I need A LOT of help....

Hi, my name is Tony...first time poster

I have been posting on a vBulletin BB for a long time now and really like how it handles. (Nice to have source code done)

Here's a little background....I am finishing a degree in computer engineering (hardware) but do know a decent amount of programming as well.

I work at a company doing a slew of IT things (web, network admin, pc help desk, project support, etc.).

Here is my dilema, my boss decided that we want to create a forum because we are a company that has representatives across the country and decided we would like them to be able to share ideas. GREAT idea I said. I told him PHP is a great language, quick and could be integrated into our IIS right now and later into our new APACHE server. He told me good go get it and get vBulletin.

Great so this is where I am at, what I need now is to know how to TOTALLY customize the pages. We are a decorating company and I can't afford to have the sort of drab default settings.

My problem is is that I have no IDEA where to begin, I have always used Dreamweaver to make htmls and have no idea how to create a template or how to change things.

I need to know where to start, what to do, etc.??

I know it is a lot to ask but I have been surfing and looking at this site for awhile and everyone really knows their schtuff!! So any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks sooooooo much
Sincerely,

Lost without you Tony

P.S. - Any walk throughs or guides or a "Modifying your first template" docs would be great.

BTW - I know how to do the mods via the admin control panel, I need to know how to move things and rearrange looks...

[assassingod]

Well, I cant say i've seen a good explanation through 'modifying your first template' but I cant suggest using the vBulletin Manuel (Found here)

Modifying templates is quite easy once you get the hang on it.
You can edit your templates by going to:
www.url.com/forumdir/admin.php
Going to the bottom of the left hand navigation, selecting 'Modify' under the templates section. And the rest there is sort of self-explanitry.

Having a good knowledge in HTML is also good. Using dreamweaver isnt exactly a popular thing for vBulletin

I'm sorry that I cant be of more help. Normally I would give you the biggest tutorial ever but I am ill. But keep posting here and we'll try and do are best to help you.

Thanks, I know how to use the admin utility to change colors and what not but I guess what I really want to know is for example how to create a page like this homepage.....that posts certain threads and what not and how to edit input boxes and stuff like that.

[assassingod]

I see
Well, let me try:

Each template is seperated into catagories to make the user understand what templates it under what catagory.
For Example:
Forum Home Page Templates contains a list of template which when edited, change the look of your main forum homepage.
forumhome is the main template for editing the forum homepage.

Get it?

Also, editing stuff like CSS values and anything contained in the head tags, can be found in headinclude template.