Associate main.tpl with css ...

I'm not sure what you mean. A file containing all the markup contained in a set of variables? How does that help?

Paul > it's exactly this.

Imagine : you do YOURSELF your forum : you create 3 blank pages

index

viewforum

viewtopic

and with only variables, you create your own forum : you don't want the header ? You don't put it in the code !!!

You don't want  "suscribe to this topic" you don't put it on your page

So ... the only thing to do (and quite long) is the separation of core php and markup ... but ... A LOT TIME won for ALL users

of course, the DEFAULT template would be "YOUR" vision of PunBB, but for designer, the best way to customize VERY EASILY their forum.

These templates would of course have to be updated as well as new versions are released. Is it really easier to modify the markup in some external file than in the file where it occurs?

Also, don't forget that such a system would increase memory consumption and load time.

sounds good but i don't know how you would get everything in core.tpl

What rob has described is what PHP developers seems to be heading towards.  OOP & Keeping a seperation between design & application.  I sometimes work with another developer.  this is how we colaborate.  I can mess with markup all I want and never have to worry about the application breaking because I mistakenly deleted a . or a ; or a ", etc..  the only thing I have to worry about it making sure my building blocks of design include the calls to the right objects.  Main.tpl is an example of how we colaborate.  Of course there is some markup in the PHP that  outputs the data/information, but I let him worry about that, and I just supply the div's or tables to wrap around them.  It seems to work well for us since we do most of our colaboration on-line. 

On that note.  I hate mixing markup with PHP expressions.  I never know when I need to put a  . or ' or " or () , etc..  I always seem to break stuff   If some one could point me to a tutorial or a site that explains all different ways to mix the two, that would be great.  I have seen it done so many ways.  Where I really get screwed up is where you build links from arrays that are queried from a database, and you mix mark up with php. the whole quotes thing really messes me up.  Iknow that if you do

$username = "Johnny";
echo 'Username is $username';

will display: Username is $username

and

$username = "Johnny";
echo "Username is $username";

will display:  Username is Johnny

I get mixed up when you mix and row from an array with mark up, and also when you are using variables in Query statements.

connorhd: there are lots of things you can do with css but what you cant do is turn a table into a list or a bunch of divs which is what Rod wants. However, that is not a good reason, as you point out, for doubling the number of files used.

Dos it allow to ignore some tools, or duplicate entries ?

For example, I would like to get rid of the title system, so it does not appear anywhere. On the other hand, I would like the breadcrumb (index>forum>thread) to appear at the begining and at the end of a thread/posts view.

Is there a simple way to do that (or things like that) now ?

Nope, that only hide it from the media specified if the UA handle CSS. Try it in Lynx, or via the cached version from Google, you will see what I mean :-)

The "title" you get when you post alot... the ranking system.

my last argument

paul and rickard change some things in viewtopic.php

they say "hayy man, upload this new file, but apply again your modifications"

but if I have had my design modifications in a different file, neither again change the viewtopic.php, and possibility to upload new modifications .........

1. Rickard implements templating

2. Paul pulls Kylie

The probablility of these two scenarios happening is about equal.