How to create themes?

[xAfterStorm]

Apologies if this is a duplicate question, but I couldn't find the answer


I'm just getting into coding myself and wanted to make some projects here, but I can't figure out how these pbt files work?
I know that you can adjust html and css in the theme manager, but what do I need to create a theme and upload it?

How are the html and css related to pbt?

[xAfterStorm]

Or is it just as simple as editing in the theme editor of your forum and then export it?
(just found the export function )

[Retread]

Jan 27, 2019 0:15:11 GMT -8 xAfterStorm said:

Apologies if this is a duplicate question, but I couldn't find the answer


I'm just getting into coding myself and wanted to make some projects here, but I can't figure out how these pbt files work?
I know that you can adjust html and css in the theme manager, but what do I need to create a theme and upload it?

How are the html and css related to pbt?

As I understand it, .pbt files are an aggregate of the Style Sheet (CSS), Layout Templates (HTML), and links to Theme Images such as Icons, Forum Logo, Smileys, etc which are associated with the theme.

Your Theme Manager will create a .pbt for you when you export. It will grab all the pieces of information from a .pbt and put them in the proper places when you import.

They're a method of transporting themes between different forums. You can export a .pbt file to your computer then attach it to a post so another forum owner can try it out on their forum, or export it to the ProBoards Library.

You can download a .pbt file from an attachment then import it to your forum, or install a premade theme directly from the ProBoards Library if you navigate from your Admin Panel
Admin Home> Themes> then click on Theme Library
If you find a theme you like, you can download it directly. Just click the Install button

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If you want to try your hand at creating themes, this guide seems like a great tutorial to get you started:
smangii.proboards.com/thread/38907/smangiis-theme-guide-proboards-v5

Does that help?

[ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴄᴜᴘɪᴅ]

hello xAfterStorm, not to massively echo Retread, but creating a theme can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. since you mentioned getting into coding, i'm assuming you're interested in editing the html and/or css of the themes rather than just play around with the visual editors.

your .pbt query has already been addressed, so i'll answer your question about what you need to do to create a theme. in short, there are lots of aspects you can change. you have pretty much complete freedom over what you want your forum to look like, as long as you understand how the html, css, and pb variables work. and that is a skill you will gain in time (i've been doing theme commissions for 2 years and i still don't know how most of the variables work lol). there are plenty of resources available and you are always free to ask for help on here if you just can't figure a little bit of code out.

for starters, try looking around the layout templates and seeing what you can do there, then just keep getting more and more ambitious with your ideas. eventually you can start linking in your own css, or editing the forum's base css. but don't forget the visual editor is there for a reason and is very helpful so you don't have to scroll through mountains of css.

good luck with your coding endeavors!