• Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Topic: New to punBB. Please help.

Hi guys,

I am new to punBB (having flirted with phpBB3 and bbpress) and need help with a couple of topics...

1. As my forum is new, i don't want to force people into looking at a list of forums when there is only one forum. Is there any such setting that makes the index page be the only forum or do i need to to a mod rewrite for that? (Hope that makes sense).

2. How do I integrate punBB into my existing site? The existing site is laden with PHP, so I need to figure out how to mix the two.

3. Is it possible to remove the "powered by punBB part". I agree that credit should be given where it is due, but there is a certain level of security which comes through obscurity.

Many thanks for this great software.

Last edited by HelpPalestine (2009-01-07 12:10:31)

  • Garciat
  • PunBB senior member
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  • From: Santa Cruz, Bolivia
  • Registered: 2008-02-03
  • Posts: 875

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

1.- No, there are not.

2.- What kind of integration? Users, posts, etc.

3.- You can make it an image.

Garciat

Garciat's Website

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

1. Okay.
2. General layout (although the layout is controlled through PHP).
3. Is there any resource which states my obligations so I can make sure I stay within them?

Thanks

  • MattF
  • Senior Member
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  • From: South Yorkshire, England
  • Registered: 2007-03-15
  • Posts: 1,956

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

HelpPalestine wrote:

3. Is it possible to remove the "powered by punBB part". I agree that credit should be given where it is due, but there is a certain level of security which comes through obscurity.

Security is obtained via being secure, not through obscurity. Plus, anyone who knows enough to concentrate on your resources couldn't give a monkeys whether you identify it or not. They can glean that information extremely easily themselves. Security through obscurity is complete and utter bunkum. Just don't run any insecure apps if you want security, and make sure you have correct restrictions inplace.

MattF's Website

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

Would you not agree, though, that if a security issue was discovered in PunBB that the vandals would simply google for "Powered by PunBB" to identify all the forums that they could gain access to?

  • MattF
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  • Registered: 2007-03-15
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Re: New to punBB. Please help.

Of course they could. Doesn't really matter, however. That gives no indication of version or anything. Seriously, any slight perceived benefit you may gain from obscurity is a false comfort. Keep upto date on security updates and such, and you are doing something far more productive for your security.

Edit: Btw, there is nothing to stop you from completely removing that copyright line from the footer, if I remember correctly. It is preferred to leave it there, but not required.

Last edited by MattF (2009-01-07 14:50:04)

MattF's Website

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

Agreed with regards to the updates etc.

Thanks for your help.

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

One other thing...

I noticed that the view count of a post increases each time I visit the post myself. Would I need to hack punBB to ignore the admin's page views or is there an option for this?

Thanks again

  • Garciat
  • PunBB senior member
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  • From: Santa Cruz, Bolivia
  • Registered: 2008-02-03
  • Posts: 875

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

Hack.

Garciat

Garciat's Website

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

Thanks. What would be the best way for me to share my hack with the community? Just describe what I did?

  • Utchin
  • PunBB support manager
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  • From: Croydon
  • Registered: 2007-02-09
  • Posts: 758

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

For 1.3 you can release an extension, Which is a 1 click mod to your site. There is a guide somewhere about writing extensions, but if not, just post the code here, and I can make it into an extension.

Sorry. Unactive due to personal life.

Utchin's Website

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

@Utchin - Sounds good.

Another question (and sorry to ask so many)... is there a way to make "subscribe to this thread" the default setting?

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

And one more question...

Am I right in understanding that changing code directly is a bad idea because all changes would disappear on upgrade?

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

And one last one (I promise... kind of)....

As the site admin, is there no way to receive notifications of new posts?

I know there is an RSS Feed, but i only switch on my RSS reader at specific times of the day, but would want to know about new posts as they happen.

Thanks

  • MattF
  • Senior Member
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  • Registered: 2007-03-15
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Re: New to punBB. Please help.

HelpPalestine wrote:

Am I right in understanding that changing code directly is a bad idea because all changes would disappear on upgrade?

Yup. That's the point of the extensions system. smile

MattF's Website

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

@Matt - I've look around to try and understand how it works. Could you please point me in the right direction?

Also, what about the "new post alert" thingameejig mentioned in message 14?

  • Garciat
  • PunBB senior member
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  • From: Santa Cruz, Bolivia
  • Registered: 2008-02-03
  • Posts: 875

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

Basically, each PunBB file has hooks in key parts of the script, which allow you to modify how PunBB works. You start with a base 'manifest.xml' and just keep on adding hooks:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE extension SYSTEM "ext-1.0.dtd">

<extension engine="1.0">
    <id></id>
    <title></title>
    <version>1.0.0</version>
    <description></description>
    <author></author>
    <minversion>1.3</minversion>
    <maxtestedon>1.3.2</maxtestedon>
    
    <install>
        <![CDATA[
if(!defined('EXT_CUR_VERSION'))
{
    //Install code if extension is already installed (upgrading, etc.)
}
//Install code
        ]]>
    </install>
    
    <uninstall>
        <![CDATA[
//Uninstall code
        ]]>
    </uninstall>
    
    <hooks>
        <hook id="hook_name">
            <![CDATA[

            ]]>
        </hook>
    </hooks>
</extension>

To know which hooks to use, just browse through the PunBB files. Once the script reaches the part where it calls your hook, it simply executes all the code you put inside the <hook> element (eval() function restrictions apply, though).

As for the extension ID, just make sure it matches the folder in which you are placing the extension. Also, when your hook is executed, the following variable is passed to you:

$ext_info = array(
    'id'            => $id,
    'path'        => FORUM_ROOT.'extensions/'.$id,
    'url'            => $base_url.'/extensions/'.$id,
    'dependencies'    => array()
);

basically, all you need.

I hope this helped... I might've left some things out, so feel free to post any questions you have (as long as their not stupid nooby questions, in which case all I'll do is post a link to a PHP tutorial) smile

Garciat

Garciat's Website

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

Lol. I'll do my best not to post any nooby questions.

To be honest, I've always worked independently of 3rd party software and have always developed my own blogs, forums, helpdesks etc. However, I recently begun using WordPress for a blog and could not believe how refreshing it was. I repented over the time and energy wasted on my own work and abandoned it for WordPress.

I plan on doing the same thing for Forums and punBB was well.

Meanwhile, any idea about the "new post" question in message #14?

Last edited by HelpPalestine (2009-01-08 19:27:51)

  • Garciat
  • PunBB senior member
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  • From: Santa Cruz, Bolivia
  • Registered: 2008-02-03
  • Posts: 875

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

Don't think there is a way, but it could be done with an extension. Allowing admins not only to subscribe to topics, like normal users can, but also to forums and even categories would be a cool extension.

Garciat

Garciat's Website

  • Registered: 2009-01-07
  • Posts: 13

Re: New to punBB. Please help.

I'll add it to the 'to do' list.