Creating menu around forum

With so little information about your problem it is difficult to respond, but the approach you should consider is to add a copy of your website's main navigation bar( to the main forum template such that clicking on any of the links will return the visitor to the main site. If you're clever, the visitor will not notice that they are in a different vhost because the menu will look the same to them. The main problem with this approach is that you will need to hard-code the nav labels and links and whilst this is fine for a small site, it could cause trouble for a large CMS based site.

In short then: don't try to bring the forum to the main site, but bring elements of the main site to the forum such that the visitor sees a unified image and is not aware that the two are separate.

I'm going to go ahead and move this to "Off Topic" since it has nothing to do with CSS.

Hi roytheboy. Thanks for your reply. Could you perhaps explain this a bit more in detail? I'm new at this so a bit lost with this forum creation. The thing is the forum index page is a bit complicated. I'm not sure where to enter the main menu html code on the page. You can view the html of the forum index page below:

<?php /********************************************************************************** * index.php * *********************************************************************************** * SMF: Simple Machines Forum * * Open-Source Project Inspired by Zef Hemel ([email protected]) * * =============================================================================== * * Software Version: SMF 1.1.4 * * Software by: Simple Machines (http://www.simplemachines.org) * * Copyright 2006-2007 by: Simple Machines LLC (http://www.simplemachines.org) * * 2001-2006 by: Lewis Media (http://www.lewismedia.com) * * Support, News, Updates at: http://www.simplemachines.org * *********************************************************************************** * This program is free software; you may redistribute it and/or modify it under * * the terms of the provided license as published by Simple Machines LLC. * * * * This program is distributed in the hope that it is and will be useful, but * * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES; without even any implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY * * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. * * * * See the "license.txt" file for details of the Simple Machines license. * * The latest version can always be found at http://www.simplemachines.org. * **********************************************************************************/

/* This, as you have probably guessed, is the crux on which SMF functions.
Everything should start here, so all the setup and security is done
properly. The most interesting part of this file is the action array in
the smf_main() function. It is formatted as so:

'action-in-url' => array('Source-File.php', 'FunctionToCall'),

Then, you can access the FunctionToCall() function from Source-File.php
with the URL index.php?action=action-in-url. Relatively simple, no?
*/

$forum_version = 'SMF 1.1.4';

// Get everything started up...
define('SMF', 1);
@set_magic_quotes_runtime(0);
error_reporting(E_ALL);
$time_start = microtime();

// Load the settings...
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . '/Settings.php');

// And important includes.
require_once($sourcedir . '/QueryString.php');
require_once($sourcedir . '/Subs.php');
require_once($sourcedir . '/Errors.php');
require_once($sourcedir . '/Load.php');
require_once($sourcedir . '/Security.php');

// Using an old version of PHP?
if (@version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '4.2.3') != 1)
require_once($sourcedir . '/Subs-Compat.php');

// If $maintenance is set specifically to 2, then we're upgrading or something.
if (!empty($maintenance) && $maintenance == 2)
db_fatal_error();

// Connect to the MySQL database.
if (empty($db_persist))
$db_connection = @mysql_connect($db_server, $db_user, $db_passwd);
else
$db_connection = @mysql_pconnect($db_server, $db_user, $db_passwd);

// Show an error if the connection couldn't be made.
if (!$db_connection || [email protected]_select_db($db_name, $db_connection))
db_fatal_error();

// Load the settings from the settings table, and perform operations like optimizing.
reloadSettings();
// Clean the request variables, add slashes, etc.
cleanRequest();
$context = array();

// Determine if this is using WAP, WAP2, or imode. Technically, we should check that wap comes before application/xhtml or text/html, but this doesn't work in practice as much as it should.
if (isset($_SERVER['HTTP_ACCEPT']) && strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_ACCEPT'], 'application/vnd.wap.xhtml+xml') !== false)
$_REQUEST['wap2'] = 1;
elseif (isset($_SERVER['HTTP_ACCEPT']) && strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_ACCEPT'], 'text/vnd.wap.wml') !== false)
{
if (strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'], 'DoCoMo/') !== false || strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'], 'portalmmm/') !== false)
$_REQUEST['imode'] = 1;
else
$_REQUEST['wap'] = 1;
}

if (!defined('WIRELESS'))
define('WIRELESS', isset($_REQUEST['wap']) || isset($_REQUEST['wap2']) || isset($_REQUEST['imode']));

// Some settings and headers are different for wireless protocols.
if (WIRELESS)
{
define('WIRELESS_PROTOCOL', isset($_REQUEST['wap']) ? 'wap' : (isset($_REQUEST['wap2']) ? 'wap2' : (isset($_REQUEST['imode']) ? 'imode' : '')));

// Some cellphones can't handle output compression...
$modSettings['enableCompressedOutput'] = '0';
// !!! Do we want these hard coded?
$modSettings['defaultMaxMessages'] = 5;
$modSettings['defaultMaxTopics'] = 9;

// Wireless protocol header.
if (WIRELESS_PROTOCOL == 'wap')
header('Content-Type: text/vnd.wap.wml');
}

// Check if compressed output is enabled, supported, and not already being done.
if (!empty($modSettings['enableCompressedOutput']) && !headers_sent() && ob_get_length() == 0)
{
// If zlib is being used, turn off output compression.
if (@ini_get('zlib.output_compression') == '1' || @ini_get('output_handler') == 'ob_gzhandler' || @version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '4.2.0') == -1)
$modSettings['enableCompressedOutput'] = '0';
else
ob_start('ob_gzhandler');
}
// This makes it so headers can be sent!
if (empty($modSettings['enableCompressedOutput']))
ob_start();

// Register an error handler.
set_error_handler('error_handler');

// Start the session. (assuming it hasn't already been.)
loadSession();

// What function shall we execute? (done like this for memory's sake.)
call_user_func(smf_main());

// Call obExit specially; we're coming from the main area ;).
obExit(null, null, true);

// The main controlling function.
function smf_main()
{
global $modSettings, $settings, $user_info, $board, $topic, $maintenance, $sourcedir;

// Special case: session keep-alive.
if (isset($_GET['action']) && $_GET['action'] == 'keepalive')
die;

// Load the user's cookie (or set as guest) and load their settings.
loadUserSettings();

// Load the current board's information.
loadBoard();

// Load the current theme. (note that ?theme=1 will also work, may be used for guest theming.)
loadTheme();

// Check if the user should be disallowed access.
is_not_banned();

// Load the current user's permissions.
loadPermissions();

// Do some logging, unless this is an attachment, avatar, theme option or XML feed.
if (empty($_REQUEST['action']) || !in_array($_REQUEST['action'], array('dlattach', 'jsoption', '.xml')))
{
// Log this user as online.
writeLog();

// Track forum statistics and hits...?
if (!empty($modSettings['hitStats']))
trackStats(array('hits' => '+'));
}

// Is the forum in maintenance mode? (doesn't apply to administrators.)
if (!empty($maintenance) && !allowedTo('admin_forum'))
{
// You can only login.... otherwise, you're getting the "maintenance mode" display.
if (isset($_REQUEST['action']) && ($_REQUEST['action'] == 'login2' || $_REQUEST['action'] == 'logout'))
{
require_once($sourcedir . '/LogInOut.php');
return $_REQUEST['action'] == 'login2' ? 'Login2' : 'Logout';
}
// Don't even try it, sonny.
else
{
require_once($sourcedir . '/Subs-Auth.php');
return 'InMaintenance';
}
}
// If guest access is off, a guest can only do one of the very few following actions.
elseif (empty($modSettings['allow_guestAccess']) && $user_info['is_guest'] && (!isset($_REQUEST['action']) || !in_array($_REQUEST['action'], array('login', 'login2', 'register', 'register2', 'reminder', 'activate', 'smstats', 'help', '.xml', 'verificationcode'))))
{
require_once($sourcedir . '/Subs-Auth.php');
return 'KickGuest';
}
elseif (empty($_REQUEST['action']))
{
// Action and board are both empty... BoardIndex!
if (empty($board) && empty($topic))
{
require_once($sourcedir . '/BoardIndex.php');
return 'BoardIndex';
}
// Topic is empty, and action is empty.... MessageIndex!
elseif (empty($topic))
{
require_once($sourcedir . '/MessageIndex.php');
return 'MessageIndex';
}
// Board is not empty... topic is not empty... action is empty.. Display!
else
{
require_once($sourcedir . '/Display.php');
return 'Display';
}
}

// Here's the monstrous $_REQUEST['action'] array - $_REQUEST['action'] => array($file, $function).
$actionArray = array(
'activate' => array('Register.php', 'Activate'),
'admin' => array('Admin.php', 'Admin'),
'announce' => array('Post.php', 'AnnounceTopic'),
'ban' => array('ManageBans.php', 'Ban'),
'boardrecount' => array('Admin.php', 'AdminBoardRecount'),
'buddy' => array('Subs-Members.php', 'BuddyListToggle'),
'calendar' => array('Calendar.php', 'CalendarMain'),
'cleanperms' => array('Admin.php', 'CleanupPermissions'),
'collapse' => array('Subs-Boards.php', 'CollapseCategory'),
'convertentities' => array('Admin.php', 'ConvertEntities'),
'convertutf8' => array('Admin.php', 'ConvertUtf8'),
'coppa' => array('Register.php', 'CoppaForm'),
'deletemsg' => array('RemoveTopic.php', 'DeleteMessage'),
'detailedversion' => array('Admin.php', 'VersionDetail'),
'display' => array('Display.php', 'Display'),
'dlattach' => array('Display.php', 'Download'),
'dumpdb' => array('DumpDatabase.php', 'DumpDatabase2'),
'editpoll' => array('Poll.php', 'EditPoll'),
'editpoll2' => array('Poll.php', 'EditPoll2'),
'featuresettings' => array('ModSettings.php', 'ModifyFeatureSettings'),
'featuresettings2' => array('ModSettings.php', 'ModifyFeatureSettings2'),
'findmember' => array('Subs-Auth.php', 'JSMembers'),
'help' => array('Help.php', 'ShowHelp'),
'helpadmin' => array('Help.php', 'ShowAdminHelp'),
'im' => array('PersonalMessage.php', 'MessageMain'),
'jsoption' => array('Themes.php', 'SetJavaScript'),
'jsmodify' => array('Post.php', 'JavaScriptModify'),
'lock' => array('LockTopic.php', 'LockTopic'),
'lockVoting' => array('Poll.php', 'LockVoting'),
'login' => array('LogInOut.php', 'Login'),
'login2' => array('LogInOut.php', 'Login2'),
'logout' => array('LogInOut.php', 'Logout'),
'maintain' => array('Admin.php', 'Maintenance'),
'manageattachments' => array('ManageAttachments.php', 'ManageAttachments'),
'manageboards' => array('ManageBoards.php', 'ManageBoards'),
'managecalendar' => array('ManageCalendar.php', 'ManageCalendar'),
'managesearch' => array('ManageSearch.php', 'ManageSearch'),
'markasread' => array('Subs-Boards.php', 'MarkRead'),
'membergroups' => array('ManageMembergroups.php', 'ModifyMembergroups'),
'mergetopics' => array('SplitTopics.php', 'MergeTopics'),
'mlist' => array('Memberlist.php', 'Memberlist'),
'modifycat' => array('ManageBoards.php', 'ModifyCat'),
'modifykarma' => array('Karma.php', 'ModifyKarma'),
'modlog' => array('Modlog.php', 'ViewModlog'),
'movetopic' => array('MoveTopic.php', 'MoveTopic'),
'movetopic2' => array('MoveTopic.php', 'MoveTopic2'),
'news' => array('ManageNews.php', 'ManageNews'),
'notify' => array('Notify.php', 'Notify'),
'notifyboard' => array('Notify.php', 'BoardNotify'),
'optimizetables' => array('Admin.php', 'OptimizeTables'),
'packageget' => array('PackageGet.php', 'PackageGet'),
'packages' => array('Packages.php', 'Packages'),
'permissions' => array('ManagePermissions.php', 'ModifyPermissions'),
'pgdownload' => array('PackageGet.php', 'PackageGet'),
'pm' => array('PersonalMessage.php', 'MessageMain'),
'post' => array('Post.php', 'Post'),
'post2' => array('Post.php', 'Post2'),
'postsettings' => array('ManagePosts.php', 'ManagePostSettings'),
'printpage' => array('Printpage.php', 'PrintTopic'),
'profile' => array('Profile.php', 'ModifyProfile'),
'profile2' => array('Profile.php', 'ModifyProfile2'),
'quotefast' => array('Post.php', 'QuoteFast'),
'quickmod' => array('Subs-Boards.php', 'QuickModeration'),
'quickmod2' => array('Subs-Boards.php', 'QuickModeration2'),
'recent' => array('Recent.php', 'RecentPosts'),
'regcenter' => array('ManageRegistration.php', 'RegCenter'),
'register' => array('Register.php', 'Register'),
'register2' => array('Register.php', 'Register2'),
'reminder' => array('Reminder.php', 'RemindMe'),
'removetopic2' => array('RemoveTopic.php', 'RemoveTopic2'),
'removeoldtopics2' => array('RemoveTopic.php', 'RemoveOldTopics2'),
'removepoll' => array('Poll.php', 'RemovePoll'),
'repairboards' => array('RepairBoards.php', 'RepairBoards'),
'reporttm' => array('SendTopic.php', 'ReportToModerator'),
'reports' => array('Reports.php', 'ReportsMain'),
'requestmembers' => array('Subs-Auth.php', 'RequestMembers'),
'search' => array('Search.php', 'PlushSearch1'),
'search2' => array('Search.php', 'PlushSearch2'),
'sendtopic' => array('SendTopic.php', 'SendTopic'),
'serversettings' => array('ManageServer.php', 'ModifySettings'),
'serversettings2' => array('ManageServer.php', 'ModifySettings2'),
'smileys' => array('ManageSmileys.php', 'ManageSmileys'),
'smstats' => array('Stats.php', 'SMStats'),
'spellcheck' => array('Subs-Post.php', 'SpellCheck'),
'splittopics' => array('SplitTopics.php', 'SplitTopics'),
'stats' => array('Stats.php', 'DisplayStats'),
'sticky' => array('LockTopic.php', 'Sticky'),
'theme' => array('Themes.php', 'ThemesMain'),
'trackip' => array('Profile.php', 'trackIP'),
'about:mozilla' => array('Karma.php', 'BookOfUnknown'),
'about:unknown' => array('Karma.php', 'BookOfUnknown'),
'unread' => array('Recent.php', 'UnreadTopics'),
'unreadreplies' => array('Recent.php', 'UnreadTopics'),
'viewErrorLog' => array('ManageErrors.php', 'ViewErrorLog'),
'viewmembers' => array('ManageMembers.php', 'ViewMembers'),
'viewprofile' => array('Profile.php', 'ModifyProfile'),
'verificationcode' => array('Register.php', 'VerificationCode'),
'vote' => array('Poll.php', 'Vote'),
'viewquery' => array('ViewQuery.php', 'ViewQuery'),
'who' => array('Who.php', 'Who'),
'.xml' => array('News.php', 'ShowXmlFeed'),
);

// Get the function and file to include - if it's not there, do the board index.
if (!isset($_REQUEST['action']) || !isset($actionArray[$_REQUEST['action']]))
{
// Catch the action with the theme?
if (!empty($settings['catch_action']))
{
require_once($sourcedir . '/Themes.php');
return 'WrapAction';
}

// Fall through to the board index then...
require_once($sourcedir . '/BoardIndex.php');
return 'BoardIndex';
}

// Otherwise, it was set - so let's go to that action.
require_once($sourcedir . '/' . $actionArray[$_REQUEST['action']][0]);
return $actionArray[$_REQUEST['action']][1];
}

?>

The script you need to amend is index.template.php in whatever theme directory you are using, inside the 'Themes' directory, which is inside the root directory for the forum. You'll also find the main CSS script inside the appropriate theme directory. As it says in the script: "For more information on the templating system, please see the site at: http://www.simplemachines.org/