[WIP] SMF Rewrite

[Alex Stanford]

NOTE TO MODS: PLEASE DO NOT MARK THIS THREAD SOLVED.  IT WILL CONTAIN MANY POSTS WITH MANY QUESTIONS, AND BECAUSE ONE POST IS SOLVED DOES NOT MEAN THE THREAD IS.

Hello everyone,

I just began a project inspired by the developer of http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/.  He recoded most of SMF's markup for that website, but used version 1.  This has inspired me to create what I'm calling SMF Remix - a revision of the SMF front-end development for version 2.0.

My first step is to strip SMF 2.0 down to basic markup, and build up from there.

I have only a small amount of experience with SMF, but plenty of development experience.

I recently posted this thread concerning one issue I ran into during the beginning steps of this project, but soon realized I would need many of these threads if I were to complete this.  So, I've created this thread as a way of me to communicate my issues during the development of SMF Remix - rather than creating a new thread each time.

If you are interested in getting involved with the development of SMF Remix, please post and leave me contact information to get back with you. (preferably instant messengers or email)

Click here for a preview of SMF Remix...

Thanks in advance everyone,
Alex

[Alex Stanford]

Some of my current issues:

1. As seen here, I'm trying figure out how to remove border="0" from the avatar image on the forum main page, and preferably all images.  I plan to replace this with CSS in the future.  If anyone can lead me in the right direction on this, it would be highly appreciated.

2. It would appear that the following code:

Code Select Expand

<p>', comma_format($board['posts']), ' ', $board['is_redirect'] ? $txt['redirects'] : $txt['posts'], '
', $board['is_redirect'] ? '' : comma_format($board['topics']) . ' ' . $txt['board_topics'], '
              </p>

generates:

Code Select Expand

              <p>1 Posts
1 Topics
              </p>

Problem is, as you can see this seems to poroduce some serious spacing around the topic count in the markup.  Where can I control how this markup is generated?

3. The following code:

Code Select Expand

$category['link']

seems to generate:

Code Select Expand

              <a id="c1" href="http://ryanreese.net/alextestfolder/smfrewrite/index.php?action=collapse;c=1;sa=collapse;#c1">General Category</a>

I'd like to remove id="c1" from the markup, unless some very good reason not to do so exists.  If not, can someone tell me where to edit that code?

4. Each board links seems to have a name attribute in the markup, for example:

Code Select Expand

              <a href="http://ryanreese.net/alextestfolder/smfrewrite/index.php?board=1.0" name="b1">General Discussion</a>

name="b1"  ---  What is this for?

5. The following code:

Code Select Expand

echo template_button_strip($mark_read_button, 'right');

seems to generate:

Code Select Expand

<div class="buttonlist align_right">
<ul>
<li><a href="http://ryanreese.net/alextestfolder/smfrewrite/index.php?action=markasread;sa=all;f529d12=db8e4689cb9b47ff9d06e3a42d262f8f" ><span class="last">Mark ALL messages as read</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>

I'd also like to clean up this markup.  Where can I edit the generated markup?

6. The following code:

Code Select Expand

echo '
              <p><strong>', $txt['last_post'], '</strong>  ', $txt['by'], ' ', $board['last_post']['member']['link'] , '<br />
', $txt['in'], ' ', $board['last_post']['link'], '<br />
', $txt['on'], ' ', $board['last_post']['time'],'
              </p>';

seems to generate:

Code Select Expand

              <p><strong>Last post</strong>  by Simple Machines<br />
in <a href="http://ryanreese.net/alextestfolder/smfrewrite/index.php?topic=1.msg2#new" title="Welcome to SMF!">Welcome to SMF!</a><br />
on <strong>Today</strong> at 02:14:11 PM
              </p>

Some of the markup generated is not to my satisfaction, where can I edit the generated markup within this code block?

Thanks,
Alex

[Arantor]

So which theme in 2.0 are you starting from, Curve or Core?

1. index.template.php

Code Select Expand

if (!empty($context['user']['avatar']))
echo '
<p class="avatar">', $context['user']['avatar']['image'], '</p>';

$context['user']['avatar']['image'] is defined in Load.php, in loadMemberContext:

Code Select Expand

'avatar' => array(
'name' => $profile['avatar'],
'image' => $profile['avatar'] == '' ? ($profile['id_attach'] > 0 ? '<img src="' . (empty($profile['attachment_type']) ? $scripturl . '?action=dlattach;attach=' . $profile['id_attach'] . ';type=avatar' : $modSettings['custom_avatar_url'] . '/' . $profile['filename']) . '" alt="" class="avatar" border="0" />' : '') : (stristr($profile['avatar'], 'http://') ? '<img src="' . $profile['avatar'] . '"' . $avatar_width . $avatar_height . ' alt="" class="avatar" border="0" />' : '<img src="' . $modSettings['avatar_url'] . '/' . htmlspecialchars($profile['avatar']) . '" alt="" class="avatar" border="0" />'),
'href' => $profile['avatar'] == '' ? ($profile['id_attach'] > 0 ? (empty($profile['attachment_type']) ? $scripturl . '?action=dlattach;attach=' . $profile['id_attach'] . ';type=avatar' : $modSettings['custom_avatar_url'] . '/' . $profile['filename']) : '') : (stristr($profile['avatar'], 'http://') ? $profile['avatar'] : $modSettings['avatar_url'] . '/' . $profile['avatar']),
'url' => $profile['avatar'] == '' ? '' : (stristr($profile['avatar'], 'http://') ? $profile['avatar'] : $modSettings['avatar_url'] . '/' . $profile['avatar'])
),

2. Edit the code you posted. It's a raw PHP echo.

Code Select Expand

<p>', comma_format($board['posts']), ' ', $board['is_redirect'] ? $txt['redirects'] : $txt['posts'], '
', $board['is_redirect'] ? '' : comma_format($board['topics']) . ' ' . $txt['board_topics'], '
              </p>

See that big space on the second line? That's what gives you the space you refer to.

3. The reason the #c1 is there is so that if you have a long board index, and you collapse/uncollapse it, when the page reloads it will return you to the correct place in the page.

4. The b1 is much the same deal as the #c1. The item in some places is clickable without taking you expressly to the board, which will be referring to boardindex#bn where n is the board's number. Means when you click back from those places, it'll take you to the right place on the board index.

5. index.template.php, template_button_strip function.

6. Same answer as 2: the very snippet you posted.

[Alex Stanford]

[/code]
So which theme in 2.0 are you starting from, Curve or Core?

If you take a look here, you will see that I am using Curve as a base for my customizations.

1. index.template.php

Code Select Expand

        if (!empty($context['user']['avatar']))
            echo '
            <p class="avatar">', $context['user']['avatar']['image'], '</p>';

$context['user']['avatar']['image'] is defined in Load.php, in loadMemberContext:

Code Select Expand

     'avatar' => array(
         'name' => $profile['avatar'],
         'image' => $profile['avatar'] == '' ? ($profile['id_attach'] > 0 ? '<img src="' . (empty($profile['attachment_type']) ? $scripturl . '?action=dlattach;attach=' . $profile['id_attach'] . ';type=avatar' : $modSettings['custom_avatar_url'] . '/' . $profile['filename']) . '" alt="" class="avatar" border="0" />' : '') : (stristr($profile['avatar'], 'http://') ? '<img src="' . $profile['avatar'] . '"' . $avatar_width . $avatar_height . ' alt="" class="avatar" border="0" />' : '<img src="' . $modSettings['avatar_url'] . '/' . htmlspecialchars($profile['avatar']) . '" alt="" class="avatar" border="0" />'),
         'href' => $profile['avatar'] == '' ? ($profile['id_attach'] > 0 ? (empty($profile['attachment_type']) ? $scripturl . '?action=dlattach;attach=' . $profile['id_attach'] . ';type=avatar' : $modSettings['custom_avatar_url'] . '/' . $profile['filename']) : '') : (stristr($profile['avatar'], 'http://') ? $profile['avatar'] : $modSettings['avatar_url'] . '/' . $profile['avatar']),
         'url' => $profile['avatar'] == '' ? '' : (stristr($profile['avatar'], 'http://') ? $profile['avatar'] : $modSettings['avatar_url'] . '/' . $profile['avatar'])
      ),

My goal is to remove border="0" from the markup and implement it via CSS.

I found the code generatingit that you referred to and removed all three references to border="0" but, yet still remains.  How can I get rid of border="0" on this avatar image?  If I can lose it globally across all images, that would even be better.

Do you understand?

2. Edit the code you posted. It's a raw PHP echo.

Code Select Expand

<p>', comma_format($board['posts']), ' ', $board['is_redirect'] ? $txt['redirects'] : $txt['posts'], '
                  ', $board['is_redirect'] ? '' : comma_format($board['topics']) . ' ' . $txt['board_topics'], '
              </p>

See that big space on the second line? That's what gives you the space you refer to.

Thanks!

3. The reason the #c1 is there is so that if you have a long board index, and you collapse/uncollapse it, when the page reloads it will return you to the correct place in the page.

I've actually removed the collapse/uncollapse option from my layout, so I guess I can remove this.

Problem is the following code is what generates the forum link:

Code Select Expand

$category['link']

How can I adjust the code this generates?

4. The b1 is much the same deal as the #c1. The item in some places is clickable without taking you expressly to the board, which will be referring to boardindex#bn where n is the board's number. Means when you click back from those places, it'll take you to the right place on the board index.

So, how imperative is this?  I really don't quite understand the situation you tried explaining...

5. index.template.php, template_button_strip function.

Thanks!

6. Same answer as 2: the very snippet you posted.

Thanks!

[Alex Stanford]

Alright, I'm having trouble locating where the footer is generated.  It would seem that the following code:

Code Select Expand

echo '
      <p id="footer">', theme_copyright(), '</p>';


generates:

Code Select Expand

      <p id="footer">
<span class="smalltext" style="display: inline; visibility: visible; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.simplemachines.org/" title="Simple Machines Forum" target="_blank" class="new_win">Powered by SMF 2.0 RC2</a> |
<a href="http://www.simplemachines.org/about/copyright.php" title="Free Forum Software" target="_blank" class="new_win">SMF &copy; 2006&ndash;2009, Simple Machines LLC</a>
</span></p>


Where can I control this markup?  (Don't worry, I'm not removing the copyright...)

[vbgamer45]

You are not allowed to modify the copyright footer at all.

[Alex Stanford]

You are not allowed to modify the copyright footer at all.

Well, I really don't care.  I'm only going to edit markup, it will remain visible.  In fact, it will likely display much the same, just with cleaned markup.

If you visit here: http://ryanreese.net/alextestfolder/smfrewrite/index.php

You will see that nearly the only markup on the forum index that I've not cleaned/stripped is the footer.

[DavidCT]

Not that it's any of my business, but if I understand you correctly I don't see how it's legal.  You can't modify and redistribute SMF without their permission, especially their current release.  It doesn't sound like you are just making mods or a new theme.  I don't get it, but then I rarely do.

[Arantor]

Thanks for making me feel like I don't know a lot, btw.

1. It *is* global. I told you where it's defined. I was able to remove it myself through that.

3. Depends on where you are in SMF as to what code generates that. Often Subs-BoardIndex.php.

4. Not imperative but you also need to consider the fact it does hurt usability by not having it. Seriously, you're quibbling over 3-6 characters?

7. You are not allowed in ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, to modify the markup used in the footer as the code in Subs.php tells you.

8. As DavidCT points out, you will not be able to redistribute SMF as a whole without our express written permission. Distributing as a mod, or theme, perhaps, but nothing else. Note that legal action has been pursued in the past.

[Alex Stanford]

Holy crap, you guys sure are touchy around these parts, aren't you?

Let me clear things up a little...

Not that it's any of my business, but if I understand you correctly I don't see how it's legal.  You can't modify and redistribute SMF without their permission, especially their current release.  It doesn't sound like you are just making mods or a new theme.  I don't get it, but then I rarely do.

I have no intention to redistribute SMF, and I don't believe that I said I do.  As far as the modification goes - I was pretty sure it is legal to modify the source of an open source entity...  Maybe some legal issues might come of modifying the copyright source, but if it's not legal to modify the source of the damn open source software - well, then, I no longer have any interest in using it.  No offense, but itsn't that defeating the point?

So, that you may understand, let me explain.  This is a modification primarily for my own use.  I may release a how-to in the future as to how I managed to complete it - for the sake of giving back to an open source community - but no redistribution.  I also intend to implement some specific modifications after I complete this project and have the markup where I'm satisfied.  Those modifications would be released individually.

Now, I'll admit that I'm new to this, and if I'm doing something wrong, I am glad to hear it out.  But, please don't jump on my case and make assumptions.  I'm only trying to contribute to this project, and make improvements.

Thanks for making me feel like I don't know a lot, btw.

I did not intend to make you feel any such way.  Can you please explain to me how I did that so that I can avoid a reoccurence?  Again, my apologies.

1. It *is* global. I told you where it's defined. I was able to remove it myself through that.

I don't doubt that you did give me the right information, but I was obviously unable to identify the source that generates the border="0".  If you could explain to me how you were able to remove it yourself, that would be indredibly helpful.

3. Depends on where you are in SMF as to what code generates that. Often Subs-BoardIndex.php.

I was on BoardIndex.template.php.  The generated code was displayed on the forum index.  I assume your guess was correct in this case?

4. Not imperative but you also need to consider the fact it does hurt usability by not having it. Seriously, you're quibbling over 3-6 characters?

Can you use an example to help me understand how this improves usability?  I don't doubt that it does, or is a legitimate cause, but I'm just trying to understand.  I'm sorry if this seems petty to you, but the point of my project is to quibble over every character of markup.  It's not my intent to come off as petty, or unappreciative of the software.

7. You are not allowed in ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, to modify the markup used in the footer as the code in Subs.php tells you.

Seriously?  I mean, does it really make a legal difference if the end-user sees the copyright in just as visible a manner?  In fact, I would gladly let it remain visually identical - no problem - my only concern is the damn markup - not the message.  Would it be possible to get advanced approval of a proposed example?  If so, who would I contact?  I mean, I'm not trying to do harm here.  I do understand where you are coming with on this, though.  I just would like to avoid having the footer be the only piece of markup in the application that I haven't optimized to my liking.

8. As DavidCT points out, you will not be able to redistribute SMF as a whole without our express written permission. Distributing as a mod, or theme, perhaps, but nothing else. Note that legal action has been pursued in the past.

I responded to him in this post above, I really wish you guys would not jump to assumptions on this.  My intent is wholesome.  I do not intend to redistribute, it's primarily for personal use and would only be released as a guide/mod to give back to the SMF community - if interest exists.

Now, can we move on with helping me sort it out - or do we have to continue 'quibbling' about the logistics? 

[JBlaze]

A Modification must not alter or remove any copyright notices in the Software or Package, generated or otherwise.

In other words, you cannot alter the way it is output by the software. No modifying anything regarding the copyright.

[Alex Stanford]

A Modification must not alter or remove any copyright notices in the Software or Package, generated or otherwise.

In other words, you cannot alter the way it is output by the software. No modifying anything regarding the copyright.

Even that is debatable, because I could ask you this...

Am I really "altering" or "removing" the "copyright notice" or am I modifying the method used to present the copyright notice?

Either way, which it could certainly go either way, my question is - does any possiblity of getting permission for such a change exist?

[JBlaze]

Either way, which it could certainly go either way, my question is - does any possiblity of getting permission for such a change exist?

No.

[Alex Stanford]

Either way, which it could certainly go either way, my question is - does any possiblity of getting permission for such a change exist?

No.

Well, I suppose that leaves me with three options..

1. Deal with it in court.
2. Deal with the markup being the only unoptimized piece in the applications after my modifications.
3. Find a new forum software.

I'm going to choose between the latter two options, for the sake of peace.  If I am to stick with choice #2, I'm going to need assistance from the members of this forum in order to complete my modification, which none of you seem to interested in providing, at least at the moment.

Though, I would like to say that if anything in this thread is petty - it's the lack of willingness to assist a contributer with good intention because of an overly-egotistical view of open source copyrights.  I mean, jeez, why don't you just run every potential contributer off?  Even if your reasoning is legitimate, I think most of you could have presented the issue in a much more civil manner.

[Orstio]

NOTE TO MODS: PLEASE DO NOT MARK THIS THREAD SOLVED.  IT WILL CONTAIN MANY POSTS WITH MANY QUESTIONS, AND BECAUSE ONE POST IS SOLVED DOES NOT MEAN THE THREAD IS.

Hello everyone,

I just began a project inspired by the developer of http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/.  He recoded most of SMF's markup for that website, but used version 1.  This has inspired me to create what I'm calling SMF Remix - a revision of the SMF front-end development for version 2.0.

My first step is to strip SMF 2.0 down to basic markup, and build up from there.

I have only a small amount of experience with SMF, but plenty of development experience.

I recently posted this thread concerning one issue I ran into during the beginning steps of this project, but soon realized I would need many of these threads if I were to complete this.  So, I've created this thread as a way of me to communicate my issues during the development of SMF Remix - rather than creating a new thread each time.

If you are interested in getting involved with the development of SMF Remix, please post and leave me contact information to get back with you. (preferably instant messengers or email)

Click here for a preview of SMF Remix...

Thanks in advance everyone,
Alex

OK, so the first thing to do to avoid team members jumping down your throat with this is to make it clear that you're working on modifying the theme, not the SMF core.  Your topic-starter here reads as if you are working on a project to rewrite SMF, not just the theme, and it is a project where you are inviting others to join in the development.  So, it reads as if you are attempting a fork of SMF, which inevitably gets panties into bunches.

Anyway, perhaps you should just change the name to SMF Theme Remix, and that would clear up a whole lot of confusion and hard feelings straight away?

[Alex Stanford]

NOTE TO MODS: PLEASE DO NOT MARK THIS THREAD SOLVED.  IT WILL CONTAIN MANY POSTS WITH MANY QUESTIONS, AND BECAUSE ONE POST IS SOLVED DOES NOT MEAN THE THREAD IS.

Hello everyone,

I just began a project inspired by the developer of http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/.  He recoded most of SMF's markup for that website, but used version 1.  This has inspired me to create what I'm calling SMF Remix - a revision of the SMF front-end development for version 2.0.

My first step is to strip SMF 2.0 down to basic markup, and build up from there.

I have only a small amount of experience with SMF, but plenty of development experience.

I recently posted this thread concerning one issue I ran into during the beginning steps of this project, but soon realized I would need many of these threads if I were to complete this.  So, I've created this thread as a way of me to communicate my issues during the development of SMF Remix - rather than creating a new thread each time.

If you are interested in getting involved with the development of SMF Remix, please post and leave me contact information to get back with you. (preferably instant messengers or email)

Click here for a preview of SMF Remix...

Thanks in advance everyone,
Alex

OK, so the first thing to do to avoid team members jumping down your throat with this is to make it clear that you're working on modifying the theme, not the SMF core.  Your topic-starter here reads as if you are working on a project to rewrite SMF, not just the theme, and it is a project where you are inviting others to join in the development.  So, it reads as if you are attempting a fork of SMF, which inevitably gets panties into bunches.

Anyway, perhaps you should just change the name to SMF Theme Remix, and that would clear up a whole lot of confusion and hard feelings straight away?

Orstio,

First of all, I appreciate your open-minded and fair reply, seems as if it's hard to find around here sometimes!

Though, I must say that you have it wrong...

I am completely willing, and likely will make modifications to the core of SMF in order to achieve the results I'm looking for.  Granted that 90%+ will likely be within a template, some of my edits require modification of the core - at least I think they do - in order to achieve the goal here.  You see, in many cases I'm actually removing generated markup, and replacing markup with different, more semantic/proper/appropriate/satisfactory markup.  In some cases, I believe this requires the modification of the core, which brings me to an enitrely different issue (that I never got to due to copyright issues).

Is the editing of anything outside the theme "not allowed?"  If so, how do people make modifications to the core function of the system?

In all honesty, I would never want to try and create a "fork of SMF."  I'm nowhere near competent enough to handle such a task - and furthermore, you guys seem to be doing a great job.  I see no reason not just contribute to the current project here.

If anything I'm doing is wrong, then http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/ is doing the same.  All I'm doing is trying to create a minimalist version of SMF, at leat markup-wise, for my own future use.  If it so happens that the community could benefit, I'd gladly release it as a modification or guide.

I don't want to sound trivial or threatening, but I'm actually considering taking this task on with esoTalk instead of SMF just because I'm having such a headache getting assistance and help here - and just the opposite at esoTalk.  esoTalk is too young for my needs, it's core doesn't support many features I like and the tempating system is confusing to me - making SMF the better choice - but at the moment it feels the other way around.

I'm a former vBulletin fanboy - and I've never had as much trouble getting Jelsoft staff cooperation with modification of NON-open source software as I'm having here.

[JBlaze]

If you are making a modification, then you may modify the core files. Just be aware that you cannot redistribute the core SMF code as per the license.

You can however redistribute instructions on how to modify it (aka modifications), but you cannot redistribute SMF as a whole.

[Dannii]

You can release patches to the core code, but not the modified files themselves.

[Alex Stanford]

If you are making a modification, then you may modify the core files. Just be aware that you cannot redistribute the core SMF code as per the license.

You can however redistribute instructions on how to modify it (aka modifications), but you cannot redistribute SMF as a whole.

Great.  That's fine with me, but this ectually brings me around to the last issue I came across, but was cut off from explaining by the entire copyright discussion...

If I am going to release this as a modification, I would have to keep a log of every single core modification made in order to build a guide for those thereafter, right?

How would I handle upgrades?  If I have many core file modifications all over the place, do I have to replace each modification after an upgrade?  How can this process be simplified without breaking copyrights?  How do current mods do it on a large scale like this?  Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.  If I don't figure this out - I'll never be able to publically release it, or easily upgrade SMF even on my own stuff.

You can release patches to the core code, but not the modified files themselves.

How exactly does this work?  This might be the solution to the problem described above.  Can you please expand on these "patches" and how they work?

EDIT: Thanks to both of you for your helpful and civil replies.

[Alex Stanford]

Either way, which it could certainly go either way, my question is - does any possiblity of getting permission for such a change exist?

No.

Well, I suppose that leaves me with three options..

1. Deal with it in court.
2. Deal with the markup being the only unoptimized piece in the applications after my modifications.
3. Find a new forum software.

I'm going to choose between the latter two options, for the sake of peace.  If I am to stick with choice #2, I'm going to need assistance from the members of this forum in order to complete my modification, which none of you seem to interested in providing, at least at the moment.

Though, I would like to say that if anything in this thread is petty - it's the lack of willingness to assist a contributer with good intention because of an overly-egotistical view of open source copyrights.  I mean, jeez, why don't you just run every potential contributer off?  Even if your reasoning is legitimate, I think most of you could have presented the issue in a much more civil manner.

Being the out-of-the-box thinker that I am - I've come up with an alternative solution to all three of these options.

I could just post a suggestion to SMF with an example of cleaned markup in the footer, and maybe, just maybe, I can convince you guys to alter it in a future update of SMF?

How do you guys feel about them apples? 

That's what we call the 'civil approach' to an issue!