creating a forum

damgaard

Could someone please help me create a forum or would you direct me to a site where i can get resources to create a forum

Please email me at damgaard_thomas@hotmail.com

jkruer01

I would like any information available also.

DigitalExpl0it

be easier to get somthing like phpbb

http://www.phpbb.com/

dreardon

yabb and ubb are decent boards. search google for them to get the current urls. yabb is free and has lot of nice features. ubb last i checked cost an arm and a leg. maybe they have a less robust version that is free now? not sure, been outta the loop for while.
check em out though.

building a forum...well, i'd suggest sitting down with pen and paper and making a list of all the features you want your forum to have. estimate how many users you expect will use it and perhaps draw visual representation of how the forum will operate from script to script. depending on number of users you expet will use it certainly can make a difference in the design aspect. i'd design it on paper and then ask specific questions you have afterward.

jkruer01

I am also trying to create a forum but I am coding it myself. More for the experience than anything. However, I am having problems getting the main page to sort properly, (see post "Sorting by two different fields"). Does anyone know how to get the main page to sort properly? Currently I have "ORDER BY Reply.Time, Topic.Time" but that sorts all of the Topics with a reply and puts them at the top and then sorts all of the Topics without a reply and puts them at the bottom. Does anyone have any suggestions.

By the way, damgaard, if you decide to code the forum yourself instead of downloading one of the previously mentioned free ones, I will be more than happy to help you with any problems you have.

Thanks!

ereptur

I could help with some forum coding. I run a small forum with only a few features that I coded myself. It's the address in my signature.

psycorpse

You can ask questions @ www.stlwd.com/forum That is the forum that I have started to create and will be working on for a long time.

planetsim

I have created a fairly big forum. Although im kinda upgrading it a little. maybe put a version to download for public for free in a few months or so. But when making a forum here are some words of advice

Write everything you want in the forum so

Members
count guests
posts
forums
admin
etc the list can go on for a little while.

Now from there brain storm each bit you listed. Say if its members only or both or guests only. Whats involved. What security measures you need.

From there
think of what you think should be recorded in a database. ie IP Addresses. Names, Username Passwords. etc etc.

From there you should then create a mini design. Work out each page what you want it to hopefully look like. Add a few minor adjustments to what you want in the site forums.

IF your happy. You should make a clean copy so you can understand,.

After that you should have whats needed in it. Database set up etc.

You should then make steps. So Make index page today etc. Rough finish date. Dont try and do too much. I try and finish a section or at least a file.

So maybe get the register bit done. That should include form, process and login. maybe even the usercp.

Now important thing. Its gonna take a very long time to do. Unless you got a team which can help debug each file. It could take maybe 3-4months depending on your coding abbilities. And how much you want in the forum.

Now Forums you must decide if your gonna use Cookies or Sessions my tip. Forums put a lot of stress on the server but although tampering cookies is quite easy. You should to use Cookies. Sessions just make it slower. Forums can be slow enough when they start getting real big.

The best forums are those that are Not too Big, But have features people would like to use. Example is vB although i think there are some features that are pretty useless.

RedDragon

It took me about 4 month coding a complete forum,
if i could turn back the time i would not need so long for it anymore, i forgot maybe the most important aspect:

the skinning, i had to work over hundrets of templates aww, im happy that this is done

never forget the html

MrAlaska

Here's a couple sites that might be helpful building your own forum:
http://php.resourceindex.com/Documentation/Examples_and_Tutorials/Bulletin_Board_Message_Systems/
http://www.thescripts.com/serversidescripting/php/tutorials/discussionforumswithphp/

realtek

Originally posted by jkruer01
I am also trying to create a forum but I am coding it myself. More for the experience than anything. However, I am having problems getting the main page to sort properly, (see post "Sorting by two different fields"). Does anyone know how to get the main page to sort properly? Currently I have "ORDER BY Reply.Time, Topic.Time" but that sorts all of the Topics with a reply and puts them at the top and then sorts all of the Topics without a reply and puts them at the bottom. Does anyone have any suggestions.

By the way, damgaard, if you decide to code the forum yourself instead of downloading one of the previously mentioned free ones, I will be more than happy to help you with any problems you have.

Thanks!

Hi jkruer01,

What type of field do you have set in your database?

To sort the time correctly you would need to have a time field, ortherwise it would display them in numerical order.

If this dosen't answer your question or I mis understood it, just drop me a mail.

Thanks