I've found it's easier to begin with a skin that has the basic layout you desire (# of columns, fixed width, whatever) and then edit the css and graphics files to get your desired result. This way you already have the _main.php structured and ready to go. But you can start from scratch without too much extra work if you know what you're doing.

As far as _main.php goes, the biggest thing to pay attention to is the divs. If you can read the divs then you can follow the structure of the page. The layout is mostly in sequential order so you should be able to see what each bit of code is doing by comparing it to what you see in you blog.

If you want to remove something from the skin (like in the sidebar) you often just remove the entire div that the section is in. Minor details may take a more careful approach. :D

There isn't a single source with tips on editing _main.php although that is in the works currently. Searching the forums will get you lots of examples, though.

Nate wrote:

I've found it's easier to begin with a skin that has the basic layout you desire (# of columns, fixed width, whatever) and then edit the css and graphics files to get your desired result. This way you already have the _main.php structured and ready to go. But you can start from scratch without too much extra work if you know what you're doing.

Thanks.
I thought about this.
My concern is that the skin I choose to modify may have edited php tags and removed/added php features that I won't pick up on as I'm not yet sure how the whole _main.php file fits together yet.

Guess I had beter get stuck in then. B)

Well, most all the php parts in a skin become visible elements once the skin renders on the page so you should be able to visibly tell by comparing the final products if anything is missing that you would want. But as you said, it's best to dive in and get your hands dirty. You're bound to mess up here and there but it's usually pretty quick to pickup.

I have asked most of my questions at the forum for my web provider, so I am new here. And I am very new at blogs, etc., although I have built my own rudimentary websites for years using Frontpage.

I have tried making even tiny changes in skins, like adding a chicklet, and all I get is a blank screen for my trouble. I've tried downloading the skins, adding the code to the other sidebar links in the _main.php file, saving it, uploading it and changing the name of the skin so I could test it without screwing up the good one. Blank screen. I don't even know where to begin if I cannot pull off even such a simple thing.

dontwc

Ok, I've decided.
Taking the custom skin and changing it is the easier way to go.

I am having problems getting my skin to look decent in IE6. It looks ok with Firefox and Opera.
I know IE is full of CSS issues, but I don't know enough to be able to track down the problems.

If I post the .css and _main.php files here, will someone look at them for me? :lol:

Thanks

It'd be more helpful if you posted a link to your blog so that we can "see" the faults.

¥

*edit*

I have asked most of my questions at the forum for my web provider, so I am new here. And I am very new at blogs, etc., although I have built my own rudimentary websites for years using Frontpage.

I have tried making even tiny changes in skins, like adding a chicklet, and all I get is a blank screen for my trouble. I've tried downloading the skins, adding the code to the other sidebar links in the _main.php file, saving it, uploading it and changing the name of the skin so I could test it without screwing up the good one. Blank screen. I don't even know where to begin if I cannot pull off even such a simple thing.

dontwc

Sorry, just seen this, if you create a new post on the forums then it'd be easier to help you with this without confusing the original thread. It would also make it easier if you post a link to your blog and tell us what your test skin is called.

¥åßßå wrote:

It'd be more helpful if you posted a link to your blog so that we can "see" the faults.

I take that as a yes. :D

Two problems when using IE.

1) The gap between bgheader.png and the pageHeader class.
2) Right at the bottom, bgcontent.png starts repeating itself again after bgfooter.png.

Blog is [url=http://www.sigweb.co.za/b2]here[/url].
_main.php is [url=http://www.sigweb.co.za/b2/skins/myskin/test/_main.php.txt]here[/url] as a text file.
stylesheet.css is [url=http://www.sigweb.co.za/b2/skins/myskin/test/stylesheet.css.txt]here[/url] as a text file.

Hi Sig,
It was a "yes", but time calls me to ..... urm, well, beer actually :D ..... I'll take a look at this later if you don't get it solved before I sober up ;)

¥

Problem 1/
Find this bit of code :-
<div class="pageHeaderImg">
<img src="img/bgheader.png" border="0" width="780" height="100" alt="" />
</div>

and change it to all be on one line :-
<div class="pageHeaderImg"><img src="img/bgheader.png" border="0" width="780" height="100" alt="" /></div>

Problem 2/

Find this piece of code :-
<div class="pageFooterImg">
<img src="img/bgfooter.png" border="0" width="780" height="46" alt="" />
</div>

And change it to all be on one line :-
<div class="pageFooterImg"><img src="img/bgfooter.png" border="0" width="780" height="46" alt="" /></div>

;)

¥

Thanks. B)

So what's up with it all having to be on the same line? :-/
All the other stuff seems to be over multiple lines.

it's a known fault with IE when it comes to images (usually happens in tables) ;)

¥

¥åßßå wrote:

it's a known fault with IE when it comes to images (usually happens in tables) ;)

Mental note made. B)

I'm renowned for mental notes .... ask my shrink :p

¥