Administration and Setup Manual for
Anyboard
Page design and layout

Basic concepts

In AnyBoard 9 the HTML pages are generated from layouts which contain predefined macros.

A macro in AnyBoard is just an identifier (usually in capital letters) which represent an HTML code block, during the page generation process all occurrences of a macro are replaced by the HTML code it represents.

For example, for the message index page, there is a macro named ADMLNK, which stands for the link to the administration panel. If we put this macro somewhere in the HTML header configuration of the forum, the link will then show up in the generated pages. The same applies to POSTLNK, which stands for the post message form link, the same also spplies to other macros. In AnyBoard, by default there are two navigation bars which host common command links, these navigation bars are no more than a table containing a set of macros. The navigation bar is just a convenient way to put all common commands at one place, and you can disable the navigation bar via the configuration and put the command links anywhere you want: you just place the macros, such as ADMLNK and POSTLNK in the forum's HTML code configurations.

Since AnyBoard 9.9.5, one can layout the message index lines in a more flexible way. In this new layout, every line of the message index is a row in the table, the columns of the row contain the message fields, which are represented by macros. For example, MSG_POSTER stands for the author of the message and MSG_LNK stands for the link to the message content. By configuring the layout of the message row, you can arrange the message fields in any way you want.

Similarly, there are various macros for the message pages.

In the next few sections, we will go over the macros and how to use them.

How to use the macros

Configure the index page

Let's do a simple exercise. On the AnyBoard's default navigation bar, there is a drop-down list for page index and there is an associated "Go" button, which looks like this.

Let's remove this piece of HTML code from the navigation bar and put it under the bar. This is how

Similarly, you can play with other macros and put them in other configuration entries.

Now, let's re-arrange the columns of the message index. Right now, the page looks like this

we want to get rid of the "Replies" column and move the Originator column to the left of the Subject column. We follow these steps

Layout of the message page

Now, let's take a look at the layout of the message page.

The message page now looks like the following

If you go to Configure->Message page, you will see a large number of macros, stands for the various building blocks of the message page, and there is a layout configuration for the message page, from which the above format is generated. By changing the layout configuration, we change the look of the message page. Click on the "Preview" link beneath the layout entry, we see the layout corresponding to the above image. With IE5 and above, you can edit the layout in place and then click on the "Copy HTML" button to modify the layout.

One thing we should also notice is that some of the macros, such as ORIG_AUTHOR_STR and MSG_ATTACHMENTS are themselves made of other macros. Why is it this way? Let's look at the MSG_ATTACHMENTS, which stands for the HTML block contains the uploaded files, the macro is made of some descriptive text label plus the macro UPLOADED_FILES. Suppose we just put the UPLOADED_FILES plus the label into the layout, then the label will always be there, regardless of the presence of attachments. However, by using another level of macro (MSG_ATTACHMENTS), we can solve this problem. When there is no attachments, the MSG_ATTACHMENTS macro will be replaced with an empty string, and when there are files attached, it's replaced with the file links and some static text.

Designing a message template directly from the admin panel can be tedious. A much easier way to do it to design the message page using an HTML editor, then replace the HTML blocks with the macros, and you get a layout template. All you do next is to copy and paste the layout into the configurations.

Organization information macros

Suppose we want to add our company name and logo on every page of the forum, how do we do it? We can certainly add the HTML code into the configuration entries. But with AnyBoard 9.9, there is a better way: use the organization information macros , such as ORG_NAME and ORG_LOGO .

You can define the values of the ORG_ macros at the master admin panel, the values defined there are shared by all the forums. However, if you redefined the values at a particular forum, the forum specific definition takes precedence over the global definition.

When you load a template, the configuration values of the organization information won't be affected, just like the forum name & file configuration.

Dynamic macros

Some macros are only available when pages are made dynamic. In this case, AnyBoard processes the HTML file for each page view, so it's possible to provide user specific information. For example, the <LOGIN_USER> dynamic tag will be replaced with a logout link when the user is logged in, but otherwise empty. Similarly, <PRIVATE_MSG_ALERT> will produce an alert message when there is a new private message for the user.

With normal macros, one can enter them with or without the enclosing < >, so MSG_DATE and <MSG_DATE> are equivalent. Dynamic macros must be entered with <>.

Information about the available macros

There is a link in the admin panel for the description of the macros.

Macro Definition These macros are used in the navigation bar and forum's header and footer sections ADMLNK Link to the admin login page ALL_FORUMS_LIST The list of all available forums ARCHLNK Link to the archive page CHATLNK Link to the chat room DBLNK Link to the database and forms entry page EVELNK Link to the events page FINDLNK Link to the search message form FORUMNAME Forum name FPOSTLINK Link to the message post with forms attached GOPAGEBTN The HTML code consists of the page index and the go button LINKSLNK Link to the links submission and listing page LOGINLNK Link to the user login form MAINLNK Link to the main index page MEMBERLNK Link to the member list and search page MYFORUMLNK Link to private message area NEWESTLNK Link to the newest message index page OPTLNK Link to the page that displays configurations OVERVIEWLNK Link to the overview index page PAR_LINKS Links back to top level POSTLNK Link to the post message form PREVLNK Link to the previous message index page QSRCHLNK Link to the fast full text search form REGLNK Link to the user registration form RELOADLNK The reload page command STATSLNK Link to the posting statistics page SURVEYLNK Link to the polls page TAGSLNK Link to the tags mapping page USERCPANELLINK Link to the user control panel where users can change profile, etc WHOLNK Link to the online user list page

Macro Definition These macros are used to format message rows on the index page MSG_ABS Message abstract MSG_FLAGS Message feature indicators, such as link indicator MSG_LINK Link to message page MSG_MOOD Message emoticon MSG_NUMBER Message ID MSG_POSTER Poster MSG_RATE_LNK Link to the rate message page MSG_READS Number of reads, available only if read counter is enabled MSG_READ_STATUS Read status MSG_REPLY_CNT Number of replies MSG_SIZE Message size MSG_SPACER In threaded mode, this is the indentation before the message link MSG_STAT_TAG Message status tag MSG_TIME Posting time

Macro Definition These macros can be used only in the message page layout. Some of the macros, such as MBAR_WIDTH are here only for backward compatibility ALERT_ADM_LNK Link to the alert admin form AUTHOR_PROFILE_LNK Link to author's profile AUTHOR_SIGNATURE Author signature CURRENT_PAGE_LNK Link to the current index page EDIT_MSG_LNK Link to the edit message page FORUMNAME Forum name FORUM_LNK Link to the forum MAIL_USER_LNK Link to the mail user form MBAR_ATTRIB Other attributes of the navigation bar MBAR_BG Navigation bar background color MBAR_WIDTH Width of the navigation bar inside message MODIFIED_STR String shows the modification date and modifier MSGBODY_BBAR_SEP Separator between message body and bottom navigation bar MSG_ATTACHED_OBJ HTML code for the attached form MSG_ATTACHED_OBJ_MOD Link to the modify form of attached form MSG_ATTACHMENTS The HTML code for the attachments area MSG_AUTHOR_ORIG The author of the message being replied to MSG_AUTHOR_STR HTML code showing the author of this message MSG_BODY Message body MSG_BOTTOM_BAR Bottom navigation bar inside message MSG_DATE Posting time of the message MSG_IMG The linked image inside the message MSG_MOOD_ICON Message emoticon MSG_PATH_LINKS Links of messages going up to the top level MSG_REF_LNK The link to the message which the current message is replying to MSG_RLNK Related link MSG_TITLE Message title MSG_TOP_BAR Top navigation bar inside message NEXT_MSG_LNK Link to next message ORIG_MSG_STR The HTML code shows the original message information, note this macro is composed by other macros PARENT_LEVEL_MSG_LINKS Links of messages at the parent level POST_BY_WORD The post by word as defined in labels PREV_MSG_LNK Link to previous message RATE_MSG_LNK Link to the rate message form RECOMMEND_MSG_LNK Link to the recommend message form REPLY_MSG_LNK Link to reply form RE_WORD The RE word as defined in labels SIBLING_MSG_LINKS Links of messages at the same level TOPMBAR_BODY_SEP Separator between top navigation bar and message body TOP_MSG_LNK Link to the first topic in the thread UPLOADED_FILES The links to the uploaded files UP_MSG_LNK Link to the parent message to which this message replies VIEW_ALL_LNK Link to the page shows the whole content of current thread WHERE_AMI_LNK Link to the where am I page

Macro Definition These macros are only processed if the pages are made dynamic, they must be used as <macro_name> ALL_FORUMS_LIST The list of all available forums GLOABL_USER_LIST All online users LOCAL_USER_LIST Current online users in the current board LOGIN_USER HTML code shows the logout link for a logged in user MSG_READERS Used in private message page only, shows the readers of this message PRIVATE_MSG_ALERT HTML code alerts the presence of new private message