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phoenix[Prerequisites:
- An S2 layout on another LJ-code-based site that you'd like to use here
- A DW accountof paid status or higher. A paid account is not currently required, but this will change. You can change your account type with the beta helper.]
At present the DW style system is in a state of flux, with a major upgrade coming soon fromaveleh and afuna. Good stuff. It means, however, that the usual customization page isn't accessible. The Advanced Cust area is working just fine, though, and with a bit of cutting and pasting you can have your DW journal looking decent.
First thing: find an S2 layout on another LJ-code site that you'd like to use. Certain styles will not work on DW: those that use privileged features, such as Javascript (Component), features not yet working on Dreamwidth, or relative urls (example: SixHTML's stylesheets). It's also important to check whether the style you pick is free for use or not. Wiki list of LJ styles available to Dreamwidth. It's not especially likely that LJ will target individuals for copyright-infringing styles, but worth being aware of which styles could bring that down on you.
For the purposes of this tutorial, I'm going to use the Haven system layout and a system theme from LiveJournal, so all examples will use LJ urls. In general, it will work the same way on other LJ-based sites.
First, apply the style to your LJ. Once you have it working, look at Customize and note the name of the layout and theme you're using. I see 'Forest Green' (the theme name) with 'Haven by Jesse Proulx' under it (the layout).
Next, go to Public Layers, where you can get the source for your layout and theme. Click your layout name first, then the Syntax Highlighted source link. Copy the contents of that page.
In another tab/window, open Dreamwidth's Custom Layers page. Create a top-level layer, selecting 'Layout' as type and set Core Version to 1. Now, click 'Edit' beside the new layer. Paste in your layout source code and press 'Save and Compile'.
Return to the Layers page on Dreamwidth, and Public Layers on LiveJournal.
Now, on LJ, click the 'children' link beside your layout layer. It expands the list of themes for your layout. Click through to your theme, and again copy the source from the Syntax Highlighted source link.
Return to Dreamwidth, and create a layout-specific layer for your layout, of type 'Theme'. Edit it, pasting in your LJ theme's source, and compile.
Now head to Dreamwidth's Styles page. Create a style with any name you want. You first need to select '1' as Core version, and click change. Now, select your layout from the dropdown beneath, and save. Then select your theme and save again. You'll return to the Styles page. Click 'Use' beside your new style, and it'll be applied to your journal!
***
To come: instructions for bringing across wizard customisations. Perhaps also information on fixing the 'Friends' link so it goes to 'Read'? I manually changed this in my current layout's code by searching for links to 'friends'.
***
Thoughts, problems, suggestions for improvement? This tutorial should only be of temporary use, so it doesn't need to be perfect, but I'd like it to be useful and straightforward.
- An S2 layout on another LJ-code-based site that you'd like to use here
- A DW account
At present the DW style system is in a state of flux, with a major upgrade coming soon from
aveleh and afuna. Good stuff. It means, however, that the usual customization page isn't accessible. The Advanced Cust area is working just fine, though, and with a bit of cutting and pasting you can have your DW journal looking decent. First thing: find an S2 layout on another LJ-code site that you'd like to use. Certain styles will not work on DW: those that use privileged features, such as Javascript (Component), features not yet working on Dreamwidth, or relative urls (example: SixHTML's stylesheets). It's also important to check whether the style you pick is free for use or not. Wiki list of LJ styles available to Dreamwidth. It's not especially likely that LJ will target individuals for copyright-infringing styles, but worth being aware of which styles could bring that down on you.
For the purposes of this tutorial, I'm going to use the Haven system layout and a system theme from LiveJournal, so all examples will use LJ urls. In general, it will work the same way on other LJ-based sites.
First, apply the style to your LJ. Once you have it working, look at Customize and note the name of the layout and theme you're using. I see 'Forest Green' (the theme name) with 'Haven by Jesse Proulx' under it (the layout).
Next, go to Public Layers, where you can get the source for your layout and theme. Click your layout name first, then the Syntax Highlighted source link. Copy the contents of that page.
In another tab/window, open Dreamwidth's Custom Layers page. Create a top-level layer, selecting 'Layout' as type and set Core Version to 1. Now, click 'Edit' beside the new layer. Paste in your layout source code and press 'Save and Compile'.
Return to the Layers page on Dreamwidth, and Public Layers on LiveJournal.
Now, on LJ, click the 'children' link beside your layout layer. It expands the list of themes for your layout. Click through to your theme, and again copy the source from the Syntax Highlighted source link.
Return to Dreamwidth, and create a layout-specific layer for your layout, of type 'Theme'. Edit it, pasting in your LJ theme's source, and compile.
Now head to Dreamwidth's Styles page. Create a style with any name you want. You first need to select '1' as Core version, and click change. Now, select your layout from the dropdown beneath, and save. Then select your theme and save again. You'll return to the Styles page. Click 'Use' beside your new style, and it'll be applied to your journal!
***
To come: instructions for bringing across wizard customisations. Perhaps also information on fixing the 'Friends' link so it goes to 'Read'? I manually changed this in my current layout's code by searching for links to 'friends'.
***
Thoughts, problems, suggestions for improvement? This tutorial should only be of temporary use, so it doesn't need to be perfect, but I'd like it to be useful and straightforward.
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Thank you so much!
Although now I'm pining (no pun intended) for the bamboo theme for Style Contest. Hopefully someone will knock up a lookalike.
A DW account of paid status or higher.
My current status is "free" and I was able to edit my layers just fine. Are you sure about that one?
Re the layers page being accessible to free users, yep --
But I forgot to keep the error messages as well.
I must edit this tutorial to mention this! Will do that now. If this doesn't solve your problem, by the way, let me know and I'll see if I can help.
Oh, an issue with Bloggish: the stylesheets for it are linked relatively, so they'll look for the stylesheet on Dreamwidth when the style is used on Dreamwidth. Since Bloggish isn't a DW style, they'll come up with nothing, and not display properly.
Thank you!
The one thing that looks goofy is that instead of reading "memories" in the title bar, it says "unknown view." I've gone through the code in the layout (#1593) but I can't seem to find where the problem might be. if you have any ideas, that would be awesome.
Thanks again for the great tutorial!
It all worked well and wonderfully and I got the layout of my dreams but is there an explanation why I cannot see my custom mood theme?(Am I maybe just stupid? It IS turned ON (I def. hit 'use' after creating it and it shows up on my customize page but not in my DW)