Test Driving the software......

[Bad_i_BILL]

I am trying out the admin demo. I currently run PhPBB & everything VB has is an add on mod for phpbb. I think adding on a mod is a crock. Free or not, I want the full deal. I aint none too smart & dem mods are hard to get on.

Only thing about VB is I have so few users I am not sure I want to invest the 160.00.
I live in a low income county & have been giving them a FREE website for 3 years. I pay for all of it every month. Buying VB will add to my spending. I am mainly just throwing this out to get it off my chest. Hoping I may see a reply that could help me out.

I wish I could use VB on my site for like 30-45 days & see what kind of response I get from my users. I also want to see how easy/difficult the pages are to edit myself. To edit phpbb's overall head or foot, I just use my trusty frontpage & edit away the .tpl files. I do not know if VB uses editable .tpl files.

*Themes/Skins.
I am hoping there is a theme that will match what I use with Phpbb. Please post places to view VB skins.

Thanks
BILL

[Kerry-Anne]

There are some styles available here

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=95

You need to be licenced to download them but a number have live links to sites where they are running on.

vB doesn't use .tpl files everything is integrated making it much easier to use. In your admin demo go into the admin control panel and then Styles and Templates > Style Manager > <<>> and this lists all the templates. You just edit the ones you want directly in there, click save and that's it done.

If you are not 100% sure about it then go for the $85.00 leased licence version. If within the first 30 days you decide that yes you want vB forever then you can upgrade to an owned licence for just $85.00 (total $170.00) or you can run it for the whole 12 months and make your decision at the end of that time.

The style manager is very easy to use so even if there isn't a theme similar to your current phpbb one then I am sure that you can either put it together yourself or someone will help you do this.

[Bad_i_BILL]

I looked in the admin panel & see no way to insert a banner.

Like if I wanted to offer a sponsor a banner ad. I edited my phpbb overall header & added the image in.

Also, visit www.gcindiana.info/forum (http://www.gcindiana.info/forum) That is the PhPBB skin I would like to have matched if I get VB.

[Zachery]

AdminCP > Styles & Templates > Style Manager > Click on << >> > Find the header template and click on edit or double click.

You can add any html that you want, but not php :)

[CSS59]

If you are not 100% sure about it then go for the $85.00 leased licence version. If within the first 30 days you decide that yes you want vB forever then you can upgrade to an owned licence for just $85.00 (total $170.00) or you can run it for the whole 12 months and make your decision at the end of that time.

.

If I buy the $85 for one year, and then want to won it at the end, do i just pay another $160 and own it?

[Kerry-Anne]

you would have to pay the $160 if at any time after the first 30 says you decided that you wanted to own it.

[Mike Anime]

i love to skin my sites FoRumZ. it is so easy to do click a few files edit them click save and poof your done.

i did one skin took about 20 minuites to get the colors done. http://ForumZ.AnimeRealmZ.org choose the Black&Gold skin from the drop down menu at the bottom i gave guests that ability.

[Bad_i_BILL]

Copyright removal?

After paying to remove the copyrights, do you get a simple removal tool or have to remove it manually?
Manually is probably beyond my capability. I am of a feeble mind & less ability. :D

[Zachery]

It is not nessary to purchase, but it is not hard to have it removed, if you create a ticket in the members area after you purchase the license they should be able to give you a full walk though :)

[Bad_i_BILL]

1. The scrambled code. I enabled the registrant to have to retype the code during registration & it does NOT show up. Nor does the Paid subscription option seem to work either.

2. What is the easiest way to REMOVE/delete a member?

3. Also, easiest way to remove a POST &/or a Thread?

In the other software I am used to, I can do what I need to with posts & threads with buttons at the bottom of the page.

Removing a member, I use adminpanel & type in their name & there is an option to remove them.

[Wayne Luke]

1) Not sure what you mean by scrambled code here.

2) In the AdminCP there is functionality to delete a member and purge their posts.

3) All the buttons you are referring to are on the Thread Tools menu at the top of each thread. For deleting a single post, simply click on the "Edit" button within each post. You will only see the tools though if you have permission to use them.

[Bad_i_BILL]

1. I resolved the retype code.
1b. I still am UNable to make the PayPal subscription thing work.

[Bad_i_BILL]

Banner width?

I added my banner by naming it the name of the default banner. It was not quite wide enough. What width do I need to make the banner fill the width?

[Zachery]

The forums have a dnymaic width by default.

I am not sure if you can make paypal subscriptions work on our test server.

[Bad_i_BILL]

Dynamic?

That is a term in which I am NOT familliar.
I get a feeling editing the code is beyond my limited abilities.

[Bad_i_BILL]

Crud.

I banned a user, but do not know how to just DELETE them.

[Scott MacVicar]

Paypal subscriptions wont work on the demo server. There behind a HTTP authentication box that paypal wont be able to get through.

Though you should still see them in the UserCP under Subscriptions on the left near the bottom. This is presuming you have a valid subscription defined and that the PayPal address is entered and active.

If you find the user via the admin panel you should have an option to "Delete User" from the drop down at the top.

[Mark.B]

You DON'T need to be an expert coder to customise vBulletin.

I know next to screw all about coding, and look at MY SITE (www.bowlandcentral.com/forum).

Plenty of minor and more major customisations done on there, all without expert knowledge. Ok the styles are not dramatic departures (layout wise) from the default but they ARE changed in many ways to suit the site.

[Bad_i_BILL]

I found the StylesVar.

Linked to my logo image. The image is aligned left & stops short of the right side. :confused:

[Bad_i_BILL]

Paypal subscriptions wont work on the demo server. There behind a HTTP authentication box that paypal wont be able to get through.

Though you should still see them in the UserCP under Subscriptions on the left near the bottom. This is presuming you have a valid subscription defined and that the PayPal address is entered and active.

If you find the user via the admin panel you should have an option to "Delete User" from the drop down at the top.

I guess I misunderstood the point of the feature.
I intended it to be a fee based forum. I thought at registration, the person would send a payment to be on the board. :rolleyes:

[Bad_i_BILL]

Perhaps the help has ran out?

No one is replying anymore. :(
I guess I have worn out the free answers welcome.

[Mike Anime]

I guess I misunderstood the point of the feature.
I intended it to be a fee based forum. I thought at registration, the person would send a payment to be on the board. :rolleyes:

im sure that can be set up

as for the alignment of your logo ill look into how to do it. i have done that i just forgot how.

[Bad_i_BILL]

You might make a BUYer out of me yet. :D

[ManagerJosh]

Basically what you could do is this:

Create a basic forum for pre-sales and then have it linked up to the subscription page. From there, you order the subscriptions via paypal and then it will activate the rest of the forums.

[Bad_i_BILL]

Ok.

I still can NOT delete a user. I baned him, but do not see how to DELETE the user.

[ManagerJosh]

Search > Find the User > select from the drop down and select Delete.

[Bad_i_BILL]

Whoo hoo, I deteted a user....

Now to get my logo looking right....

[Bad_i_BILL]

Global Announcements?

I made 2. I want them displayed at the same level. When you enter any section, I want the announcements at the top & select their order of display.
Currently you have to read one to know there is even another one there at all.

Can this be done & how? Or am I just wishful thinking? :eek:

[Floris]

In the admin control panel > vbulletin options > announcement options > you can set how to display announcments.

Did you make a new admin demo again by the way?

[Bad_i_BILL]

No, a friend owns a copy of VB & is letting me timker & determine if it is going to be best suited for my needs. That way I am not at all limited by the demo.

I have all month for tinkering. :eek:

[Bad_i_BILL]

In the admin control panel > vbulletin options > announcement options > you can set how to display announcments.

Announcement options are NOT in the VB options.
I scrolled down to Announcement & went into announcement manager.
There seems to be no control over how the announcements are displayed. Only which forums you want them to show up in. In my case I always want ALL may announcements in ALL my forums. :eek:

[Floris]

Ok, allow me to be specific to the bone:

Admin Control Panel > vBulletin Options > vBulletin Options > Forum Display Options > Group Announcements > Yes/No

When disabled, this option makes it so all announcements in a forum are shown as individual links (like threads) on the forumdisplay.php page. When enabled, this option combines all announcements one "thread" where each announcement is a "post."

[Floris]

No, a friend owns a copy of VB & is letting me timker & determine if it is going to be best suited for my needs. That way I am not at all limited by the demo.

I have all month for tinkering. :eek:
Could you send me the URL to his installed vBulletin forum in a privmsg or email to me? Thank you.

[Kerry-Anne]

I found the StylesVar.

Linked to my logo image. The image is aligned left & stops short of the right side. :confused:

In the header template it has this code


<td align="$stylevar[left]"><a href="$vboptions[forumhome].php?$session[sessionurl]"><img src="$stylevar[titleimage]" border="0" alt="$vboptions[bbtitle]" /></a></td>
<td align="$stylevar[right]">
&nbsp;
<!--
NEW HEADER &amp; NAVBAR

Now that the nav buttons are in the
navbar template, you can stick whatever
you like into this space.

This makes it much easier for novice
admins to customize their header
template without affecting important
navigation elements.
-->
</td>


Delete and replace it with


<td align="center"><a href="$vboptions[forumhome].php?$session[sessionurl]"><img src="$stylevar[titleimage]" border="0" alt="$vboptions[bbtitle]" /></a></td>


This will get rid of the gap and centralize your image

[Steve Machol]

No, a friend owns a copy of VB & is letting me timker & determine if it is going to be best suited for my needs. That way I am not at all limited by the demo.

I have all month for tinkering. :eek:
Since you are now getting into far greater specifics that are more support oriented - you should have the license owner register you for Priority Forum Support. To do this, have him go here:

http://www.vbulletin.com/members/membersupport_priority.php

[Bad_i_BILL]

Geez, I had only 24 hours to learn everything to see if I would like the software. Now I have asked too many questions.

Most people probably do not need their hand held this much. Seems as though the rules are rather strict a specific. No case by case basis. Despite having a vision disability, I guess I have to run with the big dogs or keep my puppy tush off the forum.

Everyone has been so awesome & patient until the last few.
Hey BILL, tell us the url you are using.
Hey BILL you are getting too specific. Pay to ask.

I have used a lot of services on the internet & NO ONE has ever been so hard on me. Since this is obviously about the money & customer service/satisfaction is not even in the same ballpark, I am extremely hesitant to pay to be treated like CRUD.

I promise I will not waste any more of your precious free time. I apologize for using up so much of your time so far.

I'm OUT! :mad:

[Steve Machol]

Hmmm...not really sure how to take that. You said you were working with a friend who 'owns a copy of vB' and that you were wqorking on his copy. If that's the case, then it's a simple matter for him to add you to the Priority Support form. I didn't ask you to 'pay to ask'. You were the one who said you were working on a licensed copy of the software.

[Bad_i_BILL]

He installs the software.

He says, he will NOT be needing it for a month or so. To play around & see what I think.

I work with it & come here to ask questions.

He never said I could use his member support. I tried NOT to take advantage of his offering something Jelsoft would not offer.

Take it anyway you want to take it. It is a legit copy, Just not owned by me or running on my site. Like borrowing a friend's cell phone for a week. Ask the company to help me with features. That does not mean my friend is going to say, here's access to MY ACCOUNT, help yourself.

Not that this matters a bit, but look at the threads I started. Many months ago I TRIED to report a site running a KNOWN pirated copy. To this day, it is still there.

Whew, can't help me work out the issues of not understanding to help me deciede to use this software or not, but there is time to question my intent.

Winning Friends & Impressing possible clients is in SHORT SUPPLY.

BTW, before the regular team members rub me raw enough to never use this software. I would like to know who to contact of AUTHORITY?
Manager, CEO, President. Someone that is in a position to make a REAL decision. I am on the verge of registering a complaint & talking to a federal representative from the Americans with Disabilitys Act &/or National Foundation for the Blind.

[Steve Machol]

Sorry but I guess I wasn't clear enough. He does not need to give you access to his account. All he needs to do is add your email address to one form. I wasn't trying to make things difficult for you, but since you are working on a licensed copy of the software instead of the demo, then it's not unreasonable to ask your friiend to add your email address to that form so you can get more detailed support. Does that make is clearer?

As for this:

BTW, before the regular team members rub me raw enough to never use this software. I would like to know who to contact of AUTHORITY?
Manager, CEO, President. Someone that is in a position to make a REAL decision. I am on the verge of registering a complaint & talking to a federal representative from the Americans with Disabilitys Act &/or National Foundation for the Blind.
I have no idea where that came from or what it has to do with this issue. :confused:

[Bad_i_BILL]

JUST TELL ME WHO THE ONE IN CHARGE IS.

I HOPE IT IS NOT YOU. FOR IF IT IS, JELSOFT HAS LOST MY BUSINESS & I MAY BE A MULTIPLE LICENSE USER.
.................................................. .................................................. ........

SIMPLE QUESTION:
WHEN THE REPRESENTITIVE ABOVE THIS POST IRRITATES ME, TELL ME HOW TO CONTACT HIS/HER SUPERVISOR.
.................................................. .................................................. .....

[Steve Machol]

P.S. I checked into the URL your reported. We followed up and it turns out they had purchased a license in May and had already been running the software legally. Thanks for your report! :)

[Steve Machol]

Wow - this is really bizarre to say the least. I have PMd the info you requested. I am also closing this thread since it's clear that it's no longer helping you or anyone else.