Hi there,
What is the correct procedure of installing mods onto the forum when you have the latest smf with latest tp?
Doesnt work the same way it used to not to mention that there is some sort of procedure. Let me explain
1) change to default core theme.
2) install mod
3) alter mod for the theme that you use
That is what i have been told.... what i dont understand is how to alter the mod to work for the theme, any help on this would be appriciated.
Thanks
The easiest way is to put ur package in this Package parser
http://server.daniel15.com/smf/package.php
It will give you details of what to modify in which file for the theme.
All you will have to do is go over to your Themes/theme_name
folder, download the files required and do the edits.
NOTE: Do the edits ONLY for files where a failure notice was received when installing via your package manager.
Also not all themes use he same files, so if a file is missing for a theme, then it picks that file from the default theme.
So in case you received an error message for a file and you could not find it in your theme then look in Themes/default for that file
Doesnt it get confusing then ? surley after about 3 mods where you have to alter the files there is no way you going to know which is the original?
Or have i just lost the plot?
Hrm... stupid question but what if you get a permission error when you try apply mod... what do i have to chmod again?
You have to chmod what ever it tells you to chmod. It may be easier if you go into the package manager section of SMF and then go into settings I think. From there you can use the cleanup permissions thing. I think you supply your FTP info and it should fix it.
I realise that and played with it also IchBin.
Here is the error
An Error Has Occurred!
You cannot download or install new packages because the Packages directory or one of the files in it are not writable!
I have dealt with this before and to solve it i had to redo the permissions for the whole forum to 777
Would help me more if it was specific and i knew what files to make 777
Noting that the package directory is 777
It would appear that you need to make the Packages directory and all files within it writeable. That's where I would check first.
I did that and it allowed me to go further but i get this problem now
:error:
Fatal error: packageinstall() [function.require]: Failed opening required '/home/html/***/forum/Packages/temp/./linksql.php' (include_path='.:/usr/share/php:/usr/share/pear') in /home/html/***/forum/Sources/Packages.php on line 549
Once it has thrown me that error i go back to my homepage and look at package manager... it shows as not installed. When i try click on apply mod again it throws an error saying : You cannot download or install new packages because the Packages directory or one of the files in it are not writable!
It would seem your server security settings will not allow you to keep things world writable. I think you'll have to install mods manually.
Ichbin, I dont understand why its doing this now... nothing has changed on the server except the smf version from rc2 to 1.1.1
TP is installed and im following all the steps. What else could it be?
PS. G6 Helped me with installation. ;) and installed tp mod etc.
Yep, and she's not here to do it for you. So roll up your sleeves and get ready to get dirty. :) Sounds to me like she did the manual installation of TP for you. If you keep having permissions problems like this that pretty much the only way you can get stuff to install. Even if you could get mods to install, at some point you'll run into a mod that will fail because the previous mod has modified the code it is looking for. So...you end up having to do things by hand. You can blame your host for permission problems. :)
Ok... So either i get host to apply 777 permissions to the forum or i need to manually install the stuff.
Right now that i understand what is going on i would like to ask something which is driving me crazy.
I have attempted in the past to install a mod manually. This was one of the most annoying things possible.
Is there a guide on how to manually install a mod. (i have read the mod rewrite manual)
This is an example of what i have writen previously
:
I have tried going through the manual installation steps, but after
reading through the modification_1-1.xml I would like to clarify a few
things. I noticed that all of the file modifications are being done to
the /Themes/default folder, however we are currently running a
non-default theme... I assume this means that changes which are made by
the modification_1-1.xml will not be correct for our current theme then?
In addition to this, I also noticed that additional changes are
required in the case that someone is running either the "classic", or
"babylon" theme. As a result, I am assuming that additional changes
would prob need to be done for our "oxygen" theme? I attempted the
manual integration of BoardIndex.template.php on our current theme,
with those which would be done to the "default" theme, however I came
across a few differences which left me cold. ie: Code change requires a
mod to be done to the line <td class = "windowbg2">, however in Oxygen
theme, this line doesn't exist, as the variable "windowbg2" is declared
as a <tr class>
Any help on this would be appriciated.... if i learn how to install mods myself i would do it.
Modifications only change the default theme, if you are using a theme other than that you need to manually edit that theme to work with the mod you are installing.
If the code for the theme you are using is not the same as what the mod is looking for you can try to ask the mod designer to give you some help in modifying your theme.
Also remember if your theme doesn't have a template file it will automatically use the file from the default theme as a sort of backup. So if you apply the mod to the default theme and your custom theme doesn't have one of the files that it modifies, you don't need to modify that file because its already modified in the default theme.
So its best to just use the default core theme and do the modifications there?
You should have it on the default theme to add mods, but you still need to modify whatever theme you are using. ;)
Modifying the theme i want to use basically means i need to add the code into the themes files that would have been added to the core files?
Im trying to figure out how to do this and really arnt sure about it.
Maybe somone can break it down for me?
Most mods have an xml file that has all the instructions that need to be carried out for the code modification. Aku posted a link to a script that you can put a mod in and it will output the instructions that the mods uses to install. You then need to apply those code changes by following the "look for" & "replace" type of instructions. Often you just place your code before or after a certain section of code. Its really not that difficult to do once you've done it a few times. :)
Kewl.... Just a quick one.... whats the best method to keep tabs on whatyou have altered?
Do you backup the files you alter? and then when you dont want it anymore just replace them again?
Or you uninstall it from the package section?
Thats the easiest method I think. If you don't want to backup your files you can add comments in your code to point what changes you've made.
Any idea if there is going to be a simplified version for this anytime soon. doubt a person with limited programming is going to be able to do this.
Puts people off smf that i know.
O well i will attempt to manually install it. Thanks for the help
Well, you go ahead and try other Forum software and then report back to me which is the easiest. :) SMF will install things to the default theme automatically through the package manager. I don't see any possible way for them to be able to custom write mods for every theme maker and mod maker out there that will install on code that nobody has a clue what it looks like. It is a turn off having to do these things, but if you're wanting to use this type of stuff this is what you have to learn.
so tru ichbin,
Look im not talking about myself as i have "some" exp with code and know how to read it. But other people that want a forum and use it for ease of use.... they would struggle bigtime.
Is there some sort of payed service for support where we can get somone to do the jobs we want ? If so then maybe i would change my mind ;)
believe me every forum system requires custom code edits
i had heard tall stories about vB and how mods work on all themes and all u do is upload stuff...well it was just tall stories - even there i had to do loads of manual code edits and really complicated ones! lol
a good way to keep track of code changes is to create a private forum for urself as the admin and post every change u make in there with codes and details
as for paid services i would not recommend it at all since if u want to be a webmaster then it is very important that u slowly learn to do these small edits. It took me 6 months to learn but I did, it not very hard, in most cases u dont even need to know what the code says...all u do is follow directions
learn the few essentials:
- how to read a mod xml file (ull find directions at smf)
- which template files do what and make things appear where
- how to use ur forum system inside out as a user and as an admin
and believe me ull be A-ok
if u opt for pay option ull always be stuck and someone will drain you of your hard earned money and before you know it you will be caught stealing peoples underwear just to pay the programmer off!
so best: learn slowly but surely - anyone can do it :D
Quote from: snoopy_inc on January 24, 2007, 05:24:51 AM
I realise that and played with it also IchBin.
Here is the error
An Error Has Occurred!
You cannot download or install new packages because the Packages directory or one of the files in it are not writable!
I have dealt with this before and to solve it i had to redo the permissions for the whole forum to 777
Would help me more if it was specific and i knew what files to make 777
I've gotten this before too. Make sure that you have a folder in your packages directory called temp
If you don't, then create it with write permissions.
As soon as I did that, it fixed the problem.
The only problem I have now is that the temp folder keeps disapearing so every time I use the package manager I have to recreate it :P lol
i shall give that a try sRaven ... now that you mention it i do remember someone saying that before.... There should be a guide for this ;)
OMW SRaven you my hero ;)
It worked btw... created a temp folder with write access sorts it out Ichbin ;)
Now how do i get it working for the theme im using?
I just changed back to the theme im using and it seems to be there.... there was a button missing to get to the links section but i just added a block with the url in it and it seems to work just fine.... should i manually add it or is it ok if it works and i dont get any forum errors?
ok i think the mod is bust as far as i can tell... works for admin but for members they cant access the section at all.... strange im taking it up with the author.
Quote from: snoopy_inc on January 30, 2007, 05:17:40 PM
OMW SRaven you my hero ;)
It worked btw... created a temp folder with write access sorts it out Ichbin ;)
Now how do i get it working for the theme im using?
Great! :)
when you install a theme it only modifies the default theme(NOT the forum default, the actual DEFAULT theme). You need to manually make the edits to all the other themes you are using for those to work also.
Quote from: snoopy_inc on January 30, 2007, 07:40:31 PM
ok i think the mod is bust as far as i can tell... works for admin but for members they cant access the section at all.... strange im taking it up with the author.
Have you given them permission to view the mod in the permissions settings?
O_O -_- )_)
Ok... im embarassed. I have now added the permissions and its working like the bomb :P
Thanks once again for all your help you guys and girls. :) (another happy TP user)
Where would find a button for Oxygen tp theme? i would like to alter the them to support the links mod natively
http://www.bloczone.net/button-generator/ (http://www.bloczone.net/button-generator/)
what exactly do i look for in the theme and where does one replace/ add the buttons?
The button itself would go into the theme folder in images/buttons folder, then you would have to add it to the index.template.php for it to show in the menu.
Please post different questions in the appropriate place. If you look in the theme board for Oxygen you'll find this question has been asked and answered already.
Soz :/
/me sneeks out of room into correct room