Need Help With Custom Header And Footer

[brianpauljaus]

I am new to Vbulletin and this product is not simple for beginners. I wish to have a custom header and footer for my site:

http://www.immae.tv/crp

I have created html/css files for both the header and the footer as shown here

http://www.immae.tv/crp/test/header
http://www.immae.tv/crp/test/footer

A link to a zip of the files is here......

http://www.immae.tv/crp/test/header_...oter_files.zip

Is this as simple as going to the Template Editor and editing the header and footer files ? Do I delete all code there or is some of it necessary to keep ? Where do I put the style sheets so I can reference them ? Any help would be appreciated.

[Lynne]

Read Don's blog entries and download the StyleVar Dictionary and the Skinning guide: vB4: Skinning Your Forum in 10 Easy Steps and StyleVar Visual Dictionary for Forum, Blog, and CMS (PDF Documents)

[brianpauljaus]

Lynne,

How cool I have been reading your posts for a day now as I have been doing my research. So glad a heavy like you responded.

Ok I will read those things, but is it really that complex to change the header ? I bought this product to make it easier and abstract me from raw programming and just to change a navbar menu button takes serious editing and knowledge of the product.

If I have more questions after reading I will respond back on this thread. Thanks for the help.

[Lynne]

No, it's not that complex to change the header. But, Don has outlined all these things in his blog, so there is no reason for me to just repeat what he has already written (which is more detailed than what I would write).

[brianpauljaus]

Lynne,

I am not out of the woods yet. I am a speed reader and I read both papers already. They did not answer my question... but I am a rookie and maybe I am trying to do something that should be done to begin with. Here is then where I need the help of a pro.

The 10 step guide is mis leading. It does not show you how to change the header file or header code. It shows you how to swap the background image use the stylevar editor. I am trying to do something different. I wish to replace the whole header block with my custom code.

Is it unatural or a bad idea to do this ? My code has my own css, my own layout.. etc. You can see in the links above. So changing the stylevar doc_background is not enough for me. So is it easier to take this route and accept the limitations or can I actually use a custom header and footer ? Thanks Lynne, you rock !

--------------- Added [DATE]1261859060[/DATE] at [TIME]1261859060[/TIME] ---------------

Forgive my ignorance. Who is Don and how to I get to his blog ? Do you have a link ?

Sorry I know I am a total newb but I learn quickly ! :-)

[Lynne]

Don is the vB Product lead - http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/membe...4-Don-Kuramura He's written a bunch of articles on the CMS and on styling.

As for your method of doing it, I have no idea if it's a good idea or not. I find it easier to use the default way of doing it, but I suppose if you want to do it your way, then you may. You'll probably have to edit the header template though. And then add your css either at the bottom of the vbulletin.css file or using some other method to add css.

[Charlie98902]

Is your header fluid or contains 3 parts to make it? If so I have a CSS code you can use well some else made it and it works.

[brianpauljaus]

Originally Posted by Charlie98902

Is your header fluid or contains 3 parts to make it? If so I have a CSS code you can use well some else made it and it works.

Actually after reading the papers and looking at the tools avaible I am going to follow them. It is only slight less as robust as what I wanted and way way less work. That is the main reason I bought this is to make things easier. The Skin whitepaper is really good, and since it is only 16 pages but so valuable I recommend they embed it in the admin console so you dont have to reference. THAT would be awesome.

--------------- Added [DATE]1261863370[/DATE] at [TIME]1261863370[/TIME] ---------------

Originally Posted by Lynne

Don is the vB Product lead - http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/membe...4-Don-Kuramura He's written a bunch of articles on the CMS and on styling.

As for your method of doing it, I have no idea if it's a good idea or not. I find it easier to use the default way of doing it, but I suppose if you want to do it your way, then you may. You'll probably have to edit the header template though. And then add your css either at the bottom of the vbulletin.css file or using some other method to add css.

I decided to follow the white paper on skin creation. Between that and the stylevar dictionary I am good to go. Lot less work then trying to do custom stuff. The custom stuff is not hard in itself, but tweaking such a complex platform to insert it is not worth it.

Quick question, I have the full 4.0 CMS publishing suite. In the admin console there is only one section for styles... but when I follow the white paper it only affects forums and blogs. Is there a seprate place to do the CMS layout as well ?

[Lynne]

Make sure you set the style for your CMS in the Section Manager (Home > hover over section title > click on Pencil > Style)

[brianpauljaus]

Originally Posted by Lynne

Make sure you set the style for your CMS in the Section Manager (Home > hover over section title > click on Pencil > Style)

Ok I did that but nothing happened. I went to Section manager within the CMS Admin panel. I went to that section and picked pencil then I got a white box with all the sections and asked me to pick one but nothing happens when I click on the links. I would be happy to PM you the login so you can see. We are still in development and it is not a live system.