Unable to load main_above template

[gbsothere]

I tell you, Ned, I am stumped.   

I've never mucked about with themes, except to modify my own, so I've not paid too much attention to what happens on theme tables, until very recently (and still lack the experience to properly interpret them). I did just install a custom theme on one of my test boards and changed the forum's default to that custom theme, then had a look at my tables.  The custom theme does show up, of course, on the last of several pages, but it's there.

I initially thought this might be the problem, so decided to check the database of my Test 01 installation which is successfully running RC3 with a Halloweenish "ProCurve" theme as the overall forum default. But when I looked at that database, I was surprised to find no mention of "ProCurve" in the smf_themes table, but id_theme 1 listed as "SMF Default Theme - Curve" and id_theme 2 as "Core Theme," again part of the original RC3 installation package. So unless I'm missing something, even a properly functioning database doesn't have any entries for the theme that's actually running on the site.!!??!!

If you browse your settings table, several pages into it, how many values do you find next to the variable "knownThemes"?

When you get the "unable to load main_above template" error, are you able to put ?theme=1 after index.php (in your forum's URL) and get the forum to load?  I'll be honest with you, I've been looking at so many forums the past three days with that same error that I can't remember whose forums I've tried that on.  I don't think I ever got a look at yours when the error was actually showing. 

Normally, when someone gets the "main_above template" error, it's because of a file either missing or having been edited.  And this is what stumps me about your site.  You're using all fresh files.  I know you said that their custom theme (used as default) had been specially edited and tweaked for RC1.1, but here's the download page for it:

http://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?lemma=1733

If you found a value for it in your settings files, maybe just unzip this and upload the folder to your .../Themes folder?  (I'm hoping that if the main forum has it selected as the overall forum default, then uploading this might make the "main_above template" error go away.  It won't be exactly what they have (since they've modified it) but the files will be there.

[recce101]

Okay, my mistake (I told you I was new at this!). I didn't go deep enough into the smf_themes table, didn't realize there was more than one page. So on the database in question, there IS reference to smFox on one of the later pages, and on my test database, there's a later reference to the ProCurve theme, so scratch the two paragraphs in my previous message that end with ! and !!??!!.

But in your last message, the theme you pointed to is smFox 2, which IS intended for 2.0 RC1-1, but it's a different look and color scheme from the original smFox designed for an earlier version, and they seem to be using the original smFox tweaked to avoid the squished-up problem. Maybe I'll try installing both of those on a test installation and see if their database will load. I'll also try your .../index.php?theme=1 suggestion if I get the message again.

Got some errands to run, so you're authorized to take a break! Thanks again,

Ned

[gbsothere]

There's this one but it's truly ancient.   

http://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?lemma=76


Sure, just let me know.  I'm watching several football games, so I'll just keep glancing in, from time to time.

[recce101]

Success!!!!

Using my Test 03 RC1-1 installation, I ran repair_settings.php and pointed the program to the database which I had backed up and saved yesterday, got the main_above error message, changed the address window URL to .../test03/index.php?theme=1, and bingo — it opened nicely with the SMF Default Theme - Core. I went into the admin panel and cleaned up the theme paths, then deleted the ancient smFox theme and an extra copy of the Classic YaBB SE Theme, verified through phpMyAdmin that they were gone from the database, exited, and next time it started with just .../test03. If I wanted one of the other two original installation themes, I could pick Classic YaBB SE Theme with ?theme=2, or Babylon Theme with ?theme=3, or of course change it internally with the admin features. Everything seems intact, except the avatars aren't there because I don't have the attachment directory yet. Might have it later tonight.

So your suggestion to add ?theme=1 after index.php was the key to getting in and being able to clean up the mess. Mahalo (thank you) and Aloha,

Ned

[gbsothere]

*laughing*

Actually, adding ?theme=1 is the first thing to try when you can't access a forum that has a custom theme so the big question is, why did it take me two pages to get around to it?   

Oh, well....   we had a nice few days of chatting, so there's that.

I'm so glad you got it sorted, Ned!  Good deal!  That's a very worthy and important forum you're trying to protect and I know they appreciate your efforts.

Good talking with you.