---
title: Settings, Tips, Tricks and More       
filter:
  - erb
  - textileplus
---

h1. <%= @page.title %>

<div class="toc">

p(toc-title). Contents:
   
* "How To Use Built-In Gradient Themes?":#themes
* "How To Use Your Own Slide Show Template Packages?":#templates
* "How To Fetch New Template Packages?":#fetch
* "How To List All Installed Template Packages?":#list
* "How To Bundle Up Original S5 Blank Package?":#s5blank
* "How To Set Default Command Line Options?":#slideshowopt
* "How To Comment Out Content?":#skip
* "Questions? Comments?":#questions


</div>


h2(#themes). How To Use Built-In Gradient Themes?

You can define your gradient theme in plain text in the slide show source in the header using
a simple CSS-style name value pair (if you use the built-in S5, S6 or FullerScreen templates).

*Themes*. The built-in predefined gradient themes include: @diagonal@,
@top-bottom@, 
@left-right@, 
@repeat@,  
@radial@, 
@radial-off-center@, 
@radial-repeat@. See the "Theme Gallery":themes.html for examples.

*Colors*. You can use whatever colors CSS supports e.g. pre-defined colors such as @red@, 
@maroon@ or self-defined colors such as @#0e1f5b@, @#3b5998@.


Example 1: Use @top-bottom@ gradient theme with the colors red and black

{{{
gradient: top-bottom red black
}}}

Example 2: Use pre-defined CSS colors (with default @top-bottom@ gradient theme)

{{{
gradient-colors: green lime         
}}}

Example 3: Use self-defined colors (with default @top-bottom@ gradient theme)

{{{
gradient-colors: #0e1f5b #3b5998
}}}

Example 4: Use @radial@ gradient theme and facebook colors

{{{
gradient: radial #0e1f5b #3b5998   
}}}

Example 5: Just change gradient theme and use default colors, that is, @marron@ and @black@

{{{
gradient-theme: repeat              
}}}


h2(#templates). How To Use Your Own Slide Show Template Packages?

Use the @-g/--generate@ switch to generate a sample template
package with manifest to get started.

Example: Generate a template package w/ manifest in your working folder (using the s6 package)

{{{
$ slideshow -g
}}}

Example: Same as above but uses built-in s5 template package

{{{
$ slideshow -g --s5
}}}

Note, you can, of course, also create your own template packages with manifest from scratch.
See the "Template Gallery":templates.html for more info and examples.

To use your own template package use the @-t/--template MANIFEST@ option 
passing along the manifest. Example:

{{{
$ slideshow -t s6.txt  microformats
$ slideshow -t s5blank.txt   microformats
}}}

Using the package format you're invited to create your own template package
with manifest that uses your own extended/changed
JavaScript code and drops the vector graphics background gradient etc. 

h2(#fetch). How To Fetch New Template Packages?

Using the @-f/--fetch URI@ option lets you fetch (install) new templates. Example:

{{{
$ slideshow -f http://github.com/geraldb/sandbox/raw/master/s5blank/s5blank.txt 
}}}

Resulting in:

{{{
Fetching template package 's5blank' 
  : from 'http://github.com:80/geraldb/sandbox/raw/.../s5blank 
  : saving to '/home/gerald/.slideshow/templates/s5blank' 
  Downloading manifest 's5blank.txt'... 
  Downloading template 'header.html.erb'... 
  ... 
  Downloading template 'ui/default/slides.js'... 
Done. 
}}}

To find more templates browse the "Template Gallery":templates.html.
Got templates? Send a link and announcement to the
"Forum/Mailing List":http://groups.google.com/group/webslideshow
and get your link added to the "Template Gallery":templates.html.


h2(#list). How To List All Installed Template Packages?

Using the @-l/--list@ option lets you list all installed templates. Example:

{{{
$ slideshow -l
}}}

Resulting in:

{{{
Installed templates include: 
  s5blank.txt       (/home/gerald/.slideshow/templates/s5blank/s5blank.txt) 
  s5.txt            (/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/slideshow-0.8/templates/s5.txt) 
  s6.txt            (/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/slideshow-0.8/templates/s6.txt) 
  fullerscreen.txt  (/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/slideshow-0.8/templates/fullerscreen.txt) 
}}}

h2(#s5blank). How To Bundle Up Original S5 Blank Package?

The slideshow project includes a sample starter template package to demo how to bundle up the
original S5 v11 blank package. (See the "Template Gallery":templates.html for more info.)

To fetch the sample for the S5 v1.1 blank package with manifest 
from the source repo and store it in your config folder (default is @~/.slideshow/templates@)
type on the command line:

{{{
slideshow -f s5blank
}}}

If you want to store it somewhere else use the @-c/--config@ option.
To test and use the fetched template package use the @-t/--template MANIFEST@ option and
run:

{{{
slideshow -t s5blank.txt blank.textile
}}}

That's it. Open up the generated web page, that is, @blank.html@ and enjoy.

*Some more details.* The package is configured to use the following headers in @header.html.erb@:

{{{
author: Your Name Here
company: Your Company Here
title: Your Slide Show Title Here
subtitle: Your Subtitle Here
footer: Your Footer Here
subfooter: Your Subfooter Here
}}}

Open up the @header.html.erb@ template for details on how to use your own header variables/place holders
in templates. All other included files get copied verbatim.

h2(#slideshowopt). How To Set Default Command Line Options?

The @SLIDESHOWOPT@ environment variable lets 
you set default command line options.

Example: Make @slides@ your default output folder 

{{{
$ SLIDESHOWOPT=-o slides
}}}

Example: Make S5-compatible slide show 

{{{
$ SLIDESHOWOPT=-o slides --s5
}}}

Example: Make your own template package the default

{{{
$ SLIDESHOWOPT=-t <your_template_manifest_here>   
}}}

And than use the gem executable as usual (will use/add your command line 
options stored in @SLIDESHOWOPT@):

{{{
$ slideshow microformats
}}}


h2(#skip). How To Comment Out Content?


If you want to skip (comment out) content in your source 
enclose it with  @__SKIP__@/@__END__@. Example:

{{{
__SKIP__ 
  not yet ready or private notes/comments 
__END__ 
}}}

As a shortcut if you just use @__END__@ (without @__SKIP__@) (Ruby-like) 
it will skip everything from @__END__@ until the end of the file. 

h2(#questions). Questions? Comments?

Questions? Comments? Send them along to the
"Free Web Slide Show Alternatives (S5, S6, S9, Slidy And Friends) Forum/Mailing List":http://groups.google.com/group/webslideshow.
Thanks!