category strips sizing issue

[aengus]

Hello,

I have been customizing my template and my category strips are double the size I would like to see them and I am not having any luck figuring out how or where to change it? I am very new so be gentle :)

Here is a picture of what I mean in case I am not explaining it well

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/1893/vbhelp.jpg

The strips in that picture I would like to see about half that size. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

TIA

[DeanLag]

Hmm I think its a CSS issue.

Go into ACP > Manage Style > Main CSS of style > Additional CSS definitions:

Look for:
/* ***** small padding on 'thead' elements ***** */
td.thead, th.thead, div.thead { padding: Xpx; }

Try changing the value to 4px.
Then again, its my best guess so please do tell me if its working or not (:

[aengus]

Thank you for the suggestion, but it is set to 4px in that spot.

[Lynne]

Hard to tell from just a picture. I don't suppose those headings are in <h> tags (h1, h2, h3, etc), are they?

[JamesC70]

The category strips look like images to me .... shades of black resembling light reflecting off a black pipe or something.

If so, then the height of the image is your problem. Locate the image used in the strips, open it with a graphics editing program, and reduce the height somehow.

Please note that graphics editor programs are beyond the scope of vBulletin.org. :rolleyes:

[aengus]

actually, the image is showing double, so thats not it.

Here is the image and Im sorry, i dont have the theme available is why I am trying to show the picture.

http://www.swfansite.com/images/skins/default/footer1.png

I have put up the source and a bigger picture, maybe that will help?

I saved the source from viewing the page here

http://www.swfansite.com/test/theme.txt

and also put up a bigger image hoping it might help here

http://www.swfansite.com/theme.jpg

If there is a better suggestion of what I can do to provide more info, I will do it :) I just dont know what else to do. The theme isnt active because its not built. I guess if you guys think its real important I can activate it as a theme option and just tell my users to ignore it LOL.

Thank you all for taking the time, I do appreciate the suggestions

ETA: Lynne I dont think so, but maybe the source I provided will be more reliable than I am to answer that LOL

[DeanLag]

Yep, http://www.swfansite.com/images//skins/default/gradient_2.gif seems to be the culprit as its too large.

CSS: .vbmenu_control
.vbmenu_control {
background: #6666CC url(http://www.swfansite.com/images//skins/default/gradient_2.gif);
color: #FFFFFF;
font: bold 11px tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;
padding: 3px 6px 3px 6px;
white-space: nowrap;
}
Need to change the image. Right now its 30px.

[aengus]

OK, I took out the url portion to see what happened, but nothing changed unfortunately. It currently looks like this


.vbmenu_control
{
background: #6666CC;
color: #FFFFFF;
font: bold 11px tahoma, verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;
padding: 3px 6px 3px 6px;
white-space: nowrap;
}


--------------- Added 1256054837 at 1256054837 ---------------

I'm sorry everyone I would like to enable the option to change styles for unregistered users but I cant find where to do it ROFL. Thank you for your patience with me.

[DeanLag]

Kay found it:

In forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost

Find:
$forum[title]

Either its <a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]"><h4>$forum[title]</h4></a>

or
<h4><a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">$forum[title]</a></h4>

Remove the H4 and it should be fine. Tested and repeated it on my board

[aengus]

Hmm I cant find that! :D

Thanks Dean for locating it, and looks like Lynne was right on top of this before!

OK so where do I find this? I searched and $forum[title] wasnt showing up anywhere

I then did a search on <h4> with no luck either. I am viewing the style> all options

[DeanLag]

Its in Templates > Forumhome templates > forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost

[aengus]

hmmm I have this in forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost

<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">$forum[title]</a>
<if condition="$show['forumdescription']"><div class="smallfont">$forum[description]</div></if>
<if condition="$show['subforums']"><div class="smallfont"><strong>$vbphrase[subforums]</strong>: $forum[subforums]</div></if>

[DeanLag]

Are you sureeeeee you're looking at the style? =p
I can't seen to find anything in your CSS and viewing the source with <h4> tags, I had the same coding when I repeated it on my board.
Please tell me you looked at the wrong style, cause else I'll cry :(

[aengus]

Heres where I found it, and my style is testing2

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/8673/forumhome.jpg

I then doubleclicked that and found

<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">$forum[title]</a>
<if condition="$show['forumdescription']"><div class="smallfont">$forum[description]</div></if>
<if condition="$show['subforums']"><div class="smallfont"><strong>$vbphrase[subforums]</strong>: $forum[subforums]</div></if>
</td>

Did I do it right?

[DeanLag]

aha. What about forumhome_forumbit_level1_post

There's a similar code in there. Look for $forum[title] and see if theres any <h4> tags.
Even better, go into search templates and search for <h4>

[aengus]

searching for <h4> with testing 2 as the style returns nothing :(

[Lynne]

To find the template to modify, do this - vboptions > General Settings > Add Template Name in HTML Comments > set to Yes . Then go back to your page and view the source code and you will see the name of the template called around your part of the code. Sometimes the template is the one mentioned at the very top of the page source.

[aengus]

Thanks :)

OK so I did that, and it points back to where dean was thinking, at least I think. Heres a sample of what I think is relevant from the source

<!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost -->

<tbody>

<tr>
<td class="tcat" colspan="6"><h4>


<a style="float:right" href="#top" onclick="return toggle_collapse('forumbit_16')"><img id="collapseimg_forumbit_16" src="http://www.swfansite.com/images/skins/default/buttons//collapse_tcat.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>

<a href="forumdisplay.php?f=16">Off Topic</a>


</h4></td>

Now the thing is, I cant find any H4 tags in that template :confused:

[Lynne]

Now the thing is, I cant find any H4 tags in that template :confused:
Ummm...
<!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost -->

<tbody>

<tr>
<td class="tcat" colspan="6"><h4>


<a style="float:right" href="#top" onclick="return toggle_collapse('forumbit_16')"><img id="collapseimg_forumbit_16" src="http://www.swfansite.com/images/skins/default/buttons//collapse_tcat.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>

<a href="forumdisplay.php?f=16">Off Topic</a>


</h4></td>

[aengus]

Yes in the source I see it, but in the template I do not

ETA: the contents of the template (forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost)

<if condition="!$show['collapsable_forums']">
<tbody>
</if>
<tr>
<td class="tcat" colspan="<if condition="$vboptions[showmoderatorcolumn]">6<else />5</if>">
<if condition="$childforumbits">
<a style="float:$stylevar[right]" href="#top" onclick="return toggle_collapse('forumbit_$forumid')"><img id="collapseimg_forumbit_$forumid" src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/collapse_tcat{$collapseimg_forumid}.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>
</if>
<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">$forum[title]</a>
<if condition="$show['forumdescription']"><div class="smallfont">$forum[description]</div></if>
<if condition="$show['subforums']"><div class="smallfont"><strong>$vbphrase[subforums]</strong>: $forum[subforums]</div></if>
</td>
</tr>
<if condition="!$show['collapsable_forums']">
</tbody>
</if>
<if condition="$childforumbits">
<if condition="!$show['collapsable_forums']">
<tbody id="collapseobj_forumbit_$forumid" style="{$collapseobj_forumid}">
</if>
$childforumbits
<if condition="!$show['collapsable_forums']">
</tbody>
</if>
</if>

[DeanLag]

Well, clearly the H4 is not a CSS definition and the code says its after
<td class"tcat" colspan"6">

<td class="tcat" colspan="<if condition="$vboptions[showmoderatorcolumn]">6<else />5</if>"> <h4>
<if condition="$childforumbits"> <h4>
<a style="float:$stylevar[right]" href="#top" onclick="return toggle_collapse('forumbit_$forumid')"><img id="collapseimg_forumbit_$forumid" src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/collapse_tcat{$collapseimg_forumid}.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>
</if>

<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">$forum[title]</a>
<if condition="$show['forumdescription']"><div class="smallfont">$forum[description]</div></if>
<if condition="$show['subforums']"><div class="smallfont"><strong>$vbphrase[subforums]</strong>: $forum[subforums]</div></if>
</h4> </td>
So the redcoloured tags are the possible placement within your code.
You sure you don't want me to look at it in your ACP?


Can you run the search in all styles?

Edit: After you posted your code, then the only pausible explanation is that you're looking at the wrong style.
If you want to be sure, add ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ to $forum[title]. If the title now shows (current title)ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, then its the same template.

<if condition="!$show['collapsable_forums']">
<tbody>
</if>
<tr>
<td class="tcat" colspan="<if condition="$vboptions[showmoderatorcolumn]">6<else />5</if>">
<if condition="$childforumbits">
<a style="float:$stylevar[right]" href="#top" onclick="return toggle_collapse('forumbit_$forumid')"><img id="collapseimg_forumbit_$forumid" src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/collapse_tcat{$collapseimg_forumid}.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>
</if>
<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">$forum[title]ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ</a>
<if condition="$show['forumdescription']"><div class="smallfont">$forum[description]</div></if>
<if condition="$show['subforums']"><div class="smallfont"><strong>$vbphrase[subforums]</strong>: $forum[subforums]</div></if>
</td>
</tr>
<if condition="!$show['collapsable_forums']">
</tbody>
</if>
<if condition="$childforumbits">
<if condition="!$show['collapsable_forums']">
<tbody id="collapseobj_forumbit_$forumid" style="{$collapseobj_forumid}">
</if>
$childforumbits
<if condition="!$show['collapsable_forums']">
</tbody>
</if>
</if>

[Lynne]

Look in your Replacement Manager and see if the style came with Replacements that are adding the tag.

[DeanLag]

Ah, nice find Lynne D:

[aengus]

Edit: After you posted your code, then the only pausible explanation is that you're looking at the wrong style.
If you want to be sure, add ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ to $forum[title]. If the title now shows (current title)ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, then its the same template.

I hate to look even dumber than I already do but... Where would I put that ZZZZ? LOL

but here are 2 screenshots that make me confident im looking in the right place

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/1571/testing2.jpg

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/7374/testing22.jpg

Look in your Replacement Manager and see if the style came with Replacements that are adding the tag.

sorry :( heres what it says for that style

*


* Testing2 [Add New Replacement Variable]
o No replacement variables are defined for this style

Thank you so much for not throwing me out of here yet ;)


ETA: I search for <h4> in all templates and I do not find <h4> in any template in my vb

[DeanLag]

I pasted it in the code.


Find:
<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">$forum[title]</a>

Replace with:
<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">$forum[title]ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ</a>

Refresh style.
Then again, you said you're on the correct style soooo I ran out of ideas :(

[aengus]

I added the Zzzz's and next to all my categories the ZZZ's did apend to each forum title

[Lynne]

do you have some sort of modification maybe that is adding the <h> tags? Try disabling your modifications/plugins and see if you still have this problem.
Note: To temporarily disable the plugin system, edit config.php and add this line right under <?php

define('DISABLE_HOOKS', true);

[aengus]

the only major thing I use is vbadvanced. I will go ahead now and edit the config.php and see what happens

ETA:

OK, that improved it very much! So I must have a plug in issue.

I guess I start disabling things 1 at a time? and see when it breaks.

Thank you so much for the assistance. I will let you know what happens as things get disabled.

--------------- Added 1256075435 at 1256075435 ---------------

Fumbling along here, I was curious, Why do you think it is, the site with the current skin isnt having a problem? Also is there an easy way to shut things on and off (not all at once) without removing?

[DeanLag]

I also found that even your default skin has <h4> tags and if disabling fixes it then it should be vBadvanced. I never installed it so I don't know. Check the settings.

[aengus]

Is there by chance a spot to edit my themes <h4> options and make it play nice?

I am not finding it easy to disable the plugins I have without uninstall them all

--------------- Added 1256123997 at 1256123997 ---------------

ETA: Spoke to soon. I found the issue, it was the default theme has some customizations that can be disabled like a plugin. By turning that off (VBO Style Pro 1.0) it went away.

Thank you everyone for the help, I really appreciate it. Especially Dean and Lynne. Very kind of you both for hanging in there with me.

I'm sure I'll be back! LOL