New to vB...got questions on making templates

Hello hello

I am in the process of moving my site over to vBulletin. So far I have a test setup on my home PC where I am getting my bridge working (Hurdle #1 ). The other thing I am looking to do is move my current skin over to vB, as well as possible make a few new ones.

Is it better to make all the templates children of the default one? It would seem like doing it this way would make future updates easier by inheriting parts of the default, but could this also cause issues?

Where do I put images? For the moment I just made a sub-directory of the images folder, but what is the standard method for storing images in a vB template?


On a side note, I got my bridge between vB and eFiction working quite well. Even got it pulling parts of the vB template for the eFiction output. Once I get the templates sorted out I can move forward with upgrading my site.



oh....and WOOT, first post

It depends on the differences between any styles you make. Take here for instance - we style for clients on this site, so each style is separate and not used as a child style because they're all built different ways. If you're using the same format for all of your styles and simply changing the colours, then yes - make them all child styles. If each one has a different look and requires different template edits then I would recommend not using child styles of the default.

Also with the plug in system vb now uses, it's much easier to upgrade sites and styles quickly and efficientiy

oh... and well done on your first post

Welcome

Styles - from smf to vB - dont look hard from what you have on your site .

Never worked with it -- always been vB since v1 .
Templates for just about everything - a lot of whats there can be transfered with css and a few tables --
Guessing but would just try the css first then re arrange with the templates, will let you know what area is what.

As far as different styles - -
the simple just splitting the forums and other basic things, not a lot of templates involved and for clients a new one for each .

when it starts that its making a top and a bottom , 4 sides being used for a graphic will start using child styles for each type - top/bottom and 4 sided or any other main layout that involves it own edits to display how it needs to .
headers, footers and forum page dont' matter much as the lay outs vary and they are easy to work with, are the major edits i am keeping together .

this will make for easier updates .

the simple - tangerine - Nightshades - and have a 4 sided one in night shades an currently finishing -- 3.5 had over 90 edits to get this thru the entire forum .

We use the same level as the forum images dir , not under it -- long names can help in mistakes , add bulk to the templates ect .

think every bit that can be saved in letters and all help in speed - we also use a page compressor, removes spaces and un-needed comments and such . looking at the source of the page is hard to read with out first editing in spaces and such -

there is no set or real way so its' you choice / preference -- if you ever need to rename a folder its quite simple .

forum
- - images
- - new style folder
- - new style folder

not

forum
- - images
- - - -new style

we dont reuse the same images, copy all the files in the images folder to the new style folder , then start editing or replacing as necessary - helps keep track of whats done and makes sure no images are missing .
you could if you wished but it needs to be on a dir by dir bases . the style variables .

biggest thing i learned -- try not to / dont' hard code anything you dont have to as far as a path or what ever vb can do it self thru variables -

if you are adding the same code over and over - :
example ::

Code:

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viewing of code, please click 'here' to register.

keep it all the same , identical - if a mistake is made vb with its style options can fix them all a lot faster .

it will let you search for the

Code:

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in all of the templates to correct it with out find it all one by one .

if you need assistance on some of this should be able to help out with what your not understanding, just wont' do the entire coding of or style .

WoW

Thank you both for the info. I am taking a look at the plug in system now, but I think I will have to read up a bit so I understand how the hooks work.

One reason I was initially looking at child styles was that I was adding a new menu option to the vB menu bar, a pull down box with all the eFiction links. However I think what you both said makes sense, and copying this from one to another is not that big of a problem once I get is set.

One thing I am looking to do is have multiple styles for my visitors, something I had not been able to setup easley due to the way SMF handles templates. vB is letting me pull the layout and store it in variables, so I can work with it in eFic.

Again, thank you both for the information. Now I just need to get out of work so I can put it to good use

You're welcome any other problems, just yell!