Is their a style available for a similar style board to this one that includes Shout Box?

For UBB.threads? Yes. It all depends on how you configure your forum and its' sidebars.

Can you point me in the direction where to switch on the sidebars please?

OK - I managed that :-)

What does the Always Build check box do?

I cannot see a Recent Topics area to switch on ??

Finally ... can someone explain (in easy terms) what a content island is?

many thanks

You'll find that in the Control Panel -> Portal Layout.

Always Build allows you to use the Island somewhere else on your site that isn't part of the forum.

To create the recent topics island you need to go into the post islands tab & click edit on the right to create a new island. Name it Recent Topics, change the Island type to recent topics and select the forums that you want to be included.

Every single box around your forum is a content island. Using this site as an example, the site links are a custom island, the search, who's online, top posters, forum stats, shout bos, calendar and newest members are built-in islands that come with the software.

To start with I'd recommend trying to mimic what they have here. Then once you get used to it start playing around with islands that fit your site and the order in which you want them.

For my site I put everything that I think people really need on the left and the additional islands on the right so that users can turn off the right island if they want more screen space.

I liked the ubbclassic set up where you could se the islands outside the forum via javascript...unfortunately I can't seem to use the islands externally with ubbt

Thanks MMG ... will try to navigate around and create a new island with content!

Is it possible you think to do a new island with rotating images?

Does anyone still use UBB.C who can link me to a js content island? I don't have a current .C install and want to see how content was styled in them for a potential addon.

Hey Giz - Here's a page that uses it, from one of my old pages. (I've since had to switch to a .php page to do it w/ Threads, but haven't worked on the style yet.)

http://www.thegodfathertrilogy.com/chat.html