Replying to Smf - Asta Style!

Thanks for this wonderful tutorial Trekkie101...

I managed to install my forum before through Fantastico Installer but I could not choose a higher version of SMF (SMF 2.0 RC3) for example because the only default on Fantastico is 1.1.xx.

This time, I will try to use this helpful tutorial of yours.

Job well done and thanks again.

I want to customise the SMF forum in my website to match with the main website template. Could you please share a tutorial on creating SMF themes.

Heh... I've made themes for Invision Boards before, so I've had the experience. And your tutorial led me to other tutorials that taught me how to theme it. I'm gonna make a really small link to my forum here.

Looks cool, imagine getting a link one day and by the end of the day having made your own theme for the system. Well done, also have a look in index.template.php

Youll find its just HTML with VERY DIRT simple php, infact you dont need to know the php just C&P it.

Yay, I have created my foum with my own skin! Thanks, Trekkie! The forum looks Incredible!

Im planing on dealing with some of the smaller features next, like news and such and howto do some really cool/funny things with them.

Very good Tutorial.

Thank you for adding it to the collective knowledge here at astahost.


-William

Managing Boards - Part 2

So you've got your forum set up but thats not enough, you need to make the boards to talk in, you need to split up the conversations and get everything organised so now what you do is open your forum using your URL.

Log In -> Click "Admin", enter your forum usernames password to get into the admin panel.

Whoa, thats a lot to take in at first, no dont scrap it, I assure you its one of the easiest to use for anything.

On the side there is a menu that says "Forum Controls" look inside that box for "Manage Boards" and click it.

First lets kill the stuff thats already there, click on "Modify" which is next to General Category and in the page it loads, click "Delete Category" and on the next page, click confirm.

Now your back at the Manage Boards screen, click new category, in the full name box, call it whatever you want, and if you want users to be able to hide that category tick the box. Once it returns you back, click new category again, where it says Order, select where you want the second category "In First" or "After X" and then again click "Create Category". Repeat as many times as you want, but remember we've still to add boards to this forum.

In your first category click Add Board, you can change its category when creating it if you feel its neccessary, name the board and then give it a description. In allowed groups, tick who you want to be able to see it. In moderators if you have more members put in someones name and then they can, edit/modify/delete posts in that board. Dont put yourself as a moderator as admins can do this anyway. The count posts box can be ticked or unticked and if you want this board to have its own theme, select one. Finnaly click "Add Board"

Now a child board, as you are in the mange boards option, click add board again, this time where it says order, select "child of" and then select which board will be the parent, flll in the rest as above and then click add board.

Now if you click home you will see a forum that has a category, a board and in the description it says child boards and lists them, click on the parent board and inside the child boards are listed at the top. Click home again now theres an arrow at the side of the category name click it. Then click the arrow next to the home button and then it minimises the clutter on your screen and makes it easier to use, click the arrows again to undo.

That is basically the process of adding boards. Private boards arent created by boards but rather by membergroup, more on that soon.

Part 2

OK. I installed the forum on my site, and it looks SOOO much better than phpbb and invision. I'm gonna go configure it some more now.

I don't know if you got your extra hosting credits or not. All I did was approve your tutorial. NilsC or OpaQue, can you give him the hosting credits?

You did