more pointers in the README
[ckanext-datagovau.git] / README.txt
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This CKAN Extension demonstrates some common patterns for customising a CKAN instance.

It comprises:

   * A CKAN Extension "plugin" at ``ckanext/exampletheme/__init__.py``
     which, when loaded, overrides various settings in the core
     ``ini``-file to provide:

     * A path to local customisations of the core templates and stylesheets
     * A "stream filter" that replaces arbitrary strings in rendered templates
     * A "route" to override and extend the default behaviour of a core CKAN page

   * A custom Pylons controller for overriding some core CKAN behaviour

   * A custom Package edit form

   * Some simple template customisations

Installation
============

To install this package, from your CKAN virtualenv, run the following from your CKAN base folder (e.g. ``pyenv/``)::

 pip install -e hg+https://bitbucket.org/okfn/ckanext-exampletheme#egg=ckanext-exampletheme

Then activate it by setting ``ckan.plugins = exampletheme`` in your main ``ini``-file.


Orientation
===========

* Examine the source code, starting with ``ckanext/exampletheme/__init__.py``

* To understand the nuts and bolts of this file, which is a CKAN
  *Extension*, read in conjunction with the "Extension
  documentation":http://packages.python.org/ckan/plugins.html

* One thing the extension does is set the values of
  ``extra_public_paths`` and ``extra_template_paths`` in the CKAN
  config, which are "documented
  here":http://packages.python.org/ckan/configuration.html#extra-template-paths

* These are set to point at directories within
  `ckanext/exampletheme/theme/`` (in this package).  Here, we override
  the home page, provide some extra style with an ``extra.css``, and
  customise the navigation and header of the main template in the file ``layout.html``.

  The latter file is a great place to make global theme alterations.
  It uses the _layout template_ pattern "described in the Genshi
  documentation":http://genshi.edgewall.org/wiki/GenshiTutorial#AddingaLayoutTemplate.
  This allows you to use Xpath selectors to override snippets of HTML
  globally.

* The custom package edit form at ``package_form.py`` follows the
  conventions in the "main CKAN
  documentation":http://packages.python.org/ckan/forms.html