Gantry Framework

Definition of Gantry

gan·try (gan′trē) noun

1. (RocketTheme) A framework used for assembling, building and maintaining a RocketTheme template

Overview of Gantry

Gantry is a sophisticated Joomla template framework with the sole intention of being the best platform to build a solid template with. Gantry takes all the lessons learned during the development of many RocketTheme templates and distils that knowledge into a single super-flexible framework that is easy to configure, simple to extend, and powerful enough to handle anything we want to throw at it.

Key Features

The Gantry framework is packed with many great features that enable the rapid development of feature-rich designs with a minimum amount of effort. We've also gone to great lengths to enhance the standard Joomla administration user interface to make configuring a Gantry-powered template easier than ever before. Check out a sampling of the features Gantry brings to the table:

• 960 Grid System (http://960.gs) for simple consistent layout
• Cleaner more understandable index.php. All the complicated bits are handled for you in the Gantry core.
• Flexibility to configure up to 6 modules in row position.
• 65 base module positions in the Gantry core. These can be easily extended to add more
• 36 possible combinations for the layout of the mainbody/sidebars alone!
• Flexibility to configure different grid-size layouts based on number of published modules. You are not forced to use the same grid layout for every page
• 12 built-in Gantry Features like Logo, Font-Sizer, To-Top Smooth Slider. Easily create your own to add more functionality with little coding required.
• Ability to force module display and 'blank' module positions for advanced module placement ability.
• Stunning new Admin interface providing better usability and control.
• Unique Layout controls allow you to configure your layout without having to do math or ever create a 'broken' layout.
• Layout controls provide visual representation of your front-end layout for simple and intuitive customization.
• Gantry is XML driven, adding another row of completely flexible module positions is as simple as editing one XML file.
• New flexible parameter system allows loading preset theme attributes and modifying for a custom design. Also support session and cookie level overriding for development.
• All new table-less HTML overrides based on the excellent GNU/GPLv2 overrides from YOOtheme
• New standard typography and Joomla core elements styling
• New advanced caching system makes using Gantry really fast!
• All configuration state is stored in params.ini and cached for speed.
• Optimized codebase with speed, size, and reuse core tenants of the framework design
• RTL Support
• Custom preset support
• Set parameters on a per menu item basis
• GZipper compression

Installing/Updating Gantry

The Gantry library is a separate from the templates that use it. It is installed separately as com_gantry (although will not appear under Components in the Joomla Administrator). Therefore, to update Gantry, you just need to reinstall through the Joomla interface rather than manually edit files in the template.

Each template will have a bundle download option available to install both the template and the Gantry library at the same time, in conjunction with a standalone download.

Overview of the Administrator Interface

The administrative interface for Gantry is one of, if not the, most extensive and intuitive Joomla administrators in the community as a whole today. Gantry takes the template parameter ability of Joomla and takes it to the next level with a robust, diverse, functional and overall, substantial array of options to control, essentially, all aspects of the template.

The options are subdivided into various categories:

• Preset - Select from an array of prebuilt presets
• Settings - Configure preset specific settings such as Link Color
• Features - Control the various Gantry features such as Date
• Menu - Manage the menu parts of Gantry such as the javascript options of Fusion
• Layout - Customize the layout options of Gantry such as the Feature-a/f row distribution
• Advanced - Various other options are located here