Very Upset :(

[Roms]

Originally Posted by Freesteyelz

I don't know about anyone else but I sometimes get excited over a hack. :classic:

Anyway, the point of it all is that customizing vB is definitely a learning curve. It can be adventurous, enjoyous, frustrating and relaxing all bundled in one. In the end, however, it should leave you feeling positive.

Well said, I know a lot and I still get excited about a new hack.

[cayote]

Infantry, why so hostile? Yumy didn't blame VB she(he?) said:

Originally Posted by yumyumcat

BTW ~ after I tried to install another skin and things went awry, my administrator told me that there must be a bug in vBulletin ~ could this be possible?

:in fact not blaming VB, just asking if it was possible.

I'm not starting a flame, this is my last word on it. I just dislike how folks get all upset when someone new comes around asking a question. The only smack talk in this thread is what you posted yourself (and now mine )

Ciao

[Roms]

"why so hostile?" (I've been in debate, is this a tactic? Good luck... LOL) This is me, like it or not. Nothing "hostile" about it... Don't try to make my comments into more than they are. People don't like to hear the truth.

^ chatbum already said it but: If you don't know what you're doing then don't try to do it... AND if you do decide to do it after the fact, don't go blaming others for your mistake..... Not jumping on anyone just saying don't go blaming others if you are the one that did the messing up...

[Talisman]

Originally Posted by Infantrymen

^ if you don't know what you're doing then don't try to do it... AND if you do decide to do it after the fact, don't go blaming others for your mistake..... Not jumping on anyone just saying don't go blaming others if you are the one that did the messing up...

@ Infantrymen:

I've read these posts, Infantrymen, and yumyumcat isn't blaming anyone. What she's doing is voicing her complaint that no one will help her after a simple install causes problems she didn't or couldn't anticipate beforehand. This is not the only new(ish) member who has found out -- the hard way -- that (like the rest of us) she really is on her own if she attempts even a simple modification to customize her board.

This person is obviously frustrated..... to the point that she came here to post about it.... and being so new to vBulletin in the first place, she's understandably confused about what support there is (or isn't) and where it comes from.

My question to you is... exactly how does it help this person (or any other newer members here) for you to tell her off by saying it's her own darned fault for trying something new? Not only do you offer her no helpful advice, whatsoever, but the outright unfriendliness you've shown is appalling.

Originally Posted by yumyumcat

I've been installing your hacks and everytime I do this, my default skin turns into a nitemare and now after the marquee install, NONE of my skins are are working, but two.

@ yumyumcat:

First of all, what skin are you using as your default skin? Did you download it from here..? somewhere else..? is it an adaptation you or your admin have modified yourselves?

Most hacks really don't mess around with the skins we use - except when it comes to content changes needed on the templates. And for those hacks, the author will typically provide the necessary step-by-step html code changes you need to make yourself for the DEFAULT templates you get with your initial install of vBulletin. (This means that if you're using some other skin as your default, there may be a lot of differences between those templates and the original vB versions and those code changes you get from the hack author won't work as well.)

Those of us who wish to use multiple skins AND install various vB hacks do our best to simplify code changes by setting the default vB skin as the default skin for the board, which functions as the PARENT skin. Then, all other skins we want would be installed as a CHILD skin beneath that default.

When you install a hack, make needed template changes to the default template set - only. Then take a look at how the hack displays using other skins. Jot down any glitches you see before going back to the ACP because you'll need to track those down to make adjustments.

Pay attention to the color-coding system in use for the templates (in the ACP). If the template name is shown in white, nothing has changed. If it's yellow, all the code details are determined/applied by the default (parent) skin. You don't need to change anything there, either. You only have to modify templates in child skins when they show up with red names. Those are the templates that were customized for that skin.

To figure out where to begin, you can compare the code contained in whichever template you're working on between the default version of the template and the new skin's version of the same template. By finding out what was changed for the skin, you then know where the problems are that need to be fixed.

[Roms]

I have no idea why this is happening, but if I ask for help on an installation, I never get any. I am constantly waiting for help, but no one replies unless I PM someone.

I'm very unsatisified and I suppose that since I don't know how to code or I'm not one of your peers, am I not a worthwile individual in your eyes to be assisted?

Yep, you're right.It's our fault for not being more understanding when these kinds of people don't give anyone a chance in the first place. You're right, I'll move on. Thank you, better you get spit in your face before you've even tried to help than me.

Have a lovely night.

[yumyumcat]

Originally Posted by cayote

One way to go about it is to compare templates in the styles where the hack 'worked' with templates on the styles that don't work and see what the differences are. If you can't figure out what to change, then post here looking for help. Most folks here are more than happy to help and you'll only get a few of the nasty buggers who for whatever reason (makes them feel superior?) have to make a negative reply to every post they see (especially those of us new guys who occasionally ask what to 'them' is a stupid question).

Thanks so much for posting that. Ya know hon, you just helped me in quite a bit because if I install a hack to one, it installs it to all of them ~ I thought this was what was supposed to happen, but maybe I'm wrong too~ So sorry guys, I didn't come here to blame vBulletin. I am quite frustrtated and I do thank you Talisman for you kind post.

This person is obviously frustrated..... to the point that she came here to post about it.... and being so new to vBulletin in the first place, she's understandably confused about what support there is (or isn't) and where it comes from.

Yes, very confused and frustrated for sure and isn't it horrible that I had to start such a Thread that caused problems; this wasn't my intention at all.

@ yumyumcat:

First of all, what skin are you using as your default skin? Did you download it from here..? somewhere else..? is it an adaptation you or your admin have modified yourselves?

Talisman, the skin I was using was quite a difficult skin to install. My administrator made a lot of mods to it since there needed to be more selections to the menu~ it is called SKILLS CLUB and yes, I did download it from here.

Those of us who wish to use multiple skins AND install various vB hacks do our best to simplify code changes by setting the default vB skin as the default skin for the board, which functions as the PARENT skin. Then, all other skins we want would be installed as a CHILD skin beneath that default

Would the parent skin be the one that the hacks get installed to and then once the hack is installed, it's automatically performed to the child skins? My administrator never mentioned anything about the order of skins etc ~ I can see that I truly had no business messing around, but he told me to "go for it" ~ He seemed to think I wouldn't run into any problems I suppose.

When you install a hack, make needed template changes to the default template set - only. Then take a look at how the hack displays using other skins. Jot down any glitches you see before going back to the ACP because you'll need to track those down to make adjustments.

I see that this is where the problem is ~ the default skin has too many modifications and most likely causing these issues.

Thanks so much, sorry to be off in such a rush, I would like to post more regarding this; so I will be back ~

Happy Easter to all ~

BTW ~ I am very sorry if there's any ill will ~ I do apologize.

[lyassinel]

yeah

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by lyassinel

yeah

Interesting first post ......

[Michael Morris]

My strongest recommendation to anyone wanting to experiment with hacks / templates is to create a mirror of your boards - that way if it breaks you haven't caused the users of the board any grief.

The most painless way to do this is as follows:

1) Start by downloading XAMPP
http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html

2) Install it on your local computer. The XAMPP pages provide thorough instructions for this.

3)Once it's up set a password to your xampp pages this way outside users can't see your mirror boards. Go to http://localhost/security/xamppsecurity.php to do this (if that url doesn't work xampp isn't running on your computer).

4) Copy all your /forums directory to the /htdocs directory of your xampp installation.

5) Close your forums

6) Log in on your server and type

cd ~

hit enter then type

mysqlhotcopy --user=root --password=YourPasswordGoesHere databaseName ./

7) Open your forums back up

8) Download the directory created by this to your local machine.
Depending on your forum size this could take awhile. If the forum is large consider creating a zip file first.

9) Copy the forum over to the /mysql/data directory of my xampp installation. Make sure that you only copy the directory containing the files of your database - there will be 3 files per table in your db all contained in one directory. That containing directory is what you copy to the /data directory of mysql. Don't MOVE files - COPY them - if you mess your mirror up while experimenting you'll simply repeat this move to restore the mirror.

10) Go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin and create the user name and password your forums use to access the database - this will be in the forums config.php file. Just go ahead and give this user global priveledges - you don't need to fine tune it on the test board (though if you know how it doesn't hurt).

11) Go to http://localhost/forums and you should be able to log in. If you run into cookie problems you may need to move tools.php from the do_not_upload directory of your forums' install package into the admincp directory of the mirror.

And that's the basics of mirror creation. It's tricky, but it's worth the effort.

[yumyumcat]

Thank you so much for your input Michael ~ I'll try to creat this mirror as you suggested.

I happened to check back at my site today and apparantly my administrator has fixed the skins ~

I emailed him regarding the issue, but he didn't explain what could've happened.