TWG 1.8 is now using css sprites for most of the icons and buttons.
Sprites is a technique that only one big image is loaded which contains all the other images. The position of the images inside the big image are defined in a css. This saves a lot of requests (e.g. in TWG only one language flag is now loaded instead of 29) and bandwith (1 language image = 5kb; 29 language images = 28 kb).
There are a lot of different tutorials out there and I have read quite a
lot to find the best way which should be used if you have an existing
application and you want to introduce sprites.
I have tried different implementation methods and this are the 3 main ways
you will find in the web:
- with ul/li like explained in http://www.alistapart.com/articles/sprites
- with divs like you can see at http://css-sprit.es/
- and with using a img tag as explained here: http://cssglobe.com/post/3028/creating-easy-and-useful-css-sprites
And unfortunately the first ones you find with google if you search for “css sprites” are not the easiest and best way in my opinion! Most of the time they use the ul/li solution.
This works fine if you don’t have a complex layout where each pixel counts and should look
exacly the same. I have started with this in the TWGXplorer but was not able to get the exact same positions as before.
Then I tried using divs. This works quite nice at a lot of places but at the end I also had problems to adjust the divs exacly the way I needed it.
So I finally ended up by using the img tag solution. And for an existing application this is the way to go. You simply replace all images with a transparent 1px image and apply the class for the big image and the class for the sprite. That’s really simple and worked for me in all browsers without any modifications.
I was using the sprite generator you find at http://css-sprit.es/. It has the advantage that the size of each image is specified in the css too and not only the position. The disadvantage is that if you run the generator twice with the same images a different sprite can be created because it does not sort the images. I have contacted the author about this and maybe this is already fixed when you read this post.
I hope I have saved someone a little bit time because for me it took quite a while to compare them.
Have fun using sprites,
Michael
Hi,
The new layout of the TWG website is online.
- A new header line with a section for each of the tools for easier navigation.
- A complete new entry page for easier navigation.
- The new logo is included
- The new versions of TWG/JFU/TFU/WPU are online – more details about them in following posts.
Just go there by yourself – everything should be nicer now…
The blog will soon move from blog.tinywebgallery.com to www.tinywebgallery.com because I want to include the 3 latest news always on the main page and I need direct access to the wordpress classes for this. So please don’t wonder if you will be redirected if you go to the blog!
Have fun using TWG/JFU/TFU/WFU,
Michael
Hi,
I have finished the last tests and everything seems very good.
Therefore I uploaded the final of TWG 1.8 to the forum
http://www.tinywebgallery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2321
Please note that the additional language files are not included in the download anymore. You can always download the latest versions from the website. You find a link in the forum thread.
When the new website will be online there will be a direct link in the menu.
Have fun using TWG,
Michael
Hi,
I’m using Dropbox as an additional backup medium for TWG. But I’m running out of free space right now.
If you are looking for a nice free Online Backup, File sharing webspace simply signup there.
You get 250 MB extra and I’m too 
.
Just use the referal link below:
https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTI1NjQ2MDY5
Create a free account and install the dropbox on your machine – you will not be disappointed. Want to send a file with 200 MB to a friend – use the dropbox and only send the links to your friends.
Thanks,
Michael
Hi,
I have now created a patch to upgrate your existing version to TWG 1.8
http://www.tinywebgallery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=12472
I still recommend to do a new install and then to move you config files because This version has ~360 files less without loosing any functionality.
And I have a nice suprise for all registered users when I release the final with the new website.
Stay tuned,
Michael
The RC4 of TWG 1.8 is now available in the forum:
http://www.tinywebgallery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2321
- New: The left/right buttons of the non-scolling dhtml navigation are now using Javascript as well and not html links as before
- Fix: Non-scolling dhtml navigation + a dynamic background image was not working together – now it is.
Seems pretty close to the final .
Best,
Michael
The RC1 of TWG 1.8 is now available in the forum:
http://www.tinywebgallery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2321
This version of TWG will use sprites to improve loading times (I have already removed 315 images without loosing any functionality!), has an impoved administration (e.g. I added the config parameters for sorting) and I added the new language strings for the new features of TWG 1.8.x
Please check your language file if it is fully translated AND the file language/language_default.php.
Translate it to your language and sent it back to me. The backend has some new translations as well – please check the folder admin/_languages if you can help to finish the translations there.
Have fun using TWG,
Michael
Hi,
TWG has a new logo. A friend of mine was designing a new logo for TWG that works for an image gallery as well as for an uploader.
If you go to www.tinywebgallery.com you already can see the favicon in the address bar.
I’m currently preparing the new pages with the new logo and I will release this together with TWG 1.8
So stay tuned…
- Michael
Hi,
TWG 1.8 is already running in the AJAX-Demo on the website.
http://www.tinywebgallery.com/demo/
It looks like before but this version is now using sprites. Please report any problems to the forum. If nothing will be found in the next week I will put this version to the forum and you can already switch to this version if you like.
Have fun using TWG,
Michael
Hi,
TWG 1.8 is almost ready. The sprites work better than expected (315 images less!!!! in the TWG download).
I will post the new version in the forum most likely on Saturday. Just go there and look in the Release candidate section for it !
You will find a nice howto use sprites here in the forum soon. I have tried all ways I have found in the net and at the end most them are simly not good. Stay tuned for how this was done in TWG and not in a 2 line example!
- Michael
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