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dw_support_trainingI'm sure everyone's seen the information about users that gets automatically included in Support requests, but the meaning behind all of it isn't immediately obvious. This is particularly true of the style information, so I thought I'd do a quick rundown of what it means.
A typical style line looks like this:
There's actually a fair bit of information here that isn't all that useful because it will never change, at least on Dreamwidth. Bascially each $part: represents one of the layer types the style system uses (core, i18n, i18nc, layout, theme, or user) and what layer of that layer type the user is using (none, or the linked public or custom). I'll give a brief run down of what each layer type does, and then I'll go through each part of the header info and describe what information they provide.
A style is essentially a set of layers that all build on one another.
core: This the basis of every style on Dreamwidth, either core1 or core2. The core lays out all of the functions and properties needed to create a style.
i18nc: Used to localise the core layer. If there is text set in the core layer, you can use an i18nc layer to translate this in to other languages. We don't use this on Dreamwidth though, as we're not translating the site in to other languages.
layout: Basically, this is the basis for one particular style. It sets out how the functions and properties are used, often through CSS. However, on Dreamwidth it doesn't define any colours. This is the 'bare bones' of a style.
i18n: This is the i18nc for layout layers. There won't ever be any official i18n layers (see above re: not translating Dreamwidth), but users can create their own i18n layers if they want to translate a layout layer.
theme: This is what we all see on the Select Journal Style page. Theme layers build on layout layers to change the basic look of the layout, mostly by changing the available properties (like colors, text, fonts, etc.). You can also include custom CSS in theme layers to build on/overwrite the CSS in the layout layer.
user: This layer holds the customisations users make via the customisation wizard. If you change a color in the wizard, the property and its new color value will be defined in your user layer for that layout/theme. These shouldn't really ever be edited manually, since the wizard can very possibly overwrite the manual customsiations.
Going down the list, each layer has precedence over the ones before it. If a property is set in the user layer, it doesn't matter what the property is set to in any previous layer, the user layer value will be used. Theme layers always trump layout layers, and so on.
This is one part of the style header information that will never change. Originally on LiveJournal (and other LJ-based sites) this part told you what style system the user was using, either S1 or S2. We don't have S1 on Dreamwidth, so this will always say S2. (Unless of course we get an S3, or something else, but until then...)
The text of this will never change, but the layer to which 'public' points will. It'll either point to the core1 layer or the core2 layer. Most times it'll be core2, but anyone who uses a custom layout based on core1 (like anything from LiveJournal) will have core1 instead.
Depending on whether this is set as core1 or core2, the options (and their labels) available to the user via the customisation wizard will change. I won't go through the differences here, but if the user mentions something about not seeing an option they should, this is a good place to start.
I would say that 99.9% of the time, this will always be the same. A user will only ever have an i18n layer set if they (or someone else) have created and added the layer themselves.
This one will never change, since as I said previously, this translates the core layer, and we're not doing official translations.
If the user is using one of the official Dreamwidth layouts, this will say 'public' and link to the layer. If they have created their own custom layout, this will say 'custom' and will link to that layer. However, unless they have specifically set the layer's source as viewable, you won't actually be able to see the code in that layer.*
This layer is probably the most important as it will tell you which, if any, style the user has picked from the Select Journal Style page.
Like the layout layer, if the user is using one of the official Dreamwidth themes, this will say 'public' and link to the layer and if they have made a custom layer, it'll say 'custom' and link to that layer. Again, unless they've set the source as viewable, you won't be able to see the code.*
This will always say custom. There are no official user layers, as these layers are automatically generated by the customisation wizard. This layer can be used to see what settings the user has changed via the customisation wizard. Though, as with the above two layer types, you probably won't be able to view the code.*
* There is a privilege that lets people view non-public layers and some of the Dreamwidth support volunteers have it. If you think there is likely to be important information in those layers, either IC on the request asking someone to take a look, or drop in to IRC. I also have the privilege and I don't mind being PM'd/emailed/whatever.
I think that's it. This turned out longer than I expected, but if I missed something or I wasn't clear enough, please ask and I'll try to clarify!
A typical style line looks like this:
Style: (S2) core: public, i18n: none, i18nc: none, layout: public, theme: public, user: custom
There's actually a fair bit of information here that isn't all that useful because it will never change, at least on Dreamwidth. Bascially each $part: represents one of the layer types the style system uses (core, i18n, i18nc, layout, theme, or user) and what layer of that layer type the user is using (none, or the linked public or custom). I'll give a brief run down of what each layer type does, and then I'll go through each part of the header info and describe what information they provide.
Layer Types
A style is essentially a set of layers that all build on one another.
core: This the basis of every style on Dreamwidth, either core1 or core2. The core lays out all of the functions and properties needed to create a style.
i18nc: Used to localise the core layer. If there is text set in the core layer, you can use an i18nc layer to translate this in to other languages. We don't use this on Dreamwidth though, as we're not translating the site in to other languages.
layout: Basically, this is the basis for one particular style. It sets out how the functions and properties are used, often through CSS. However, on Dreamwidth it doesn't define any colours. This is the 'bare bones' of a style.
i18n: This is the i18nc for layout layers. There won't ever be any official i18n layers (see above re: not translating Dreamwidth), but users can create their own i18n layers if they want to translate a layout layer.
theme: This is what we all see on the Select Journal Style page. Theme layers build on layout layers to change the basic look of the layout, mostly by changing the available properties (like colors, text, fonts, etc.). You can also include custom CSS in theme layers to build on/overwrite the CSS in the layout layer.
user: This layer holds the customisations users make via the customisation wizard. If you change a color in the wizard, the property and its new color value will be defined in your user layer for that layout/theme. These shouldn't really ever be edited manually, since the wizard can very possibly overwrite the manual customsiations.
Going down the list, each layer has precedence over the ones before it. If a property is set in the user layer, it doesn't matter what the property is set to in any previous layer, the user layer value will be used. Theme layers always trump layout layers, and so on.
Style: (S2)
This is one part of the style header information that will never change. Originally on LiveJournal (and other LJ-based sites) this part told you what style system the user was using, either S1 or S2. We don't have S1 on Dreamwidth, so this will always say S2. (Unless of course we get an S3, or something else, but until then...)
core: public
The text of this will never change, but the layer to which 'public' points will. It'll either point to the core1 layer or the core2 layer. Most times it'll be core2, but anyone who uses a custom layout based on core1 (like anything from LiveJournal) will have core1 instead.
Depending on whether this is set as core1 or core2, the options (and their labels) available to the user via the customisation wizard will change. I won't go through the differences here, but if the user mentions something about not seeing an option they should, this is a good place to start.
i18n: none
I would say that 99.9% of the time, this will always be the same. A user will only ever have an i18n layer set if they (or someone else) have created and added the layer themselves.
i18nc: none
This one will never change, since as I said previously, this translates the core layer, and we're not doing official translations.
layout: public
If the user is using one of the official Dreamwidth layouts, this will say 'public' and link to the layer. If they have created their own custom layout, this will say 'custom' and will link to that layer. However, unless they have specifically set the layer's source as viewable, you won't actually be able to see the code in that layer.*
theme: public
This layer is probably the most important as it will tell you which, if any, style the user has picked from the Select Journal Style page.
Like the layout layer, if the user is using one of the official Dreamwidth themes, this will say 'public' and link to the layer and if they have made a custom layer, it'll say 'custom' and link to that layer. Again, unless they've set the source as viewable, you won't be able to see the code.*
user: custom
This will always say custom. There are no official user layers, as these layers are automatically generated by the customisation wizard. This layer can be used to see what settings the user has changed via the customisation wizard. Though, as with the above two layer types, you probably won't be able to view the code.*
* There is a privilege that lets people view non-public layers and some of the Dreamwidth support volunteers have it. If you think there is likely to be important information in those layers, either IC on the request asking someone to take a look, or drop in to IRC. I also have the privilege and I don't mind being PM'd/emailed/whatever.
I think that's it. This turned out longer than I expected, but if I missed something or I wasn't clear enough, please ask and I'll try to clarify!
