Some Questions about vBulletin Features

[twolfram]

Hi,

could some how knows please answer following questions about vBulletin's features?

1. Can vBulletin be customized in a way that all it's pages (board listings, thread listings etc.) appear inside a completly different HTML layout framework? I mean some kind of HTML page which just includes the respective vBulletin pages via PHP so that the vBulletin pages end up inside a HTML-table of my main HTML layout page? -- Sorry I'm new to PHP and don't know if I describe what I want correctly -- actually I just want something similar to a Server Side Include of the forum pages into my existing HTML pages. If the same goal can be achieved by cutting my HTML page into a header and a footer part and let the forum script include them (i.e. the other way around) this would also be ok, as long as the forum ends up in my main HTML table somehow.
I also want to be able to change table colors, borders, fonts (but I guess this is possible with most boards).
Hope I'm not confusing anyone here...

2. Is it possible to setup hidden private Forums for News articles and Announcements where only some people are allowed to post new threads while others can only make comments on these announcement threads?
If yes is it possible to put these News/Announcement article threads with Subject, Poster name, Date and the first few lines on a page outside of the actual forum pages (in fact the entry page into the web site)? So that surfers can jump immediatly to the full story or make comments on the article?
I.e. I'm looking for a weblog feature like slashdot has.
(I wouldn't mind to practice some PHP programming if this would be necessary - but not too much... :-))


3. Is there a German version of vBulletin?

3a. If not are the messages, titels, captions etc. in some common file or directory so it's more or less easy to translate them?

Please answer also by email.

Thanks very much in advance,
Thomas Wolfram
--
mailto:thomas@wolfram.net

[Mike Sullivan]

1. Yes, everything (EVERYTHING) is controlled via templates, which can be edited via the control panel.

2. Yep, the announcement forum here is an example of that.

3. Not to my knowledge
3a. Just edit the templates, and you'll be fine.

[twolfram]

Hi,

thanks for the fast answer though I'm not sure about the web log (news log) feature yet. I see I can setup forums where only moderators can post new threads. But can I put excerpts of these new threads (with links like "Read more..." and "Comments") on my main page? Thanks...

I also just looked on your site and noticed that you have a feature so that people can post articles. Did you use vBulletin for that too? If not what did you use?
- Thanks again

[Mike Sullivan]

Nope, that's some custom software that I wrote. I know one other person was able to successfully set it up (UserName; werehere has it, but isn't using it yet :D).

If you want a copy, drop me a line at ed@ubbhackers.com.

Otherwise, you can do some simple hacking to pull out data from these posts.

[UserName]

I have Ed's code up and running on one of my sites. I have already received a couple of e-mails from people asking where they can get the script for their sites. Users love the ability to interact with the articles and article posters love to get public feedback. With a little work (to make it a little more webmaster friendly), Ed's program would make a fantastic add on module for vBulletin. You need to do a bit of hacking of the code to modify the html, but it's brilliant.

Thanks again, Ed! You are the PHP guru.

[Mike Sullivan]

...Which, BTW, is why I think I'm going to make it a full fledged "product" after I get back from vacation and finish the stuff I'm working on now.

[werehere]

Ed Sullivan,

You are correct, I do not currently have it running, but I do plan on implemeting it soon enough, I just have not found the time to do it *yet*, but I cannot wait to have it up and running, it really looks great on your site. :)

[twolfram]

Thanks for the answers.

Wherehere: I just looked on your We're Forum site.
Did you use vBulletin somehow for your news log feature on your front page or other custom scripts (or actually Ed's scripts -- not sure whether your post was meant ironical :-))?

Thanks...

[wandrer]

3. Is there a German version of vBulletin?
3a. If not are the messages, titels, captions etc. in some common file or directory so it's more or less easy to translate them?

Yes, everything is in templates so it is easy to change from one language to another.

[werehere]

Originally posted by twolfram
Thanks for the answers.

Wherehere: I just looked on your We're Forum site.
Did you use vBulletin somehow for your news log feature on your front page or other custom scripts (or actually Ed's scripts -- not sure whether your post was meant ironical :-))?

Thanks...




We use several scripts on the site, and most of them have been fairly heavily customised and they do not tie into vbulletin in any way (well other than membership) :)