test and Forums discussion

[TheHolo.Net]

=P

[TheHolo.Net]

FYI: The only people that can currently even see these forums, much less access them are: Eve and Hera as well as all mods and admins at SWFans.

[DarthHERA]

wow! Gotta say Im Impressed!!

you guys are very good to me you know :)


I wuv you all!

*hugs everyone*

*Special hugs for SWFans.Net and the Nupster dudes*



(ps- We should talk money then soon seeming Im hosted here)

[TheHolo.Net]

Your site/group as well as LL’s sites/groups are all very low bandwidth using sites so I doubt Nup will want much, but that’s his call.

I’m pleased to hear that you are impressed at what we have so far. I know LL and I both have lots of ideas and stuff that still needs to be implemented in these new forums but it will take a little time to all put together.

We do have the capability of making these forums have their own style, different from the rest of SWFans and If you would like, I can probably almost exactly mimic the look Eve has given to your ezboard, with her permission to use graphics and such of course.

I haven’t added all of SFF’s forums yet because I wanted to discuss things some first and find out your thoughts on how they should be arranged.

Like the various personal quarters and such I can either have them all on the main SFF page, or have them splintered inside subgroups, see the Ciz section to see some of that in action in the Embassy forum and the two bottom ones.

The look can be customized to just about anything you or Eve would like, including how subforums and categories appear in the forum summary list. Its all very complicated, but I have a pretty good handle on the vBulletin template system.

You also have the option of not having a set/forced style (example of a forced style: The shipyard forums) and just allowing people to switch their styles as it is on the main SWFans forums, which I could add a SFF style to if that is what you folks would like to do. Lots of things to consider and decide and of course, no rush.

I figure that Hera and Eve will be granted Moderator rights over these forums which also means that one of you will be allowed into the SWFans staff forum, as well as being granted the plethora of moderator (pretty close to ezboard administrator type) functions and abilities, which include the ability to use custom titles within your own forums if you wish to have that feature available. :)

There will no longer be any need for archive forums since vBulletin forums are bottomless, and I would advise that you only have one private forum in here, which the mod powers will give you the ability to add and remove users' access from. Those who don't have access to your private forum will not even be able to see it, but site administrators such as Nup and myself cannot be locked out due to being administrators on the vBulletin software.

[Gurney Devries]

Don't thank me - I didn't even know this was here until just now. :p

Really, I don't see the need to request money from you all - As Ogre mentioned, it shouldn't be too much of a hit on the server. I just feel sorry for Big Green, since he does most of the work around here. :\

[TheHolo.Net]

No worries. I love my work round here. :)

[DarthHERA]

Well firstly, about the money - just let me know if you do decide on SSF contributing for the hosting. I dont think I should be a 'free loader' so its all cool with me.

About the layout Oges, I think I will prbably change things quite a bit. Im even thinking of making a land-based HQ for SFF in the place of a certain pirate outfit Hera and the Nemoidians are about to blitz. And then just keep the "mobile" station of the Fortress as basically another contact point, but have my main ops on Land.

I dont need all those forums that I have at my board. I probably will only need one or two, thats all. So I will get back to you on that.

As for the design - if I go with the landbase (which Im pretty sure Im gonna do) it wont need to be the same as the Fortress although the header Eve made for SFF rocks, so maybe that we can use that. I'll have to check with Evey. Or maybe I want something to reflect the surroundings of the moon/land. Gah, I will get back to you on that.

As for the mod thing and staff access - it would make sense for Eve to have it seeming as she has it already no?

Finally, thanks again for all the work! (and work to come mwahahah). Im glad you love doing it Ogre. You and Sonja both are the same that way :)

[TheHolo.Net]

Eve recently retired her position as the moderator of the portal forums, but I'll leave the decision to the two of you. :)

All sounds good, just let me know what you need.

[imported_Eve]

This is neat. Charley and I are gonna redo this whole section here.

So, can we have this look exactly like ShadowFaene does now? Or do we need the banner thing? I need to rehail SFF anyway.

I'd love to be back in that mod/admin forum, I just couldn't do the portal job Hera, but this is your baby. =)

Question: if we both mod, why does only one have access? I'm just curious.

Hera I'll catch you tomorrow and we'll chit-chat.

[TheHolo.Net]

We don't want to fill the mod/admin forum with too many people since we are probably going to have a few groups come onboard and quite a few mods when you count all those at GJO. We wanted to make it just one so there is an easy liason to the administrators/rest of the staff.

You can have your own private forum here which no one else bbut you will see (though Nup and I will be able) but posts in there may not get Staff at SWfans' attention as well as those in the mods admins forum.

[TheHolo.Net]

Oh yeah, I spaced your first question:

I can almost definately make thiese forums look exactly like the SFF on ezboard, if you want to do the reorg and layout there I can just use the source from it to set these up. There will be one area that will differ slightly and thats the jump to last post and the atual posts within threads, but I can get those pretty close too. :)

[imported_Eve]

Well I don't mean about how ezboard does it. I mean as far as the layout I have for just the images.

Could you even transfer posts? Well I suppose you did from the old swfans.

If I do need to change the image layout... how do you mean. It's sorta the only way it can go.

[TheHolo.Net]

Nope, it doesn't need to be changed. Anything that can be done on ezboard can be done here and much more.

EDIT: The same footer and header type sections are available, as well as the ability to change almost any other aspect.

[imported_Eve]

Awesome.

So, how much work does it take on your part to do that, and also to tranfer posts?

[TheHolo.Net]

Transfer of posts requires the intervention of vbulletin staff and Nup will need admin access to the ezboard being transfered. We are kind of planning to try and get as many of the boards moving here together all at once so we can just do them all at the same time. It took like a week or so to get the posts here at Fans moved and might take a little longer for the different groups considering that the vbulletin staff will be working with multiple ezboards.

It's not that bad for me in the work department, like you I like to do this stuff. :p

If I were to venture a guess, I could probably get it almost all done if I had source code to work from in under 2 or 3 hours, maybe less and probably more just to get all the little details right, because there are always little things that get missed and found later. :)

[imported_Eve]

SFF's forums are part of a site...

If you go here:
http://www.holoplanet.net/SFF/
and view source, then you can see the source code. The only thing that will need to be changed is the image map link to forums. I will have to change this to this place now.

If you do away with the text, then the rest is just the formatting. Check out the attachment. I think I took away the right text, but haven't looked at this for a while.

[TheHolo.Net]

That looks great! :D All I'll have to do is kill the ezboard specific CSS. Thanks for making it even easier for me. :)

and just incase you get session info when you open forums and such (session info = long strings of letters and numbers in the URL used in conjunction with cookies) here is the base addy to SFF here at SWForums:

http://www.swforums.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=97

[DarthHERA]

Then make Eve the mod, cause Im gonna be gone for a month and any adjustments/additions whatever she can do. Also, and more importantly, I never really do anything as a mod even at my board. And chances are I will bugger something up. Im not being self-deprecating here, its simply true. I managed to delete a forum a while back - gah! I do NOT need that kinda access lol.

As for the layout, Eve we can talk and decide on the cosmetics of the place. It is definitely gonna be a land operation that I would like to set up here.

As for transfering threads here, not sure if that is necessary either. I just really need to decide what I want to do I guess.

I will talk to you guys over aim and toss around some ideas mebbe.

[DarthHERA]

oooooh, I just saw the "layout" page with SFF settings.

Such coolness! :D

[TheHolo.Net]

I still have a little bit to go with table title backgrounds and images, but all in all, its shaping up nicely so far. :)

[Gurney Devries]

gah.... how large are these images? Took a few seconds to load, for me.

[Master Yoghurt]

Wow, just had to pop in to say, this forum looks awesome. Ogre is da man.

[TheHolo.Net]

Originally posted by Gurney Devries
gah.... how large are these images? Took a few seconds to load, for me. I didn't look, they aren't on our host.
Originally posted by Master Yoghurt
Wow, just had to pop in to say, this forum looks awesome. Ogre is da man. I can't take all the credit here on this one. I have a great designer who did the layout and graphics already to work from in implementing here. Nice stuff indeed Eve. :)

[Gurney Devries]

Well... once it's cached, it seems to be ok. Just had me worried that it might kill some 56k'ers.

[Master Yoghurt]

Well, there is a neat program called Macromedia Firworks. Good for filesize reducing. I could probably help out if so was requested.

[TheHolo.Net]

Alrighty, done in here for the moment. Still need to do table header backgrounds and work with Eve some on standard images, but its off to work on something else for the moment.

Eve; I'll link you a file that you can download that will contain all the strandard vBulletin board graphics, including their folder path frome base directory, that way you can change them however you see fit, toss them up on your host and give me the addy so that all these vB images, like the little unread and read icons (usually for read icons we just make 1 X 1 tranparant images but the set I will link you has dark envelopes in it) and all the little icons in here, can be changed to what suits you. I can also remove any of the images that you don't want displayed on these forums or in these threads if you find them too cluttersome.

I'll post that zip file for you here in just a little bit. :)

[TheHolo.Net]

Here are the images:

http://thesithempire.clanpages.com/vBimagesD.zip

[TheHolo.Net]

I have set you both as moderatos and allowed Eve into the staff forum again. I have also gone through and set up custom titles on your forums that are only for your forums. The default is scoundrel and your moderator abilities do give you the power to change your own custom title (HTML is allowed) or the custom titles of registered users. You will not be able to set the sustom titles of other moderators or administrators. The character limit for the "Custom Title(SFF):" field is the maximum 250 characters, enjoy. :)

[Gurney Devries]

Originally posted by Master Yoghurt
Well, there is a neat program called Macromedia Firworks. Good for filesize reducing. I could probably help out if so was requested. Yeah, I know - I was the first person to start using it. :p

[imported_Eve]

Yeah, see Oges, I'm too concerned with making this exactly like ezboard. I like the way vBulletin does it better anyway (forum layout, message layout). I think the way you did it looks great!

This place will be redone soon. Then again I'll just send you the new code as an attachment.

First up I have a new Cizerack Board to do. I also have a couple projects I'm doing for REAL jobs. LOL.

Charley and I will be collaberating on the whole subforum subsection. It may be good to keep a theme going here then. The seperate organization will have their own flare, but the subforum main will have a design that sort of brings them all together.

As far as me moding. That's good, I can do it while she is gone, but when Hera comes back the mod position should be transfered to her again. This is her board in the first place. I just color it in.

[imported_Eve]

I already use Fireworks, as I did for this stuff. If you mess wiith the images, the quality will go (given the blind effect). It loads fine for me.

Keep in mind were redoing this place within the next week or so.

[imported_Eve]

Wait, I'll work on it now. SHould have you something new by the end of the day, which loads better.

[Gurney Devries]

This one seems to be fine now. I don't know why it took so long to load the first time. But as your wish. :)

[DarthHERA]

*Applaudes*

Its lookin great. All the vBulletin options for font color, smilies etc are just great to have!

Eve - I think we are both gonna be mods of this forum, but you will have the staff access so that if there needs any communication between admins etc it can go through you. Probly best cause you understand all the code stuff etc. Am I right Ogre? Anyway, it all sounds good.

Eve, hopefully I can catch you on aim soon. We seem to be ships in the night this week. I want to hear about those RL jobs you're doing. :)


*waves special hello to Yog* ;)

[TheHolo.Net]

Originally posted by SWFans.Net
Here are the images:

http://thesithempire.clanpages.com/vBimagesD.zip Eve, hint hint nudge nudge. Take these images, try to figure out which you don't need and upload them and the icon folder within somewhere to your host, that way you will be able to change all the images in the threads and forums of SFF to your own whims without having to use a middle man.

:: Points at the fact that he hasn't changed the unread or closed icons yet, as well as the little vB V logo thingy in the forum Nav bar at the top of every page, or the go buttons next to forms and so on. ::

I have the ability to point this style at your host containing those images so you will have access to change them around anytime you want. :)

Hera's got it right as for the accesss, you are both mods.

[imported_Eve]

I can upload these, but I have no idea how to work this thing.

[TheHolo.Net]

All you need to do is unzip that file I linked, and then change around some of the images it contains (It contains all the required images) many of which you don't need here because some functions like PM foward PM Reply and the like revert back to a different style set (different image directory) when you access them. After you have changed the default images I provided to you to what you want them to be (I recommended making the off.gif into a 1 by 1 pixel transparant gif image) upload them on your host where the SFF banners/header and table graphics are and provide me with the URL. Once you provide me with the URL, I can switch the style setting for SFF forums so that all the image you see in any part of this set of forums are loaded from your host server, which you control the images on.

[TheHolo.Net]

:: Points at all the icons under this text. ::

Those can all be hosted on your host, and so can all the images you see throughout the SFF Forums.

[imported_Eve]

Right, no I know how to unzip things. Its all scattered in my documents.

I'm saying I've never moded anything. I went to the mod control panel and it doesn't have anything.

So I take it you mean that in the future if I want to change images, I just reupload to SFF at holoplanet. Right?

[TheHolo.Net]

You don't have to do a thing in the mod panel.
Originally posted by Eve
So I take it you mean that in the future if I want to change images, I just reupload to SFF at holoplanet. Right? Exactly. :)

[imported_Eve]

Well then I still need your "middle-man-ness" to attribute a new code... which is what I did.

I'll upload it all.

[TheHolo.Net]

and its been done. :) With the way you are giving me the code, its beautifully simple. :)

[imported_Eve]

Great. =) Hope so.

And hate to be a pain, but still am not seeing that mod forum, as in I don't have access.

I would like it to go back to Jenn when she comes back for sure. Otherwise it isn't right.

If we're doing a re-haul in the future then you still don't need me to be a mod.

[TheHolo.Net]

You shoudl be able to now, Nup forget to grant access to the Category and alrighty. :)

[TheHolo.Net]

Just a little FYI; There are two images for unread post icons that you should probably both change to the graphics you want to use. on.gif and newfolder.gif, just as there are two images that you may want to make into the 1 by 1 transparent gifs, off.gif and folder.gif. Use this image <img src=http://www.holoplanet.net/SFF/new.gif> and rename it to both on.gif and newfolder.gif then upload them to your host to replace the default icons in the images that I provided you, so that you have the correct display, here on the forums, when I change over your default image path. :)

[Shawn]

Whoops... sorry. I should take my time more often. >_<

[DarthHERA]

Hah! you are all scoundrels!

[TheHolo.Net]

Even you! :p

And you have the power to change that for users that aren't admins or mods. Ask Shawn or me sometime when he or I are on AIM for some mod control panel lessons sometime. :) (No worries, you can't delete forums)

[Master Yoghurt]

This place looks very nice! :)

:: tests out his new custom title ::

[DarthHERA]

LOL! I love it, Yog :lol

[TheHolo.Net]

Fixes Hera's...uncreatively

[DarthHERA]

checks out the uncreativity..

[TheHolo.Net]

^_^;

[DarthHERA]

ah...perhaps it should be...

"Faene Mistress...and Keeper of the Yog" :)

[DarthHERA]

man you were fast!! that crying face wasnt there 5 milliseconds ago!!

[TheHolo.Net]

You have the ability to change your own CT in the mod CP.

http://www.swforums.net/forum/mod

Click "Find" then input your username in the appropriate field. It should bring up a window that allows you to modify the CT's for the various Group boards. :)

[DarthHERA]

and I wasnt saying you were "uncreative" I was just
repeating your phrase, is all :) *hugs*

edit: okeydoke..I shall go and "play" some soon!

[TheHolo.Net]

No offense taken. :D

[DarthHERA]

:D

[TheHolo.Net]

Quick question. Do you want polls allowed on your forums?

BTW: If you wish to give my names (SWFans.Net or Ogre ... ) CTs let me know what you would like them to be, since you are unable to edit mine. (a mod cannot edit the CT's of other mods or admins)

[DarthHERA]

yeah polls are fine :)

And I DEFINITELY will be giving you a CT....mwahaha...I mean, Master-dude.

Just gotta think of something for ya. :)

Ogre should be "Mastah Smashah"

[Master Yoghurt]

:: waves to Hera ::

:)

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

:: Checks CT ::

[DarthHERA]

Hello Yog - you little green delight!


Ah, thats better Oges - more like it :)

[Master Yoghurt]

Not as delightful as you though, my dear and precious Queen of the Dark. ;)

[DarthHERA]

LOL!

Ah...soon you will resist no more and your turning to the darkside will be complete...



cookie?

[Gurney Devries]

:lol

That gets saved in my Great Big Book O' Quotes, right next to Rama's admissions of cross-dressing. ^_____^

[Master Yoghurt]

Yes, please. Those Vader shaped cookies are delicious. If not careful though, little Yog will gain some weight. My standard Jedi diet of root leaves and gimmer stick tea contains less calories.

:: accepts the cookie before he changes his mind ::

Mmmm... very good these cookies are

[Master Yoghurt]

Gurney, I would love to see that book some day! :lol

[DarthHERA]

I wanna see that book too Mister G. !

Yog - there's plenty more cookies where they came from.

[Master Yoghurt]

Hmm.. but if I eat too many of them, I will never become Mr Galaxy. :)


:: gets a scary mental image ::

<img src=http://www.thegjo.com/yog/ironman.jpg>


O_o


Hmmm... perhaps I should just stick to cookies and less fibre. :D

[TheHolo.Net]

:lol !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DarthHERA]

now thats just wrong! :lol