Layout help for the utterly clueless?

[blackmare]

I know there are plenty of custom layouts available for DW, but it's like pressing my nose against the candy shop window and knowing I can't have any, while the other kids are in there getting toffee and chocolates.

You see, none of the instructions I have found even make sense to me.  I'm not literate with coding and I don't even know what most of the references are to layers, etc., so I seem to be stuck. I need someone to actually walk me through this. I tried once on my own and the results were awful.

Please, is there a Guide for The First-Timer? Preferably with visuals, so that "Enter X code in Y layer" translates to "Type this code into this field right here on this page, see?" 

If there is, it'll help drive a lot more users here, IMO. The two biggest obstacles I'm seeing at LJ are "none of my friends are moving" and "I would move but I hate DW's styles."

For what it's worth, I've already moved, and paid, because my privacy is more important than my layout, but I feel the frustration all the same. 

Comments

[cesy]

There was a brilliant tutorial on it, but I can't find the link right now.

In the meantime, Zvi explains styles, and style_system may be able to help.

This Support request also covers it.

[inner_v0ice]

Here's an awesome Tutorial to Adding LJ Layouts to DW. There are pictures! :D :D :D
I'm not that coding-literate either, but thanks to the pictorial instructions I was able to make a gorgeous LJ layout work on DW. ♥

[matgb]

is there a Guide for The First-Timer?

I don't think it ever got done, I know the one I keep meaning to write never did get done. I did a rought first draft explanation very soon after I finally figured out how to do it:

http://getting-started.dreamwidth.org/33324.html

No visuals, but when I finally turn it into something, there will be, and many of us are happy to handhold you through stuff if you want it.

However...

I strongly suggest you don't import your LJ layout. Instead, replicate it as best as possible in a DW layout, then ask someone (like, for example,me) to figure out how to fix the final bits that're beyond you.

And honestly? Anyone that now says "I would move but I hate DWs styles" is using that as an ill informed excuse for inaction, there are loads of them, and it's far more flexible than LJ, you can do whatever you like, on any of the layouts, with nothing more than very basic CSS.

So, what do you want your layout to look like? Or, what bits are you stuck on, I'd rather help you translate it into a DW style, because I like doing that, and it's a lot more powerful, but if you really insist on an LJ layout, then someone can help, although not my expertise.

[frangipani]

Someone's already mentioned dreamwidthlayouts, but I'd like to add my own recommendation -- most of the custom layouts posted there come with instructions and work with existing DW layouts rather than importing made-for-LJ layouts, so you don't have to mess around with layers and whatnot.