Creating a forum in phpBB

[ProgrammingFun]

This is directed mainly towards Dan and Tony and anyone else who has created and ran a forum.
My school webteam appointed me to create a school forum on the website.
The team leaders previously tried and failed: http://forum.victoriaparkci.com
I have no knowledge whatsoever about phpBB and was wondering if anyone can provide me with a beginners tutorial (somewhere on the net) and if possible, a free (or really cheap) template (a generator would be nice too ) so that I can create a forum similar to CompSci for the school.

A bot tutorial will also be nice so that it can crawl the forum for inappropriate content.

Thank you for the time.

EDIT: Is it possible that I can use the template in effect on this site?

[Kharybdis]

do you mean like from scratch, or an already-built-one but customized?

[ProgrammingFun]

Kharybdis @ Wed Sep 29, 2010 5:37 pm wrote:

do you mean like from scratch, or an already-built-one but customized?

From scratch if no template is found or build on top of a template...
Basically from scratch

[rdrake]

Google really is your friend here. If you're looking at phpBB, they have a nice forum styles preview page here. The styles used here are basically the original phpBB 2.0 styles with a bunch of extra stuff duct taped on.

[ProgrammingFun]

rdrake @ Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:48 pm wrote:

Google really is your friend here. If you're looking at phpBB, they have a nice forum styles preview page here. The styles used here are basically the original phpBB 2.0 styles with a bunch of extra stuff duct taped on.

Thanks for the template
What I really need to know is how I would get it started (files to upload and settings to configure on the host).

[Dan]

ProgrammingFun @ 29th September 2010, 9:16 pm wrote:

Thanks for the template
What I really need to know is how I would get it started (files to upload and settings to configure on the host).

All of that information should be on the phpbb website. It should be as simple as uploading the files to a webserver accesable directory that suports PHP and runing the setup script.

As for the template we use, i can give it to you if you like but it's not for the same version of phpBB and is heavliy modifed so it would not work even if it was. Also it's based on subSilver, which is a default template.

[DtY]

Dan @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 10:25 am wrote:

As for the template we use, i can give it to you if you like but it's not for the same version of phpBB and is heavliy modifed so it would not work even if it was. Also it's based on subSilver, which is a default template.

I thought compsci.ca was based on SMF?

[Dan]

DtY @ 30th September 2010, 2:59 pm wrote:

I thought compsci.ca was based on SMF?

I guess you could say our forum software is a fork of phpBB 2. In reality it's a mess of hacks and patches that would make any programer want to cry.

[Amailer]

We should setup a public git repo (and use github!) to build a new website for compsci
Anyone should be allowed to contribute but the pulls will have to be accepted by a group (core) of individuals.

It's been a while since v3 was released - and as you said - its a total hack.

In terms of setting up phpBB however, looks like they got a pretty well documented guide:
http://www.phpbb.com/support/documentation/3.0/quickstart/quick_installation.php

[ProgrammingFun]

Amailer @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 5:15 pm wrote:

In terms of setting up phpBB however, looks like they got a pretty well documented guide:
http://www.phpbb.com/support/documentation/3.0/quickstart/quick_installation.php

I already followed the instructions on that site but am returned with a 404 error when I try to access the install files.
The forum that the club leaders previously set up worked but did not show settings, admin controls, or even the fact that you were signed in...

...so I deleted it

Now I guess I'm gonna have to get them to reinstall it.

EDIT: I think I should be able to customize it when it gets reinstalled...hopefully.

[copthesaint]

Go to this site www.w3schools.com for things like php, Css and asp.net. Its a very good site, My dad, who creates websites, says it is an excellent resource. -> http://shan-tech.blogspot.com/ My dads help page. Or one of them at least... lol

[ProgrammingFun]

Another question...how can I make, upload, and run AI Bots on the forum to check for and remove inappropriate content etc...

I have already checked http://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/modifications-1/
but how would I get this to work?

Sorry for the noob questions...

[Dan]

ProgrammingFun @ 30th September 2010, 8:30 pm wrote:

Another question...how can I make, upload, and run AI Bots on the forum to check for and remove inappropriate content etc...

This is not trival and i would not trust it to a random bot script. There are some spam services and black lists you can subcribe to, however, there is no magic soultion to spam and inappropritate content. Afterall this is what mods and admins are for.

Some things you can do:

• Use the word filter in phpBB to replace "bad" words.
  
• Don't allow posts with know "bad" words or links to known "bad" sites.
  
• If your version of phpBB does not require a captcha, add one.
  
• Keep phpBB updated.
  
• Require valid e-mails and have accounts activated via e-mail.
  
• Have a mod aprove accounts before they can post.
  
• Don't let users with less then X posts, post links or images.
  
• Block access to users in countries that would not noramly access your fourm (ie. no need to allow access from russia if your site is just for your school)
  
• Use a blacklist service like http://www.stopforumspam.com/
  
• Add a system where users can report a user and or topic and even vote to ban the user and or topic.
  
• Have many trusted admins/mods on 24/7.
  
• Only allow file uploads of know safe types.
  
• Have an admin/mod aprove signatures/avatars/etc before they are displayed.
  
• Have an admin/mod aprove posts before they are displayed.
  

CompSci.ca uses a few of above, but obvesly not all as we don't want to restrict users.

Captcha on registartion page is a must, and it would likey be a good idea to add one to the post page too.

stopforumspam.com is a great way to share your ban list with other fourms. Currenly compsci.ca uses this service and so far it has worked well (however you may need to make the modifcations to phpBB your self).

And most of all get good mods that are allways online

[Amailer]

ProgrammingFun wrote:

have already checked http://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/modifications-1/
but how would I get this to work?

I haven't used phpBB3 a lot but I believe each mod comes with an XML file; open that XML file in firefox/IE and it should give you instructions on how to install that specific mod.

At least in phpBB2, mod installations required you to manually edit files at times as there was no "automatic" way of adding code. That might have changed however in phpBB3 but I'm not 100% sure, read the instructions that are provided with each mod they should tell you.

[ProgrammingFun]

The forum is successfull up at:
http://forum.victoriaparkci.com/v1/index.php

I set the default directory to /vi/index.php however, when I go to:
http://forum.victoriaparkci.com/

there are no pictures there...

Plz help!!!