The current layout editor is old and needs to be replaced. It's an awesome feature but fixing it and migrating it would be far too big of a job so what I'm instead going to do is make a new layout editor with more basic functionality and expand it over time.

You can test it out here:
https://www.vizzed.com/u/layout.php

It requires basic HTML knowledge but if some users are kind enough, they can make some templates and then set the privacy on those templates to "Copyable" so others can use those templates as a starting point.

If you want to use the layout you make as your default layout, you have to press 'Use Layout'. Once a layout is set as your default, it overrides all layouts on the site and that selected layout will be used as your layout no matter what. You'll be given an option to remove it and when you do that, you'll go back to using the layout you had been using.

Staff : Let me know if there are any major issues with it. It's still in beta and not quite finished but I don't plan to invest too much more time into it any time soon. I basically just want to get it functional and then add to it later.

By my own testing, it's definitely functional. There are things I want to point out but none of them are exactly worth the time and I agree that you probably have higher priorities as long as this is functional.

The live preview is absolutely a handy addition, and it seems a lot of problems the old editor had are fixed in this new one. You did good with this one. Personally I would say something like the basic layout editor from the last one might be a good next step for those with less HTML knowledge, but for now I'll put a copy-able version with something customizable and leave comments on how to edit it.

Actually, I did find a bug... I'm not even sure what happened here. Just after I finished writing my comments too... ):

As you can see, I can't see the header code anymore for some reason (I had a bunch there, but now it's deleted) and the page is completely messed up. Honestly have no idea how to fix it, or what even went wrong.

On this topic, I suppose I would suggest a "delete layout" button.

EDIT - I've noticed the page *sometimes* begins to mess up a bit if you save a layout after you finish editing it. I did that multiple times with the layout in question, so that might be related. The one I'm using now had it happen once, but it seemed to fix itself after typing some random mumbo jumbo in the header box.

Also, it seems sometimes editing a layout just removes all of the code entirely. No idea of any underlying cause or factor.

Davideo7 : i like it is small look of it. it is really cool looking for mobile user.

Minuano : Somehow your layout shows 2 closing DIV tags but no opening DIV tags, which is basically destroying the pages layout, so badly that you can't fix it. I've got a solution to fixing stuff like that and will let you know when I have it fixed.

As for why that happened in the first place, still investigating that. Hope to also have a solution to that problem soon. If you have a copy of that layout saved elsewhere, send it to me so I can try replicating what happened to you.

Thank you for doing this! Hopefully the bugs are somewhat easy to fix lol

Minuano : I think I have all of those problems fixed.

I added a bunch more features:

-I added some buttons that insert pre-generated HTML.

-I added a Menu button that lets you adjust the features of the HTML editor and gives you access to more options (which I didn't make by the way, but greatly modified but I did make the live preview portion of it).

-When you submit a layout with bad code, it attempts to fix your layout by detecting no closing tags and adding the closing tags for you.

-Layouts are now 1 box instead of 2. I combined the post header and post footer into a single box and have them being divided based on the location of _POST_ in your layout.

-It doesn't let you save if you don't have the _POST_ in your layout.

-HTML Editor now has an auto-completion feature (super handy actually).

-The index that shows all of the available layouts now shows the copyable ones first.


I think I'm done with this feature for now. If and when it takes off in popularity, that'll give me a way to justify investing more time into it but I can't justify spending more time on it until it gets used more. Plus this isn't necessarily an important feature and it's at a point where it can accomplish what it's meant to accomplish. Selling and sending are potential future features though.

I really like the new features and the editor menu with all the options. I haven't bothered making a layout in years but I plan on messing around with the new stuff and seeing where it leads. It looks a lot more complex now with a ton of potential.

Staff : Anyone else want to verify that things are working properly for them?

I seem to get this error whenever trying to copy the Copyable Basic Layout

RetroGameNinja : I made that layout before David made a bunch of significant changes to the layout maker, so I'm sure that's something to do with it. I plan to re-create it (with a small guide of course) very soon; I will summon you again when I finish if you're interested in making one.

Davideo7 : If you find the time, I'd like to bump my suggestion of a delete layout button. It's fine if not, I can always just set the old one to private so people only see the new guide - but I'm sure other people may run into this issue as well.

Davideo7 : I was going to finish the beginner layout today, but it seems the editor doesn't save any HTML comments. Most of my progress I had made before is deleted, and I tried testing it just now, and yeah.

I can just make a thread for it somewhere and ask someone to sticky it... but I thought I would let you know.