Nice gradient colors?

[SpottyPoo]

I really like the gradient color fills that are on the original templates, but I would like to change the color. How do I do this?

Thanks! :D

[DarknessDivine]

When you change your forum colors the portal should change too..

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[Polo]

login into your vbulletin admin control pannel, go to "style & templates" click on "go" scroll down and you will be able to see the colors and from there you will be able to change them... and as darkness divine said, when you change those colors the portal will change as well...

hope that helps,

regards,

[SpottyPoo]

No - I'm talking about how to get gradient colors to show up around the boxes? Just changing the forum colors does not do that.

Gradient color gets lighter the further down you go. Look at this Quick Reply box -- see how the blue gets lighter as you look down on that strip of color?

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[Brian]

Are you saying that the gradients are not showing up on your CMPS pages?

[Polo]

if you are using the defaul style then you should be seeing gradients colors...

check this website http://www.vbadvanced.com/? ;)

mmm.... after reading the post again... it seems like you want to change the color but want the gradient effect to stay right?

[SpottyPoo]

it seems like you want to change the color but want the gradient effect to stay right?
Yes! Right! That's what I wanna do. :D

[MegaHertz]

The gradients in vB3 are graphics if you want them with different colors they must be created.

[SpottyPoo]

Okay, I understand. How do you create them?

[apokalupsis]

http://www.tutorialized.com/search.php?s=gradient+&id=1&x=6&y=6
http://www.pegaweb.com/

Just do a search in google: photoshop tutorial simple gradient

[Natch]

I have made a script to make gradients on the fly - check out vBulletin tempaltes - search for "gradients made easy" :D

[SpottyPoo]

Wouldn't you know it -- I don't have Photoshop or anything like that!! Gee -- can somebody just make me one?? I am pathetic, I realize.... :p

[apokalupsis]

Natch provided you with the perfect solution.
http://www.vbulletintemplates.com/mods/showthread.php?t=6789

But I believe you'll have to register to get it. ;) gj Natch.

[KW802]

Natch provided you with the perfect solution.
http://www.vbulletintemplates.com/mods/showthread.php?t=6789

But I believe you'll have to register to get it. ;) gj Natch.
I just saw that in Natch's sig also, pretty cool.

[Polo]

nice links... this link is cool too http://www.vbulletintemplates.com/mods/showthread.php?threadid=5397

[Natch]

Cheers - I thought you guys would get off on the kinda stuff I've been workin' on - maybe it's time for me to release this stuff from a central point as well as on vb.org / vbt?

/me heads back down to the basement at natchling.net ;)

[SpottyPoo]

I looked at that and unfortunately, I do not have Photoshop and my Picture It! will not open the files.... What now??

[KW802]

I looked at that and unfortunately, I do not have Photoshop and my Picture It! will not open the files.... What now??
Did you look at the link from Natch? The purpose of it is that you can do the gradient background through text alone without needing to modify any graphics.

[SpottyPoo]

Then I must not understand 'cause after I downloaded the zip file and clicked on it to read the instructions, my Picture It! tried to open it. And I have no idea how to "program" text and stuff. *shrug*

[Natch]

Open the gradient.php file and read the comments in there - if you have no idea still, I'd be happy to install it for you for a fee.

[SpottyPoo]

I'm telling ya -- I can't even open that. How am I supposed to fix this myself if I can't even access the files??

[KW802]

I'm telling ya -- I can't even open that. How am I supposed to fix this myself if I can't even access the files??
What part can't you open, the zip file, the HTML file inside of the zip file, or the PHP files inside of the zip file? :confused:

[SpottyPoo]

I can't open anything. The HTML file shows the names of the gradients but does not show the colors.

[KW802]

I can't open anything. The HTML file shows the names of the gradients but does not show the colors.
And it won't unless you're viewing the sample on a machine that has the PHP files on it and is capable of interpreting the PHP commands (like your web server). To see what the examples like look go the thread in Natch's sig (http://www.vbulletintemplates.com/mods/showthread.php?threadid=6789) and click on the "Demo" link to see the results in action.

[SpottyPoo]

Yes, I've seen them on that site before -- they are very nice. I still don't know what to do - I'm even more confused than before. Just forget it. :(

[KW802]

Yes, I've seen them on that site before -- they are very nice. I still don't know what to do - I'm even more confused than before. Just forget it. :(
Well, if you're really at a cross-roads you could take Natch up on his offer (see above) to help install the files for you at no expense. ;)

[Polo]

one question... can you open the zip files you downloaded?

[KW802]

one question... can you open the zip files you downloaded?
It sounds like he/she is able to get the zip file fine but when they view the HTML file that they're not seeing anything which is to be expected. He/she will need to put all of the files on a PHP capable server to actually see any results from the HTML file so that's why I pointed them in the direction of Natch's post on the other site (there's a working demo there).... and re-iterated Natch's offer of help above. ;)

[Polo]

has he tried opening the php file with notedpad? he uploaded the file where? what is he trying to see? if he is running vbulletin, for sure he is in a server that supports php...

[SpottyPoo]

Natch offered his help for a FEE, not for free!! LOL Nah, I've already spent way too much on this thing as it is and I'm not gonna die without gradient colors. Thanks for everyone's "help." :D

[KW802]

Natch offered his help for a FEE, not for free!! LOL Nah, I've already spent way too much on this thing as it is and I'm not gonna die without gradient colors. Thanks for everyone's "help." :D
Darn, I mis-read that! :eek: Sorry. :o

[Polo]

I can help for free

[SpottyPoo]

Then you're hired!!! :D

[Natch]

Natch offered his help for a FEE, not for free!! LOL Nah, I've already spent way too much on this thing as it is and I'm not gonna die without gradient colors. Thanks for everyone's "help." :DYou notice the title of that thread on vBt - Gradients made easy! hmmm...

I'm not surprised that someone so willing to quit would spurn an offer for help. but to make it seem like the support given in this thread is not useful by your sarcasm "help" comment, I do not appreciate that at all - I devised this system to make it easier for someone LIKE YOU - without access to a GFX package - to create custom gradients for their vBulletin board - and you spit in my eye?

You think I have time to spend gratis for nothing helping you out with such a simple thing? I have already spent that time drafting up sufficient comments in the PHP file and writing up the thread for vBt - why should I spend MORE time for nothing - I hope Polo is able to help you without pulling his/her hair out.

[Polo]

all that SpottyPoo needs to do is read the instructions and he will probably do all right... do what you did, and the outcome and we (or at least me) will try to help you out. ;)

[SpottyPoo]

Natch, you shouldn't get so upset. I am completely illiterate when it comes to things like this and I did not find the info helpful -- I'm sure it's helped a thousand other people. I don't have a technical bone in my body and really need this stuff spoon-fed to me. I appreciate you trying to help me understand and your efforts were not lost on me -- it just showed me how completely non-technical I am! :D

[KW802]

SpottyPoo,

Allright, my site is back up (got moved to a new server) so I can do experiments again..... I'm determined that we can get this working for you. ;)

But we're going to take this in a different direction than usual. Instead of me giving the steps that you should try I'm going to reverse it ask that you detail step-by-step what exactly you've done so far in trying to get this to work. I don't care how trivial or mundane you think the step is tell us about it. Between the usual crowd around here I'm sure one of us can spot something.

If this was a tennis match the ball would be back in your court. :p

Kevin

[SpottyPoo]

Uh, I downloaded then opened the file. After clicking on the folders 'images' and 'gradient,' I got an HTML document that I cannot open (it shows the words of the colors but not the strips of color), a 'gradient.php' file and an 'index.php' file. I am unable to open those as my Microsoft Picture It! Photo Premium 9 software tries but does not recognize it. I am also unable to tell it what to open the file with.

Okay -- your serve. ;)

[KW802]

Uh, I downloaded then opened the file. After clicking on the folders 'images' and 'gradient,' I got an HTML document that I cannot open (it shows the words of the colors but not the strips of color), a 'gradient.php' file and an 'index.php' file. I am unable to open those as my Microsoft Picture It! Photo Premium 9 software tries but does not recognize it. I am also unable to tell it what to open the file with.

Okay -- your serve. ;)OK, let's start with the basics....

I'm assuming from what you've said so far that you're doing all of this on a PC, most likely a windows box.

The files with a ".php" extension aren't graphics, they are text files that contain code for the PHP programming language. Your Windows box, unless you've done some mojo on it, doesn't know anything about PHP so that's why you can't open them, especially with a graphics program like Picture It.

The HTML file contains references to the PHP files. Because your Windows box doesn't know what to do with the PHP files the HTML file doesn't display the gradient color bars. In order to view the gradient color bars from the HTML file then all of the files, the HTML and the PHP files, need to be on a computer system that knows what PHP is.

If you were to upload them to your web site server in a temporary folder and then, using your browser, point to the HTML file you'll then be able to see the colors in the HTML file. Click HERE (http://mobileforces.org/forums/images/gradients/demo.html) to see what the results look like on Natch's server.

From your last point I'm seeing what the misunderstanding is. You're used to achieving gradient colors through graphics, like a GIF, being used as the background. The problem with that is that a lot of people, like for me for instance, really suck at Photoshop and couldn't make a simple gradient GIF if my life depended on it. Now that is where Natch's solution comes into place..... with Natch's solution you don't use graphics to get the gradient colors!

Picture a simple HTML table; it is one row across and one column down so it's just a big empty square. Now if we wanted a fancy gradient background for that big square the code would look something like....<table><tr backbround="RED_GRADIENT.GIF">Hello world!</td></tr></table>OK, that's all well & good but only for people who know how to make the RED_GRADIENT.GIF graphic file. Now the same exact big square with the gradient background using Natch's solution would look something like....<table><tr style="background:url(gradient.php?gradient=thead&color=red) repeat-x;height:50px">Hello world!</td></tr></table>Same result, but using the PHP language only..... no graphics.

Now you might be saying "But I don't know anybout about PHP" but you don't have to. You just have to upload the PHP files to your server that does know what PHP is and then tweak the HTML code a bit to get your desired results.


Volley! <insert sound of tennis ball getting whacked here> :D

[SpottyPoo]

Okay - I understand now!! *clapping* I do know that my server does understand PHP. So I need to upload the files I got from above to my server? If so, what directory/location do I put them in?

Then, of course, my next question will be where do I manipulate the code? (Notice I didn't ask "how.")

WHACK!! Oooh, sorry -- didn't mean to bonk you on the head with that. ;)

[KW802]

Okay - I understand now!! *clapping* I do know that my server does understand PHP. So I need to upload the files I got from above to my server? If so, what directory/location do I put them in?

Then, of course, my next question will be where do I manipulate the code? (Notice I didn't ask "how.")

WHACK!! Oooh, sorry -- didn't mean to bonk you on the head with that. ;)
Step #1, where to put the PHP files.... To keep life simple let's use the recommended folder locations. Unzip the files to a temporary folder on your local PC. If you don't have one already created a folder in your /forums/images folder called "gradients" so the complete path looks like "/forums/images/gradients" -- If you have your vBulletin installed in a folder called something other than forums than change the "/forums" part to what ever yours is called. Upload the file named "gradient.php" to the "/forums/images/gradients" folder so the end result is "/forums/images/gradients/gradient.php" Upload the file named "class.gradient_image.php" to you "/forums/includes" folder so the end result is "/forums/includes/class.gradient_image.php"

For step #2, it depends. Are you trying to use the gradients just in your vBa CMPS templates or with your entire system?

[Polo]

Step #1, where to put the PHP files.... To keep life simple let's use the recommended folder locations.
Unzip the files to a temporary folder on your local PC.
If you don't have one already created a folder in your /forums/images folder called "gradients" so the complete path looks like "/forums/images/gradients" -- If you have your vBulletin installed in a folder called something other than forums than change the "/forums" part to what ever yours is called.
Upload the file named "gradient.php" to the "/forums/images/gradients" folder so the end result is "/forums/images/gradients/gradient.php"
Upload the file named "class.gradient_image.php" to you "/forums/includes" folder so the end result is "/forums/includes/class.gradient_image.php"

This should be done in your public_html folder ;)

[KW802]

This should be done in your public_html folder ;)
You sure about that? From reading the directions in gradient.php....// Place this file in your forumroot/images/gradients/
// Place the class.gradient_image.php in your forumroot/includes... I'm interpreting that as "/forums", not "/". :o