VectorLover 2

VectorLover started out as a XHTML/CSS template created by Erwin Aligam. The design was good enough that it got a mention in Smashing Magazine and it was later ported to WordPress by ThemeLab. I’m not sure when I first ran across the theme, but I’m thinking it before WordPressv2.7 was released. I installed the theme and have been using here at CoffeeBear ever since. Then when WordPress v2.7 was released and some new features were included (e.g. enhanced comments); I decided I’d try updating VectorLover to include those new features. Along the way, I learned a few tricks and found some nifty plugins which I incorporated into the new version of the theme.

License

In keeping with the spirit of the original designer, I’m releasing VectorLover2 under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License¹. This means that you are free:

• to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work
• to make derivative works
• to make commercial use of the work

Under the following conditions:

• You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor. (In this case, a link back to my site)
• For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work
• Any of these conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder

Features

• Threaded comments with quick reply links.
  • Setup so it should gracefully fallback to WordPress’s old style comments if you are not running at least WordPress 2.7.
  • Note: Threaded comments is an optional thing. To enable them you must go into WordPress’s admin backend -> Settings -> Discussion and check the Enable threaded (nested) comments box.
• Integrated plugin support for: Now-Reading, FAlbum, Tweetbacks, wpLicense, WP-PageNavi
• Custom login page
• Added a new default Gravatar image to list of options under Settings -> Discussion in WordPress’s admin backend.
• hCard microformatting to both post & comment authors.
• A stylesheet to remove unnecessary elements from printed pages.
• Changed page titles to display as “PostTitle « BlogName” vs the previous “BlogName » PostTitle” for better SEO
• Wrapped posts in a DIV with post_class() to add support for fancier styling on posts.
  • Setup so it should gracefully ignore this if you are not running at least WordPress 2.7.
  • Currently the only specialized styling I’m including for use with this is for sticky posts.
    • Note: specialized styling of sticky posts only displays on the home page of the site.

ToDo

• Rewrite widget code so it works properly with WordPress 2.8.x & up
• Rework design of author pages to be more aesthetically pleasing.
• Break out authorbox code into a separate plugin.

Changelog

• v0.9.5 – Modified Google Analytics tracking, so that logged in users will not trigger goals by submitting comments or clicking RSS links. Added an authorbox to the bottom of individual posts (most useful for multi-author blogs).
• v0.9.4 – Minor tweaks, integration of Cimy User Extra Fields for use with the new Author template.
• v0.9.3 – Minor tweaks
• v0.9.2 – Minor tweaks
• v0.9.1 – Minor tweaks + integration of WP-PageNavi
• v0.9.0 – Initial release
• v0.8.1 – Added wpLicense image & link to meta widget
• v0.8.0 – Initial customization

Download

• Download VectloverLover 2 with Google Analytics Tracking v0.9.5
  • Preconfigured to track 3 different goals
    • ‘/goal/comment.html/to track when comments are submitted.
    • ‘/goal/rss-nav.html’ to track when the RSS icon in the nav bar is clicked (and hopefully subscribed to).
    • ‘/goal/rss-footer.html’ to track when the RSS icon in the meta widget is clicked (and hopefully subscribed to).
• Download VectorLover 2 v0.9.0 – NOTE: I’m no longer updating the “analytics free” version of this theme, as I’m too bloody lazy to do so.

¹ Please note this is a different license than what I use on the rest of this site.