Monday, December 10, 2007

Minima Lefty Stretch To Three Column Template Conversion

This guide will show you how to easily convert Minima Lefty Stretch to a three column layout template.

First, make sure your template is Minima Lefty Stretch:



Then navigate to Template->Edit HTML and get hacking:



Make room for the additional column by reducing size of #main-wrapper by the size of our new comumn (67% - 25% = 42%). Also, to get all our floats in a row, change the float and margin spacer from right to left:

#main-wrapper {
margin-left: 2%;
width: 42%;
float: left;
display: inline; /* fix for doubling margin in IE */
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}
Create the new sidebarRight wrapper by copy-and-pasting and then editing #sidebar-wrapper:
#sidebar-wrapper {
margin-left: 2%;
width: 25%;
float: left;
display: inline; /* fix for doubling margin in IE */
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}

#sidebarRight-wrapper {
margin-right: 2%;
width: 25%;
float: right;
display: inline; /* fix for doubling margin in IE */
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}
Finally, we need to edit the HTML divs so that sidebar-wrapper comes before main-wrapper and our new right hand column follows main-wrapper:
<div id='sidebar-wrapper'>
<b:section class='sidebar' id='sidebar' preferred='yes'>
<b:widget id='BlogArchive1' locked='false' title='Blog Archive' type='BlogArchive'/>
<b:widget id='Profile1' locked='false' title='About Me' type='Profile'/>
</b:section>
</div>

<div id='main-wrapper'>
<b:section class='main' id='main' showaddelement='no'>
<b:widget id='Blog1' locked='true' title='Blog Posts' type='Blog'/>
</b:section>
</div>

<div id='sidebarRight-wrapper'>
<b:section class='sidebar' id='sidebarRight' preferred='yes'>
</b:section>
</div>
Save your edits and then navigate to Template->Page Elements where you will now be able to add page elements to your newly created right column:



You can view a demo of this three column template at http://mls3c.compender.com

36 comments:

Kashrut News said...

Thank you so much!! Worked like a charm!

Nate said...

You sir Rock! This is by far the easiest transition to a three column format I've tried (and I've tried a few).

The only issue I'm having is that my labels have dissapered from my posts. I'm not sure why that happened, but am looking into it.

Raymond said...

@nate

I noticed the same behavior on my demo blog for this conversion and fixed it by rearranging the blog post elements (by going to Template->Page Elements and the clicking Edit on the Blog Posts area).

Though I'm not really sure why they disappeared in the first place as the template conversion doesn't mess with expanded template code.

Nate said...

Yeah, it's an interesting thing. I found this fix for it:
Resetting Blog Widgets

It basically forces a reset of the main-wrapper widget. It did the trick in my case. Strange stuff.

Thanks again for the cool and easy switch to three panels!

R.J. said...

Some reason it's not working for me? I've done everything I'm supposed to on a Minima Left stretch. How did you guys do it. I'm on the new Blogger that just launched off of beta.

onlinegamestar.blogspot.com

Raymond said...

Your HTML id names and your style id names don't match.

<div id='sidebarright-wrapper'>
<div class='sidebar section' id='sidebarright'></div>
</div>

doesn't match

#sidebar right-wrapper {
margin-right: 2%;
width: 25%;
float: right;
display: inline; /* fix for doubling margin in IE */
word-wrap: break-word; /* fix for long text breaking sidebar float in IE */
overflow: hidden; /* fix for long non-text content breaking IE sidebar float */
}

It should be <div id='sidebarright-wrapper'> and #sidebarright-wrapper. They have to be exactly the same.

Also you need to add something (a page element) to the new column before you see anything change. Right now your new sidebar is completely empty.

TechStarlet said...
This post has been removed by the author.
TechStarlet said...

Great tutorial, step by step, screenshots, and good response to comments. Not only did I use it on my blog, I highlighted your tutorial and gave it five stars.

Me said...

You, Sir, REALLY do rock!!

My two children (ages 11 and 12) and I have never edited html and we had no problems following the directions and transforming our blog with two sidebars!!

Hunter, Charlotte & Mommy THANK YOU!

cakehouse said...

thank you thank you! this was easy as pie.

Wendy said...

This is just what the doctor ordered. Thanks. Now I need to figure out how to make an image in the header fit.

Brian said...

Thank you ever so much. Just the tweak I was looking for. It only took me about 10 minutes to add the column.

MeSSeR said...

Took me longer than 10 minutes but it's only my fault :) Still the fastest and most comprehensive tweak I've met. Thanks a lot!

jordanmcclements said...

Absolutely brilliant.

Thanks for this!

kiwiwrites said...
This post has been removed by the author.
Miss &amp; Mister KinkY said...

Thank you SO MUCH! Works great for us! Really neat, thanks heaps, best regards, Ms & Mr

Paul Eilers said...

It Works!

And your directions made it SO easy to implement.

I am not much of a techie, but I did it in ten minutes, even with my wife talking to me while putting up the groceries.

Outstanding.

I am very appreciative.

AKS said...

Thank you very very much :)

rimafauzi said...

You, sir, are a godsend!
THANKS SO MUCH!!!

melissa said...

Where in this template can I insert a tag to decrease the font-size of the sidebars?

Hp said...

Thank You Sir.

Brainchild said...

Pretty slick! This is the first time I've gotten an 'add column' to work and I'm thrilled. Thank you so much.

PurrPrints said...

Sweet--thank you! I was trying to adapt your denim stretch tutorial and then found this one--hurray!

Amanda said...

Very easy, if I just remember to read all the directions! Thanks.

Angela Dively said...

Wow!! From the non-technical wife of a programmer who hates to bring his work home...Thank you so much! It was simple and straight-forward. I love my new layout!!

Laya Isabelle Garcellano-Florendo said...

Hi Raymond! Thanks to your blog, my site is much, much roomier. I used your coding, tweaked it a bit and put in a linkbar code I found from ourbloggertemplates.com. I am now a proud owner of a 3 column Minima Lefty Stretch with a linkbar! Yay! :) i credited you and linked you up at the footer bar. Please feel free to drop by anytime and see how you've helped me! :) http://mommyluscious.blogspot.com

Libby said...

You Sir, are a GENIUS. If you're ever in Charlottesville, I owe you a beer. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

Adrienne said...

I have tried so many - your is the easiest and the best! Thank you!

Nebz said...

I'd like to thank you for this tutorial. You're a heaven sent!

Question: Instead of %, can I fix the column widths so that the post is a bit larger and the two side columns a little narrower?

Thanks again.

Alexis said...

Hi people,

I got a big problem...

I use a three columns minima strech lefty template in blogger... I have played a lot with it, and it was working just fine for about 8 months...

For some strange reason, and without doing anything, 2 days ago the center (main) column (the actual post), as well as the right column, started to appear BELOW the left column!!!!, aligned to the left edge of the screen!!

its very strange... and i have no clue what to do!

Could you just please please please look at it and tell me your opinion?


thanx anyway,

http://my-daily-laughing-dose.blogspot.com/

alex

Word Templates said...

Hello. This post is likeable, and your blog is very interesting, congratulations :-). I will add in my blogroll =)THANX FOR MAKING SUCH A COOL BLOG


Let me share with you a great resource,

Word Templates

A huge collection of Word Templates are presented here to help our visitors in their daily tasks. Our collection includes Business Management Word Templates, Marketing Word Templates, School Templates, Home Templates, Greeting Cards Templates, Flyer Templates and many more. The best thing about this site is that everything is free for everyone to download.

michelle cunningham said...

help me please? i have the lefty minima stretch and i actually really like the 2 column format. i'm a photographer and i'm trying to figure out how to get larger photos posted. all the advice i've seen calls for changing the folder size on the posted photo to s1600 but on this template it is cutting the picture in half.

Katrina said...

Thank you! Your instructions were easy to follow!

Valerie said...

Well, after 4 hours I still cannot get it! I have 3 columns all right. Just the main web log portion is staying on the left no matter what I do.
Anyone have an idea?

Kisha J. said...

Gosh, I've been trying to get 3-columns for so long! And finally! Thanks for the instructions!!!

BosS said...

thank you very much...... I used it in my blog. with this we can modify simple template into beautiful one.....

Post a Comment