Custom Styles Preview Forum

[Digital Jedi]

Perhaps not the most simplistic suggestion you've ever gotten, but seems like a nice idea and thought I'd throw it out there.

Places like Dynamic Drive have their user submitted code actually demoed on the download page, and while I realize that wouldn't be feasible for modifications (at least not at this point) I thought it might be a nice way to demo uploaded styles.

Being very simplistic here, but basically when a style author uploads the zip file or styles folder, a demo style is created, or authors have a special control panel where they import the files. Maybe the styles upload to a separate vB install, or maybe you just preview the current styles forum with the custom version (not all of vB.org of course).

The idea is to not just to see the install on a live forum, and to be able to demo the skin from a users perspective, not just a guest, and without having to register on the author's site.

Like I said, being simplistic in terms, even though I know it's more involved in execution. But, there you go.

[nexialys]

most of the styles provided in this site have a link to a demo site, so why duplicate the usage ?!

[cheat-master30]

The demo forum might be down or gone forever, there might not be a demo provided and it'd be a nice addition.

[Digital Jedi]

most of the styles provided in this site have a link to a demo site, so why duplicate the usage ?!
In part, what cheat-master said. And in part what I mentioned above. Demo forums are nice, but your still a guest just browsing another forum. Being logged in and interacting with the skin provides a sense of presence and interactivity you wouldn't get otherwise, even registering with the demo site. Besides, I wasn't suggesting a duplication of usage. I was suggesting a replacement of it.

[Opserty]

You forget that allowing a demo styles section effectively means vBulletin.org is allowing the posting of HTML. (No one is going to check through every style uploaded either).

Therefore, in my personal opinion, this feature will most probably never be available on vb.org. ;)

[nexialys]

but hey, nobody is blocked of doing it ... hey Digital Jedi, aren't you for a good challenge these days ?!

[Digital Jedi]

You forget that allowing a demo styles section effectively means vBulletin.org is allowing the posting of HTML. (No one is going to check through every style uploaded either).

Therefore, in my personal opinion, this feature will most probably never be available on vb.org. ;)
Well, you've got file uploads that are unchecked as well, so it's not too much of a stretch.

[Dismounted]

The issue that comes out at me is XSS.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

If all styles could be installed with simply uploading the XML-file, then it could be considered. Security would be 1 issue, but i also don't see staff manually installing each style released here. Not even to mention that we would need to run a demo board for each vB version.

[Jaiibee]

phpBB has done it.
PunBB has done it.

It's do-able.

[Paul M]

Lots of things are do-able if you have unlimited time and resources, we do not.

I cannot see a time when this will happen, sorry.

[Princeton]

it could be done if it was just a CSS / Image replacement - but that is not the case

some of the styles released here requires template edits, some are written badly, some are outdated (even if it's current)

[Digital Jedi]

Yeah, like I said, it wasn't anything I thought was simplistic. Just doable. The idea I had was members upload a ZIP file and the contents are extracted to the right place. Rather then a demo board for each style, I imagined a demo area for all the styles. The key thing was just being able to interact, at least in the styles forums, with a given style displayed.

But, just an idea. At least the idea is out there and maybe someday you'll be able to come back to it.