I have been using Toolset for many years to build very customised websites with high levels of user interaction, so heavy use of forms and custom views. Up till now I have based all those sites on what is now called the legacy plugins and the toolset-starter theme which supported bootstrap.
My logic in using the toolset-starter theme was that it would take more time trying to modify a more developed theme than building from a minimalist theme. After all Toolset provided everything needed via its shortcode plugins to make this possible.
I'm about to commence on a major new website design and find myself uncertain on how to proceed, hence my request for advice.
I have no particular interest in being forced down the Gutenberg Block route as it provides no particular advantages (do you agree?) and has a much inferior user interface and much heavier load on hosting CPU resource. I also have no desire to have to start from one of the recommended themes as I would spend more time modifying these than starting from a minimal theme and building up.
So I have two questions:
1. Based on what I've expressed above, do you have any advice or concerns should I build this major new site using the Toolset legacy plug-ins?
2. Are you able to suggest a current minimalist theme which would provide a suitable basis for a very customised website?
For me the real strength of Toolset was the ability to build sites from scratch without being constrained by pre-set themes. I do not believe that the introduction of Gutenberg within WordPress has changed that assertion so I encourage Toolset to offer an absolute minimalist theme and continue and expand its set of 'legacy' plug-ins.
Hello. Thank you for contacting the Toolset support.
First of all, I've a happy news to share.
I would like to inform you that we just published new version for the following Toolset plugins:
- Toolset Types (3.6.0)
- Toolset Blocks (1.6.19) and Toolset Views (3.6.19)
- Toolset Maps (2.2.0)
- Toolset Forms (2.6.23)
- Toolset Access (2.9.3)
- Toolset Layouts (2.6.17)
Now, regarding your questions:
1. Based on what I've expressed above, do you have any advice or concerns should I build this major new site using the Toolset legacy plug-ins?
========>
Well - As a supporter I've seen the category of users where one loves blocks and another loves legacy views. There is no harm is using blocks and legacy its just your choice.
Once you install Toolset Blocks plugin it will give you the luxury that you can use blocks as well as legacy views at a same time where and when required.
Having said that, you can create view using View block when requied and you have simple view requirement and you can use legacy view for advanced requirement. Its on you where to use view block or legacy view.
2. Are you able to suggest a current minimalist theme which would provide a suitable basis for a very customised website?
========>
Here is the Doc that shows the recomonded themes list:
- https://toolset.com/documentation/recommended-themes/
Maybe you can have a go and try with few themes and check which theme best suits your requirement and based on that you can chose your theme.
Thanks for getting back so quickly and for your advice.
I understand you point about possibly using both the block and legacy views plugins.
Can I ask:
1. Are there any plans to discontinue the Toolset legacy plugins?
2. Could you explain why the Toolset Starter theme was discontinued and why it was not replaced with a modern equivalent? I have reviewed the recommended theme list but my summary comment is that none of them is a great starting point to designing a functionally complex website using Toolset. That's why the old Toolset Starter theme was so great. It provided only the bare minimum to get you started. Toolset plug-ins did the rest.
Please note that Toolset Blocks and Toolset Views plugins are 1:1 copy of each other. The only thing is names are different before blocks era the name was Toolset Views and after Blocks we name it as Toolset Blocks.
You do not need to install both Toolset Blocks and Toolset Views plugins. Once you install Toolset Blocks plugins, if you want to use legacy views, you just need the legacy version as per the following Doc so you will have luxury to use any Blocks or legacy version as required:
- https://toolset.com/course-lesson/enabling-legacy-version-of-toolset-views/
Can I ask:
1. Are there any plans to discontinue the Toolset legacy plugins?
=========>
There is no plan to discontinue Toolset Views that is legacy version.
2. Could you explain why the Toolset Starter theme was discontinued and why it was not replaced with a modern equivalent? I have reviewed the recommended theme list but my summary comment is that none of them is a great starting point to designing a functionally complex website using Toolset. That's why the old Toolset Starter theme was so great. It provided only the bare minimum to get you started. Toolset plug-ins did the rest.
=========>
We used to offer Toolset starter theme but those themes are retired now and we do not support it nor share it. For now, we ask users to use one of our recommended themes which will play nicely with Toolset:
=> https://toolset.com/documentation/recommended-themes/
If you do not agree to use any of the recomonded themes, you are also allowed to make your choice as per your reuqirement.
Toolset currently only works with PHP-based themes. The changes in the WordPress templating system with block-based themes are substantial and significantly affect Toolset's ability to customise the output.
