I have written a new program called UBBStyles. This program will take your current styles files and let you edit them offline and then upload them. This is for UBB 6.3.X only.



Other screenshots are available on the site.

The reason for this is that you can see the changes as you make them and also have a better environment to create in than the UBB Control Panel.

The current version is in beta, so there will probably be a bug or two as well as I'm open to suggestions on the program too. I've only had one beta tester so far, LK. He has done a good job testing the actual program. The installer and soforth has had only minor testing, but all should be ok.

If you are interested in trying it out, please visit http://ubbstyles.nomadsoft.net to download it.

Please give me your feedback good or bad(as long as it is constructive).

Wow this could be really great to use!

Although I had a problem installing...

"Setup cannot find c:...setup.LST Setup is aborting..."

That's the error I get after unzipping the archive and running setup.exe.

~Z

sounds like a cool program... does it support the new css features?

Wow now that would be nice,
I`ll be sure to check into that,

Thanks

Zackary: I'll check the setup now, thanks for the info.

Allen: No. What new CSS feature?

Good job Troy. BTW, Troy, i am interested in talking to you. AIM me: Ghard296, Sometime Friday, or email greg@tssaddicts.com. Thanks.

BTW, i get the same thing.

Zip file updated, should be working now.

Sounds like a good program. I may use it.

Excellent job!

http://ubbstyles.nomadsoft.net/ - the links to MultiHack and UBBStyles categories - is it just me, or they're "broken"?

The UBBStyles one is MHK's category, and MHK's category is empty

Zack, make sure you unextracted the ZIP before clicking on the setup files, some programs just don't unextract all files.

This is a very useful tool, great job.

Downloaded and installed just fine now. I'll spend more time on it this weekend. Great timing too, since I'm going to add My Style to my board.

Thanks Troy!

~Z

LK: It's just you I think. Those links seem to work ok for me.

Let me know how things go.

The installer insists that some components of my system are out of date, but it won't tell me what they are... and no offense, Troy, but I'm not about to let it overwrite some key DLLs or somesuch. Any clues as to what it might want to update?

I installed it on this Win98 machine and it said that it found newer files than the installer had. I didn't overwrite and said no to all. It appears to work.

I expect to see the same message on my WIN2K machine when I get home tonight.

~Z

LK: I stand corrected, the problems are fixed on the website.

Charles: No problem, I completely understand that. It will be any one of the following files:

Comdlg32.ocx
RICHED32.DLL
richtx32.ocx
TABCTL32.OCX

More than likely you can just ignore it and not overwrite it. I am going to use a newer installer for the next release and this probably won't happen. Normally it is the richtext files that cause this to come up. I think they have an invalid date within them. I blame MS.

How about adding the ability to specify paths like you have in MultiHack? Would be useful for those of us who run more than one UBB and/or run their own web server locally.

ShadowChaser: No problem, not a bad idea. Thanks!

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Troy:
I blame MS. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The answer to nearly all computer problems...

Nice work Troy.

Thanx a lot for the program Troy
Will have a play with that!

Mors

Anyone else have any other suggestions? Is this something you guys find useful? I am on the right track?

I think it's a great tool. It would be a huge help to people starting on their first UBB.

I really like it. Though there are some things that could make it a little more user friendly.

I'm working on a server locally, from a client. To copy the styles back to the server, I have to navigate down to the program directory and then copy the files over. Granted, I only have to do it once, but having local paths like multihack would really be great.

The "web safe" color pallette is a bit restrictive, although I CAN just copy and paste hex codes in. But perhaps an expanded color palette?

Just my thoughts. I'm no expert, but I really like it and have already tossed together a couple more style templates using it. Great job!

~Z

I'm adding in support for unlimited configurations now. So if you run more than one UBB you can have a directory for them each. You set the directory yourself, so it can be wherever you want it. By default though everything is created as it is now.

Expanded color palette, no problem.

Wow, Troy's back with another fantastic program...

One question: Which programming language is this project written in? If it's VB, I think I can help a little...

CTM: Thanks. =) I hope you like it. As for helping with it, thanks for the offer. Right now though there isn't much to do.

I'm adding in multiple installation support as I said(done, just need to test it all). I need to add in the custom color palette as well, but if you know VB, you know how easy that will be. Otherwise right now I'm not doing anything else to the program.

If you have any suggestions, let me know. I've considered adding in support to FTP the files up and down, but that depends on how many people end up using the program.

Has any one made new templates yet ?

UBBStyles Updated:

Added support for multiple UBB installs.

Added Custom color pallete.

Install is now available as a .MSI installer or .ZIP for those without MSI installed(This zip will install it).

Update is just the .EXE file download.

Other tweaks and changes, check the readme.txt file for more information.

Get it at http://www.nomadsoft.net

Working URL: www.ubbdev.com/columns/lk/UBBStyles.msi