expand layout preview to other pages besides "recent entries" view

[ratcreature]

Title:
expand layout preview to other pages besides "recent entries" view

Area:
styles

Summary:
I would like to be able to see pages besides the "recent entries" in the style/layout I preview, i.e. if you click on the preview button you'd still see the recent view, but then you could follow links (reading page, archive etc) and it would show these pages not in your current layout but in the one you preview as well.

Description:
I find it very inconvenient that I can't preview how my reading page will look in a new layout/style before choosing it, as that is the page I use most on DW. It is true that many things are like on the recent entries view, but for example in my own journal there are no usernames and community names associated with the icons, so I can't see whether the style will arrange them below (which I like better) or besides the icon or in some other place entirely.

Also it would be nice to see how the calendar will look. And I assume for people who like their entry pages style (I use the site style), that would be nice to see in advance too.

So IMO if I am in a preview window and follow a link to another page of my journal that would change its look, the preview mode should extend that page as well.

Poll #1264 expand layout preview to other pages besides "recent entries" view

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 31

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
30 (96.8%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
0 (0.0%)

(I have no opinion)
1 (3.2%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[janinedog]

I know this isn't a good long-term solution, but if you'd like something that works now, you can get previews of any of your journal's pages by doing the following:

1. Find the theme you want to preview on the customize page, and preview it.

2. In the URL of the page you're brought to, you'll see "?s2id=#####" at the end of the URL (where ##### is some number). This tells S2 to show a specific style applied on your journal.

3. Copy that parameter from the URL, and then go to whatever page you want in your journal, and then paste that parameter at the end of it (if there's already a "?" in the URL, change the "?s2id" to "&s2id"). You'll now see that page in that style.

4. Any time you want to preview a new style, the ##### should remain the same. Just go back to the customize page, click for a different preview, and then the s2id will be updated to use that new theme. So basically, the id will be associated with whatever theme you last previewed.

[ratcreature]

I actually had the idea to try pasting manually, but the preview window hides the URL field so I don't see that at all, and when I did a copy link location from the selection page it had a "preview_redirect?themeid=#####" so I tried adding ?themeid=##### at the end of my reading page, but that didn't work at all. And actually just now I tried with your pattern, ie with "s2id" and the number, and that doesn't work either to change my reading page layout. Are you sure this works? I tried http://ratcreature.dreamwidth.org/read?s2id=76028 but that doesn't preview Night Sea, my normal layout remains.

[janinedog]

Oh yeah, I forgot that the preview hides the bar and such...I have my Firefox always show that stuff.

The theme id is different from the s2id (which is a style id). You can get the s2id by going here:

http://www.dreamwidth.org/customize/advanced/styles

You'll see a style there called "_for_preview". The number next to it is the number you'll want to use.

[turlough]

I have my Firefox always show that stuff

How do you make Firefox do that?

[janinedog]

Tools -> Options -> Content, then click the "Advanced" button next to "Enable JavaScript". You can uncheck whatever you want to make JavaScript not be able to do certain things to your windows. I also have it set so new windows always open in new tabs. I'm not sure which option creates this particular behavior, but it's one of the above!

[turlough]

A little experimenting suggests that it's the open in tab that does it. Thank you! This has irritated me for years.

[janinedog]

No problem!

[triadruid]

I agree with you that this would be terribly useful. I was just grinding my teeth about this yesterday on LJ, when making a new community...