaining a similarity to the default template will give the users instant familiarity with the site. However, having links to the site 'dressed' in the different templates from the site builder does seem like a good idea.

An idea I have right now is to make a small flash applet/program/web page that allows a user to graphically select colors for their default UThink blog. I don't think that I would be able to automatically rebuild another's site, so for now the code would just be output to something the user could copy & paste over into their blog.

Just my rude opinions.