Tutorials I need to write...

[[Unknown]]

I have a list of tutorials I want to write in my head, but some of them... have gone missing.  I know I will forget some, so maybe it's better if I take requests.

Currently, I plan to write:
  - details on the templating system.
  - details on packaging a theme/smiley set/package.
  - walk through for SSI.php.
  - walk through for adding several different types of things to profiles.
  - details on writing a modification. (much later when package manager is done.)

Anything else I should write?

Remember that I'm a developer, I write CODING documentation .

-[Unknown]

[Tyris]

This almost certainly comes under templating or something... but basically a single text document with ALL the array's and where they appear and what each key is used for etc would be very useful (just making sure )

[[Unknown]]

This almost certainly comes under templating or something... but basically a single text document with ALL the array's and where they appear and what each key is used for etc would be very useful (just making sure )

That would take me a long time, but I do plan to do that a bit later.

-[Unknown]

[Kris]

Looking forward to the tutorial for extending profiles.

[Tyris]

This almost certainly comes under templating or something... but basically a single text document with ALL the array's and where they appear and what each key is used for etc would be very useful (just making sure )

That would take me a long time, but I do plan to do that a bit later.

-[Unknown]

really? aaa.. I thought it was gonna be one of the first things along with the templating tutes ><
heheheh... I think I'll go about making my own list by print_r'ing everything
thanx for letting me know tho

[[Unknown]]

heheheh... I think I'll go about making my own list by print_r'ing everything
thanx for letting me know tho

You're gonna laugh - but that was exactly what I planned to do as well.  If you can make a list for me, I can describe it.

-[Unknown]

[Tyris]

whee!! ok... well I'm off to watch a movie with my parents in a few minutes... but I'll try to get onto that in the weekend

* Tyris goes and dances coz he has something nice and easy to do to help out

[Peter Duggan]

Remember that I'm a developer, I write CODING documentation .

Time to join this discussion to add that *I'm* a doc writer, so I'll be working on help doc/manual type stuff!

Not hijacking this topic (which must stay focused on coding doc), but must just mention that the user help (the stuff that belongs to the 'Help' button) is currently being rewritten, some other new doc is under discussion and, as David has recently pointed out, we hope to bring you some helpful Flash movies in time:

Documentation is a very important aspect of any software project.  We have already posted basic guides to installing and upgrading SMF and more are in the works.  We are trying very hard to compile excellent documentation for both all of you as administrators as well as your end users.  This process will however take time to fully complete.  While offering guides as posts is useful, we plan to offer multiple formats including flash tutorial movies.  Simple Machines' developers have also been great about documenting the code as they are working which should greatly help mod developers.

Don't want to take up any more space in this thread just now, but please look out for a new help doc topic in a more appropriate board soon where I'll also be asking what you, the users, would most like to see documented and whether anyone's interested in helping!

[Dem0n]

Looking forward to the tutorial for extending profiles.

Me too.

[AmphetaMarinE]

I am really looking forward to an ssi.php tutorial...
That would be most helpful to a php n00b such as myself

[Anguz]

[Unknown], do you think this could be useful to help explain the code?

http://phpdocu.sourceforge.net/

[[Unknown]]

(I dunno, this isn't long enough to be separate, I'll have to put it with something, but it's important for people new to the system...)

The Basic Flow of SMF
SMF has a pretty logical flow model.  For general code and functions, everything flows like this:

Client -> index.php -> Source file and database -> Template system -> Client

The files in the Sources directory essentially parse input and raw data, and make it ready for the template system to accept it.  The source file run depends on the array in index.php, which sends it there....

After the source file is done, index.php takes the data to the appropriate templates and sub templates, and has them display it.

-[Unknown]

[writeto]

Perhaps a flowing diagram would be beneficial when you publish that.

[[Unknown]]

http://unknown.network32.net/tutorial.smf_custom-profile

-[Unknown]

[ms_ukyankee]

Suggestion for another tutorial (or section of a tutorial), which I will have questions about, and I've seen it asked regarding other forums:

- How to restrict non forum pages to logged in members or special membergroups.

Your tutorial looks pretty good to me, [Unknown], but would like also to know how to require the additional field information on Registration, so maybe a note that mentions whether adding the field the Reg template will work, etc.

[souleman]

Maybe pretty usless or already exist, but a list of what files are for SMF.  After upgrading, I noticed that I have a LOT of files left over from yabbse (especially after doing some mods).  It would be helpful to know what the files are for also, although most of them are pretty self explanatory just by looking at the name of the file.

Another wuld be a list of the tables in the database.  I don't think I need both smilies and smilys (or something like that) tables, but not sure which is from yabbse and which is from SMF. 

I will take the time to figure it out and get it all cleaned up, but once it goes public, some people that are doing the upgrade will probably not want to spend the time to figure it out themself, so it would be nice to have.

[[Unknown]]

It's too big to post .

-[Unknown]

[Tristan Perry]

It's too big to post .

-[Unknown]

I'm guessing you didn't do that by memory, right? 

[[Unknown]]

Sorry, but I'm not going to sit there and type 24 kilobytes of filenames.  No way, sorry .

I just used some fancy-shmancy development tools I've got .

-[Unknown]

[The_Altered1]

Mainly all I would like to see is a standard method for importing/exporting themes. That way everyone would follow a standard example and not variate from that.  Keep it a constant/consistant process.

It's not that hard to do, but I can just see 20 different readme files from different people stating different ways to install their themes. Not good for the inexperienced smf user.

[Winters]

I read a bit about SSI on this forum (and the tutorials), what would be helpful for me would be an overview of the pros and cons of the .php vs. the .shtml method.

[Metho]

I would think, though I'm not entirely sure, that it's just a coding preference. Like I always use the php, because that's what I'm comfortable in. It's like a warm blankie.

- Methonis

[[Unknown]]

A permissions tutorial?
Integrating the forum into your site...

-[Unknown]

[Trekkie101]

Nice site, MK Portal, we need some SMf fan sites that shows that we love it, im thinking of starting something like SMF~World but dunno what to put there that isnt here,

[[Unknown]]

Custom actions...

-[Unknown]

[[Unknown]]

Package SDK, anyone?

-[Unknown]

[Robert Frost]

yay! an SSI for dummies tutorial would come handy

[MrFlicks]

Hmm ) Pondering all the above

[[Unknown]]

Creating modifications, ahoy.

-[Unknown]

[Anguz]

Nice.

[MentalMuscle]

hxxp:unknown.network32.net/tutorial.smf_custom-profile [nonactive]

-[Unknown]

Thanks for writing up this document [Unknown].  This provides some great information.  I do have one question about the custom registration fields.  I will be implementing this to gather prior gaming history information from new members joining my gaming community site.  We have a unique community rank/award system that we track for every member in their own individual post.

From what I can tell the information gathered at registration will go in the new members profile, but how do I get it to generate a post as well in a particular category with the same information?  I believe the ability to populate both with the gathered information was suggested early in the document.

The profile is good for the general population to peruse, but the officers want evey detail about a member in a nice little (often times not so little) post.

[Elijah Bliss]

Custom BBC Tag Tutorial?

I think a basic tutorial with a few references would be very handy. I see quite a few requests for custom tags and I think showing the masses how to get started instead of the masses relying on the handful who know how would be beneficial.

[mosey]

How about some suggestions as to the best way to use SMF's member database throughout your site in areas other than just the forum - In other words, use SMF's member data to log into my own custom scripts in non-forum areas of my site rather than making everyone sign up twice to access all features of my site.

[xenovanis]

How about some suggestions as to the best way to use SMF's member database throughout your site in areas other than just the forum - In other words, use SMF's member data to log into my own custom scripts in non-forum areas of my site rather than making everyone sign up twice to access all features of my site.

BASIC SSI FAQ

Maybe that will help you?

[oldschr]

How to add your own buttons on the header.

[vicez]

http://unknown.network32.net/tutorial.smf_custom-profile [nofollow]

-[Unknown]

Is it just me or page cannot be found?

[Snickers]

try this: http://www.unknownbrackets.com/tutorials/custom-profile

[Purplemadness]

How to add your own buttons on the header.

The same, it's really handy to know

[songdancer]

I've been researching and reading the forums, and here are a few of things that I haven't quite found enough info on as a newbie (or that I keep coding wrong and can't figure out from the existing threads on the subjects):

Making the forum default to expanded status (deleting the upshrink function so that it isn't available at all).

Adding google adwords or other ads to the site at the header or footer or left side or right side.

Adding additional fields to the forum registration form (location, phone #, etc)--and also having that location (state) to display in user's posts.




Thanks!

[eriktm]

Remember that I'm a developer, I write CODING documentation .

I tought you was a SMF Friend