I've been looking at the various screens for adminstering a phpBB forum, but I'm wondering whether it's possible to make any changes to the main forum page itself.<!--content-->
Hi dderolph,<br /><br />Yes you can, quite simple with a little HTML knowledge.<br />The file to edit is the 'overall_header.tpl', located in the 'templates' directory of your phpbb install. If you are still using the 'stock' skin, then the theme directory to look in is the 'subSilver'.<br />It is in this file you can change the file name of the logo upper left. Looking on through the code you will see the image tags for the icons etc, to get your self an idea where you are at on the page.<br /><br />HTH, hollar back if you need more help <img src="http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> Tom<!--content-->
Thanks for your response. Would I edit the .tpl file with Notepad? In other words, I would download it via my FTP client, open it with Notepad, modify it, save it, then upload it to the server, thereby overwriting the original file?<!--content-->
You can do it that way or use the file manager in cPanel and edit the file from there.<!--content-->
Actually, making the sitename that appears right at the top of the main forum a hyperlink would be acceptable. I found this coding in the .tpl file you mentioned: <br /><br /><span class="maintitle">{SITENAME}</span><br /><span class="gen">{SITE_DESCRIPTION}<br /> </span><br /><br />I am not clear on the significance of the brackets, {}, used in this coding. It looks replacing SITENAME with a hyperlink to the home page would work. Can you tell me if I can just replace {SITENAME} or with an href tag containing the URL to the home page would work? <br /><br />If such a modification will work, I believe that would render the modification of the template file to change the SITENAME, via the forum control panel, unworkable. But, as long as I remember that I'm made this modification, I suppose this is not a problem.<!--content-->
<!--QuoteBegin-Serpentine+May 7 2005, 09:48 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Serpentine @ May 7 2005, 09:48 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You can do it that way or use the file manager in cPanel and edit the file from there.<br /><div align="right"><a href="http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/index.php?act=findpost&pid=128849"><img src='http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></a></div><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br />Thanks you. The file manager in cPanel makes the file much easier to read than trying to read it in Notepad. And, I did locate {SITENAME} in the lower part of the template file, replaced it with an anchor tag containing the sitename, and that worked.<!--content-->
Hey that's how I learned about phpbb, trial and error. This is what I like about phpbb, it is so easy to modify compared to Invision. <!--c1--><div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'><!--ec1--><span class="maintitle">{SITENAME}</span><br /><span class="gen">{SITE_DESCRIPTION}<br /> </span><!--c2--></div><!--ec2--> The 'sitename' etc, contained in the '{___}' are values pulled from what you enter on the phpbb configuation page. What ever is there, is what is displayed. You could go like this if desired <!--c1--><div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'><!--ec1--><span class="maintitle"><a href=http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/"http://www.mywebsite.com">{SITENAME}</a></span><br /><span class="gen">{SITE_DESCRIPTION}<br /> </span><!--c2--></div><!--ec2--> That way you keep the 'standard' look, but making it clickable.<br /><br />Yes, Notepad can have 'formatting' problems with the '.tpl' files, also .php files.<br />I use EditPad Pro here <a href="http://www.editpadpro.com/" target="_blank">http://www.editpadpro.com/</a> <br /><br />Be warned that phpbb seems to be the 'forum of choice' for all the evil do'ers at trying to hack it. phpbb comes out with new updates quite often, so keep up on them.<br /><br />Well Enjoy <img src="http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/kicking.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":dance:" border="0" alt="kicking.gif" /> , Tom<!--content-->
Tom, thanks for the additional info. I think I'm going to make a minor change to what I did, based on your comment; I'm going to put the {SITENAME} back in the anchor tag. <br /><br />That text editor you mentioned, EditPad Pro, looks like a nice tool. I'll make a note of it. <br /><br />And, thanks for that last tip on phpBB.<br /><br />Dave<!--content-->
Hi dderolph,<br /><br />Yes you can, quite simple with a little HTML knowledge.<br />The file to edit is the 'overall_header.tpl', located in the 'templates' directory of your phpbb install. If you are still using the 'stock' skin, then the theme directory to look in is the 'subSilver'.<br />It is in this file you can change the file name of the logo upper left. Looking on through the code you will see the image tags for the icons etc, to get your self an idea where you are at on the page.<br /><br />HTH, hollar back if you need more help <img src="http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="
" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> Tom<!--content-->Thanks for your response. Would I edit the .tpl file with Notepad? In other words, I would download it via my FTP client, open it with Notepad, modify it, save it, then upload it to the server, thereby overwriting the original file?<!--content-->
You can do it that way or use the file manager in cPanel and edit the file from there.<!--content-->
Actually, making the sitename that appears right at the top of the main forum a hyperlink would be acceptable. I found this coding in the .tpl file you mentioned: <br /><br /><span class="maintitle">{SITENAME}</span><br /><span class="gen">{SITE_DESCRIPTION}<br /> </span><br /><br />I am not clear on the significance of the brackets, {}, used in this coding. It looks replacing SITENAME with a hyperlink to the home page would work. Can you tell me if I can just replace {SITENAME} or with an href tag containing the URL to the home page would work? <br /><br />If such a modification will work, I believe that would render the modification of the template file to change the SITENAME, via the forum control panel, unworkable. But, as long as I remember that I'm made this modification, I suppose this is not a problem.<!--content-->
<!--QuoteBegin-Serpentine+May 7 2005, 09:48 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Serpentine @ May 7 2005, 09:48 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You can do it that way or use the file manager in cPanel and edit the file from there.<br /><div align="right"><a href="http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/index.php?act=findpost&pid=128849"><img src='http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/style_images/1/post_snapback.gif' alt='*' border='0' /></a></div><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><br />Thanks you. The file manager in cPanel makes the file much easier to read than trying to read it in Notepad. And, I did locate {SITENAME} in the lower part of the template file, replaced it with an anchor tag containing the sitename, and that worked.<!--content-->
Hey that's how I learned about phpbb, trial and error. This is what I like about phpbb, it is so easy to modify compared to Invision. <!--c1--><div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'><!--ec1--><span class="maintitle">{SITENAME}</span><br /><span class="gen">{SITE_DESCRIPTION}<br /> </span><!--c2--></div><!--ec2--> The 'sitename' etc, contained in the '{___}' are values pulled from what you enter on the phpbb configuation page. What ever is there, is what is displayed. You could go like this if desired <!--c1--><div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'><!--ec1--><span class="maintitle"><a href=http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/"http://www.mywebsite.com">{SITENAME}</a></span><br /><span class="gen">{SITE_DESCRIPTION}<br /> </span><!--c2--></div><!--ec2--> That way you keep the 'standard' look, but making it clickable.<br /><br />Yes, Notepad can have 'formatting' problems with the '.tpl' files, also .php files.<br />I use EditPad Pro here <a href="http://www.editpadpro.com/" target="_blank">http://www.editpadpro.com/</a> <br /><br />Be warned that phpbb seems to be the 'forum of choice' for all the evil do'ers at trying to hack it. phpbb comes out with new updates quite often, so keep up on them.<br /><br />Well Enjoy <img src="http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/kicking.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":dance:" border="0" alt="kicking.gif" /> , Tom<!--content-->
Tom, thanks for the additional info. I think I'm going to make a minor change to what I did, based on your comment; I'm going to put the {SITENAME} back in the anchor tag. <br /><br />That text editor you mentioned, EditPad Pro, looks like a nice tool. I'll make a note of it. <br /><br />And, thanks for that last tip on phpBB.<br /><br />Dave<!--content-->