The Hobo method is superior to using "layouts", in my opinion.
All of the default Hobo pages use the "page" tag as their base. If you
extend or redefine the page tag, they'll use that instead of the default.
Here's an example from one of my apps that does not use the clean theme
(or any theme at all):
<extend tag="page">
<old-page merge>
<stylesheets:>
<stylesheet name="screen.css" type="text/css" media="screen,
projection"/>
<stylesheet name="print.css" type="text/css" media="print"/>
<!--[if lt IE 8]><link rel="stylesheet" href="css/ie.css"
type="text/css" media="screen, projection"><![endif]-->
<stylesheet name="styles.css" type="text/css" media="screen,
projection" />
<stylesheet name="ui-lightness/jquery-ui-1.7.2.custom.css"
type="text/css" />
</stylesheets:>
<scripts:>
<javascript name='prototype, effects, dragdrop, controls, lowpro,
hobo-rapid' param/>
<javascript name="jquery-1.3.2.min.js"/>
<script type="text/javascript">
jQuery.noConflict();
</script>
<javascript name="jquery.livequery.js"/>
<javascript name="jquery-ui-1.7.2.custom.min.js"/>
<javascript name="jquery.form.js"/>
<javascript name="json2.js"/>
<!-- javascript name="grasshillfoods.js" / -->
<javascript name="application.js" />
</scripts:>
<header: replace>
<div id="ajax-progress"><div><span
id="ajax-progress-text"></span></div></div>
<div id="header">
<div class="container">
<h1>Grass Hill Foods</h1>
<h3>Naturally Nutritious</h3>
</div>
</div>
<div class="container menu">
<navigation class="main-nav">
<nav-item href="/"><img src="/assets/home.png"
alt="Home"></img></nav-item>
<nav-item href="/pages/faq"><img src="/assets/faq.png"
alt="FAQ"></img></nav-item>
<nav-item href="/pages/about"><img src="/assets/about.png"
alt="About"></img></nav-item>
<nav-item href="
http://blog.grasshillfoods.ca/"><img
src="/assets/blog.png" alt="Blog"></img></nav-item>
<if test="¤t_user.guest?">
<nav-item href="#{guest_orders_path}"><img
src="/assets/order.png" alt="Order"></img></nav-item>
</if>
<else>
<set
current-order="&Order.user_is(
current_user.id).unconfirmed.first"/>
<if test="¤t_order">
<nav-item action="edit" with="¤t_order"><img
src="/assets/order.png" alt="Order"></img></nav-item>
</if>
<else>
<nav-item action="initiate" with="&Order"><img
src="/assets/order.png" alt="Order"></img></nav-item>
</else>
</else>
</navigation>
<div class="clear"> </div>
</div>
<div class="container subhead">
<account-nav without-logged-in-as param>
<account:><a class="ui-state-default ui-corner-left"
href="#{user_account_url(:id =>
current_user.id)}">Edit my
Account</a></account:>
<log-out:><a class="ui-state-default ui-corner-right"
href="#{user_logout_url}">Log Out</a></log-out:>
<log-in:><a class="ui-state-default ui-corner-left"
href="#{user_login_url}">Log In</a></log-in:>
<sign-up:><a class="ui-state-default ui-corner-right signup"
href="#{signup_url}">Create an Account</a></sign-up:>
</account-nav>
</div>
</header:>
<content: class="container main clear"/>
<footer: replace>
<div id="footer" class="container prepend-top">
<p class="span-12 bottom-nav">
<a href="/pages/about#objectives" class="ui-state-default
ui-corner-left">Objectives</a>
<a href="/pages/about#guarantee"
class="ui-state-default">Guarantee</a>
<a href="/pages/ordering_delivery_payment#ordering"
class="ui-state-default">Ordering</a>
<a href="/pages/ordering_delivery_payment#delivery"
class="ui-state-default ">Delivery</a>
<a href="/pages/ordering_delivery_payment#payment"
class="ui-state-default ui-corner-right">Payment</a>
</p>
<p class="span-12">Grass Hill Foods Copyright © 2010, header
image via <a
href="
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevincollins/115305184/">kevincollins</a></p>
</div>
</footer:>
</old-page>
</extend>
Bryan