Thesis 1.4.2 released in Feb 09 gives you options to use Teasers and Feature articles so that your site has the magazine feel about it.
Each new release of Thesis gets us one step closer to an integrated magazine format.
We just converted Beyond 2012 HQ to a teaser format.
Prior to that we were using a static page to custom design the front page to get a more magazine like appearance. We used tables and embedded images, and while this looked great – it was so fiddly to maintain. All those <tr> and <td> tags! Aagh!
Tips For Using Teasers
- The main difference we noticed was adjusting the use of the “more tag”. Using the teaser function, you have a smaller ‘square’ in which to show off your mini excerpt, and therefore you only need half as much information. We moved our “more tags” up to after the first or second sentence.
- If you do not use a more tag, you will not get the “Read the full article” prompt and your reader will probably not bother to click through. This may or may not suit your purposes, depending on the length of your news update.
- You will also want to add an image into your post somewhere as this will automatically be used as a thumbnail image in your blog and archive pages. You can specify where exactly you want the image to be displayed in the Design Options panel. Very smart indeed. That’s at least one less plugin to keep updating and checking for compatibility each upgrade.
- The teaser function is great for getting more excerpts in front of the reader with less words needed for a click through to your post page. If you up the font size to 12pt or 14pt – I’m using Trebuchet on Beyond 2012 HQ – you can get a very nice summary in 20 words or less – with minimal eye strain. If anything, the fewer words makes you consider the quality of your writing.
Upgrade to Thesis 1.4.2 now and start enjoying these and many other new features.
If you have not yet jumped on board with Thesis – have a look at our Thesis Theme Review and consider using the Thesis Theme with WordPress for your site.
If you have any questions from a user’s perspective, I am happy to answer them here. Just leave a comment or use the contact form.
Share Your Tips & Experience Using Teasers
We’d love to showcase your site if you are using Teasers. Let us know by leaving a comment with a link to your site.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
i don’t think i will use this new version for my blog…
i prefer more blog layout… not news layout..
cheers from me
While the Features and Teasers option are being bragged about, it’s worth a mention that enabling and customizing these from the Thesis Options doesn’t alter anything. At the end of the day you have to go into the functions file and do something (use the features hook to display a box – I’m assuming you’d have to enter the html/php there which you want to show).
You are correct. Have a look at our recent article Trick: Thesis Feature Box For A Dynamic Navigation Bar to see how easy this can be however. Thesis 1.5 is due out soon and by accounts so far, it will only get easier.
I’m really having trouble getting the teasers to work at all. I did not know what Shivanand said – that we have to do something to the functions file to enable it. I’m just really lost. I can’t find any kind of clear instructions for how, exactly, to make this work.
What I’d really like is for my category archives to display as teasers with a thumbnail and my home page just display as a blog. I can’t figure out if that’s possible.
Genevieve, this is a common request for future versions. You might want to check out this thread and subscribe to it with an instant email notification option. From experience, some clever people will create a workaround and a thread like this one will be a good place to find out about it. I’ll also keep an eye out.
how did u make an image for your own comment? i mean, on ur comment #4 and #5, there were THESIS THEME HQ. how to code it?
Baloot@The css I used is below. Take a look at my images by right clicking on them and selecting view image – or using the full path based on the css. I used Photoshop to doctor the images. I’m happy to make up some comment boxes for you if you don’t have access to Photoshop. Let me know, it only takes a few minutes. Just tell me what word/s and font you’d like, what colour – grey or something else.
/*---:[ comments ]:---*/
.custom .comments_intro, .custom #respond_intro { margin-left: 0; }
.custom .comments_intro p, .custom #respond_intro p { font: bold 1.6em/1.25em "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center; color: #222; }
.custom #respond_intro p { border-bottom: 0; }
.custom .comments_intro p a:hover { text-decoration: underline; }
.custom .comments_intro p span { font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.25em; }
.custom .comments_intro p span.bracket { display: none; }
.custom.ie6 dl#comment_list dt { width: 57.8em; }
.custom dl#comment_list dt.comment { position: relative; padding-bottom: 33px; background: url('images/comment_top.gif') 50% 130% no-repeat; }
.custom.ie6 dl#comment_list dt.comment { padding-bottom: 23px; }
.custom dl#comment_list dt.bypostauthor { background: url('images/tcomment_top_author.gif') 50% 130% no-repeat; }
.custom .avatar img { margin: 0 1em 0 0; float: left; }
.custom dt.comment span a, .custom dt.comment span a:visited { color: #999; }
.custom dt.comment span a:hover { color: #05396b; }
.custom dt.comment .comment_author a, .custom dt.comment .comment_author a:visited { color: #05396b; }
.custom dt.comment .comment_time, .custom dt.comment .edit_comment { font-size: 0.917em; line-height: 1.818em; }
.custom dl#comment_list dd.comment { margin: 0 2em 2em 2em; padding-top: 0.5em; background: #ececec url('images/comment_bottom.gif') 0 130% no-repeat; border-bottom: 0; }
.custom.ie dl#comment_list dd { width: 55.8em; }
.custom #commentform a:hover { text-decoration: underline; }
I’m using Thesis on my blogshop and I love how I can use the teaser format to display my products!
.-= Penny´s last blog ..Shift dress in purple and white block – Original Korean Fashion Brand =-.
I think i’ll try this theme on my blog!
Just have to read the review
I just created another site with Thesis Theme, Middle Path Marketing. I customized it myself and think it is one of my best designs to date.
Hi, I was wondering if it’s possible to show only teasers on the home page rather than teasers and features?
Absolutely. Using Thesis 1.8 – go to Design Options > first column under Home Page Display Options – select 0 features.
could please let me know about the best thesis magazine theme.. looking for a magazine theme for my blog but don’t wanna leave thesis..
The Vizio skin is a cool looking magazine skin for Thesis – link to the demo http://vizio.thesisthemes.com/ – available via Thesis+Themes. More info about the Vizio skin http://thesisthemes.com/premium-skins/vizio/