I want to use portal pages to incorporate the rest of my website, but with the look and feel of the forums. But I can't figure out how to do it.

For example, I'd like to use the same header, the left-column content islands, the breadcrumb bar and navigation bar, and the footer bar. But the main content area I'd like to display the content from my other site pages. I thought I could do this, but I realized last night that the portal pages are for posts from selected forums. I was pretty disappointed. However, I have this feeling that I CAN do what I want, but I just don't know how or where to start.

Can anyone advise me?

Thanks.

If your pages are static you can add additional templates to incorporate content.

For example, I have added a template entitled "vinyl" by adding the additional files /templates/default/vinyl.tpl along with /scripts/vinyl.inc.php and then call it with
http://www.audiotoolers.com/ubbt/ubbthreads.php?ubb=vinyl

For more info have a look at sample.inc.php in the scripts directory.

Hi,

See this page on UBBDev - that will allow you to use these sort of pages.

You can then have a page like http://www.fansfocus.com/football/premiership/-league.php

The link in Ian's post shows you how to keep your existing pages and use them as redirects. The advantage to this is that search engines will continue to spider them and you also won't get any 404 errors if anyone arrives from an existing search result.

Example: http://www.audiotoolers.com/vinyl.php where vinyl.php is just a redirect.

( I was going to link to that info but didn't know if it was allowed )

???? not sure what you mean here ScriptKeeper?

Confused of Essex

Which part?

Where mine is a redirect?

It is an actual page that pulls in a scripts page and a template page.

Ian and Scriptkeeper, thanks so much for your replies. There's a lot of information there, so I'll get started on it.

Much appreciated.

Oooh, sounds interesting. How do you get the page to "pull in a script and template"? Tell me more.

Ah. It looks like I read it wrong. I thought that the *.php was like a "rewrite rule" that just pointed at the ?ubb=* template. I didn't realize that it worked in the opposite direction as in it called the template information to that page.

No worries

I've accomplish this by having a Category that I call Web Site.
Each forum in it is not marked "enabled".
I coded in HTML most of my old web pages. This was almost a pure Cut & Paste deal. Had to play with the formating some.
My "Admin" ID is the only one with "Update" permission, naturally.
Then I created an Custom Island called "Site Menu".
You can view it at Barnegat Fishin' Hole.
Works great.

LarE - I think you are exploiting a 'bug' whereby forums that are not enabled are still visible - these should be hidden if they are not enabled. (IMHO)

My concern here is that when Rick can fix the bug which means that these are still visible (after all why should forums that are not enabled be visible to anyone, especially guests) that your pages will vanish.

I just enable `Show Forum Introduction` in `Forum Settings` and paste the html there. Then, if anyone wishes to post comments they can.

See here

IAN:
The "forums" are only visible to as dictated by permissions.
If you're saying that a direct link via a URL, as in my site menu, is a bug, then I'll be in trouble.
I'm not sure that it should be a bug, because "MYADMIN" is the only one that can update them and he is also thet only one that can create the "CUSTOM Island" that contains the URLs.

I just realized that it works the same as the "PORTAL" forum.
Hope it's not a bug because then a lot of people will be in trouble!!

Not really, because the way that Rick designed portal pages to be added is via the method linked above - see the sample.php page supplied with threads

Access Denied.

See, where some people see it as a "bug" to be able to enter a forum which is disabled, I see it as a feature accomodating how UBB.Classic worked, whereby if you disable the forum it just doesn't load it in the forum listing anymore. This allows for "hidden" forums that you don't have to rely on via permissions/groups.

Agree (to a degree ) - but if that 'disabled' forum is a sub-forum - it will still display as a sub-forum on the main index.

Personally I think a disabled forum should be just that - disabled.

If that disabled forum has external links to it - then people and bots will still find it and will still post upon it (albeit their posts go to moderation first) - sorry guys if I disabled a forum, I expect it to be disabled

Well, it's not hard for you, if you disable the forum, set the groups to not let people in...

however, if rick changes this, theres no way to get the ability that i want which is how things always worked in UBB.C, when you can have it your way by just editing the forum permissions...

That is, unless the disable forum option set all groups to disabled, then allowed me to enable it permission wise; but that'd be too much hassle as updating the forum list would probably clear it out ;)...

I agree with Gizmo. It's disabled, but the permissions control who can do what with it when it is displayed via a link like in my Side menu.

I really should check my settings before linking !

I get an error too.

BTW that's one cool looking site you have there.

Rick's site is also imressive in the graphics department.

I envy people who have the skill and insight to design these "works of art". I've been trying for 8 years now and I still can't design a button!


I like it. Nice touch!

So there is no confusion, in 7.1.1. if the Enabled box isn't checked then it will not be accessible. It's the way it worked with 6.5 as well, was just an oversight on the subforum portion with 7.

How will it work with a main forum?
The way it is now in 7.1.0 or like you say for the subforms.
If so, I got a lot of coding to do and I'm php challanged!!!!
I have a forum that is disabled, but I link to topic the forum and control access via permissions. Users and Guests have read only.

This should work now. Altho' this one is friendlier on the mouse-wheel!





Thanks





Just added it the other day...felt it needed something like that !