Still attracted to some features of vBulletin

[jdougher]

Forums "powered by vBulletin" are all over the web, and in trying to decide which to use - vB or SMF - I'm drawn to some features that I see vB users employing.

1. Look at this forum:

http://www.diychatroom.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5

Can one incorporate Google ads in SMF the way this author has? I'd like to do this.

2. I find the "forum tools," "search," and other drop-downs implemented in the above forum to be elegant and uncluttered. I suggest the SMF authors implement such a grouping facility. Or is it already possible?

3. I like the big old Post Reply button here:

http://www.diychatroom.com/showthread.php?t=755

There are so many buttons above the standard SMF thread view that I find myself searching for the right one. I'd like to see the interface of SMF simplified and streamlined.

[Trekkie101]

1. Pretty easy, a search here will show you how, in a variety of styles.

2. That could be coded with some DHTML I suppose.

3. Add whatever button you wish, make it bigger.

All the changes you want, are pretty simple changes, and ALL template changes, which means the SMF core code wont need changed. Its all just template work, if you cant find what you want by using search on this forum, im sure someone with 5 minutes, and a little HTML knowledge will be able to help you. Ill look into the drop down search box. But google ads and such are already posted in here.

[jdougher]

Great to hear. The google ad incorporation is important.

[jdougher]

What I've *always* wished for in forum software was the ability for the user to select some text and then hit Reply, and then just that text that was highlighted would be quoted back in the reply.

The standard Quote button requires too much work on the back end to remove unwanted text.

[[Unknown]]

2. I find the "forum tools," "search," and other drop-downs implemented in the above forum to be elegant and uncluttered. I suggest the SMF authors implement such a grouping facility. Or is it already possible?

Some people like it, some people don't.  There are, however, themes that do it like that - it's just the HTML, not really anything about the software itself.

http://www.diychatroom.com/showthread.php?t=755

You can make it larger or move it just as easy.  If you want it simpler, try a simpler theme - there's even one called "Simplicity".

What I've *always* wished for in forum software was the ability for the user to select some text and then hit Reply, and then just that text that was highlighted would be quoted back in the reply.

The standard Quote button requires too much work on the back end to remove unwanted text.

Unfortunately, this is just very browser dependent.  I definitely couldn't do this with Safari (very popular for those who use Mac OS X) or Opera.  For Mozilla and Internet Explorer, it wouldn't be hard - but it could only do the *text*, not any formatting.  For example:

Code Select Expand

xyz
Bye.

If you wanted to respond with both the code section and "Bye." quoted, it would be many times more complicated.  In this simple example, it wouldn't be that hard... but it just gets more complicated as you go along.  What if you select part of the code, and part outside the code?

That said, one other person suggested that previously, and even considered writing it as a mod.  I don't remember hearing if it was ever done or not.

-[Unknown]