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)


.

[Seven Skins]

^^ When I get some time free I will make this.

[LordDB]

Originally Posted by Seven Skins

^^ When I get some time free I will make this.

That'll be just great; I await it at your convenience! Many Members I'm sure will appreciate it!

[ZXeno]

Originally Posted by ZXeno

I'm trying to get the left column to 240px wide and leave the right column at the default. I followed your directions in posts #14 and #17, but I haven't been able to get the columns (left/right or both) to change size.

Also, I'm trying to move the forum statistics into one of the boxes in the column (my site's 3.8 example here) but when I try to move the stats from the "What's going on?" box, it doesn't display what is in the variables, any thoughts on this?

Anything suggestions at all?

[Seven Skins]

Edit "ss_twincolumns_css.css"

.ss_twincolumns_wrapper {
padding-left: 255px;
padding-right: 135px;
}

.ss_twincolumns_inner {
width: 100%;
}

.ss_twincolumns_floatwrap {
float: left;
width: 100%;
margin-left: -255px;
}

.ss_twincolumns_content {
float: right;
margin-right: -255px;
width: 100%;
position: relative;
}

.ss_twincolumns_content_margin {
padding: 0px 5px 0px 5px;
}

.ss_twincolumns_left {
float: left;
width: 255px;
position: relative;
}

[greenchicken]

I love this mod, but I have a question

I run two styles and use the force users to style hack
How do I uninstall your mod on the ad-free style and keep it on the style I want to keep it on?

[COL NIL SATIS]

brill will upload once vbull 4 lands on our forum:up:

[texasteamplayer]

Originally Posted by 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?

that's your CMS. this mod is for your forum, silly.

seven......can widgets like "recent posts" and such go into these blocks, like they do for VB's current block?

Is there a way to configure the width of the block, the padding, and the internal forum width (and I'd MUCH rather do it based on % than fixed pixel width)? For example, I'd like the blocks to be 170px wide, with 10px spacing, and then have the forum occupy 100% of the space inbetween.

That would make it easy to manage, and look proper on all screen resolutions.

[texasteamplayer]

that, and why not integrate this into the "block manager" for vb? so widgets can be viewed and managed that way? Or hack into the VB one and add the permission to be able to minimize a block, or the entire sidebar (that little tab). For people that use these side blocks for ads and static html (menu's, etc) content....users goofing around and minimizing and removing the blocks is a headache.

[texasteamplayer]

Originally Posted by PcGamer

Yes it does...

but what I don't know is How would I go about adding these twin columns to my other pages such as 'arcade.php'?

I'd like to make this block for all pages of the site. even the homepage CMS. We run static content in the side blocks, so the homepage CMS stuff and forums can occupy 100% of the middle space, while the side blocks are the same on all pages.

possible?

[Seven Skins]

Originally Posted by texasteamplayer

Is there a way to configure the width of the block, the padding, and the internal forum width (and I'd MUCH rather do it based on % than fixed pixel width)? For example, I'd like the blocks to be 170px wide, with 10px spacing, and then have the forum occupy 100% of the space inbetween.

That is how it is at the moment. Coulnn are 120px wide and forum contents fluid.

For widgets you have to write your own plugins.

Originally Posted by texasteamplayer

I'd like to make this block for all pages of the site. even the homepage CMS. We run static content in the side blocks, so the homepage CMS stuff and forums can occupy 100% of the middle space, while the side blocks are the same on all pages.
possible?

Possible but not recommended.

Remove these two lines from these two templates "ss_twincolumns_start" and "ss_twincolumns_end"

<vb:if condition="THIS_SCRIPT == 'index' OR THIS_SCRIPT == 'forumdisplay'">
</vb:if>

.