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- Sep 26, 2005
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This article will cover PhPBB2 but will also apply, in some part, to PhPBB3 as well. Hopefully you will learn something out of it that will help you in your forum creating endeavours. I WON'T for all practical purpose, go into the install, setup, or use of all the software involved. There is simply not enough character space to give an extensive rundown. A version for PhPBB3 instructions can be found here: http://phpbbacademy.blogspot.com/2007/05/installing-and-using-phpbb3-on-your.html along with some cool MODS and STYLES and even more tutorials for PhPBB2 and 3.
I will be going on the assumption that you are either new to forum administrating/setup, or you clicked the fantastico button on your host and got an automatic PhPBB2 install job done and you have no idea where to go from there.
OK, first step... back up... yes that's right... back up for a minute and write down what you would like to see on the board for MODS....BUT.... Before we do that. Lets create a TEST board on our own hard drive.
This is an easier way to test out changes you will more then likely have to make to some mod install files.
So we need to gather up the software. My Window$ recommendation is to download first a code editor like CRIMSON EDITOR and a SQL server from APACHEFRIENDS.org, this will also give you access to PhPmyadmin. And then an SQL database viewer from NAVICAT . All of these programs are free...
Now we need our forum software.. get your copy of PhPBB2 from www.phpbb.com and setup a copy of it on your local drive by installing xampp with ALL options, copy the decompressed PhPBB2 folder to C:\xampp\htdocs\phpBB2
Open your web browser and goto http://localhost/phpbb2/ and you should see the default install screen for PhPBB2.
Next, we need to create a database, open up navicat and open up the localhost connection, right click local host and choose "NEW DATABASE"
name the new database whatever you want, but keep it one word and simple for the most part. For this example, we'll call this new database phpbb2.
Nest, install PhPBB using localhost as the server path.. Next, get yourself a copy of EasyMOD from http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=136984 and install as instructed. You should now have EasyMOD in your admin control panel on your local drive...
Pheww... all that... NOW CAN WE INSTALL MODS???
Uh... sort of... but lets first learn a bit about HTML and PHP.
What do you need to learn about it? WELLLLLLLL... not a whole lot, but enough to tell the difference between a line that is HTML and PHP, and a line that is an instruction for installing your MOD. This is where that handy dandy crimson editor comes into play. You obviously don't want to try opening that file for the MOD that says install_my_new_mod.txt in notepad. Open it in crimson editor and it all becomes almost clear as daylight.
Why would we want to be able to read the MOD install file and all the other templates and stuff? Well, for some MODS they were written for an older version of PhPBB2, and some might cross the path of other MODS you are installing or have installed. And, if you have different themes on your site, you will PROBABLY have to edit the template file for that theme manually if EasyMOD can't find the same lines in the new template. Not to mention, if you happen to install a new template for your forum later on down the line, chances are you will have to manually edit EVERY TEMPLATE with all the MODS you had already installed.
So the lesson here kids, is INSTALL THE TEMPLATE STYLES YOU WANT BEFORE YOU INSTALL THE MODS. If you plan to install a portal, MAKE SURE your template will also work with the portal. Your gonna have to do a bit of research here as there are thousands of styles out there. But again, I say INSTALL THE TEMPLATE STYLES FIRST. Why? Because when you DO finally go to a LIVE board instead of a huge hack job with tons of templates, you will already have the PRE MODDED files on your local drive, so installing them will be a snap.
But anyways... getting back to the editor, here is an example line of code:
Here is where being able to tell the difference between an HTML/PHP line and an instruction line for installing the code REALLY will help you out.
This, is an example instruction line:
And THIS is a line of actual code for your forum:
The KEY here is the
That is the instruction to install line that EasyMOD and YOU should follow to install your new MOD.
When you do install a MOD in your admin panel using EasyMOD, you can choose to preview it, this will give you a run down of what EasyMOD interprets and what errors it encounters... and OH YES, you WILL get errors.. do yourself a favor and count on errors. It helps you learn to adapt to rewriting the MODS yourself for when you want to install them on your actual forum, and makes the rewrite process of seek and replace go much quicker. EasyMOD will tell you which line in the MOD is not found in your files, and tells you which file you will need to look at to correct the error.
Don't EVER unless you can't avoid it, manually rewrite a PHP or .TPL file. Try to work the correction into the MODS instructions instead. That way the uninstall/reinstall process, if you should need to, will go much easier.
However, this doesn't CURRENTLY apply to PhPBB3, as there is no EasyMOD as of yet for it, so for that you WILL have to rewrite the .php and .tpl files manually.
Rewriting/installing MODS is NOT very hard, there is alot of FIND and REPLACE work to it, and a little keyword searching involved to find the correct line that the MOD should see, but PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE on a local board of your own will ensure a smooth transition when you go to a live forum.
QUESTIONS??
.
.
I will be going on the assumption that you are either new to forum administrating/setup, or you clicked the fantastico button on your host and got an automatic PhPBB2 install job done and you have no idea where to go from there.
OK, first step... back up... yes that's right... back up for a minute and write down what you would like to see on the board for MODS....BUT.... Before we do that. Lets create a TEST board on our own hard drive.
This is an easier way to test out changes you will more then likely have to make to some mod install files.
So we need to gather up the software. My Window$ recommendation is to download first a code editor like CRIMSON EDITOR and a SQL server from APACHEFRIENDS.org, this will also give you access to PhPmyadmin. And then an SQL database viewer from NAVICAT . All of these programs are free...
Now we need our forum software.. get your copy of PhPBB2 from www.phpbb.com and setup a copy of it on your local drive by installing xampp with ALL options, copy the decompressed PhPBB2 folder to C:\xampp\htdocs\phpBB2
Open your web browser and goto http://localhost/phpbb2/ and you should see the default install screen for PhPBB2.
Next, we need to create a database, open up navicat and open up the localhost connection, right click local host and choose "NEW DATABASE"
name the new database whatever you want, but keep it one word and simple for the most part. For this example, we'll call this new database phpbb2.
Nest, install PhPBB using localhost as the server path.. Next, get yourself a copy of EasyMOD from http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=136984 and install as instructed. You should now have EasyMOD in your admin control panel on your local drive...
Pheww... all that... NOW CAN WE INSTALL MODS???
Uh... sort of... but lets first learn a bit about HTML and PHP.
What do you need to learn about it? WELLLLLLLL... not a whole lot, but enough to tell the difference between a line that is HTML and PHP, and a line that is an instruction for installing your MOD. This is where that handy dandy crimson editor comes into play. You obviously don't want to try opening that file for the MOD that says install_my_new_mod.txt in notepad. Open it in crimson editor and it all becomes almost clear as daylight.
Why would we want to be able to read the MOD install file and all the other templates and stuff? Well, for some MODS they were written for an older version of PhPBB2, and some might cross the path of other MODS you are installing or have installed. And, if you have different themes on your site, you will PROBABLY have to edit the template file for that theme manually if EasyMOD can't find the same lines in the new template. Not to mention, if you happen to install a new template for your forum later on down the line, chances are you will have to manually edit EVERY TEMPLATE with all the MODS you had already installed.
So the lesson here kids, is INSTALL THE TEMPLATE STYLES YOU WANT BEFORE YOU INSTALL THE MODS. If you plan to install a portal, MAKE SURE your template will also work with the portal. Your gonna have to do a bit of research here as there are thousands of styles out there. But again, I say INSTALL THE TEMPLATE STYLES FIRST. Why? Because when you DO finally go to a LIVE board instead of a huge hack job with tons of templates, you will already have the PRE MODDED files on your local drive, so installing them will be a snap.
But anyways... getting back to the editor, here is an example line of code:
PHP:
#
#-----[ OPEN ]------------------------------------------
#
language/lang_english/lang_admin.php
#
#-----[ FIND ]------------------------------------------
#
$lang['Enable_prune'] = 'Enable Forum Pruning';
#
#-----[ AFTER, ADD ]------------------------------------------
#
$lang['Topics_on_index'] = 'How many topics to show in recent active topics';
#
#-----[ OPEN ]------------------------------------------
#Here is where being able to tell the difference between an HTML/PHP line and an instruction line for installing the code REALLY will help you out.
This, is an example instruction line:
PHP:
#
#-----[WHATEVER IT SAYS IN THIS BRACKET]---------------------------
#And THIS is a line of actual code for your forum:
PHP:
$lang['Topics_on_index'] = 'How many topics to show in recent active topics';The KEY here is the
PHP:
#
#-----
#When you do install a MOD in your admin panel using EasyMOD, you can choose to preview it, this will give you a run down of what EasyMOD interprets and what errors it encounters... and OH YES, you WILL get errors.. do yourself a favor and count on errors. It helps you learn to adapt to rewriting the MODS yourself for when you want to install them on your actual forum, and makes the rewrite process of seek and replace go much quicker. EasyMOD will tell you which line in the MOD is not found in your files, and tells you which file you will need to look at to correct the error.
Don't EVER unless you can't avoid it, manually rewrite a PHP or .TPL file. Try to work the correction into the MODS instructions instead. That way the uninstall/reinstall process, if you should need to, will go much easier.
However, this doesn't CURRENTLY apply to PhPBB3, as there is no EasyMOD as of yet for it, so for that you WILL have to rewrite the .php and .tpl files manually.
Rewriting/installing MODS is NOT very hard, there is alot of FIND and REPLACE work to it, and a little keyword searching involved to find the correct line that the MOD should see, but PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE on a local board of your own will ensure a smooth transition when you go to a live forum.
QUESTIONS??
.
.
Last edited:
