Custom Skins and XML Packages

Custom Skins

Active Lightning produces custom skins for the AspDotNetStoreFront shopping cart; then installs and tests them. This service requires:

• a design
• all graphics files required in the design
• any other content files such as Flash components, widgets, or audio files
• access to the client's ftp site for uploading files

We then use these inputs to build the ".aspx" file for the skin. Active Lightning has specialists who can develop image files, audio files, and Flash files, but this is a different service from doing a custom skin.

We usually build one aspx file for the homepage and another related aspx file for the other (sub-page) web pages, the template. In the case of Smith Farm Stores, we implemented a system that used 2 sets of skins: a homepage and template for the main store and a homepage and template for their Workwear specialty shopping area.

Main Store Home	Main Store Template	Workwear Home	Workwear Template

Custom XML Packages

One of the desirable features of AspDotNetStoreFront is it's ability to allow custom formatting. A category, manufacturer, distributor, or department is called an entity. The pages for presenting entity information or product information use "XML Packages." When a company wants to customize the presentation of entity information to their website visitors, then it needs to customize the appropriate XML package. Given the desired design, Active Lightning can provide this custom xml package and install it.

What should you expect for production turn-around?

Turnaround time for skin development depends on the complexity of the project and our existing projects under development. The cost depends on actual billable hours. If providing a skin from an existing design--image provided--then the billable hours usually range from 12 to 16 hours (at $100/hr).