Forum Home Enhancements - Twin columns on forum home and forum display

Twin columns on forum home and forum display

As the title says this mod simply puts a column on both sides forumhome and forumdisplay pages.

Great mod for google skyscrapper ads.

Installation:
Download the attached XML file.
Import the product.
Edit navbar and footer templates. (See below)




Find in navbar template:

<div class="body_wrapper">

Add below:

{vb:raw ss_twincolumns_start}

Add the code below to the first line of footer template:

{vb:raw ss_twincolumns_end}

Footer template after adding the code:

{vb:raw ss_twincolumns_end}

<vb:if condition="!empty($ad_location['ad_footer_start']) or !empty($ad_location['global_above_footer'])">
<div style="clear: {vb:stylevar left}">
  {vb:raw ad_location.ad_footer_start}
  {vb:raw ad_location.global_above_footer}
</div>
</vb:if>

......

It is recommended that you should edit doc_minwidth to 950 and doc_margin to Top=0 Right=10 Bottom=0 Left=10 .. so that you have more space for forums and contents won't get squashed.


Once you have installed the modification edit "SevenSkins - Templates > ss_twincolumns_left_contents and ss_twincolumns_right_contents to put your advert or contents in the side columns.


Finally don't forget to click install.


Thanks to Lynne for additional css plugin code which I used in this modification.


PS. Do not use my side column mods together use only one.


================================================== ==

If you want to enable or disable this hack on different pages of the forum .. 
Edit the ss_twincolumns_start and ss_twincolumns_end templates:
 
Find:
<vb:if condition="THIS_SCRIPT == 'index' OR THIS_SCRIPT == 'forumdisplay'">
 
 
Edit it to ... for home page:
<vb:if condition="THIS_SCRIPT == 'index'">
 
Edit it to ... for homepage, forumdisplay and showthread:
<vb:if condition="THIS_SCRIPT == 'index' OR THIS_SCRIPT == 'forumdisplay' OR THIS_SCRIPT == 'showthread'">

================================================== ==


Updates:
19 Jan 10: Updated
- Save the code from "ss_twincolumn_left_contents" and "ss_twincolumn_right_contents" template. (Code for ads, etc)
- Revert template belonging to this product.
- Then import the product over writting the existing installation.
- Put your ad code in the "ss_twincolumn_left_contents" and "ss_twincolumn_right_contents" template.



15 Jan 10: Updated for vBulletin 4.0.1
2 templates has been changed.
- Save the code from "ss_twincolumn_left_contents" and "ss_twincolumn_right_contents" template. (Code for ads, etc)
- Revert template belonging to this product.
- Then import the product over writting the existing installation.
- Put your ad code in the "ss_twincolumn_left_contents" and "ss_twincolumn_right_contents" template.



22 Dec 09: Working with vBulletin 4.0.0 (Gold)


.

[Bouncer222]

By twin column you mean a column on each side of the main content being displayed correct? I have a test site of vbulletin , latest release installed at www.new.brotherhoodofgamers.com and there is already 2 columns on each side, although I might be wrong and not understand correctly what you mean by twin columns.

And the vbulletin one only shows the columns on the homepage?

[Bouncer222]

so we have to manually edit the templates to post the content?

[treyb]

Any way to make the columns a tad bit wider? maybe 170px, I edited the css but it did not change, maybe I did it wrong.

[Seven Skins]

You have to change all instances of "135px" to the width you want in the CSS.

.

[treyb]

I did change them all to 170 but I still get this http://dixietalk.com/forum.php

[Bouncer222]

Originally Posted by Bouncer222

so we have to manually edit the templates to post the content?

So what about this?

[Seven Skins]

Originally Posted by Bouncer222

so we have to manually edit the templates to post the content?

Yes.

Originally Posted by treyb

I did change them all to 170 but I still get this http://dixietalk.com/forum.php

Columns are 170px.
How wide are your ads ... if they are 170px you need to make then approx 15 px wider, to allow for padding.

[Bouncer222]

And would this interfere with the vbulletin CMS?

[chrisbr]

What would one need to edit to get the boxes to come exactly inline with the Main Catagory section?

Plus, i'd want the yellow bar at the top to go over the boxes too, can this be done?

(see attached mockup)

[Seven Skins]

Welcome message will cause problem and if you manage to sort this out then other forum pages will not align properly.

Try adding "{vb:raw ss_twincolumns_start}" to the last line of navbar template and you will see what I mean.