Simple front page?

[Xipe]

I've looked through the portals available and they're simply a bit overkill for what I am looking for. Since I am thinking that what I want could easily be made by using SSI.php I wanted to ask you some questions:

1. I use the default SMF theme
2. On my "front page" which will reside on a /portal.php url I want:
- The default theme
- The header portion (with login, news boxes and stuff)
- Under the header I want to mix and match various SSI.php functions, like latest posts, a poll or two, the news and user who are online.

I.e. basically I want the index.php but with the forum listing substituted with news and latest posts.

My hope is that I should be able to just load the theme somehow, ask for the header portion to be displayed and then add SSI.php functions and that the default theme would be applied to the output automatically?

Is this viable without having to rewrite other SMF files? I was kind of hoping, for upgrade purposes if nothing else, that I would be able to do all the coding in portal.php, and that most of it would consist of calling SMF functions?

Any help appreciated!

(PS - Hope this is the right forum to post in)

[Questin]

I quote this, there should be a simple php page with a css style named index.php on the root folder who calls the ssi functions. This would be the front page of the forum.

[Varment]

Why try and recreate the wheel.
Sounds like you are looking for this TinyPortal [nofollow]. 

[1MileCrash]

umm..

I've looked through the portals available and they're simply a bit overkill for what I am looking for.

so i guess he's/she's seen tinyportal?

My hope is that I should be able to just load the theme somehow, ask for the header portion to be displayed and then add SSI.php functions and that the default theme would be applied to the output automatically?

YEP! you can do that. that's exactly what i do for model98.org. Very easy too.

Code Select Expand


<?php

$ssi_theme = 1;
$ssi_layers = array('main');
require_once('SSI.php');
?>
put whatever you want here! ssi functions as well. since ssi is already included to load the theme, you dont need to do that again.
<?

ssi_shutdown();

?>


see the $ssi_theme = 1;? replace the 1 with the id of the theme you want to use.

see this topic for more info
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=42460.0

[mattduke]

For "Non coder" it would be AMAZING if I could get some sort of template PHP file, that called SSI scripts and put them into "Tables" etc.

I just want a nice front page that calls the SSI, and allows be to chop & change a bit.

But SMF is so amazing, and SSI is truly excellent, I can't really expect people to put it on a silver plate for free.

I guess I just have to learn how to code!

If anyone has exmple code they would share, I would bew very greatful.

[wing]

Not sure exactly what you want to do, but is something like my front page?

http://www.cartalkcanada.com

The first story is sucked in from my blog software, the second story is from the forum.  The news scroller on the left is from the news from the smf database and the scroller on the right is the most recent posts.

[mattduke]

Not sure exactly what you want to do, but is something like my front page?

http://www.cartalkcanada.com [nofollow]

The first story is sucked in from my blog software, the second story is from the forum.  The news scroller on the left is from the news from the smf database and the scroller on the right is the most recent posts.

Excellent!

[psychophat]

Even still its amazing and I really liked it. Are you going to add stuff on the lower left and right sides? By the way what blog software you using, is it easy to use and can it be connected to SMF's member database?

[HoTmetal]

What about using the SSI.php & building an HTML templete based off your favorite theme.?

[psychophat]

Also maybe a static content frontpage/page with SSI includes.

[1MileCrash]

Code Select Expand


<?php

$ssi_theme = 1;
$ssi_layers = array('main');
require_once('SSI.php');
?>
put whatever you want here! ssi functions as well. since ssi is already included to load the theme, you dont need to do that again.
<?

ssi_shutdown();

?>


[gerrymore]

I agree wiht Tipmaster. That code works prefectly. You can use a table(s) to dictate where you want the different ssi functions to display. Its easy enough to make and use.

[wing]

Even still its amazing and I really liked it. Are you going to add stuff on the lower left and right sides? By the way what blog software you using, is it easy to use and can it be connected to SMF's member database?

You asking me?

Lower left and right sides?  Not sure what you mean there the page is full....

I am using WordPress for my blog software, it can be connected to the SMF's member database for posting comments that is how I did it using the SSI.php script.   But in order to allow users to post blogs you would have to add some fields to the SMF database as wordpress uses a system of 1-10 for user priveledges.