Creating my own style (that can be imported at migration time)

[CTXMedia]

Before I migrate to XF I want to have a go at creating my own skin to mimic my current site.

However, I don't want it being overwritten if I run an upgrade and I would, ideally, like to be able to export it so that when I finally do migrate I can import my skin into the final XF install (I may install a fresh copy before migrating!!).

How would I go about this please?

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[Paul B]

Styles aren't overwritten during upgrades so you can safely create one and/or export/import it.

This is how I did it when I migrated.

Created the style and defined all the user groups, forums, etc.
Basically I set the site up in its entirety, just without any users or posts.

Then I took a backup of the database and kept that as my master clean installation.

I then performed a test import and checked what needed to be done, creating a checklist of actions to be taken post import.

Then once I was ready to do the final import, I reloaded the backed up clean database, redid the import and ran through the checklist.
Total downtime for a double import from phpBB3 -> vB -> XenForo was under 2 hours.

 

[Ingenious]

Brogan is it also fairly straightforward to export and import a style? It would be a shame for me to lose the styling I have done on my test conversion, but the "real" conversion when I do it will be on a different server etc, so I was hoping I can export the style I have done on the test site, then import it into the new installation.

 

[CTXMedia]

Yeah, thanks, Paul, but this is sort of what I was hoping for too - instructions on how to export (package-up) a style you've created, so you can apply it again after a complete fresh reinstall?

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[Paul B]

Exporting and importing styles is straight forward - you just click the button in the ACP and browse to the .xml file, more or less the same as you do with any add-on.
You can safely export and import styles to and from any XenForo installation - assuming of course any add-ons included in the style are present in both installations, and both installations are at the same software level.

The Help Manual explains in a bit more detail: http://xenforo.com/help/styles/

The only thing you need to be aware of is the images don't export, so you will need to FTP the style image directory from and to the servers: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/style-images-dont-export-with-themes.6979/

 

[CTXMedia]

Perfic ... thanks

 

[Ingenious]

Thanks Brogan.