XF 2.2 Where to begin/beginners guide...

[jayhawku]

Sorry if I missed some glaring resource but I'm just looking for some help.

I apparently bit off more than I could chew in regard to purchasing XenForo and setting up a forum with how I envision it. I thought it would be a bit like, oh here insert your header image and change the color to this here, remove that thing there, poof you have your own look. That may or may not be the case but as of now, I'm under the assumption I have to buy a theme (the... better ones.. seem to cost money) to kind of get where I want to go unless I all of the sudden learn graphic design and programming, etc.

If this is incorrect, please let me know. I searched for beginners guide or where to begin and I found a thread from 2014. XenForo had a series on starting your forum up but it seems to be outdated with the 2. version that I'm using w/ the cloud subscription.

Not trying to be critical, just posting where I'm coming from and admitting, I may just be an idiot/not know where to look so that's why I'm asking for help.

Thanks for anything, appreciate the help.

 

[Vercingetorix]

You can you try using this guide for absolute beginners, no programming necessary.

Making a custom style (for absolute beginners)

Feb 2, 2024

No coding necessary!

• Mr Lucky
• XenForo tips & guides [2.x]

Mate that is absolutely legendary!
Well done!

 

[bennylava]

Add this to your extra.less file to get your fixed background - adjust the URL to suit the image you're calling.

.p-pageWrapper {
    background: url(https://unblast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Space-Background-Images.jpg);
    background-size: cover;
    background-position: 50% 50%;
    background-attachment: fixed;
}

Changing the forum icons is a little different depending on what version of XF you're running, so it would be helpful to know which version you're on.

I am on version 2.2.15

Thanks for the code! It appears to have given me a space themed image, along with the "floating" effect I wanted. However, it does look like The garage journal still managed to group the sub forums together. Like they're all one mass. Here's my forum:

Cleburne Forums

Community platform by XenForo®

cleburneforums.com

And here's what I'm attempting to mimic:

The Garage Journal

Garage design & tool discussion for the working man,,,

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Davyc]

The Garage Journal site looks like they are using an off-the-peg theme, which has its own layout. Your site is lacking a background colour for the main body, which is why yours looks like your forums are floating. To resolve this you can add this code to your extra.less file:

.p-body-inner {
    background-color: #72909d;
}

Change the colour to suit, but be aware that too dark a colour will affect surrounding text that is currently black. This is why I cautioned the use of changes, as one change can have a knock on effect on something else, and not always in a positive way.

 

[Opus X]

Can a college student who's somewhat tech savvy and knows what torrents are and a Plex server and uses a VPN.. can they easily set up a XenForo forum or do you have to know a bit more...

yes you can do it if you have some patience and read in this area.
but some things can only be done at a high level of changes in templates i have found.
a base look using the built in style properties are not that hard.
the hardest problem i have had is figuring out what certain properties are called in the back end of xenforo.
the search bar is your friend but sometimes you do need to know what the phrase you are searching for is.
for those i sometimes use google search with xenforo added in.
every now and then i do get a return for what i wanted and not what i typed.
that has been the biggest problem for me and i am trying to not depend on the guy i bought the site from as much for help.
what i have done is make a copy of the existing style and started playing with it. it is not able to be chosen but if it blows up it does not hurt the site.

 

[bennylava]

You add the code by going to Appearance>Templates and then using the search bar to search for extra.less

 

[Vercingetorix]

@jayhawku Would I be correct in that you are asking for a user friendly option which could enable a simplified means to fully utilize the existing Xenforo 'Styles and properties' tools in such a way that would allow you to freely & easily create your own uniquely customized forum theme?

Coz that's basically what I am also wanting too.

I've very recently proposed an idea to a reliable developer for a utility add-on that I think would sufficiently fulfill this much needed 'Styles and properties' user friendly enhancement.

At this stage I'm probably just going to pay for it myself as a private custom add-on. However if others are interested, then I'd encourage the developer to make it into a commercially available product.

Yet then you say you’re going to have a developer build you something and then would possibly release it commercially, essentially becoming one of these “generic prefab theme” suppliers. What is the true nature of your comment besides to throw shade at well known users here for your own gain?

@Korsch

I'm unsure how/or perhaps why you've concluded equating a utility add-on that would be specifically designed and intended for enabling user friendly theme customizability <> as being a generic prefab theme.

A prefab theme is a prefab theme.

A utility add-on is a utility add-on.

A prefab theme applies a specific prefabricated theme design.

A utility add-on designed specifically to improve back end ACP Styles and properties overall user friendly customizability, does not apply a prefabricated theme design.

A prefab theme does not improve back end ACP Styles and properties overall user friendly customizability.

How many prefabricated themes are there? 50? 100? 1000? More?

How many utility add-ons designed specifically to enable any administrator of any technical skill level the same general ability to freely customize their own fora theme with ease as they please? 0?

"What is the true nature of your comment besides to throw shade at well known users here for your own gain?"

One could reasonably inquire similarly of yourself.
Yet still, what gain could there possibly be from, as you've implied, supposedly-intentionally throwing shade at well known users?

One may justifiably question the true nature of your own comment besides to throw shade at a non-well known user here who simply shared their insights from their pov which seems relevant to the pov of the OP.
One may even wonder what it could be that you sought to gain by proactively gatekeeping.

 

[Vercingetorix]

replying to a 2 month old thread to contribute nothing to OP's issue but instead to ruffle feathers, well done.
Unwatching this thread as well if you care to discuss this more feel free to DM me.

Well Korsch. No. Your assertions are quite obviously neither true nor accurate, and very clearly not at all honest.

My intent is of course like any others and entirely beyond your subjective capacity to magically know, let alone dictate as you so please. Unless perhaps you are some sort of mind-reading psychic?

Is that the case Mr, Mrs/or Miss Korsch?

Are you a mind reader?

Regardless whether you are some amazing psychic. For the record, I am actually interested in the subject matter within this thread. Why? Frankly that is entirely none of your's, nor any other's business but mine own.

Am I, or anyone else here free to comment as I, or they, and including yourself, independently see fit? Or would we be required to first consider Korsch's arbitrary temporal parameters of what Korsch proclaims to be appropriate—according to Korsch? No doubt this would be subsequent to Korsch having done a little voodoo mind reading, therefore we may rest assured all is well and nothing is a miss.

Alas should you feel your feathers have somehow been ruffled, merely after reading my previous brief comment in which I have politely addressed what is actually being presented within that very particular commentary authored by yourself. If you would prefer, we could instead consider overtly and publicly discussing the glaring repeated gaslighting you seem so fond of employing whilst disingenuously presenting yourself as if not to be doing so.

Now as for your most generous offer to discuss your concerning behaviours with you in private. Yes of course I would certainly be quite willing to consider accepting your invitation thank you Mr, Mrs/or Miss Korsch, on the condition you genuinely acknowledge, admit and begin holding yourself accountable for the reprehensible behaviours you have thus far consistently demonstrated, after which you will immediately initiate proactively refraining from further offending, ideally henceforth until kicking the bucket, although my conditions shall be adequately satisfied simply by your proving genuine fulfilment within 1 single post consisting of a minimum of 777 words

This will certainly be a walk in the park for a mind-reader such as yourself, just as assisting XF beginners would be for one with such gifts.

So as for the primary matter this thread is intended, may I inquire as to what proactive steps you have taken in order to provide assistance for beginners?

Surely you regularly provide easy to follow guidance resources for newbs?

And actively provide objectively and demonstrably helpful answers for members general assistance requests?

 

[Vercingetorix]

Sorry if I missed some glaring resource but I'm just looking for some help.

I apparently bit off more than I could chew in regard to purchasing XenForo and setting up a forum with how I envision it. I thought it would be a bit like, oh here insert your header image and change the color to this here, remove that thing there, poof you have your own look. That may or may not be the case but as of now, I'm under the assumption I have to buy a theme (the... better ones.. seem to cost money) to kind of get where I want to go unless I all of the sudden learn graphic design and programming, etc.

If this is incorrect, please let me know. I searched for beginners guide or where to begin and I found a thread from 2014. XenForo had a series on starting your forum up but it seems to be outdated with the 2. version that I'm using w/ the cloud subscription.

Not trying to be critical, just posting where I'm coming from and admitting, I may just be an idiot/not know where to look so that's why I'm asking for help.

Thanks for anything, appreciate the help.

Yeah I can relate to what you're probably going through regarding the confounding theme styling set-up.

I've literally been trying to figure it out for 13 months now.

As you can see in the preceding comments, these are the typical sorts of responses we get, eg:

Post #2) A link to the manual you've probably already read through several times now and which literally does not include any instruction for effectively utilizing the full capabilities of the 'Styles and properties' functions.

Post #3) Basically a common passive-aggressive jab, amounting to a ******** assertion that theme design is easy for anyone. lmfao.

Posts #5/#6/#7) All boil down to: "Don't bother creating your own theme design. Just buy these generic prefab themes."

Yet they conveniently neglect to inform of the potential issues resulting from the template alterations which a lot of these third party themes do.

@jayhawku Would I be correct in that you are asking for a user friendly option which could enable a simplified means to fully utilize the existing Xenforo 'Styles and properties' tools in such a way that would allow you to freely & easily create your own uniquely customized forum theme?

Coz that's basically what I am also wanting too.

I've very recently proposed an idea to a reliable developer for a utility add-on that I think would sufficiently fulfill this much needed 'Styles and properties' user friendly enhancement.

At this stage I'm probably just going to pay for it myself as a private custom add-on. However if others are interested, then I'd encourage the developer to make it into a commercially available product.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Rather rude comment, there was helpful resources given to the user? Just because no one offered to build the user a custom forum doesn’t mean no one was helpful. In post 5 I wrote a paragraph about how they could do it themself and one sentence saying there are good developers here to help as well and you boilerplate my response as “Don't bother creating your own theme design. Just buy these generic prefab themes.” Yet then you say you’re going to have a developer build you something and then would possibly release it commercially, essentially becoming one of these “generic prefab theme” suppliers. What is the true nature of your comment besides to throw shade at well known users here for your own gain?

Rude comment? Mate, hate to break it to ya, but just as you have done, it was merely the sharing of subjective opinion.

Unsure if you're aware that the particular form of reactivity you've presented in the quoted post, is actually quite interesting too. However the fact is that now is not the time, nor is this the appropriate setting, to address these issues of yours.
Frankly they are no one's business but your own.

Regardless, thank you for sharing your subjective opinion. No doubt it will be appreciated.