FreeForums.org Knowledge Base

FreeForums has created their own Portal to go with the new phpBB3. It's very easy, user friendly and quick! Here you will find all the information regarding the iPortal!

[YOU MAY EXPERIENCES SLOW LOADING TIMES DUE ALOT OF PICTURES]

The Set-Up of this Tutorial is the Following:
* Mouse Over for Explanation - Links Included *

1 » How to Enable / Disable the iPortal
2 » How to Add Boxes
3 » How to Disable Boxes
4 » How to Drag Boxes
5 » How to Change Columns
6 » All the Boxes
7 » FAQ

Now that's all sorted, lets start off!

1 » How to Enable / Disable the iPortal

[1] Go to your "Board Index".

[2] Click on the "Administration Control Panel"-link at the Bottom of the Board Index. Then Re-Authenticate Yourself and click on "Proceed to the ACP".

[3] You start of in your so called "Admin Index", just your GENERAL Tab. Then in the Sub Menu Board Configuration you will find the Option called MOD Center. Click on it.

[4] You will then see the following:  iPortal --- [Disabled]

[5] Click on [Disabled] if you want to enable the iPortal.

[6] Once Enabled, you see this: iPortal --- [Enabled] - [Edit]

[7] Click on [Enabled] if you want to disable the iPortal.

[8] You've now Successfully Disabled/Enabled your iPortal.




2 » How to Add Boxes

[1] Go to your "Portal Index" ( /portal.php ).

[2] As Forum Founder you will see this "Toolbox" on top of your iPortal:


[3] Then I would like to Add the Poll Box, this one:

[4] This means you have to Check the Box, like this:

[5] Then you can click on the [Add] Button,

[6] It will then automatically appear at the top of your iPortal, like this:


[7] You've now Successfully Added a Box to your iPortal.




3 » How to Disable Boxes

[1] Go to your "Portal Index" ( /portal.php ).

[2] When you go over The Header of a Box, one or maybe two Icons appear.

[3] It can be like this: (One Icon), or like this: (Two Icons).

[4] In either case, you always get the -Symbol.

[5] Click on the and that certain Box will be Disabled.

[6] Once Disabled, it will be listed again in the Toolbox.

[7] You've now Successfully Disabled a Box from your iPortal.




4 » How to Drag Boxes

[1] Go to your "Portal Index" ( /portal.php ).

[2] When you go over The Header of a Box, your Cursor changes into this:

[3] If you then click, you will get the following picture:


[4] The Border Around it shows the current position.

[5] If you then Drag it Around, you will see the Border changes position.

[6] The Border then looks like this:


[7] If you let go of the mouse, The Box will drop where The Border is at.

[8] The Boxes around it automatically reposition!

[9] You've now Successfully Changed a Box Position in your iPortal.




5 » How to Change Columns

[1] Go to your "Portal Index" ( /portal.php ).

[2] You will see the iPortal is build up of 3 Columns, Left & Middle & Right.

[3] When you go with your Cursor between two of those Columns, you will notice it changes into a <--> kind of cursor.

[4] If you then click you can Adjust the width of those two Columns.

[5] You also have to possible to 'Remove' Columns.

[6] If you Disable all Boxes from one column, you will be able to Stretch another to the side.

[7] So this is how it will looks like when 1 column is 'removed':


[8] After stretching the Middle Column it will look like this:


[9] You can do this with All Columns, just play with it.

[10] You've now Successfully Adjusted a Column.




6 » All the Boxes

[Announcements]

When editing, you have the following options:
Compact Style: This is how it is displayed, if non-checked it is like the picture above. If checked it is like the [News] Picture.
Number of Announcements: The Amount of Announcements that are displayed in this Box.
Days to Display Announcements: The Amount of Days the Announcements stays in this Box.
Max Announcement Length: The Maximum Amount of Characters displayed per Announcement. (If Compact Style is non-checked.)
Announcement from Forum: Choose from which Forum the Announcements will be Displayed.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Attachments]

When editing, you have the following option:
Attachments to Display: This is the Amount of Attachments that are Displayed. The Latest ones will be listed.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.


[Calendar]

When editing, you have the following options:
Active Day Color: This is the Color of the Day (e.g. 21) will show up, the digits/characters.
Day Link Color: This is the Color of the Days that already passed, (e.g. 1-20) the digits/characters.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Clock]

At this Moment of Time you're unable to Edit the Clock.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Friends]

When editing, you have the following option:
Friends to Display: This is the Amount of Friends that are Displayed.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Jump to]

You cannot Edit this Box.
You cannot Disable this Box.

[Latest Bots]

When editing, you have the following option:
Bots to Display: This is the Amount of Bots that are Displayed. Editing this Amount will also Change the Header. The Latest ones will be listed.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Latest Members]

When editing, you have the following option:
Member Limit: This is the Amount of Members that are listed.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Link to us]

You cannot Edit the Text displayed, the Bolt Part is your Site Name.
You can Edit the HTML used to Link to You. The Default is: {Your Site Name Here}
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Links]

When editing, you have the following option:
Links List: Here you can Adjust what Links are Listed. You have to use this Format: Linkname::http://www.linkURL.com (e.g. FreeForums::http://www.freeforums.org)
No HTML nor BBCode is allowed.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Menu]

When editing, you have the following option:
Menu List: Here you can adjust the Menu Links. You cannot Edit the Content Section. You have to use this Format: Linkname::http://www.linkURL.com - the customization box always stays there for the admin and cannot be shut off. You know that the users will see everything below that box so it was not necessary to have an off box - which would also make editing harder and require saves and such. If you really want to see it without the tool box then you could log out and then look at it before logging back in - or make your own registered user to log in and see the portal. You can also make other titles, just like "Content" and "Help", you just have to leave the ::linkURL away.
Examples:

• This is a Title
  
• FreeForums::http://www.freeforums.org
• Board Index::/index.php

No HTML nor BBCode is allowed.

Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[News]

When editing, you have the following options:
Compact Style: This is how it is displayed, if checked it is like the picture above. If non-checked it is like the [Announcement] Picture.
Show All Items: If checked all Post made in that certain Forum are listed, if non-checked only 'Normal'-Posts are listed and the Stickies and Announcements are Left Out.
Article Limit: The Amount of Articles that are Listed.
Max Article Length: The Maximum Amount of Characters displayed per Article. (If Compact Style is non-checked.)
News Forum: Choose from which Forum the Articles will be Displayed.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Polls]

When editing, you have the following options:
Polls From Forum: Choose from which Forum the Polls will be Displayed.
Poll Display Limit: The Amount of Polls that are Displayed.
Allow Voting: If checked Users are Enabled to Vote through the Portal, If non-checked they have to click on "View Topic" first - They can then only vote through the Post itself.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Random Member]

You cannot Edit this Box.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Recent Topics]

When editing, you have the following options:
Number of Topics: This is the Amount of Topics that are Displayed per Category (Announcements / Popular Topics / Topic).
Character Limit: The Maximum Amount of Characters that are Displayed per Title of a Topic.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Search]

You cannot Edit this Box.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Statistics]

You cannot Edit this Box.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[The Team]

You cannot Edit this Box.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Top Posters]

When editing, you have the following option:
Member Limit: The Amount of Members that are Listed.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[User Menu]

You cannot Edit this Box.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.

[Welcome]

When editing, you get the following option:
Welcome Message: The Message that is Displayed. Plain Text Only, no HTML nor BBCode is allowed.

[Who is Online]

You cannot Edit this Box.
Furthermore you can only Enable/Disable and move the Box around.



7 » Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Why can't I move the middle boxes to the left/right?
Answer: The boxes in the middle column can not be dragged into one of the side columns, the other way around is also not possible. You can only drag boxes from the left to the right column.

Question: How do I make the iPortal my frontpage?
Answer: This is done automatically, when you go to the link of your forum (without the /index.php part) you will be directed to the iPoratl (/portal.php)!

Question: The boxes do not save their position?
Answer: This is probably a Cookies issue, if you could clear your cache and cookies, restart your browser and try again. This should usually resolve it, otherwise try using a different browser.

Question: How do I make the Editing Box (Toolbox) go away?
Answer: The customization box (Toolbox) always stays there for the admin and cannot be shut off. You know that the users will see everything below that box so it was not necessary to have an off box - which would also make editing harder and require saves and such. If you really want to see it without the tool box then you could log out and then look at it before logging back in - or make your own registered user to log in and see the portal.