Opal Resources

[julzroguenine]

Here are a few helpful resources for coding using Opal. These are based on frequently asked questions in opal_help and my previous Opal layouts. I didn't write most of these tutorials or bits of code, but they are scattered around in different entries, communities, and comments, so I thought it would be helpful to provide links to them in a single entry.

Comments

[girlleastlikely]

This is amazing. I'm adding to my memories for future reference.

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to compile this. :]

[julzroguenine]

It really didn't take too long because I started compiling it as I was coding my current layout. As I was adding many of those links to my memories I realized that a list could potentially save people lots of time, so I just went for it. =D

[girlleastlikely]

Still, it was such a great thing to do. Its much appreciated! :D

& By the way, you're current layout is quite lovely! ♥

[julzroguenine]

Thanks! I'm glad that it'll save other people time, that was my motivation.

I'm in love with my layout too, even if my mother thinks the colors are a bit 'drab'. =P

[ems]

What a lovely thing of you to do. Thank you so much; I have this page bookmarked.

Also your layout is AMAZING, my God. It's gorgeous. I wish I could get mine anywhere near this customized and beautiful.

*blushes*

[julzroguenine]

You're very welcome! If I can save anyone time, I'm all for it.

As for my layout, thanks for the compliments! The customizations took a long time but I finally have it how I want it. =D And here I was thinking that my new layout looked too much like the template to submit for the_lj_reboot...

Re: *blushes*

[ems]

Noo, it's gorgeous, you should definitely go for it. I don't know if it's just because I've spent a long time customizing Opal and I can see how much stuff on this page must be really quite advanced customizations (hello, image headers in the menu? Semi-opaque boxes? WOAH.) but I think it's completely different to the template.

I'm just doing the sticky entry thing. That is GENIUS.

Re: *blushes*

[julzroguenine]

Thanks! I cheated on the semi-opaque boxes. IE7 still doesn't do transparency right and I wanted my layout to look decent in it (even though I use/love Firefox). I just made a transparent .png picture and had it repeat for the background. =P *wonders what her layout looks like in IE6 since it doesn't support transparent .png's*

I love the sticky entry. It sure beats making an entry from 2020 or whatever. =P When someone asked about it in opal_help a while back they posted a link to the s2flexisquares code. They didn't know if it would compile in Opal, so I gave it a go and it worked but none of the classes were in the Opal stylesheet. So I just added things to make it look like Opal and am happy how it turned out! =D

[julzroguenine]

Thanks! I'm glad I could clear things up for you. :) Out of curiosity, what was that doubt?

[julzroguenine]

That was one of the questions that prompted me to make this list. Most of the time Opal's giant table in Page::print, does more harm than good. *sigh*

[punkheid]

Thanks very much for this! It's helped me a lot :D

[julzroguenine]

No problem! If I can make coding Opal easier for someone, that's all that matters. =)

[punkheid]

I'd like to say thanks again, because I used quite a few of the tips you gave in comments to others in opal_help - you cleared up a lot of my problems ^^

And, I love your icon :) River looks so prettiful and happy :D What scene is it from?

[julzroguenine]

You're very welcome. =D I've been using Opal for a few years now and decided that I need to use the knowledge I've gained to help people out.

I didn't make the River icon (egyptian_pixie did), but it looks like one of the scenes from Safe where Simon and River are in the 'hospital' building talking about the berries.

[elf_fu]

This is delicious, and I've come back to it three or four times already. <3 Into the memories it goes!

[julzroguenine]

Glad you like it. =D I'm working on a 2nd one to answer some more commonly asked questions because this post is getting so big it's hard to edit. I'll post a link to it in opal_help when it's done.