Logo/banner question

Hi. I tried searching the forums for an answer but I must not have the right keywords or something.

I want to create a banner on my site that is similar to the one on here: vB-FAQ logo on the left, and a bunch of clickable buttons on the right ("vBulletin Tutorials", "Download vBulletin", "Webmaster News", etc.).

Where do I begin? I have no clue. :confused: If someone could point me in the right direction, that would be much appreciated.

P.S. I am running vBulletin 3.5.3.

First - why on earth haven't you upgraded? If not to 3.6.5, at least to 3.5.6 ?
Second, this is all done in the styles' header template, most likely using tables or <tr><td> coding


PS - I like the subject of your forum. There's been a significant age difference in almost all of my relationships. I just may join :)

Hi Peggy. Thanks for responding. :)

First - why on earth haven't you upgraded? If not to 3.6.5, at least to 3.5.6 ?

I am a real noob at this--my site is only a year old.

Godaddy is my webhost and I read on this site that it has problems running vB 3.6. It's not really feasible right now for me to switch servers (I wouldn't know where to begin! :eek:)

As for not upgrading to 3.5.6, I guess FEAR is what holds me back. I have a bunch of hacks installed and everything works fine as is. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? :p

Also, I have made so many template mods over the past year that if I upgraded, I'm not sure if I can remember what I did before. :(

Second, this is all done in the styles' header template, most likely using tables or <tr><td> coding

Ok. I understood the first half of the sentence...but then you lost me after "most likely". How would I make it so that the buttons know where to be? Is there some sort of tutorial you can point me to?

PS - I like the subject of your forum. There's been a significant age difference in almost all of my relationships. I just may join

Thanks! I appreciate you taking the time to visit. The site is my baby and I am very proud of it. I am in the middle of fixing it up and have a long list of improvements I want to make, starting with the banner and the clickable buttons. :)

Ok...I just did a search for "header template" and found this:


Here's probaly how they did it or at least this is how I did it at my site:

1) Create Navbar buttons with MX Fireworks (ex. Home, Forum, Styles, etc.)

2) Using MX Dreamweaver, create html table to the same width of main forum table so the main tanle and your newly created html table will align properly; insert in to the table, the NavBAr button images - align to the right; insert vBulletin.org (Your site tilte image) image aligned left;

3) Insert htm code created from above into the top of your NavBar template - not the header. Note they are not using the header in this alignment. The header code will look like this:

<!-- logo -->
<!-- /logo -->
<!-- content table -->
$spacer_open

Note: (Be sure to upload your images and properly link to your site directory or get red X)

Is this what you mean?

I still don't quite understand...but at least now I feel I'm a step closer to the answer. :p

I understand about not wanting to change hosts. But it's not that GoDaddy isn't good with 3.6 vBulletin. It's that GoDaddy isn't a good host for vB at all. Really. vB is pretty server intensive, and I'm surprised that they've kept you around this long.

IMO, you really should upgrade at least to 3.5.6. Or at least apply the patch. There's a security doohickey of some kind that is serious enough to cause them to issue a patch and an upgrade. Just because your site isn't having any problems now, doesn't mean it won't.

You sound just like me a couple of years ago. I remember saying that when Joey or John or someone else was trying to tell me how to do something... "You lost me right after.........." Remember that Joey? lol dejavu' ;)


Now for the links in the header - this is the code in a 3.6.5 header template:

<!-- logo -->
<a name="top"></a>
<table border="0" width="$stylevar[outertablewidth]" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" align="center">
<tr>
<td align="$stylevar[left]"><a href="$vboptions[forumhome].php$session[sessionurl_q]"><img src="$stylevar[titleimage]" border="0" alt="$vboptions" /></a></td>
[B]<td align="$stylevar[right]">
&nbsp;
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<!-- /logo -->
<!-- content table -->
$spacer_open
$_phpinclude_output

The part in red is the right hand side of the header. the blue &nbsp; is the content area for that part of the header. That is where you would put your links/buttons/etc.

The part in red is the right hand side of the header. the blue &nbsp; is the content area for that part of the header. That is where you would put your links/buttons/etc.

Thanks so much! At least now I know not to touch the other parts. :p

One more noobie question: where can I learn how to put in the html code for my links/buttons/etc.?

Would it be something like this (I'm guessing here, so no laughing :D ):


<td align="$stylevar[right]">
&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.mysite.com/image_A.gif">
<a href="http://www.mysite.com/image_B.gif">
<a href="http://www.mysite.com/image_C.gif">

</td>


P.S. I will upgrade to 3.5.6--can I just do it directly from 3.5.3?

P.P.S. After I finish upgrading and fixing up my site, I will look into changing servers. :eek:

the upgrade script will take you through the upgrade. You just keep clicking on the Next button, lol

That code is essentially correct, except you'll delete the &nbsp;

and this: <a href="http://www.mysite.com/image_B.gif">
should be this: <a href=http://www.siteyouarelinkingto.com><img src="http://www.yoursite.com/imagename.gif"></a>

Peggy, thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Ok...I'm off to create my buttons now. :)

Actually, the latest version in the 3.5.x branch is 3.5.8. And if you don't have the confidence to upgrade your board after installing hacks and plugins then you really should stay away from them, since you're losing on having official support, wich in your case is much more desirable than hacks and third party support, such as this site. We can only do so much.

Actually, the latest version in the 3.5.x branch is 3.5.8. And if you don't have the confidence to upgrade your board after installing hacks and plugins then you really should stay away from them, since you're losing on having official support, wich in your case is much more desirable than hacks and third party support, such as this site. We can only do so much.

Well...with all due respect, if I don't make any template changes or install any hacks, my board will probably lose a lot of activity due to lack of originality, lack of features, spammers, etc., and I'd never be able to get it off the ground.

I would rather try to learn the stuff myself or ask someone to help me. Peggy just said herself that she was like me two years ago, so clearly, the knowledge is attainable. :confused:

That it is, Emzak. Please feel free to ask any questions that you may have. :)

Of course the knowledge is attainable, but to me reliability in a board overcomes features and "originality". The point is that you should never put the importance of the hacks above the reliability of the board. If you don't upgrade your board then it becomes prone to instability and unsafeness. So, to me, the "I don't upgrade because of the hacks I have installed" argument is nonsensical.

Of course the knowledge is attainable, but to me reliability in a board overcomes features and "originality". The point is that you should never put the importance of the hacks above the reliability of the board. If you don't upgrade your board then it becomes prone to instability and unsafeness. So, to me, the "I don't upgrade because of the hacks I have installed" argument is nonsensical.

I finally did upgrade my site this morning.

I appreciate you taking the time to address my issue, but I really could have used some encouragement instead.

Not everyone is as familiar with vB as you are. Otherwise, there would be no need for vB support sites like yours. :)

Dont confuse Hell's response as being un-encouraging... He is just a bit on the 'Matter of fact' side whe he posts. We're here to help - Hell included.

Sorry if I came off as confrontational. Not really my intention.