Installed a new template today. This one is specifically designed for YaBB v2.4. The other one that we were using was designed for an older version (so old I don't even remember).

This one is pretty close to what we were using before.

I still need to tweak some stuff, such as eliminating the flashing gfx (update » done), but I think we can work with this.

Any glaring problems?

Note that I SAVED the new midnyte theme/template *as* blk_gry3d. That was the only was to get everybody to use it as the default. So even tho it SAYS you're using "blk_gry3d" .. you're really using the new "midnyte" theme/template.

@ Rad

I like it!

But the rendering in Internet Explorer is quite different from FireFox--the fond size is much larger in FireFox--and in FireFox there is no line separating the posting text from the *signature* line, if used.

I just finished tweaking. So hit your refresh button a couple times (in each browser) to make sure your using the latest tweaks/files.

I am not seeing much diff between the two browsers, but I'll check again.

Okay, this is Firefox. Looks pretty close to IE8. Actually looks *better*. A little slicker.

This is Seamonkey.

What do you think of the main text size .. what you're reading now? Does it seem a little small? It's set to 12, but maybe I should bump it up to 13.

@ Spanky

Just checking, but on the Admin page, under Forum Settings/General tab:


Quote:

Select the default Forum Template:  blk_gry3d

I don't know if that has any effect on how this new MidNyte is being displayed.  I've switched between both in my Profile area and don't see much change--I'll re-check that.

Oooh--way cool--there's auto spell checking going on in real time while typing in the Reply box!


Quote:

But the rendering in Internet Explorer is quite different from Firefox--the fond size is much larger in Firefox

Well, the sizes were still much different--but discovered that in Firefox's menu item *View/Zoom*--by selecting *Zoom Out*, the sizes get equalized. 

In Internet Explorer (I'm using v7.xx), it the menu item *Page* drop down box, item *Zoom*--there it shows what the percent zoom is that you're using.  When set at 100%, the font size is a bit small for my eyes--but remember I'm using 1680 x 1050 screen resolution. 

Interesting, if I use greater or less Zoom size in IE 7, the scrolling becomes jerky--only smooth if 100%.  But Firefox scrolling stays smooth regardless of changes!

Once you're done tweaking, I'll see if I can't make a few new templates for slightly larger font sizes for those who might need the larger size for the higher resolution screens.

NightOwl wrote on May 6^th, 2009 at 3:57pm:

I don't know if that has any effect on how this new MidNyte is being displayed.I've switched between both in my Profile area and don't see much change--I'll re-check that.

I saved midnyte *as* blk_gry3d .. cuz that is what everyone's pref's are set to. That's the only way to change the template so everybody uses it. Good thing that didn't cause a problem, cuz it woulda been tough to recover.

So the midnyte theme/template now *is* (called) "blk_gry3d".

@ Rad


Quote:

I saved midnyte *as* blk_gry3d

Ah...good to know, and I see the problem that would have caused--as you say!

I just switch to my old *blk_gry3d-large* template and it is still working fine!  You must not have over-written the files responsible for that template when re-naming MidNyte to *blk_gry3d*--my template was based on the *blk_gry3d*.

When you updated the software to v2.1 (?)--all the templates no longer worked and I had to re-do them.

Should *MidNyte* be deleted from the template listing?  Will it have the *tweaks*?

@ Rad

Something got bigger!!!  You must be tweaking as we reply!

Looks great for me, but may be *huge* for others!

[edit]My bad, forgot I had switched to my *large* font template!!![/edit]

looks good to me so far

Just adding my $.02.  I like the new theme.

I had the blk_gry 3d set and when I logged on today Midnyte had taken it over but I do like the change. it seems to respond faster too.... not sure if that would make a diff or not.

ckcc wrote on May 6^th, 2009 at 8:02pm:

I had the blk_gry 3d set and when I logged on today Midnyte had taken it over

That's b-cuz this *is* the new blk_gry3d. I had to save the midnyte theme *as* blk_gry3d in order to get everyone to be using this theme as default. Otherwise, everybody would have to go into their User CP and make the change manually (which would never happen) .. and it suks to try to administer a forum with multiple "default" themes.

The gnarly thing is that I would get an error when enterring the "Template Configuration" page (in Admin section, listed under "Forum Layout") .. while using the blk_gry3d template. So I'd first have to adopt the Forum default theme before I could do anything with the 'Template Config".

And even if I was using the "Forum default" theme .. just *selecting* the blk_gry3d theme/template would generate an error (like a gnarly Perl error) and leave me wit no where to go except back to the forum's home page.

So, after I saved this midnyte template *as* blk_gry3d (which is everybody's default .. if there was a problem .. it could've been a major headache to recover from .. cuz I could not access the "Template Config" with/as/using blk_gry3d .. so going back would've been major sukage.

MrMagoo wrote on May 6^th, 2009 at 6:42pm:

Just adding my $.02.I like the new theme.

Cool. Thanks.

I'm having some gnarly/weird/quirky network issues at home preventing me from reaching *only* the Rad site (no webpages, email or FTP, nothing) .. that I want to talk to you about. But that's another issue. Maybe this weekend we'll chat.

WireTree says site is cool, no problems, no blockage of my IP.

Intermittent prob, last 3-4 days, but seems to be becoming more frequent. TraceRT doesn't even get to the first hop. Errors on #1. Goes no further. Resetting router used to fix but not any more.

Had my ISP disable my router firewall. They called it "DMZ'ing me. I use Outpost.

ckcc wrote on May 6^th, 2009 at 8:02pm:

it seems to respond faster too

I was thinking the same. Perhaps, with an out-of-date template, the forum script was looking for stuff that wasn't there, thus causing delay. I don't know. But faster is always better.

I also took pains to make the links on this template/theme more consistent. On the other template, we have all sorts of links, blue/green/white/gray both with and without underlines on rollovers.

I still haven't been able to nail down *every* link the same, but they're now far more consistent than b4.

I try to make all links that faded blue/green color and have them brighten slightly upon roll-over with no underline. At least that's my intention.

The hardest part seems to be getting them all to brighten upon roll-over (hover).

Here, btw, is the original midnyte theme .. b4 Rad tweakage:

http://www.boardmod.org/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1240981402/0

(the links were orange.)

Ooh, now we got some BUTTONS. I like the buttons.

That's weird.

I only see the buttons in IE8 logged in as Rad.

Not in FF or Seamonkey or even Opera as visitor. On the others I see icons+text.

I see buttons-only using the forum default template.

Problem:

http://www.yabbforum.com/community/YaBB.pl?num=1230404069/12#12

I fixed it. I was config'ing "midnyte" .. not blk_gry3d .. which is kinda the same for all intents & purposes (they share the same *.css file) .. but not for buttons vs icons + text forum config.

Everybody should now see buttons instead of icons + text.

The buttons are kinda bright/silver but small, so seem to stand-out nicely on the dark/black background.

Rad wrote on May 6^th, 2009 at 4:08pm:

I saved midnyte *as* blk_gry3d .. cuz that is what everyone's pref's are set to. That's the only way to change the template so everybody uses it. Good thing that didn't cause a problem, cuz it woulda been tough to recover. So the midnyte theme/template now *is* (called) "blk_gry3d".

In the *User CP*, under *Profile/Options*--both *midnyte* and *blk_gry3d* are listed as choices--and both seem to give the same forum appearance!--are you modifying both equally as you tweak the system?

And, regarding your statement above--I understand what you are saying--makes sense--but most folks have not *set* a preference--they're just using the *default* that was set in the Admin area.  I don't know how the *cookies* for the forum work, but if you change the forum default in the Admin area to *midnyte* and most folks are using the Admin forum default--wouldn't most folks end up seeing *midnyte* and not the old *blk_gry3d*.

You'd have to make a change to the two different templates so you can differentiate between the two--such as the large *MidNyte* title at the top that was present when you first started testing the theme.

The reason I'm asking--it's getting confusing--too many templates--when I used *blk_gry3d* to test larger font sizes--I lost the *midnyte* appearance to the forum--had the color scheme, but the appearance of the webpage reverted back to just text where the *Home, Help, Search....* menu bar is--the graphics disappeared--but the font sizes where larger.

I had to select *midnyte* in the template modification area of the Admin area to get the graphics plus the larger font sizes!--maybe I tried testing the font size before you tweaked *blk_gry3d* or something--I will test again later today to see if it was something I was doing wrong.

NightOwl wrote on May 9^th, 2009 at 9:45am:

both *midnyte* and *blk_gry3d* are listed as choices--and both seem to give the same forum appearance!--are you modifying both equally as you tweak the system?

for some, not all. it appears when i tweak the *.css file, changes are applyied to BOTH templates, cuz they both share the same css file. but for things in "template configuration" panel/window like buttons vs text+icons, apparently not, as both those templates are controlled separately for those things (which was the cause of much of my confusion regarding butons-only vs text+icons).


NightOwl wrote on May 9^th, 2009 at 9:45am:

if you change the forum default in the Admin area to *midnyte* and most folks are using the Admin forum default--wouldn't most folks end up seeing *midnyte* and not the old *blk_gry3d*.

i wish. that would make things much easier. but that is controlled by the user. and if you think about it, you wouldn't want an admin to change your settings without asking.

users get the style/template of whatever is set to default when they first join the forum. they are then free to select whatever styles and configs we make available.

altho i think it's worth asking again about changing everybody's default template setting.

http://www.yabbforum.com/community/YaBB.pl?num=1241882543/0


NightOwl wrote on May 9^th, 2009 at 9:45am:

The reason I'm asking--it's getting confusing--too many templates--when I used *blk_gry3d* to test larger font sizes--I lost the *midnyte* appearance to the forum--had the color scheme, but the appearance of the webpage reverted back to just text where the *Home, Help, Search....* menu bar is--the graphics disappeared--but the font sizes where larger.

the blk_gry3d_"larger" modifications that you made to the old blk_gry3d template that we used for years are all based upon the old blk_gry3d template.

In order to change those, take the NEW black_gry3d template (as the old blk_gry3d template styles no longer exist) and SAVE IT AS the variations you currentrly have tweaked. You will have to go into each template (make sure you're in the bigger-size template) and tweak like you did before. It doesn';t seem like a major revisions .. only a few sizes get bumped up, right? (But I dunno for sure. You are the expert there.) Then all your tweaked templates will have the new midnytre styling and be nased on a current Y2.4 template.

Or you could simple DELETE all the bigger templates that you modded, and simply base you siize-tweaks on the template named "midnyte" .. and thus have new size-tweaked templates such as "midnyte_big" and "midnyte_bigger" and "midnyte_biggest" etc. You get the picture.

OR .. you could name these styles "NightOwlz_custom_big" and "NightOwlz_custome_bigger" etc.

But if somebody currently has their forums set to "blk_gry3d_bigger" and you delete, then they'd be kicked back to the forum default.

But you should probably wait until we finish tweaking the base-template the way we want .. so everything will be the same .. except for the font sizes you tweak.

FAIK the only thing that changes is that when you create a new style .. a NEW CSS file gets generated .. cuz when I upgrade the forum I have to copy over all your custom *.css files, as a separate CSS file gets generated for EACH of your custom styles.

NightOwl wrote on May 9^th, 2009 at 9:45am:

I had to select *midnyte* in the template modification area of the Admin area to get the graphics plus the larger font sizes!--maybe I tried testing the font size before you tweaked *blk_gry3d* or something--I will test again later today to see if it was something I was doing wrong.

I have been tweaking little things. Normally I have to hit the REFRESH button b4 I see changes, so I'd expect you would also have to.

by the way, the guy who did the midnyte template is currently working on a new one .. posted here:

http://www.lonewebsurfer.com/yabbtemplates/y24/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

it's still rough, but you get the idea. it's a very nice template.

the soldier them would not work for us, but with a few tweaks i think we would be able to make it work (.. if we wanted).

tho basically i am a black-kinda guy (stylistically speaking)

Here is his home board:

http://www.lonewebsurfer.com/forum/YaBB.pl

I noticed that his use of transparency doesn't kill my CPU the way O-Opacity does/did.

I am about done dialing in this badboy. What do you think?

The only thing I was thinking about was removing the bold from the forum titles and changing that to a unique color instead (such as orange or gold) .. but I can't find how to control that.

Finally figured out how to eliminate the bold tag for board names.

It was controlled in BoardIndex.template (not CSS)

I replaced the bold tag with a span tag (with class attribute of "boardName") and added the controlling CSS to the end of the midnyte.css file

HTML:
<span class="boardName">

CSS:
.boardName {
                 color: "#66CCCC"
}

-and-

.boardName:hover {
                 color: "#66FFFF"
}

It worked. So instead of bold, we get a slightly brighter board-title .. to make them stand out.

I tried orange. It looked horrible.

But I like this better than the bold.

Okay, I think I am done dialing-in this puppy.

Does it look okay?

If so, you can go ahead and create some LARGE versions from it. (Save_As and tweak.)

Rad wrote on May 12^th, 2009 at 8:34pm:

Does it look okay?

I have no complaints.  I like the new look.

no complaints here either.

Thanks for the feedback.

Even tho it's a new template, I tried to make it look somewhat like the last one .. mainly cuz I liked the way the last one looked.

The biggest changes with this one .. cosmetically speaking .. are that I replaced the text+icons with buttons. The little bit of silver (buttons) on lots of black seems to work.

I also changed the style of the board names to remove the bold and make them slightly brighter .. so they stand out.

I'm getting pretty good with CSS.

Oh yeah, and then there's the tabs, which the old template did not support.

But too much change all at once can be off-putting, so I think here's where we'll stay .. at least for a while.

I also like the graphic-background this template uses in the Post/Reply box.