I want my site to look like this.

[Dave234]

Hello, everyone.

I would really like to make a forum that looks vaguely like this:

http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/index.php

Not so much the style or content, but in the layout.

I love the use of forums and sub-forums.

I also love how it isn't stretched all the way across the page, so that the left side of the forum titles are closer to where the eye naturally goes.

It just seems to be a very good community type feel to it. (Though I haven't spent any time on it, so I really can't attest to what the site is actually like!)

Does anyone know how I might be able to make my vbulletin publishing suite 4.1.11 look somewhat like this?

I'm in the Admin Control Panel > Styles & Templates > Style Manager, but man oh man is it confusing in there.

[RobbieZ]

Changing your sidebar from right to left would be a good start!

[Dave234]

Thanks, RobbieZ. I am new to making a website. On my vBulletin website, I do not see any sidebar. How do I even get it on there in the first place?

[Reycer]

admincp--->settings--->Forum Sidebar and Block Options
admincp--->forums & moderators--->Forum Blocks Manager (to add the sideblocks)

[Dave234]

Excellent, so I've got it enabled now. But in order to show anything, I need to create a block. What do the following blocks mean? These are the choices of blocks I have:

Blog Entries
CMS Articles
Custom HTML/PHP
New Forum Posts
Group Discussions
Tag Cloud
Forum Threads

Where would I be able to put an ad? What about an ad for a store in my own website?

[RobbieZ]

You would need to use the Custom HTML/PHP option for your advert.

Create a nice image in your favourite gfx software allowing for width and utilize HTML to display your image called from a misc folder you uploaded it to.

[Dave234]

Ok, so I'm in the "Add new block: Custom HTML/PHP" screen, but I don't see an option to "Browse..." and choose an image file from my computer.

For "Content Type" there are three choices:

Text
HTML
PHP

I chose HTML.

There is a space where I can type some words. They show the example of:

$my_output = 'Hello, world.';
return $my_output;

So can I only use text here? I can't put an image?

Under that is "Template to Use", with the description: "The block will use this template to render your content." Then it says, in the empty field: block_html

I don't get it. What does that mean? How do I make it connect to the online store?

--------------- Added 1332694827 at 1332694827 ---------------

Now that I put it on the website, it shows this on my website:

QUOTE
Custom HTML/PHP - Ad for Stuff Sold on My Site
$my_output = 'This space will be for selling stuff from my online store.'; return $my_output;
UNQUOTE

Why does it actually say "$my_output = '"?

I thought that was part of the code or something?

--------------- Added 1332695127 at 1332695127 ---------------

OK, so I just removed the "$my_output" stuff, just writing it in as it should appear, and that worked.

My remaining questions are:

1. How do I connect this to my online store? I don't see any kind of place to put a link to URL.

2. How do I put an image here? It looks like it onyl allows text.

Thanks!

[Reycer]

1. How do I connect this to my online store? I don't see any kind of place to put a link to URL.

2. How do I put an image here? It looks like it onyl allows text.




1: If your wanting to add a link you'll need to write the link. You can use
<a href="http://www.mysite.com/">My Site</a>

2: Adding an image also requires a code. You'll have to upload the pic to your server or pic sharing site (like flickr).
<img src="linktomyimage.jpg">

Or you can make a picture linkable
<a href="http://www.mysite.com/" target="_blank">
<img src="www.linktomyimage.jpg" width="300" height="221" border="0" style="border:none;" alt="I can name my photo here" />
</a>

[Dave234]

Where do I put this code?

[Reycer]

"Add new block: Custom HTML/PHP"

For "Content Type" there are three choices:

Text
HTML
PHP




Choose HTML and enter your code of choice in content.