[drupal-devel] advanced theme in core vs all in core.

[Larry Garfield]

On Tuesday 06 September 2005 11:51 am, Jose A. Reyero wrote:

> It's like having core providing both alternatives, but never enforcing
> javascript. While I agree some ajax support needs to be in core, I don't
> like having it as a mandatory default. So, what I mean, I.e. , is:
>
> theme('ajax_table'... ) with ajax stuff
>
> and
>
> theme('table',....) free of javascript, just old plain good HTML, well
> tested stuff :-)
>
> Then, individual themes can use whatever they like. I actually don't
> mind which is the default theme - maybe full enabled AJAX could be
> better to impress new users :-), as long as I can have one in plain HTML

I grant that I don't know how the new forms api works so I don't know what 
impact that will have, but isn't theme() called from module code?  In that 
case, wouldn't it be the module developer that is deciding whether or not to 
Ajax-ify a given block?  Module developer != theme developer != site admin != 
user.

I agree that Ajax should not be forced upon the user, but surely it can be 
done in a cleaner way than that.  There *are* ways to make Ajax degrade 
gracefully; just don't activate it until you've confirmed that the browser 
has all the features required for a given bit of functionality.  (Note: If 
you're using the onclick, onmouseover, etc. attributes, you're doing it 
wrong.)  

If we still want to have it toggleable somehow, in case users either don't 
like it on principle or run into a bizarre browser setup that we didn't 
properly account for, that should be either a theme designer toggle or a 
per-user toggle, not a module coding difference if at all possible.  (Yes, 
some modules will still need to be tweaked to be Ajax friendly.)  Making the 
module developer decide between theme('table' and theme('ajax_table' means 
the user doesn't get a choice about it.

Or am I misunderstanding you completely? :-)

-- 
Larry Garfield			AIM: LOLG42
larry at garfieldtech.com		ICQ: 6817012

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