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Tips on forum design & creation.
Greetings People
Most people who build a web site for what ever reason, want to have a forum of some type or another Vodahost offer phpbb and simple view to install through Fantastico in your C-panel . These tips mainly deal with phpbb, though some elements go for what ever forum you use.
The easiest way to get your phpbb forum is by installing through Fantastico , when you have installed you get the standard no thrills SubSilver skin, this in it’s self is ok if you just want a forum with no frills.
But more often then not people want there forum to look good and more importantly a bit like there web site. This is mainly why I am writing this thread. I have had my own far share of up’s and down’s doing my forum and at one point almost lost it, and if it was not for Racefan20 my forum would not be up today.
So it has come time for me to pass on some of the info I have learnt.
These Tips are for those of you who wish to add skins, mods, hacks, etc.
1/ Install a second forum through Fantastico and call it Test forum ( this is so you can test mods on that forum with out any harm coming to your main forum ). If you mess up the test forum you can always uninstall then reinstall a another one.
2/ find and install any skins you wish to use, to both forums. ( this is better done before you add any mods, but not essential as it will only mean change the tpl files of that skin).
3/ To help with installing mods or hacks you can download a program called easymod which you can get here http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/catdb.php?cat=26 you need to follow the instructions to install on to your forums.
4/ when using the above program you may find that some mods will not install , this does not mean that the mod will not work it’s just that the easymod does not recognise a command this in it’s self is not a problem it just means you have to install it by hand.
5/ BYE HAND your having a laugh I here you say. Nope sometimes it’s better to do this. Mainly because you will learn a lot. But you will need Dreamweaver 8 or something like wise.
6/ Always, Always make two copy’s of any file you download from your forum to your computer .( this is because if you mess it up you have one that works to put back up until you find what you did wrong ) this is one of the reasons for having a test forum. Bet your glade you did now.
7/ Some mods come with instructions to add tables into the datebase of your forum. This is done through
C-panel - My-SQL Database scroll to the bottom of the page and find a link to phpMyAdmin when you first go there it looks a bit terrifying, Please if you are not sure what to do come running back here and ask for some assistants . DO NOT TRY AND DO IT if your not sure.
8/ Skins : you’ve found one you like but don’t like the header image. Well these images are kept in the templates images folder, now to change , find the image you don’t want write down the size and name ie.250 x 127 Name logo.gif . Now find a image you want to use resize to 250 x 127 then save as logo
( making sure the file type is gif ) then upload to the same folder of the old image is in .
9/ you can get phpbb mods from here http://www.phpbb.com/mods/ or you can search the net just type in what you want ie, I want something mod for phpbb .
10/ last of all I think, if you have any trouble or you do not fill confident enough but would really like to do something then please don’t be hesitant post on the forum here and ask, someone WILL help you through it.
Well that’s about it, I would just like to say that almost what ever you want to put on your forum, there’s probably a mod out there that will suit your needs, from security to music from photo albums to links to yours site.
I have put a link here to my forum to show you some of the things you could do . Click Here
Most people who build a web site for what ever reason, want to have a forum of some type or another Vodahost offer phpbb and simple view to install through Fantastico in your C-panel . These tips mainly deal with phpbb, though some elements go for what ever forum you use.
The easiest way to get your phpbb forum is by installing through Fantastico , when you have installed you get the standard no thrills SubSilver skin, this in it’s self is ok if you just want a forum with no frills.
But more often then not people want there forum to look good and more importantly a bit like there web site. This is mainly why I am writing this thread. I have had my own far share of up’s and down’s doing my forum and at one point almost lost it, and if it was not for Racefan20 my forum would not be up today.
So it has come time for me to pass on some of the info I have learnt.
These Tips are for those of you who wish to add skins, mods, hacks, etc.
1/ Install a second forum through Fantastico and call it Test forum ( this is so you can test mods on that forum with out any harm coming to your main forum ). If you mess up the test forum you can always uninstall then reinstall a another one.
2/ find and install any skins you wish to use, to both forums. ( this is better done before you add any mods, but not essential as it will only mean change the tpl files of that skin).
3/ To help with installing mods or hacks you can download a program called easymod which you can get here http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/catdb.php?cat=26 you need to follow the instructions to install on to your forums.
4/ when using the above program you may find that some mods will not install , this does not mean that the mod will not work it’s just that the easymod does not recognise a command this in it’s self is not a problem it just means you have to install it by hand.
5/ BYE HAND your having a laugh I here you say. Nope sometimes it’s better to do this. Mainly because you will learn a lot. But you will need Dreamweaver 8 or something like wise.
6/ Always, Always make two copy’s of any file you download from your forum to your computer .( this is because if you mess it up you have one that works to put back up until you find what you did wrong ) this is one of the reasons for having a test forum. Bet your glade you did now.
7/ Some mods come with instructions to add tables into the datebase of your forum. This is done through
C-panel - My-SQL Database scroll to the bottom of the page and find a link to phpMyAdmin when you first go there it looks a bit terrifying, Please if you are not sure what to do come running back here and ask for some assistants . DO NOT TRY AND DO IT if your not sure.
8/ Skins : you’ve found one you like but don’t like the header image. Well these images are kept in the templates images folder, now to change , find the image you don’t want write down the size and name ie.250 x 127 Name logo.gif . Now find a image you want to use resize to 250 x 127 then save as logo
( making sure the file type is gif ) then upload to the same folder of the old image is in .
9/ you can get phpbb mods from here http://www.phpbb.com/mods/ or you can search the net just type in what you want ie, I want something mod for phpbb .
10/ last of all I think, if you have any trouble or you do not fill confident enough but would really like to do something then please don’t be hesitant post on the forum here and ask, someone WILL help you through it.
Well that’s about it, I would just like to say that almost what ever you want to put on your forum, there’s probably a mod out there that will suit your needs, from security to music from photo albums to links to yours site.
I have put a link here to my forum to show you some of the things you could do . Click Here
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