I'm not sure how it works on a lot of forum software, but I code my own themes on the Jcink software, as all it requires is the editing of CSS and adding additional HTML/JavaScript to make the theme more dynamic.
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Do you code your themes?
- Thread starter Cory
- Start date
Mostly depends what you're doing.
For pretty much all the forum platforms, you can tweak the HTML in the templates - either where you're using bare PHP or through some template language/engine. Different systems have a different take on this - SMF has bare PHP templates, as does WordPress, while XenForo has a custom template engine with <xen> tags for logic in the templates. Other systems use tools like Mustache, Handlebars, Smarty, Twig or Blade but they all do the same basic thing - accept data from the backend and inject it into the HTML.
Where it gets messy is if the templates don't have the data in question to do the thing you want to do, which usually means something deeper down the stack functionally.
Some platforms - IPS and XF at the very least - also offer a much lighter touch where you can just plug in new colours and some options into the CSS without needing to even touch the templates which for a lot of people will be enough.
For pretty much all the forum platforms, you can tweak the HTML in the templates - either where you're using bare PHP or through some template language/engine. Different systems have a different take on this - SMF has bare PHP templates, as does WordPress, while XenForo has a custom template engine with <xen> tags for logic in the templates. Other systems use tools like Mustache, Handlebars, Smarty, Twig or Blade but they all do the same basic thing - accept data from the backend and inject it into the HTML.
Where it gets messy is if the templates don't have the data in question to do the thing you want to do, which usually means something deeper down the stack functionally.
Some platforms - IPS and XF at the very least - also offer a much lighter touch where you can just plug in new colours and some options into the CSS without needing to even touch the templates which for a lot of people will be enough.
Are these templating systems anything like the Jcink software, or are they much more complex?
It varies, actually.
In the case of SMF, it's a full PHP setup - you can make it do anything, up to and including fetching more data from the database if you don't already have it, but from a logical standpoint you're not *supposed* to, just theoretically you can.
In the case of WordPress, it's full PHP, but you're under some restrictions about what data may be available to you within the context of what WP calls "The Loop".
In the case of anything that uses Handlebars or Mustache, you're given whatever data you're given and your choices are 'show/hide this thing based on whether this variable is true or false' and 'go over this list of things and spit out this chunk of code for each item in the list'.
If it's using Twig or Blade, it's somewhere between the two and you'll be able to use more complex logical expressions based on the data passed into the template should you need to.
Honestly, Jcink's templating is lower down the capability list but it's made up for by the fact that John exports more variables out than other systems do - but not every template is customisable, unlike other platforms where *everything* can be restyled and changed without having to resort to rewriting them on the fly in JS.
In the case of SMF, it's a full PHP setup - you can make it do anything, up to and including fetching more data from the database if you don't already have it, but from a logical standpoint you're not *supposed* to, just theoretically you can.
In the case of WordPress, it's full PHP, but you're under some restrictions about what data may be available to you within the context of what WP calls "The Loop".
In the case of anything that uses Handlebars or Mustache, you're given whatever data you're given and your choices are 'show/hide this thing based on whether this variable is true or false' and 'go over this list of things and spit out this chunk of code for each item in the list'.
If it's using Twig or Blade, it's somewhere between the two and you'll be able to use more complex logical expressions based on the data passed into the template should you need to.
Honestly, Jcink's templating is lower down the capability list but it's made up for by the fact that John exports more variables out than other systems do - but not every template is customisable, unlike other platforms where *everything* can be restyled and changed without having to resort to rewriting them on the fly in JS.
The only thing I have that's current is a theme I'm currently working on for my site. Everything else I have is 5+ years old. Once I've finished this new one, I'll share some screenshots!What are some of your latest works @ladyquack ?
I used to have a Jcink skin which was 100 % my work. It was a skin with either black or gray background, the forum rows inside the forums, thread lists etc. had all gray background, the text color was white with links being either yellow or white (I don't exactly remember as it's been a while).
I may try to re-create it and share a screenshot here. But that's as far as I'm going to take it, if I don't decide to add some already available HTML template codes.
I also used to make my own ZB skins (just CSS though). Some of them actually came out pretty nice. Too bad I no longer have back-ups of the them and I don't remember which color scheme I used for them.
I didn't like the phpBB skinning system and the SMF one. I don't think I even bothered to touch the MyBB skin coding, but don't take my word for that either, since it was more than 10, maybe even 15 years ago.
JS codes and HTML template codees - I can edit them if there are instructions by their author(s) how to do it.
I may try to re-create it and share a screenshot here. But that's as far as I'm going to take it, if I don't decide to add some already available HTML template codes.
I also used to make my own ZB skins (just CSS though). Some of them actually came out pretty nice. Too bad I no longer have back-ups of the them and I don't remember which color scheme I used for them.
I didn't like the phpBB skinning system and the SMF one. I don't think I even bothered to touch the MyBB skin coding, but don't take my word for that either, since it was more than 10, maybe even 15 years ago.
JS codes and HTML template codees - I can edit them if there are instructions by their author(s) how to do it.
I have taken a look into creating my own themes but I often find myself confused when it comes to changing things and adding things. I know the basics regarding HTML and CSS but I don't feel I know enough to be able to make a really good unique theme at the moment so I tend to leave that up to others who do know
Yes I do, I mainly make SMF theme nowadays. I have made themes for MyBB, PhpBB, and XenForo in the past though. It is actually a pretty fun hobby .
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