MyiBPortal

[AiR-head]

Hello all, how're you doing?

I was wondering as to the status of MyiBPortal (or is it now MySMFportal? Should be.) for SMF. I'm not going to be bothersome and ask a bunch of questions and release dates, just if it's done or not, because I can't find any real posts on it from searches.

I may as well ask something else, seeing as I'm posting a question here anyway. How exactly do themes work for SMF? Are they usually of the same template so you can edit them a bit, and are they free or paid?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Or perhaps I should consider Mambo... Wowza, that looks pretty nice..

[[Unknown]]

I was wondering as to the status of MyiBPortal (or is it now MySMFportal? Should be.) for SMF. I'm not going to be bothersome and ask a bunch of questions and release dates, just if it's done or not, because I can't find any real posts on it from searches.

Someone went through a lot of trouble to make Kevin very annoyed and feel like his work was not appreciated.  I know he's done some more work on it since, but I haven't had contact with him and he has not made any releases I know of.

I may as well ask something else, seeing as I'm posting a question here anyway. How exactly do themes work for SMF? Are they usually of the same template so you can edit them a bit, and are they free or paid?

Most themes are free, but there are some which are paid.  Generally, authors are willing to make themes for free if they think a lot of people will be using them, but if you want it and don't want anyone else using it, you'll have to pay.  I personally think that makes sense.

In any case, if you have just a little knowledge of PHP, and knowledge of HTML and CSS, you can write your own themes.  In fact, even if you don't such knowledge is easy to acquire, and as long as you ask questions about it we're almost always willing to help.  I will warn you that I, personally, have a hard time helping someone who doesn't want to do a little work (within their ability) for it, but hopefully that won't be (and most often isn't) a problem.

EDIT: Or perhaps I should consider Mambo... Wowza, that looks pretty nice..

A lot of people like Mambo.  While I've seen a few things I would improve with it, I'm a pretty critical person... I think it's a very nice script, and it's definately worth trying.  However, MyiBPortal was better integrated (the pre-release stuff I saw was, at least.)

-[Unknown]

[AiR-head]

Once again, thanks for your help.

Yeah, I've always loved MyiBPortal. How easy (if at all possible) would it be to convert to MyiBPortal once it's out, from Mambo?

Y'know, there's always some dumb@ss who ruins everyone's good time, and from what I've seen it's happened a lot with Kevin and YAUWS.

Most themes are free, but there are some which are paid.  Generally, authors are willing to make themes for free if they think a lot of people will be using them, but if you want it and don't want anyone else using it, you'll have to pay.  I personally think that makes sense.

Agreed, it's only fair.

As for CSS and HTML knowledge, I'm very fluent. I'm in the learning stages of PHP and MySQL (my handy dandy book) and look forward to experimenting around with them. As for graphics: don't ask. It's the only reason I haven't yet attempted themes at all, unless they only require white background fancy font images made in MS Paint.

Thanks for your help, again.

[AiR-head]

Sorry for the double post, but I'd like to make a little suggestion from a newbie's perspective. I think there should probably be a bit more of an obvious topic in the Mambo Bridge forum, just for mod info, download info and a link to requirements and installation instructions. I know I couldn't find it, and I'm a bit confused.

[[Unknown]]

I'm not sure about conversion from Mambo to MyiBPortal.  I do know that Mambo comes "right out", but I can't say anything about any content you may make for Mambo.  You may have to redo it for MyiBPortal.  Then again, you may decide to stick with Mambo if Kevin decides he's not "coming back" so to speak... you never know.

As for CSS and HTML knowledge, I'm very fluent. I'm in the learning stages of PHP and MySQL (my handy dandy book) and look forward to experimenting around with them. As for graphics: don't ask. It's the only reason I haven't yet attempted themes at all, unless they only require white background fancy font images made in MS Paint.

Well, you really shouldn't need to know more PHP than you'd probably already understand if you're fluent in CSS and HTML.  Indeed, you shouldn't even need to know any MySQL to mess with them.

That said, I do highly recommend learning both PHP and MySQL; I'm just saying that you won't need to know them for templates.

As for graphics, you may think you're bad but you've never seen me (try to) draw a stick figure.  Suffice it to say, I understand your situation .  You might want to look around here a bit, and see if someone who isn't as comfortable with HTML and CSS would like to work with you... collboration is great .

Sorry for the double post, but I'd like to make a little suggestion from a newbie's perspective. I think there should probably be a bit more of an obvious topic in the Mambo Bridge forum, just for mod info, download info and a link to requirements and installation instructions. I know I couldn't find it, and I'm a bit confused.

There are a few stickies, such as this one, but I'll agree that what it's currently most missing is clean documentation and ease of installation.  While I'm the lead developer of SMF, I've tried to keep my criticizing to myself when it comes to that section, because that will probably help it grow the best - I've made the mistake of not doing that before.

-[Unknown]

[AiR-head]

You might want to look around here a bit, and see if someone who isn't as comfortable with HTML and CSS would like to work with you... collboration is great.

That's a good idea; I'll try that.

One more question: I see most skins are 1.0.1 compatible. How much is 1.0.2 changed from 1.0.1 so the skins are still compatible? Or are 1.0.1 skins not compatible with 1.0.2?

EDIT: Gah, one more question. About the package manager, when you install a new package does it somehow cancel out the effects of other packages? Because I've applied many and none seem to be showing up.

[[Unknown]]

One more question: I see most skins are 1.0.1 compatible. How much is 1.0.2 changed from 1.0.1 so the skins are still compatible? Or are 1.0.1 skins not compatible with 1.0.2?

Compatible with 1.0.1 means compatible with 1.0.2.  There weren't any significant template changes at all.

EDIT: Gah, one more question. About the package manager, when you install a new package does it somehow cancel out the effects of other packages? Because I've applied many and none seem to be showing up.

Many packages are only designed to install into the default theme, not into other themes.  This is a tricky problem to work around, when you're searching and replacing HTML that could simply... not be there.

-[Unknown]

[AiR-head]

I've been installing packages on the default theme and they don't seem to be showing up..

[[Unknown]]

I've been installing packages on the default theme and they don't seem to be showing up..

Are they showing as installed in the package manager?  Some may need to be enabled in Edit Features and Options.

-[Unknown]

[ltabdiel]

also, make sure you applied the changes with your ftp user/pass (scroll down after the first one or two pages of installing)

[AiR-head]

That was exactly the problem, thanks. I would click Apply Mod, see success straight down down down, and think I was done.

Thanks for that.

[ltabdiel]

No problem, always glad to help