[HowTo] Design and Tweak your Frontpage

[HowTo] Design and Tweak your Frontpage

v1.0.0 [build for vBulletin 2.2.6 Final] last update:12/06/02

_____ Introduction:

• Each vBulletin forum installed on a web server is either a part of a web site or maybe the web site itself. Either way, the section that is probably the most requested by the end-user is the frontpage which holds the introduction to the forum, the categories with its boards and maybe some other boxes like the private messages, who is currently online and the birthdays. It speaks for itself, that at least this page should give a good impression to the end-user who is browsing your web site. And might consider to continue to browse it and maybe even register.
  
  It has been six months now since I have purchased a license for vBulletin. And since my forum has been online I had a lot of questions and awnsers to them on how to improve my site. Some that did not had a direct awnser and were sometimes somewhat hard to figure out, got sorted out and put together as a little how to so I could share the knowledge with other members who had the same questions and were looking for the same awnsers. Several of those threads turned out pretty nice and with some we found some issues and even though we were able to 'fix' them, the threads did look a bit messy. It was hard to figure out sometimes what to do where, etc. So that is why I have put together this thread, with some design tips and some tweaks in an easy (and better ordered) overview.
  
  Please understand that I am not a guru in anything, and that I am trying my best to get things to work for everybody. However, I will not and can not support older versions of these hacks, older versions of vBulletin, and/or integration with other code-hacks / template modifications. All template modifications in this thread are based on a clean installation of vBulletin 2.2.6 final. Some of the provided code are also very good examples on how you could continue to apply them to other pages of your board; so read and learn > 'How can I do this on that other page?'-questions means that you didn't read and learned.
  
  Said that, let's explain what you can expect.

_____ Index:[list=1][*] Breaking up the categories from eachother[*] Adding background images to the categories[*] Adding onMouseOver-highlighting effect to the boards[*] Adding your own (blinking and clickable) private messages images[/list=1]

Very nicely done.

[Jean147]

Installed it some weeks ago. Great Modification. Looke great.

[Floris]

Originally posted by sphinx
nice guides etc,I tried to download the images but kept getting a 404 error

No problems here. The mod_xx.gif images attached are working fine.

[SSJ4Gohan]

VERY NICE I liked it a lot I use it one of the codes on my forum I like a lot GREAT JOB!!!!

Great addition to my board, thanks.

[X-Fan]

For some reason, the category spacing isn't working for me...

http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/forums/index.php?s=

I edited forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost as described, but no go.

Any suggestions?

EDIT: Got it working. I also had to edit the forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost_sponsor custom template as I use the Sponsored By hack!

I used most of these. Very easy, especially for a dope like me. Thanks.

[imported_Omega]

I must say, this is one of the better tutorials available for vB. Instructions are clear and precise, that even the newest newbie to vB can understand...My hats off to you for your great tutorial...

[Floris]

Thank you for saying that. I also noticed that the moderators on vBulletin.com have moved my HowTo to their 'Hints & Tips' board. *respect*

Very nice M8