Site/Forum Integration

[KieranTaylor0403]

Hi there,

I am currently working on a website, http://www.naxbase.com/ . And I wish to integrate the forum with the website so that it looks like the user hasn't moved anywhere...if you get what I mean?

I would like the forum to fit within the template I have designed although I don't know how to do it. I can't afford a programmer to do it, as I have forked out on £X,XXX's for resources. So I need to do this myself. I would be happy with following an already existing tutorial if there is one, but if there isn't...please help!

Here are some pictures to show you exactly what I am trying to do;

Original Website Template:



Wanted Form Integration:




I thank you all in advance and I hope someone here can help me in my mission for success!


Regards,
Kieran Taylor.

[chicgeek]

Please keep an eye on where you post new threads.

This does not belong on the forum lobby and has been moved.

[tresmom]

Are you looking for skinning help with Vbulletin?

[KieranTaylor0403]

Hi there,

Originally Posted by chicgeek

Please keep an eye on where you post new threads.

This does not belong on the forum lobby and has been moved.

Sorry thought it was off-topic that's all, thanks for moving it to correct section.

Originally Posted by tresmom

Are you looking for skinning help with Vbulletin?

Yes, I need to know how to integrate vBulletin with my current HTML template. Please help.


Regards,
Kieran Taylor.

[Mr. 3njoy]

Already try iframe?

[KieranTaylor0403]

Hi there,

iFrames cannot be crawled by search engines, and forums are good way of getting high within the SERP's. I know there is a proper way to do it, but how?


Regards,
Kieran Taylor.

[tresmom]

Vbulletin isn't that hard to skin. Do a search for vbulletin skinning tutorials?

[KieranTaylor0403]

Hi there,

Originally Posted by tresmom

Vbulletin isn't that hard to skin. Do a search for vbulletin skinning tutorials?

Yes I did, I couldn't find one which did exactly what I want to do, which is place vBulletin in my HTML template, or make it look like it is. Like on the pictures. Do you know of any good tutorials to help me?


Regards,
Kieran Taylor.

[tresmom]

Ok, go to your admin panel. Then go to styles & templates. Click on Style Manager out of your choices.

Then when you get there click on the drop down menu to your right where it says "All style choices" Choose Edit Templates. Then once you get there edit the header file. Add the top of your site stuff there. For example, put this at the top of your header file

<table>
<tr>
<td>stuff here</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>

Then go to your footer file. At the very bottom of your file add the bottom of your site.

for example

more stuff here </td>
</tr>
</table>


If you want to remove the vbulletin logo just pull this code out of your header file.

<a href="$vboptions[forumhome].php$session[sessionurl_q]"><img src="$stylevar[titleimage]" border="0" alt="$vboptions[bbtitle]" /></a>

Then all you have to do is change the background color to match yours in css and play around with the other colors to get it how you like it. I hope this all made sense.

[KieranTaylor0403]

Hi there,

Originally Posted by tresmom

Ok, go to your admin panel. Then go to styles & templates. Click on Style Manager out of your choices.

Then when you get there click on the drop down menu to your right where it says "All style choices" Choose Edit Templates. Then once you get there edit the header file. Add the top of your site stuff there. For example, put this at the top of your header file

<table>
<tr>
<td>stuff here</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>

Then go to your footer file. At the very bottom of your file add the bottom of your site.

for example

more stuff here </td>
</tr>
</table>


If you want to remove the vbulletin logo just pull this code out of your header file.

<a href="$vboptions[forumhome].php$session[sessionurl_q]"><img src="$stylevar[titleimage]" border="0" alt="$vboptions[bbtitle]" /></a>

Then all you have to do is change the background color to match yours in css and play around with the other colors to get it how you like it. I hope this all made sense.

Yes, thank you, I sort of get what you mean. Although I am using stylesheets for my website, so how would I make the code connect to my current CSS file.

Please give me exact information on how to edit these files please, do I delete all the current code? How do I make it connect to my current stylesheet? And, if you ain't busy, could you make a tutorial with screenshots, if you did I would give you a permanent link on the www.naxbase.com homepage. Thank you. I know it sounds cheeky but your my only hope on this matter.


Regards,
Kieran Taylor.

[Nicole]

Originally Posted by KieranTaylor0403

Yes, thank you, I sort of get what you mean. Although I am using stylesheets for my website, so how would I make the code connect to my current CSS file.

You don't connect it to your current style sheet. You have to actually edit the styles for the forum and get the colors all match your site. You can edit the styles directly from your vBulletin admin panel.

[KieranTaylor0403]

Hi there,

Originally Posted by Nicole

You don't connect it to your current style sheet. You have to actually edit the styles for the forum and get the colors all match your site. You can edit the styles directly from your vBulletin admin panel.

Thanks, I know that now, tresmom was pleasant enough to edit it and document it all so I could follow on how to do it. I know now how to edit vBulletin pretty well, I have changed it slightly and come up with my own layout for my website.

Thank you all for your inputs, they were much appreciated, reputation given to you all.


Regards,
Kieran Taylor.

[dpatel304]

I was looking for something similar, but I am using phpbb. How would I go about doing this? thanks.

[ninjashoes]

you can use vbadvanced to create pages too

http://vbadvanced.com

[jumpenjuhosaphat]

You can edit all of your templates and css from directly inside of your vB admin panel. I've only done it once, but it only took a few hours of dinking around to get the look I was wanting. Basically, you want to put your site's navigation and header at the top of the forum, then basically just change the look of your forum to match. It shouldn't be that hard, PM me the login details and the name of the template file, and I'll give you hand.

[ninjashoes]

Theres lots of guides at vbulletin.org for creating pages. You just gotta play around with it until it looks how you want. I like vbadvanced because it just makes life easier when you wanna update the front page.