Theme Guide

After reading this page, you will know how to create a theme for Elite Bulletin Board.

Elite Bulletin Board version 2 has added a lot more creativity ability to the theme engine and as a result will allow you to create a totally unique design for your board.

Step 1: Copying from an existing template

This makes your job easier. You have two methods to choose from. If you want a table-based design, copy over the template files from Metallic Thunder. If you want a CSS 3 design copy over the template files From Simple2.

I should note that while a table-free is possible, there are still a few portions of the script that had to remain in a table-based format(avatar gallery being one of those).

Step 2: Editing the files

To ensure everything looks right, you have a medium list of files to edit, below is that list.

• acp_header.htm
• acp_logheader.htm
• announcement.htm
• boardstat.htm
• cp-groupmemberlist.htm
• cp-pendinglist.htm
• cp-modinstaller.htm
• grouplist-viewusers.htm
• header.htm
• grouplist-viewusers.htm
• pm-inbox_head.htm
• pm-inbox_noresult.htm
• pm-read.htm
• pollresults.htm
• replylisting.htm
• smiles.htm
• top-(acp, admin, logged, guest).htm
• upload.htm
• upload_head.htm
• viewboard_noresult.htm
• viewboard_foot.htm
• viewtopic.htm
• style.css
• spell_checker.css
• ticker_functions.js

Step 3: Editing ticker_functions.js

This file is the file that controls the information ticker. To edit this file is simple.

on Line 14 look for this line of code:

     tickerObj.style.color="rgb("+0+","+0+","+0+")";

in order to alter this you will need to use the RGB color table. A fun trick with this ticker file is that you can make the ticker fade if you so desire(beware that only text will fade with this system).

Step 4: creating the installer

After you have edited everything and created the new set of graphics your ready to make the installer. This is a new feature for Elite Bulletin Board and the general work is simple.

First, get a copy of another theme created for Elite Bulletin Board and copy the installer file(stylename.style.php). Alter the installer to suit your new design and change the general text to fit your new style as well.

The most critical portion will be the SQL query, this does all the work. You only need to change the values that are in the values() portion of the sql query. You will also want to chmod the installer 777 or 755(ask host for which one to use) if you wish to have the installer automatically delete the file personally.

Finished!

Your now finished with a new fresh design for your board. If you have any problems or concerns, please feel free to post it on the Community Board.

Tricks & Tips: Integrating your site's design within Elite Bulletin Board

To make your board look exactly like the rest of the site you have to edit the top files(acp, admin, logged, guest), header.htm and footer.htm

If you need to, you can add extra tags to the template file in order to have dynamic items(such as site polls, newsletter form, ect) though this will require you to go through every file to alter the changes so the template engine can parse the tags.