Want to start a forum

[Alphane]

Right I've never done this before by myself, but a friend once helped me run a small AD&D forum some years ago.

Now I'm looking to get into it again. (/edit forums not tabletop)

As I understand I will need.

A Host

A ftp program

A 'basic' forum

Mods for forum

So having no idea what is available could anyone be good enough to spec me all of the above.

Anything I've missed or any turtorials about how to get a forum up and running would also be of interest.

Cheers

 

[AHarvey]

first things first, do you want to have a play first or jump straight in with a proper website etc?

I'd start with a trial run:

get a 000webhost account (its free)
download Filezilla (it's free)
download the latest version of SMF forums (it's free)

Create a database on 000webhost, take note of location, name of db, usr name and password.

Upload SMF to webspace with filezilla and load index page.

Set up forums and play

 

[Alphane]

As I remeber it my friend always ran a parrelel development copy of the forums, for playing with.

It's all a learning curve

 

[craptakular]

It's taken me a year on and off to get to a stage where I can now actually implement my idea later this year.

I have had to learn html, css, php and mysql...

The amount of stuff to learn with php boggles my mind, it's brilliant!

Just do a practice run on a naff idea, learn from it and save new approaches and new skills for your proper idea... I did that back in 2010, now learnt a lot of things from it.

 

[ZombieFan]

Personally, I would set one up at www.zetaboards.com to begin with. If the forum becomes popular then you can always branch off onto your own domain. But it depends on if you want to just get a forum set up, or if you want to learn how to set one up.

 

[JimAroo]

I'd try some different forums to see what you like.

SMF, FluxBB both great forum software, i'd try them both.. as well as any others that interest you.

 

[Alphane]

Will the windows ISS or IIS thing (can't remeber which of the top of my head) be a viable testing ground ?

And yes I want to learn the ins and outs of the proccess while running it (or before even)

 

[JimAroo]

Just download yourself a copy of XAMPP or WAMP.

These will install an all in one server on your computer that you can run tests from.

Also XAMPP has FileZilla (FTP Server), and Mercury (Mail server) built in, so everything you could possibly want.

 

[Alphane]

I feel I have been down this road before recently, on my old XP installation I was adviced to use the windows function as I was trying to setup as a test ground for Python CGI scripts as well

 

[m4rkw7]

A Host - Vidahost
A ftp program - FileZilla
A 'basic' forum - MyBB
Mods for forum - Yourself for now

 

[Alphane]

Ok going to start my adventures in forum land on Zeta boards as this came up and I want to form an alliance and really need a forum straight away.

Cheers for all the advice guys I'll probably be looking into doing more stuff soon.

 

[Alphane]

Ok guys Zeta boards is up and running, ran through tools available one by one.

Now I need to customise my look, any one know of a good tutorial about basic CSS and more specifically customising themes in Zeta boards

 

[Rich43]

Try playing with the CSS Editor in Dreamweaver, its very intuitive to use and it helped teach me some CSS (since I often read the code it generates).

 

[Alphane]

How can I go about retro-engineering the code more cheaply maybe?

 

[Rich43]

Use http://bluegriffon.org/
Its based off the Firefox HTML engine and also has a nice CSS editor + its free

Also, there are great firefox extensions such as:
http://getfirebug.com/
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/web-developer/

 

[Alphane]

Cheers Rich I'll take a look at them, found a thing called Komposer myself last night was just trying that at the moment.

It would be really helpful if someone could give me an overiew of whats going on in these scripts though they are rather long.

So if we where to use

Spoiler

    <div id="menu">
    <div id="menu_l"></div>
    <div id="menu_r"></div><!-- TOPMENU --></div>

    <div id="tb">
    <div id="tlb"></div>
    <div id="trb"></div>

    <br />

    <div id="main_content">

    <!-- HEADER -->
    <br />

    <div id="sm" align="center">
    <div id="sl"></div>
    <div id="sr"></div>
    <!-- SUBMENU -->
    </div>
    <br />
    <!-- NAV -->
    <br />
    <!-- BOARD -->
    <br />

    <div align="center" style="padding: 2px 0;width: 180px;margin: 0 auto;">Theme by James... of the <a href="http://zbthemezone.com"><b>ZBTZ</b></a> and <a href="http://themeszetaboards.com"><b>themeszetaboards.com</b></div>
    </div>

    <script type="text/javascript" src="http://z3.ifrm.com/197/177/0/p86186/th2.js"></script>

    <script type="text/javascript">
    //<![CDATA[
    $(function() {
    $(".drop_menu").appendTo("menu_l");
    $("#top_info").appendTo("menu_r");
    });
    //]]>
    </script>

    <script type="text/javascript">
    //<![CDATA[
    ff=(navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Firefox")!=-1)?" style='position:relative;left:-1px'":"";
    $(".category td.c_foot").append('<div class="foot_left"'+ff+'></div><div class="foot_right"></div>');
    $("#stats td.c_foot .right").prependTo("#stats .foot_right");
    //]]>
    </script>

    <script type="text/javascript">
    $(function() {
    $('table').each(function(i) {
    $(this).addClass('tableclass');
    });
    });
    $("table:has('iframe')").addClass("hello");
    </script>

Spoiler

    html,body {
    background: #333333;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-family: "Arial", "Bitstream Vera Sans", "Verdana", sans-serif;
    font-size: 12px;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    height: 100%;
    }

    a {
    color:#e97300;
    text-decoration:none;
    }

    a:hover {
    color:#f68c24;
    text-decoration:none;
    }

    hr {
    background-color:#262626;
    border:0;
    clear:both;
    height:1px;
    }

    table {
    border-collapse:collapse;
    border-spacing:0;
    clear:both;
    empty-cells:show;
    width:100%;
    }

    th,td {
    border:1px solid #111111;
    }

    th {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97205/Th.jpg) repeat-x top #262626;
    padding:3px 5px;
    text-align:left;
    }

    .tableclass td {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    td {
    background: #262626;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    padding:5px 10px;
    }

    .hello td {
    padding: 2px;
    }

    td.c_nosig {
    background:#262626;
    }

    h1 {
    }

    h2,h3 {
    font-size: 14px;
    }

    h2 img {
    display: none;
    }

    .category h2,.topic h2,#portal h2,#portal_foot h2,thead th {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    font-size: 14px;
    font-weight:700;
    border-color:#111111;
    }
    h2 a, h2 a:hover {
    color: #261300;
    font-size: 14px;
    }

    thead th {
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    }
    thead th a, thead th a:hover {
    color: #261300;
    }

    h2.special {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color: #261300;
    border-color:#111111;
    }
    h2.special a, h2.special a:hover {
    color: #261300;
    }

    div.topic h2.special {
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    border-top: none;
    border-bottom: none;
    margin-left: -1px;
    margin-right: 0;
    }

    .cat_head td {
    border-color:#111111;
    border-bottom: 0px;
    padding:0;
    }

    input,select,textarea,button,a.btn_fake {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    padding:3px 5px;
    vertical-align:middle;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    textarea {
    font-family:"Arial", sans-serif;
    margin:auto;
    width:98%;
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    font-size: 12px;
    }

    .submit_error {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    }

    #c_bbcode button {
    padding: 1px 3px;
    margin-bottom: 2px;
    }
    #c_bbcode select {
    padding: 1px 3px;
    margin-bottom: 2px;
    }

    button,a.btn_fake {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    cursor:default;
    font-family:Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;
    overflow:visible;
    width:auto;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    #c_notes button {
    margin-top: 5px;
    }

    button:hover,a.btn_fake:hover {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    border-color:#111111;
    }

    button.btn_text {
    background:none;
    border:0;
    cursor:pointer;
    font-family:Arial, "Bitstream Vera Sans", Verdana, sans-serif;
    }

    .notice {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    margin:10px auto 10px;
    width:70%;
    }

    .notice dt {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:700;
    }

    .notice dd {
    font-style:italic;
    }

    dl.info {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-color:#111111;
    }

    .info dt {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    dl.error {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-color:#111111;
    }

    .error dt {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    #top ul,#nav,ul.cat-pages,ul.cat-topicpages,table.calendar ul,div.meta_menu ul,#pm_folderlist {
    list-style:none;
    padding:0;
    }

    ul.cat-topicpages,blockquote dl,#fast-reply dd, table.calendar ul {
    margin:0;
    }

    #top li,#nav li,ul.cat-pages li,ul.cat-topicpages li,table.calendar li,#profile_menuwrap li,#pm_folderlist li,#ucp_gallery li {
    display:inline;
    }

    #top_bar {
    display:none;
    }

    #top {
    }

    #top_info {
    float:left;
    margin-top: 2px;
    }

    #top_menu {
    float:right;
    margin: 0;
    }

    #top_menu a, #top_info a {
    }

    .drop_menu li {
    float:left;
    text-align:center;
    padding: 0 10px 0 0;
    }

    .drop_menu a {
    font-weight: bold;
    display:block;
    padding:2px 15px 4px 15px;
    position:relative;
    width: 100px;
    }

    #top img {
    display:none;
    }

    .drop_menu a:hover {
    border-bottom: none;
    }

    .drop_menu ul {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97220/Drop.png) bottom center no-repeat;
    left:-999em;
    margin: 0;
    position:absolute;
    width: 139px;
    padding-bottom: 15px!important;
    }

    .drop_menu ul li {
    margin:0;
    width:100%;
    }

    #top .drop_menu ul li a {
    width: 138px;
    padding: 2px 0;
    margin: 0 1px 1px 1px;
    background: transparent;
    }

    #top .drop_menu li ul li a:hover {
    width: 138px;
    padding: 2px 0;
    margin: 0 1px 1px 1px;
    border: none;
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97221/Drophover.png) top center no-repeat;
    color: #261300;
    }


    #logo {
    padding: 0;
    }

    *:first-child+html #logo {
    margin-top: -1px;
    }

    #submenu_bar {
    display: none;
    }

    #submenu {
    font-size:14px;
    text-align: center;
    padding-top: 4px;
    }

    #submenu a:link, #submenu a:active, #submenu a:visited {
    margin: 0 5px;
    padding: 4px 6px 4px 6px;
    font-weight: bold;
    }
    #submenu a:hover {
    background: #5b2d00 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    padding: 3px 5px 3px 5px;
    font-weight: bold;
    color: #261300;
    }

    #nav {
    padding: 2px 5px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    #nav img {
    padding-top: 3px;
    }

    .meta_box {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    line-height:150%;
    padding:5px 10px;
    }

    .meta_menu {
    background:#262626;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    padding:0;
    width:49%;
    }

    .meta_menu h3 {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    clear:both;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:700;
    margin:-1px;
    text-align:center;
    }

    ul.cat-pages {
    float:left;
    margin:15px 0;
    padding: 5px 1px;
    width:49%;
    }

    .cat-pages a,.cat-pagesjump i,.cat-topicpages a {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    .cat-pages a:hover,.cat-topicpages a:hover {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97205/Th.jpg) repeat-x top #262626;
    color:#f68c24;
    border-color:#111111;
    }

    .cat-pages span {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    cursor:default;
    font-weight:700;
    padding:2px 5px;
    }

    .cat-pages input {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    padding:3px 5px;
    vertical-align:baseline;
    }

    ul.cat-topicpages {
    float:right;
    padding:1px 0;
    }

    tr.generic td,div.generic {
    font-weight:700;
    padding:20px;
    text-align:center;
    }

    td.c_head,td.c_foot,td.c_sort,td.c_topicfoot {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    tr.c_postfoot td {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    padding: 2px 10px;
    }

    .posts tbody .c_foot, .topic .c_foot {
    border-bottom: none;
    }

    td.c_desc {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    font-weight:700;
    text-align:right;
    vertical-align:middle;
    width:200px;
    }

    td.c_desc small {
    display:block;
    font-weight:400;
    }

    tr.pm_new td {
    background:#262626;
    font-weight:700;
    }

    tr.hidden td.c_post {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    .bday {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/static/1/s_minibday.png) no-repeat;
    font-weight:700;
    height:16px;
    padding:2px 2px 2px 18px;
    width:20px;
    }

    .c_mark {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x!important;
    text-align:center;
    width:1%;
    padding: 7px 5px;
    }

    .c_forum {
    width:60%;
    font-size: 11px;

    }

    .c_forum strong a:link, .c_forum strong a:active, .c_forum strong a:visited {
    font-size: 12px;
    }

    td.c_last {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    .c_forum-desc {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    .c_last-title {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97253/Dot.png) no-repeat left;
    display:block;
    line-height:16px;
    padding-left:10px;
    }

    td.c_info-v, td.c_info-t, td.c_info-r {
    text-align:center;
    font-size: 11px;
    padding: 3px 5px;
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97205/Th.jpg) repeat-x top #262626;
    }

    td.c_subforum {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#e97300;
    font-size: 11px;
    padding: 3px 10px;
    }

    .c_subforum strong {
    color: #a1a1a1;
    }

    .description {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    td#stats_events a,td#stats_events span {
    background:url() no-repeat 2px;
    padding:1px 0 4px 14px;
    }

    td#stats_legend {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    td.c_username {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    padding:1px 0;
    text-align:center;
    font-size: 12px;
    }

    td.c_user {
    }

    td.c_user dl {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    margin:10px 0;
    padding:5px 7px;
    width:160px;
    }

    dl.user_profile {
    overflow:hidden;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    dl.user_profile dd {
    font-style:italic;
    margin-left:8px;
    }

    dl.user_info dd {
    font-weight:700;
    margin-bottom:1px;
    }

    td.c_poll-choice label {
    font-weight:700;
    padding-left:1em;
    }

    table.poll {
    margin-bottom: 10px;
    }

    td.c_poll-votes {
    text-align:center;
    width:15%;
    }

    td.c_poll-bar div {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97441/Pollb.jpg) no-repeat right;
    float:left;
    height:10px;
    }

    td.c_poll-bar span {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97440/Polll.jpg) no-repeat left;
    display:block;
    float:left;
    height:10px;
    width:1px;
    padding-right: 3px;
    }

    .editby,.queued {
    border:1px dotted #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-style:italic;
    margin-top:1em;
    padding:3px 5px;
    }

    .queued {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    blockquote {
    font-size: 11px;
    background:#202020;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    margin:10px auto;
    padding-bottom:1px;
    width:98%;
    }

    blockquote dl {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-bottom:1px solid #111111;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    blockquote dl dt {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    float:left;
    font-weight:bold;
    border-right:1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    padding: 1px 3px 1px 3px;
    }

    code {
    display:block;
    font-family:Monaco, Consolas, "Courier New", Courier, monospace;
    max-height:400px;
    overflow:auto;
    white-space:pre;
    }

    div.spoiler {
    background: #202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    border-top:0;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    div.spoiler_toggle {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    cursor:pointer;
    font-weight:700;
    padding:2px 4px;
    }

    td.c_postinfo {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    vertical-align:middle;

    }

    td.c_postinfo input {

    vertical-align:middle;
    }

    td.c_sig {
    color:#a1a1a1;

    }

    td.c_sig blockquote {
    background:none transparent;
    border:0;
    border-left:3px solid #999;
    padding-left:5px;
    }

    td.c_sig blockquote dl {
    background:none transparent;
    border:0;
    }

    td.c_sig blockquote dl dt,td.c_sig blockquote dl dd {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    padding:0;
    }



    td.c_sig blockquote div {
    background:transparent;
    margin-left:5px;
    padding:0;

    }

    tr.c_postfoot td {
    clear:both;
    }

    td.c_footicons,td.c_postinfo {
    width:100%;
    }

    td.c_username {
    width:195px;
    }

    .c_next a {
    display:block;
    font-weight:700;
    text-align:center;
    }

    td.c_view {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    line-height: 2;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    div.c_view-list {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    padding: 0px 5px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }


    dl#fast-reply dt {
    padding: 3px 10px;
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: none;
    color:#261300;
    font-size: 14px;

    font-weight:700;
    margin:0;
    }

    dl#fast-reply dd {
    background:#262626;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    padding:15px 0;
    text-align:center;
    }

    #c_post-preview {
    background:#262626;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    margin:0 auto 10px;
    padding:5px;
    text-align:left;
    }

    #c_post-resize span {
    color:#e97300;
    font-weight: 700;
    font-size: 14px;
    cursor:pointer;
    padding:20px 5px 0;
    }

    #emot_wrap {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    }

    #emot_wrap h3 {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-bottom:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    text-align:center;
    font-size: 12px;
    }

    #emot_end {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-top:1px solid #111111;
    display:block;
    font-weight:700;
    padding:4px 0;
    text-align:center;
    }

    #pm_folders {
    border-left:1px solid #111111;
    border-right:1px solid #111111;
    padding-top:30px;
    vertical-align:top;
    width:150px;
    }

    #pm_folderlist {
    position: relative;
    margin-left:0;
    margin-top:0
    }

    #pm_folderlist li {
    background: none;
    display:list-item;
    margin-bottom:4px;
    padding-left:28px;
    }

    #pm_forwarded {
    border:1px dotted #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-style:italic;
    margin-top:1em;
    padding:3px 5px;
    }

    #ucp_gallery {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x!important;
    }

    #ucp_gallery a {
    font-weight: bold;
    }

    #ucp_gallery button {
    font-weight: bold;
    }

    .calendar td.cal_inactive {
    color:#555555!important;
    }

    /* Calendar header */
    .calendar thead th {
    padding:3px 5px;
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: none;
    }
    .calendar thead th a, .calendar thead th a:hover {
    color: #261300;
    }
    .calendar big {
    font-size: 14px;
    }

    .calendar td div.cal_div {
    border-bottom:1px solid #111111;
    font-weight:700;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    .calendar div.cal_div a {
    background: none;
    float:right;
    font-weight:400;
    padding:0 0 6px 24px;
    }

    .calendar li a,.calendar li span {
    border-color:transparent;
    border-style:solid;
    border-width:1px;
    display:block;
    padding:3px;
    }

    .calendar td#cal_current {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    padding: 2px 0px;
    }

    div.portal_content {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    margin:0;
    padding:5px 7px;
    overflow-x: hidden;
    }

    #portal h2 {
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    }

    #portal h4 {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-left:1px solid #111111;
    border-right:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:400;
    margin:0;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    #faq dt a {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:700;
    }

    #faq dd.faq_more a,#faq dl.faq_more a:hover {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-style:italic;
    }

    .search_results {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    margin-bottom:1em;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    .search_results h3 {
    display:inline;
    }


    .search_results cite,.search_results p {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    margin:0;
    }

    #findposts .c_mark {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:700;
    vertical-align:top;
    }

    #pmtoast {
    background:#262626 url() repeat-x;
    border:2px solid #111111;
    bottom:10px;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    display:none;
    position:fixed;
    right:10px;
    text-align:right;
    text-decoration:none;
    width:190px;
    z-index:1;
    }

    #pmtoast:hover {
    border-color:#e97300;
    }

    #pmlink {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97495/Messages.jpg) no-repeat;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    display:block;
    padding:10px 10px 10px 55px;
    text-decoration:none;
    }

    #pmlink big {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    display:block;
    font-weight:700;
    padding-bottom:5px;
    }

    #pmlink strong {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    #pmclose {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-top:1px solid #111111;
    color:#e97300;
    display:block;

    padding:2px 10px;
    }

    #pmclose:hover {
    color:#f68c24;
    }

    #foot_wrap {
    margin:20px 0px 0 0;
    }


    #foot td {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;

    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    #foot a,#foot a:hover {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    td#foot_datetime {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;





    border-left:1px solid #111111;
    width:1%;
    white-space:nowrap;
    }


    /* Removes image */

    #foot_datetime img {
    display: none;
    }

    #copyright {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97222/Copyright.jpg) center no-repeat;
    text-align:center;
    font-size: 11px;
    width: 236px;
    padding: 14px 0 17px 0;
    margin: 0 auto;
    }
    #copyright a, #copyright a:hover {
    font-weight: bold;
    }

    #c_tos h3 {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    td.username_ok {
    background:#262626;
    }

    input.username_ok {
    outline:2px solid #111111;
    }

    td.username_no {
    background:#262626;
    }

    input.username_no {
    outline:2px solid #111111;
    }

    #acplogin {
    background:url() repeat-x 0 -195px #262626;
    border:2px solid #111111;
    height:275px;
    left:50%;
    margin:-137.5px 0 0 -250px;
    padding:0;
    position:absolute;
    top:50%;
    width:500px;
    }

    #acplogin h1 {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:400;
    height:50px;
    margin-bottom:20px;
    padding:50px 20px 0 0;
    text-align:right;
    }

    #acplogin h1 img {
    position:absolute;
    left:0;
    top:0;
    }

    a img {
    border:0;
    }

    form {
    display:inline;
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
    }

    .category h2,.topic h2,#portal h2, thead th {
    padding: 2px 10px;
    text-align:center;
    }

    .cat_head h2 {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    font-size: 14px;
    font-weight:700;
    border-color:#111111;
    padding: 2px 10px;
    }

    h3 {
    padding:3px 0;
    }

    input[type=checkbox] {
    background:transparent;
    border:0;
    padding:0;
    vertical-align:bottom;
    }

    input[type=radio] {
    border:0;
    }

    select {
    margin:0 7px;
    padding:0;
    vertical-align:bottom;
    }

    option {
    margin:2px 0;
    }

    button.btn_img {
    border:0;
    cursor:pointer;
    padding:0;
    }

    .notice dt,.notice dd {
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    .drop_menu a img {
    vertical-align:bottom;
    }

    .drop_menu li:hover ul,.drop_menu li.hover ul {
    left:auto;
    }

    #main {
    height:1%;
    }

    #nav li img {
    vertical-align:top;
    }

    .meta_box,.meta_menu {
    margin:10px 0;
    }

    .meta_box li {
    display:list-item;
    list-style-position:inside;
    list-style-type:square;
    margin-left:10px;
    }

    .meta_menu ul {
    margin:5px 5%;
    }

    .meta_menu img,.meta_menu span {
    float:right;
    margin:10px 20px;
    }

    .cat-pages a,.cat-pagesjump i,.cat-topicpages a {
    cursor:pointer;
    padding:2px 5px;
    }

    .cat-topicpages a {
    padding:0 2px;
    }

    .cat-buttons,.topic-buttons {
    float:right;
    margin:15px 0;
    text-align:right;
    width:50%;
    }

    tr.postbtn td {
    padding:5px;
    text-align:center;
    }

    .row1,.row2 {
    line-height:1.4;
    }

    /* Hints background fix */
    input.row1 {
    background: #262626;
    }

    td.c_head input,td.c_head button,td.c_foot input,td.c_foot button,td.c_sort input,td.c_sort button {
    padding:1px;
    }

    td.c_desc img,td.c_desc input {
    float:left;
    vertical-align:middle;
    }

    .category {
    margin:10px 0 0;
    }

    span.collapse,span.uncollapse {
    cursor:pointer;
    float:right;
    position:relative;
    }

    .c_mark img {
    display:block;
    margin:auto;
    }

    .c_last {
    line-height:1.4;
    min-width:300px;
    width:30%;
    }

    #stats_members {
    line-height:1.2;
    }

    td.c_cat-mark,td.c_cat-icon {
    padding:5px 0;
    text-align:center;
    width:30px;

    }

    td.c_cat-starter {
    width:125px;
    }

    td.c_cat-lastpost {
    width:175px;



    }

    .c_user {

    vertical-align:top;
    width:175px;
    min-width:175px;
    max-width:175px;
    }

    img.c_user {
    height: 1px;
    }

    .avatar {
    display:block;
    margin:auto;
    text-align:center;
    }

    .av_wrap {
    overflow:hidden;
    text-align:center;









    margin:auto;
    }

    td.c_user .usertitle {
    margin:3px 0;
    text-align:center;

    }


    .pip {
    margin:3px 0;
    white-space:nowrap;
    }

    dl.user_info dt,dl.user_info dd {
    padding:.1em;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    dl.user_info dt {
    float:left;
    margin:0;
    min-width:4em;
    }

    dl.user_info dd.spacer,dl.user_profile dd.spacer {
    clear:both;
    float:none;
    height:1px;
    padding:0;
    }







    td.c_poll-choice {
    line-height:1.5;
    padding-left:45%;
    }

    td.c_poll-answer {
    text-align:right;
    width:42.5%;
    }

    td.c_poll-bar {
    text-align:left;

    vertical-align:middle;
    width:42.5%;
    }

    * html td.c_poll-bar span {
    margin-top:3px;
    }

    td.c_post {
    line-height:1.7;
    vertical-align:top;
    }

    td.c_post ul,td.c_post li {



    list-style-type:square;

    margin-left:10px;
    }

    .c_post img,#topic_review img {
    max-width:90%;
    }










    .c_post-attachment {

    margin-top:1em;
    padding:1em;
    }


    .c_post-attachment dd {
    margin-left:1em;
    }

    .post_sep {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x bottom #5b2d00;
    border-left: 1px solid #111111;
    border-right: 1px solid #111111;
    font-size:0px;
    height:1px;
    }

    td.c_sig,td.c_nosig {
    height:1%;
    vertical-align:top;
    }

    td.c_nosig {
    border-top-style:hidden!important;
    }

    blockquote dl dd {
    padding:1px 4px;
    }

    blockquote div,blockquote code {
    width: 100%;
    margin:0;
    padding:5px;
    }

    dl#fast-reply {
    clear:both;
    margin:auto;
    width:80%;
    }

    dl#fast-reply dd p {
    margin:-3px;
    padding:0 5% 10px;
    text-align:left;
    }

    dl#fast-reply dd textarea {
    display:block;
    height:100px;
    margin-bottom:10px;
    padding:2px;
    width:90%;
    }

    #c_post-text {
    height:223px;
    }

    #c_post-resize {
    float:right;
    margin-top:-1px;
    padding:4px 0 0;
    text-align:right;
    }

    #btn_preview {
    float:left;
    margin:10px 0 0 1px;
    }

    #c_emot {
    height:225px;
    vertical-align:top;
    width:210px;
    }

    #emot_list {
    height:275px;
    margin:0 auto;
    overflow:auto;
    padding:5px 0;
    text-align:center;
    }

    div#emot_list {
    padding:0;
    }

    #emot_list li {
    display:inline;
    padding:4px 10px;
    }

    #emot_list img {
    cursor:pointer;
    vertical-align:baseline;
    }

    .pm {
    margin-bottom:1em;
    }

    #pm_datesent {
    width:200px;
    }

    #pm_select {
    text-align:center;
    width:1px;
    }

    #conversation .c_post {
    padding:2em;
    }

    #ucp_profile,#pm_messages {
    float:right;
    }

    #ucp_settings img,#ucp_profile img {
    margin:18px 20px;
    }

    #ucp_gallery li {
    float:left;
    padding: 3px 4px;
    margin:15px 5px;
    }
    #ucp_gallery li:hover {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    padding: 2px 3px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    }

    #ucp_gallery button {
    cursor:pointer;
    text-align:center;
    }

    .ucp {
    margin-bottom: 10px;
    }

    .ucp button.btn_text {
    padding:5px 0;
    text-align:center;
    width:100%;
    }

    .calendar td {
    height:125px;
    padding:0;
    vertical-align:top;
    width:14.3%;
    }

    .calendar li {
    display:list-item;
    font-size:80%;
    margin:0;
    }

    .calendar li.placeholder {
    padding:4px;
    }

    .calendar li span {
    cursor:default;
    }

    .calendar td#cal_current div {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    margin-top: -2px;
    color: #f68c24;
    }

    #portal_head {
    margin-bottom:10px;
    }

    #portal_foot {
    margin-top:10px;
    }

    #portal_l,#portal_r {
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
    }

    #portal_l {
    float:left;
    width:200px;
    }

    #portal_r {
    float:right;
    width:150px;
    }

    #portal_news {
    margin:0 160px 0 210px;
    }

    #portal_clear {
    background:transparent;
    border:none;
    clear:both;
    font-size:1px;
    height:1px;
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
    }

    .portal_box {
    margin-bottom:5px;
    padding:1px;
    }



    .portal_box table {
    clear:none;
    }

    #portal_foot h2, #portal h2 {
    clear:none;
    margin-left: -1px;
    padding: 2px 5px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    }
    #portal h2 {
    margin: 0;
    }

    #faq {
    margin:20px 0;
    }

    #faq dl {
    padding:1em;
    }

    #faq dt {
    margin-bottom:5px;
    }

    #faq dd {
    display:list-item;
    margin:0 0 3px 15px;
    padding-left:3px;
    }

    .search_results div {
    display:block;
    margin:5px 0;
    }

    #acplogin #loginform {


    display:block;
    padding:0 50px;
    }

    input,select,td,th {
    }

    button.btn_default,#nav li span,.c_post-attachment dt,#c_tos dt {
    font-weight:700;
    }

    .meta_box h3,td.c_topicfoot strong,#meta_welcome strong {
    }

    .meta_box h3 {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    padding: 3px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    }

    .row2 td {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    }



    .row1 td {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    img,.meta_box button img,td.c_cat-mark input,.c_post-attachment img,.warn
    img,#ucp_gallery a img {
    vertical-align:middle;
    }

    h1,h2,h3,#nav,#boardmeta,#main {
    clear:both;
    margin:0;
    }

    #meta_welcome,.search_results {
    clear:both;
    }




    #stats_events {





    line-height:2;


    }

    .c_cat-starter,.c_cat-replies,.c_cat-views,td.c_poll-total,td.c_poll-
    vote,td.c_topicfoot,.warn,.ucp th,#c_notes,.calendar th {
    text-align:center;
    }

    td.c_poll-total {







    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    }


    blockquote dl dd,#foot #foot_links {
    text-align:right;
    }


    #c_post,#ucp_gallery {
    text-align:center;
    vertical-align:top;
    }

    #files_upload input,.pm .row1 a,.pm .row2 a,#ucp_gallery button img,#findposts td a {




    display:block;
    }

    #ucp_settings,#pm_settings {
    float:left;


    }



    #c_tos dd,#username_response {
    margin-left:10px;


    }









    #vlx {
    z-index:1;
    }


    #blog {
    background: #262626;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    margin: 0 0 10px 0;
    }

    #blog blockquote {
    font-size: 12px;
    background:none;
    border:none;
    padding:0 10px;
    }

    #blog h1 {
    float:right;
    }

    #blog h2 {
    background:none;
    clear:none;
    padding:0;
    }

    #blog h2,#blog h2 a {
    color: #e97300
    }
    #blog h2 a:hover {
    color: #f68c24;
    }

    #blog_foot {
    clear:both;
    margin-bottom:20px;
    }

    #blog_head {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-bottom:1px solid #111111;
    padding:10px 14px;
    }

    #blog_head img.avatar {
    display:inline;
    }

    #blog_head:after {
    content: ".";
    display: block;
    height: 0;
    line-height:0;
    clear: both;
    visibility: hidden;
    }

    #blog_main {
    margin:20px 200px 10px 10px;
    }

    #blog_categories,#blog_readers,#blog_about,div.blog_options {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    margin:15px 0;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    #blog_sidebar h3,#blog_sidebar dt {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:700;
    }

    #blog_sub {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97205/Th.jpg) repeat-x top #262626;
    clear:both;
    position:relative;
    padding:5px 7px;
    text-align:right;
    }

    #blog_sub span {
    padding-top:4px;
    }

    #blog_sidebar {
    background:#262626;
    float:right;
    margin:20px 10px 0 0;
    padding:0 10px;
    width:160px;
    }

    #blog_sidebar dd {
    margin-left:10px;
    }

    #blog_user {
    }

    #blog table {
    clear:none;
    }

    div.blog_options {
    text-align:right;
    }

    div.blog_date {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#261300;
    float:right;
    font-weight:700;
    margin:0 15px;
    text-align:center;
    text-transform:uppercase;
    width:40px;
    }

    div.blog_date span {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-top:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    display:block;
    font-weight:700;
    padding:2px 4px;
    }

    div.blog_entry {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    margin:10px 0;
    font-size: 12px;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    #blog_comments li {
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    #blog_comments li.odd {
    background:#262626;
    }

    #shoutwrap {
    background:#262626;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    }

    #shoutwrap td {
    padding:0;
    }

    #shoutbox {
    list-style-type:none;
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
    }

    #shoutbox li {
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    #shoutbox li.odd {
    background:#262626;
    }

    #shoutbox dl,#shoutbox dt,#shoutbox dd {
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
    }

    #shoutbox dt {
    color:#777;
    }

    #shoutopts,#shoutpost {
    clear:both;
    text-align:center;
    }

    #setskin {
    background-color: #262626;
    color: #a1a1a1;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    }



    #main_content {width:80%;margin:0px auto;}

    #sm {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97215/Submiddle.jpg) bottom;height: 24px; width:100%;}
    #sl {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97214/Subleft.jpg) bottom;height: 24px; width: 67px; float:left;}
    #sr {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97216/Subright.jpg) bottom;height: 24px;width: 67px;float:right;}


    #tb {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97212/M.jpg) bottom;height: 26px; width:100%;}
    #tlb {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97211/L.jpg) bottom;height: 26px; width: 42px; float:left;}
    #trb {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97213/R.jpg) bottom;height: 26px;width: 42px;float:right;}

    /***** Three Piece H2 *****/

    /* h2wrap is the center stretch.*/


    .h2wrap {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97218/H2middle.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    margin-bottom: -1px;
    }

    /* h2left is the left image. */
    .h2left {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97217/H2left.jpg) no-repeat top left;
    height: 36px;
    }

    /* h2center is the text itself. */
    .h2center{
    padding: 11px 0 0 0;font-weight: 700;font-size:14px;
    color: #261300;
    height: 36px;
    text-align: center;
    }
    .h2center a:link, .h2center a:visited, .h2center a:active, .h2center a:hover {
    color: #261300;
    }

    /* h2right is the right image. */
    .h2right {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97219/H2right.jpg) no-repeat right top;
    height: 36px;
    }

    /* Collapse/Uncollapse Images */
    .collapse,.uncollapse {
    right: 16px;
    top: 0px;
    }

    .calh2 { background: null!important;height: auto!important; font-weight: null; padding: 0px !important;border: null!important;}

    thead td,thead th {padding:0px;background: inherit;border-width:0px;}

    /* Leave the above alone. For the bottom, style your profile h2's. */
    .profile thead td,.profile thead th {
    padding:0px;background: inherit;border-width:0px;
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    padding: 2px 10px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    }
    .profile th.l {
    border: none;
    }

    th#profile_menuwrap, .profile th.l {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97205/Th.jpg) repeat-x top #262626!important;
    color:#e97300;
    border: 1px solid #111111!important;
    padding: 2px 5px!important;
    text-align:left;
    }

    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu ul {
    padding-bottom: 0!important;
    }

    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu {
    margin-left: -15px;
    margin-top: 0px;
    }
    *:first-child+html #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu {
    margin: 0;
    }

    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu a, #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu a:hover {
    width: 160px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    padding: 2px;
    margin: 0;
    color: #261300;
    }
    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu ul {
    padding: 0px;
    padding-right: 1px;
    margin: 0;
    width: 160px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    border-top: none;
    border-bottom: none;
    background: #111111;
    }

    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu li ul li a {
    width: 160px;
    color:#e97300;
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border: none;
    padding: 2px;
    margin: 0;
    border-right: 1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    }
    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu li ul li a:hover {
    border: none;
    margin: 0;
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-right: 1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    color:#f68c24
    }

    .category td.c_foot {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97224/Footm.jpg) top repeat-x;
    padding:0;
    border: none;
    }

    .foot_left {
    float: left;
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97223/Footl.jpg) no-repeat top left;
    height: 20px;
    width: 48px;
    }

    .foot_right {
    float: right;
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97225/Footr.jpg) no-repeat top right;
    height: 20px;
    width: 48px;
    }

    #stats .foot_right {
    width: 600px;
    padding: 2px 20px 0 0;
    height: 18px;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    #menu {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97208/Top.jpg);height: 22px; width:100%;}
    #menu_l {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97209/Topleft.jpg);height: 22px; width: 68px; float:left;}
    #menu_r {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97210/Topright.jpg);height: 22px;width: 68px;float:right;}

    .pin a {
    font-weight: bold;
    }

As an example of a free skin from there support forum.

Could someone tell me

Firstly, so I'm sure, where do I copy paste these things if you know Zeta boards ?

Secondly if anyone feels generous could they possibly #comment those blocks of code to give me a general outline of what everything is doing.

I also did a mock up of what I want to achieve in GIMP last night. What elements am I going to need to write the CSS for to achieve this?

 

[Van Hellseek]

zetaboards is trash.

If you want anyone to take your site/forum seriously you should get a £3 p/m hosting package off something like TSOHOST, spend a fiver on a .com domain name (goddady - do a google for discount codes), and then use the hosts CPX to install SMF in a couple of clicks.

Learning how to set-up/use SMF (or phpBB if you prefer) isn't really difficult, and much more worthy of your time than that zetawank rubbish. (Especially in the long term).

If you want anyone to take a zetaboard seriously you better have some pretty amazing and unique content, and be dealing with a subject matter not already covered by more professional forums. And even if you do, then that's just another good reason to be independent.

Mods for forum

could anyone be good enough to spec me all of the above.

You could be talking about one of two things here... Modifications, or moderators. And realistically we cant spec you either. Moderators are not required until your board becomes so busy that you can't realistically moderate it yourself (which in most new forums will be a long time), or if you're talking about modifications, then we can't spec those without knowing your forums subject matter and the direction you're planning on taking it.

Having said that, any modifications which promote user engagement and interactivity are generally a good thing. Can't be more specific without knowing anything about your site though.

 

[Alphane]

TBH I had to move forward my opening plans so Zeta offered the quickest easiest solution at the time.

I'm obviously still interested in further research into forum development for the future of this project.

When I said Mods think I really meant skins sorry

 

[Van Hellseek]

You can get a forum installed and (the basics) set-up in under an hour. So there's still no excuse for zetaboards.

I imagine a zetaboard would be harder to skin/customise too, since you don't have FTP access.

 

[Rich43]

Cheers Rich I'll take a look at them, found a thing called Komposer myself last night was just trying that at the moment.

It would be really helpful if someone could give me an overiew of whats going on in these scripts though they are rather long.

So if we where to use

Spoiler

    <div id="menu">
    <div id="menu_l"></div>
    <div id="menu_r"></div><!-- TOPMENU --></div>

    <div id="tb">
    <div id="tlb"></div>
    <div id="trb"></div>

    <br />

    <div id="main_content">

    <!-- HEADER -->
    <br />

    <div id="sm" align="center">
    <div id="sl"></div>
    <div id="sr"></div>
    <!-- SUBMENU -->
    </div>
    <br />
    <!-- NAV -->
    <br />
    <!-- BOARD -->
    <br />

    <div align="center" style="padding: 2px 0;width: 180px;margin: 0 auto;">Theme by James... of the <a href="http://zbthemezone.com"><b>ZBTZ</b></a> and <a href="http://themeszetaboards.com"><b>themeszetaboards.com</b></div>
    </div>

    <script type="text/javascript" src="http://z3.ifrm.com/197/177/0/p86186/th2.js"></script>

    <script type="text/javascript">
    //<![CDATA[
    $(function() {
    $(".drop_menu").appendTo("menu_l");
    $("#top_info").appendTo("menu_r");
    });
    //]]>
    </script>

    <script type="text/javascript">
    //<![CDATA[
    ff=(navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Firefox")!=-1)?" style='position:relative;left:-1px'":"";
    $(".category td.c_foot").append('<div class="foot_left"'+ff+'></div><div class="foot_right"></div>');
    $("#stats td.c_foot .right").prependTo("#stats .foot_right");
    //]]>
    </script>

    <script type="text/javascript">
    $(function() {
    $('table').each(function(i) {
    $(this).addClass('tableclass');
    });
    });
    $("table:has('iframe')").addClass("hello");
    </script>

Spoiler

    html,body {
    background: #333333;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-family: "Arial", "Bitstream Vera Sans", "Verdana", sans-serif;
    font-size: 12px;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    height: 100%;
    }

    a {
    color:#e97300;
    text-decoration:none;
    }

    a:hover {
    color:#f68c24;
    text-decoration:none;
    }

    hr {
    background-color:#262626;
    border:0;
    clear:both;
    height:1px;
    }

    table {
    border-collapse:collapse;
    border-spacing:0;
    clear:both;
    empty-cells:show;
    width:100%;
    }

    th,td {
    border:1px solid #111111;
    }

    th {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97205/Th.jpg) repeat-x top #262626;
    padding:3px 5px;
    text-align:left;
    }

    .tableclass td {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    td {
    background: #262626;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    padding:5px 10px;
    }

    .hello td {
    padding: 2px;
    }

    td.c_nosig {
    background:#262626;
    }

    h1 {
    }

    h2,h3 {
    font-size: 14px;
    }

    h2 img {
    display: none;
    }

    .category h2,.topic h2,#portal h2,#portal_foot h2,thead th {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    font-size: 14px;
    font-weight:700;
    border-color:#111111;
    }
    h2 a, h2 a:hover {
    color: #261300;
    font-size: 14px;
    }

    thead th {
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    }
    thead th a, thead th a:hover {
    color: #261300;
    }

    h2.special {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color: #261300;
    border-color:#111111;
    }
    h2.special a, h2.special a:hover {
    color: #261300;
    }

    div.topic h2.special {
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    border-top: none;
    border-bottom: none;
    margin-left: -1px;
    margin-right: 0;
    }

    .cat_head td {
    border-color:#111111;
    border-bottom: 0px;
    padding:0;
    }

    input,select,textarea,button,a.btn_fake {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    padding:3px 5px;
    vertical-align:middle;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    textarea {
    font-family:"Arial", sans-serif;
    margin:auto;
    width:98%;
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    font-size: 12px;
    }

    .submit_error {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    }

    #c_bbcode button {
    padding: 1px 3px;
    margin-bottom: 2px;
    }
    #c_bbcode select {
    padding: 1px 3px;
    margin-bottom: 2px;
    }

    button,a.btn_fake {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    cursor:default;
    font-family:Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;
    overflow:visible;
    width:auto;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    #c_notes button {
    margin-top: 5px;
    }

    button:hover,a.btn_fake:hover {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    border-color:#111111;
    }

    button.btn_text {
    background:none;
    border:0;
    cursor:pointer;
    font-family:Arial, "Bitstream Vera Sans", Verdana, sans-serif;
    }

    .notice {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    margin:10px auto 10px;
    width:70%;
    }

    .notice dt {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:700;
    }

    .notice dd {
    font-style:italic;
    }

    dl.info {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-color:#111111;
    }

    .info dt {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    dl.error {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-color:#111111;
    }

    .error dt {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    #top ul,#nav,ul.cat-pages,ul.cat-topicpages,table.calendar ul,div.meta_menu ul,#pm_folderlist {
    list-style:none;
    padding:0;
    }

    ul.cat-topicpages,blockquote dl,#fast-reply dd, table.calendar ul {
    margin:0;
    }

    #top li,#nav li,ul.cat-pages li,ul.cat-topicpages li,table.calendar li,#profile_menuwrap li,#pm_folderlist li,#ucp_gallery li {
    display:inline;
    }

    #top_bar {
    display:none;
    }

    #top {
    }

    #top_info {
    float:left;
    margin-top: 2px;
    }

    #top_menu {
    float:right;
    margin: 0;
    }

    #top_menu a, #top_info a {
    }

    .drop_menu li {
    float:left;
    text-align:center;
    padding: 0 10px 0 0;
    }

    .drop_menu a {
    font-weight: bold;
    display:block;
    padding:2px 15px 4px 15px;
    position:relative;
    width: 100px;
    }

    #top img {
    display:none;
    }

    .drop_menu a:hover {
    border-bottom: none;
    }

    .drop_menu ul {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97220/Drop.png) bottom center no-repeat;
    left:-999em;
    margin: 0;
    position:absolute;
    width: 139px;
    padding-bottom: 15px!important;
    }

    .drop_menu ul li {
    margin:0;
    width:100%;
    }

    #top .drop_menu ul li a {
    width: 138px;
    padding: 2px 0;
    margin: 0 1px 1px 1px;
    background: transparent;
    }

    #top .drop_menu li ul li a:hover {
    width: 138px;
    padding: 2px 0;
    margin: 0 1px 1px 1px;
    border: none;
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97221/Drophover.png) top center no-repeat;
    color: #261300;
    }


    #logo {
    padding: 0;
    }

    *:first-child+html #logo {
    margin-top: -1px;
    }

    #submenu_bar {
    display: none;
    }

    #submenu {
    font-size:14px;
    text-align: center;
    padding-top: 4px;
    }

    #submenu a:link, #submenu a:active, #submenu a:visited {
    margin: 0 5px;
    padding: 4px 6px 4px 6px;
    font-weight: bold;
    }
    #submenu a:hover {
    background: #5b2d00 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    padding: 3px 5px 3px 5px;
    font-weight: bold;
    color: #261300;
    }

    #nav {
    padding: 2px 5px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    #nav img {
    padding-top: 3px;
    }

    .meta_box {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    line-height:150%;
    padding:5px 10px;
    }

    .meta_menu {
    background:#262626;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    padding:0;
    width:49%;
    }

    .meta_menu h3 {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    clear:both;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:700;
    margin:-1px;
    text-align:center;
    }

    ul.cat-pages {
    float:left;
    margin:15px 0;
    padding: 5px 1px;
    width:49%;
    }

    .cat-pages a,.cat-pagesjump i,.cat-topicpages a {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    .cat-pages a:hover,.cat-topicpages a:hover {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97205/Th.jpg) repeat-x top #262626;
    color:#f68c24;
    border-color:#111111;
    }

    .cat-pages span {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    cursor:default;
    font-weight:700;
    padding:2px 5px;
    }

    .cat-pages input {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    padding:3px 5px;
    vertical-align:baseline;
    }

    ul.cat-topicpages {
    float:right;
    padding:1px 0;
    }

    tr.generic td,div.generic {
    font-weight:700;
    padding:20px;
    text-align:center;
    }

    td.c_head,td.c_foot,td.c_sort,td.c_topicfoot {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    tr.c_postfoot td {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    padding: 2px 10px;
    }

    .posts tbody .c_foot, .topic .c_foot {
    border-bottom: none;
    }

    td.c_desc {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    font-weight:700;
    text-align:right;
    vertical-align:middle;
    width:200px;
    }

    td.c_desc small {
    display:block;
    font-weight:400;
    }

    tr.pm_new td {
    background:#262626;
    font-weight:700;
    }

    tr.hidden td.c_post {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    .bday {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/static/1/s_minibday.png) no-repeat;
    font-weight:700;
    height:16px;
    padding:2px 2px 2px 18px;
    width:20px;
    }

    .c_mark {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x!important;
    text-align:center;
    width:1%;
    padding: 7px 5px;
    }

    .c_forum {
    width:60%;
    font-size: 11px;

    }

    .c_forum strong a:link, .c_forum strong a:active, .c_forum strong a:visited {
    font-size: 12px;
    }

    td.c_last {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    .c_forum-desc {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    .c_last-title {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97253/Dot.png) no-repeat left;
    display:block;
    line-height:16px;
    padding-left:10px;
    }

    td.c_info-v, td.c_info-t, td.c_info-r {
    text-align:center;
    font-size: 11px;
    padding: 3px 5px;
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97205/Th.jpg) repeat-x top #262626;
    }

    td.c_subforum {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#e97300;
    font-size: 11px;
    padding: 3px 10px;
    }

    .c_subforum strong {
    color: #a1a1a1;
    }

    .description {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    td#stats_events a,td#stats_events span {
    background:url() no-repeat 2px;
    padding:1px 0 4px 14px;
    }

    td#stats_legend {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    td.c_username {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    padding:1px 0;
    text-align:center;
    font-size: 12px;
    }

    td.c_user {
    }

    td.c_user dl {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    margin:10px 0;
    padding:5px 7px;
    width:160px;
    }

    dl.user_profile {
    overflow:hidden;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    dl.user_profile dd {
    font-style:italic;
    margin-left:8px;
    }

    dl.user_info dd {
    font-weight:700;
    margin-bottom:1px;
    }

    td.c_poll-choice label {
    font-weight:700;
    padding-left:1em;
    }

    table.poll {
    margin-bottom: 10px;
    }

    td.c_poll-votes {
    text-align:center;
    width:15%;
    }

    td.c_poll-bar div {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97441/Pollb.jpg) no-repeat right;
    float:left;
    height:10px;
    }

    td.c_poll-bar span {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97440/Polll.jpg) no-repeat left;
    display:block;
    float:left;
    height:10px;
    width:1px;
    padding-right: 3px;
    }

    .editby,.queued {
    border:1px dotted #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-style:italic;
    margin-top:1em;
    padding:3px 5px;
    }

    .queued {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    blockquote {
    font-size: 11px;
    background:#202020;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    margin:10px auto;
    padding-bottom:1px;
    width:98%;
    }

    blockquote dl {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-bottom:1px solid #111111;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    blockquote dl dt {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    float:left;
    font-weight:bold;
    border-right:1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    padding: 1px 3px 1px 3px;
    }

    code {
    display:block;
    font-family:Monaco, Consolas, "Courier New", Courier, monospace;
    max-height:400px;
    overflow:auto;
    white-space:pre;
    }

    div.spoiler {
    background: #202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    border-top:0;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    div.spoiler_toggle {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    cursor:pointer;
    font-weight:700;
    padding:2px 4px;
    }

    td.c_postinfo {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    vertical-align:middle;

    }

    td.c_postinfo input {

    vertical-align:middle;
    }

    td.c_sig {
    color:#a1a1a1;

    }

    td.c_sig blockquote {
    background:none transparent;
    border:0;
    border-left:3px solid #999;
    padding-left:5px;
    }

    td.c_sig blockquote dl {
    background:none transparent;
    border:0;
    }

    td.c_sig blockquote dl dt,td.c_sig blockquote dl dd {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    padding:0;
    }



    td.c_sig blockquote div {
    background:transparent;
    margin-left:5px;
    padding:0;

    }

    tr.c_postfoot td {
    clear:both;
    }

    td.c_footicons,td.c_postinfo {
    width:100%;
    }

    td.c_username {
    width:195px;
    }

    .c_next a {
    display:block;
    font-weight:700;
    text-align:center;
    }

    td.c_view {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    line-height: 2;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    div.c_view-list {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    padding: 0px 5px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }


    dl#fast-reply dt {
    padding: 3px 10px;
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: none;
    color:#261300;
    font-size: 14px;

    font-weight:700;
    margin:0;
    }

    dl#fast-reply dd {
    background:#262626;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    padding:15px 0;
    text-align:center;
    }

    #c_post-preview {
    background:#262626;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    margin:0 auto 10px;
    padding:5px;
    text-align:left;
    }

    #c_post-resize span {
    color:#e97300;
    font-weight: 700;
    font-size: 14px;
    cursor:pointer;
    padding:20px 5px 0;
    }

    #emot_wrap {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    }

    #emot_wrap h3 {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-bottom:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    text-align:center;
    font-size: 12px;
    }

    #emot_end {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-top:1px solid #111111;
    display:block;
    font-weight:700;
    padding:4px 0;
    text-align:center;
    }

    #pm_folders {
    border-left:1px solid #111111;
    border-right:1px solid #111111;
    padding-top:30px;
    vertical-align:top;
    width:150px;
    }

    #pm_folderlist {
    position: relative;
    margin-left:0;
    margin-top:0
    }

    #pm_folderlist li {
    background: none;
    display:list-item;
    margin-bottom:4px;
    padding-left:28px;
    }

    #pm_forwarded {
    border:1px dotted #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-style:italic;
    margin-top:1em;
    padding:3px 5px;
    }

    #ucp_gallery {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x!important;
    }

    #ucp_gallery a {
    font-weight: bold;
    }

    #ucp_gallery button {
    font-weight: bold;
    }

    .calendar td.cal_inactive {
    color:#555555!important;
    }

    /* Calendar header */
    .calendar thead th {
    padding:3px 5px;
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: none;
    }
    .calendar thead th a, .calendar thead th a:hover {
    color: #261300;
    }
    .calendar big {
    font-size: 14px;
    }

    .calendar td div.cal_div {
    border-bottom:1px solid #111111;
    font-weight:700;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    .calendar div.cal_div a {
    background: none;
    float:right;
    font-weight:400;
    padding:0 0 6px 24px;
    }

    .calendar li a,.calendar li span {
    border-color:transparent;
    border-style:solid;
    border-width:1px;
    display:block;
    padding:3px;
    }

    .calendar td#cal_current {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    padding: 2px 0px;
    }

    div.portal_content {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    margin:0;
    padding:5px 7px;
    overflow-x: hidden;
    }

    #portal h2 {
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    }

    #portal h4 {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-left:1px solid #111111;
    border-right:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:400;
    margin:0;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    #faq dt a {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:700;
    }

    #faq dd.faq_more a,#faq dl.faq_more a:hover {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-style:italic;
    }

    .search_results {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    margin-bottom:1em;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    .search_results h3 {
    display:inline;
    }


    .search_results cite,.search_results p {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    margin:0;
    }

    #findposts .c_mark {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:700;
    vertical-align:top;
    }

    #pmtoast {
    background:#262626 url() repeat-x;
    border:2px solid #111111;
    bottom:10px;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    display:none;
    position:fixed;
    right:10px;
    text-align:right;
    text-decoration:none;
    width:190px;
    z-index:1;
    }

    #pmtoast:hover {
    border-color:#e97300;
    }

    #pmlink {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97495/Messages.jpg) no-repeat;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    display:block;
    padding:10px 10px 10px 55px;
    text-decoration:none;
    }

    #pmlink big {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    display:block;
    font-weight:700;
    padding-bottom:5px;
    }

    #pmlink strong {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    #pmclose {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-top:1px solid #111111;
    color:#e97300;
    display:block;

    padding:2px 10px;
    }

    #pmclose:hover {
    color:#f68c24;
    }

    #foot_wrap {
    margin:20px 0px 0 0;
    }


    #foot td {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;

    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    #foot a,#foot a:hover {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    td#foot_datetime {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;





    border-left:1px solid #111111;
    width:1%;
    white-space:nowrap;
    }


    /* Removes image */

    #foot_datetime img {
    display: none;
    }

    #copyright {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97222/Copyright.jpg) center no-repeat;
    text-align:center;
    font-size: 11px;
    width: 236px;
    padding: 14px 0 17px 0;
    margin: 0 auto;
    }
    #copyright a, #copyright a:hover {
    font-weight: bold;
    }

    #c_tos h3 {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    }

    td.username_ok {
    background:#262626;
    }

    input.username_ok {
    outline:2px solid #111111;
    }

    td.username_no {
    background:#262626;
    }

    input.username_no {
    outline:2px solid #111111;
    }

    #acplogin {
    background:url() repeat-x 0 -195px #262626;
    border:2px solid #111111;
    height:275px;
    left:50%;
    margin:-137.5px 0 0 -250px;
    padding:0;
    position:absolute;
    top:50%;
    width:500px;
    }

    #acplogin h1 {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:400;
    height:50px;
    margin-bottom:20px;
    padding:50px 20px 0 0;
    text-align:right;
    }

    #acplogin h1 img {
    position:absolute;
    left:0;
    top:0;
    }

    a img {
    border:0;
    }

    form {
    display:inline;
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
    }

    .category h2,.topic h2,#portal h2, thead th {
    padding: 2px 10px;
    text-align:center;
    }

    .cat_head h2 {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    font-size: 14px;
    font-weight:700;
    border-color:#111111;
    padding: 2px 10px;
    }

    h3 {
    padding:3px 0;
    }

    input[type=checkbox] {
    background:transparent;
    border:0;
    padding:0;
    vertical-align:bottom;
    }

    input[type=radio] {
    border:0;
    }

    select {
    margin:0 7px;
    padding:0;
    vertical-align:bottom;
    }

    option {
    margin:2px 0;
    }

    button.btn_img {
    border:0;
    cursor:pointer;
    padding:0;
    }

    .notice dt,.notice dd {
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    .drop_menu a img {
    vertical-align:bottom;
    }

    .drop_menu li:hover ul,.drop_menu li.hover ul {
    left:auto;
    }

    #main {
    height:1%;
    }

    #nav li img {
    vertical-align:top;
    }

    .meta_box,.meta_menu {
    margin:10px 0;
    }

    .meta_box li {
    display:list-item;
    list-style-position:inside;
    list-style-type:square;
    margin-left:10px;
    }

    .meta_menu ul {
    margin:5px 5%;
    }

    .meta_menu img,.meta_menu span {
    float:right;
    margin:10px 20px;
    }

    .cat-pages a,.cat-pagesjump i,.cat-topicpages a {
    cursor:pointer;
    padding:2px 5px;
    }

    .cat-topicpages a {
    padding:0 2px;
    }

    .cat-buttons,.topic-buttons {
    float:right;
    margin:15px 0;
    text-align:right;
    width:50%;
    }

    tr.postbtn td {
    padding:5px;
    text-align:center;
    }

    .row1,.row2 {
    line-height:1.4;
    }

    /* Hints background fix */
    input.row1 {
    background: #262626;
    }

    td.c_head input,td.c_head button,td.c_foot input,td.c_foot button,td.c_sort input,td.c_sort button {
    padding:1px;
    }

    td.c_desc img,td.c_desc input {
    float:left;
    vertical-align:middle;
    }

    .category {
    margin:10px 0 0;
    }

    span.collapse,span.uncollapse {
    cursor:pointer;
    float:right;
    position:relative;
    }

    .c_mark img {
    display:block;
    margin:auto;
    }

    .c_last {
    line-height:1.4;
    min-width:300px;
    width:30%;
    }

    #stats_members {
    line-height:1.2;
    }

    td.c_cat-mark,td.c_cat-icon {
    padding:5px 0;
    text-align:center;
    width:30px;

    }

    td.c_cat-starter {
    width:125px;
    }

    td.c_cat-lastpost {
    width:175px;



    }

    .c_user {

    vertical-align:top;
    width:175px;
    min-width:175px;
    max-width:175px;
    }

    img.c_user {
    height: 1px;
    }

    .avatar {
    display:block;
    margin:auto;
    text-align:center;
    }

    .av_wrap {
    overflow:hidden;
    text-align:center;









    margin:auto;
    }

    td.c_user .usertitle {
    margin:3px 0;
    text-align:center;

    }


    .pip {
    margin:3px 0;
    white-space:nowrap;
    }

    dl.user_info dt,dl.user_info dd {
    padding:.1em;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    dl.user_info dt {
    float:left;
    margin:0;
    min-width:4em;
    }

    dl.user_info dd.spacer,dl.user_profile dd.spacer {
    clear:both;
    float:none;
    height:1px;
    padding:0;
    }







    td.c_poll-choice {
    line-height:1.5;
    padding-left:45%;
    }

    td.c_poll-answer {
    text-align:right;
    width:42.5%;
    }

    td.c_poll-bar {
    text-align:left;

    vertical-align:middle;
    width:42.5%;
    }

    * html td.c_poll-bar span {
    margin-top:3px;
    }

    td.c_post {
    line-height:1.7;
    vertical-align:top;
    }

    td.c_post ul,td.c_post li {



    list-style-type:square;

    margin-left:10px;
    }

    .c_post img,#topic_review img {
    max-width:90%;
    }










    .c_post-attachment {

    margin-top:1em;
    padding:1em;
    }


    .c_post-attachment dd {
    margin-left:1em;
    }

    .post_sep {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x bottom #5b2d00;
    border-left: 1px solid #111111;
    border-right: 1px solid #111111;
    font-size:0px;
    height:1px;
    }

    td.c_sig,td.c_nosig {
    height:1%;
    vertical-align:top;
    }

    td.c_nosig {
    border-top-style:hidden!important;
    }

    blockquote dl dd {
    padding:1px 4px;
    }

    blockquote div,blockquote code {
    width: 100%;
    margin:0;
    padding:5px;
    }

    dl#fast-reply {
    clear:both;
    margin:auto;
    width:80%;
    }

    dl#fast-reply dd p {
    margin:-3px;
    padding:0 5% 10px;
    text-align:left;
    }

    dl#fast-reply dd textarea {
    display:block;
    height:100px;
    margin-bottom:10px;
    padding:2px;
    width:90%;
    }

    #c_post-text {
    height:223px;
    }

    #c_post-resize {
    float:right;
    margin-top:-1px;
    padding:4px 0 0;
    text-align:right;
    }

    #btn_preview {
    float:left;
    margin:10px 0 0 1px;
    }

    #c_emot {
    height:225px;
    vertical-align:top;
    width:210px;
    }

    #emot_list {
    height:275px;
    margin:0 auto;
    overflow:auto;
    padding:5px 0;
    text-align:center;
    }

    div#emot_list {
    padding:0;
    }

    #emot_list li {
    display:inline;
    padding:4px 10px;
    }

    #emot_list img {
    cursor:pointer;
    vertical-align:baseline;
    }

    .pm {
    margin-bottom:1em;
    }

    #pm_datesent {
    width:200px;
    }

    #pm_select {
    text-align:center;
    width:1px;
    }

    #conversation .c_post {
    padding:2em;
    }

    #ucp_profile,#pm_messages {
    float:right;
    }

    #ucp_settings img,#ucp_profile img {
    margin:18px 20px;
    }

    #ucp_gallery li {
    float:left;
    padding: 3px 4px;
    margin:15px 5px;
    }
    #ucp_gallery li:hover {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    padding: 2px 3px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    }

    #ucp_gallery button {
    cursor:pointer;
    text-align:center;
    }

    .ucp {
    margin-bottom: 10px;
    }

    .ucp button.btn_text {
    padding:5px 0;
    text-align:center;
    width:100%;
    }

    .calendar td {
    height:125px;
    padding:0;
    vertical-align:top;
    width:14.3%;
    }

    .calendar li {
    display:list-item;
    font-size:80%;
    margin:0;
    }

    .calendar li.placeholder {
    padding:4px;
    }

    .calendar li span {
    cursor:default;
    }

    .calendar td#cal_current div {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    margin-top: -2px;
    color: #f68c24;
    }

    #portal_head {
    margin-bottom:10px;
    }

    #portal_foot {
    margin-top:10px;
    }

    #portal_l,#portal_r {
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
    }

    #portal_l {
    float:left;
    width:200px;
    }

    #portal_r {
    float:right;
    width:150px;
    }

    #portal_news {
    margin:0 160px 0 210px;
    }

    #portal_clear {
    background:transparent;
    border:none;
    clear:both;
    font-size:1px;
    height:1px;
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
    }

    .portal_box {
    margin-bottom:5px;
    padding:1px;
    }



    .portal_box table {
    clear:none;
    }

    #portal_foot h2, #portal h2 {
    clear:none;
    margin-left: -1px;
    padding: 2px 5px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    }
    #portal h2 {
    margin: 0;
    }

    #faq {
    margin:20px 0;
    }

    #faq dl {
    padding:1em;
    }

    #faq dt {
    margin-bottom:5px;
    }

    #faq dd {
    display:list-item;
    margin:0 0 3px 15px;
    padding-left:3px;
    }

    .search_results div {
    display:block;
    margin:5px 0;
    }

    #acplogin #loginform {


    display:block;
    padding:0 50px;
    }

    input,select,td,th {
    }

    button.btn_default,#nav li span,.c_post-attachment dt,#c_tos dt {
    font-weight:700;
    }

    .meta_box h3,td.c_topicfoot strong,#meta_welcome strong {
    }

    .meta_box h3 {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    padding: 3px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    }

    .row2 td {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    }



    .row1 td {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    }

    img,.meta_box button img,td.c_cat-mark input,.c_post-attachment img,.warn
    img,#ucp_gallery a img {
    vertical-align:middle;
    }

    h1,h2,h3,#nav,#boardmeta,#main {
    clear:both;
    margin:0;
    }

    #meta_welcome,.search_results {
    clear:both;
    }




    #stats_events {





    line-height:2;


    }

    .c_cat-starter,.c_cat-replies,.c_cat-views,td.c_poll-total,td.c_poll-
    vote,td.c_topicfoot,.warn,.ucp th,#c_notes,.calendar th {
    text-align:center;
    }

    td.c_poll-total {







    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    }


    blockquote dl dd,#foot #foot_links {
    text-align:right;
    }


    #c_post,#ucp_gallery {
    text-align:center;
    vertical-align:top;
    }

    #files_upload input,.pm .row1 a,.pm .row2 a,#ucp_gallery button img,#findposts td a {




    display:block;
    }

    #ucp_settings,#pm_settings {
    float:left;


    }



    #c_tos dd,#username_response {
    margin-left:10px;


    }









    #vlx {
    z-index:1;
    }


    #blog {
    background: #262626;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    margin: 0 0 10px 0;
    }

    #blog blockquote {
    font-size: 12px;
    background:none;
    border:none;
    padding:0 10px;
    }

    #blog h1 {
    float:right;
    }

    #blog h2 {
    background:none;
    clear:none;
    padding:0;
    }

    #blog h2,#blog h2 a {
    color: #e97300
    }
    #blog h2 a:hover {
    color: #f68c24;
    }

    #blog_foot {
    clear:both;
    margin-bottom:20px;
    }

    #blog_head {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-bottom:1px solid #111111;
    padding:10px 14px;
    }

    #blog_head img.avatar {
    display:inline;
    }

    #blog_head:after {
    content: ".";
    display: block;
    height: 0;
    line-height:0;
    clear: both;
    visibility: hidden;
    }

    #blog_main {
    margin:20px 200px 10px 10px;
    }

    #blog_categories,#blog_readers,#blog_about,div.blog_options {
    background:#202020 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97204/Rd.jpg) repeat-x;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    margin:15px 0;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    #blog_sidebar h3,#blog_sidebar dt {
    color:#a1a1a1;
    font-weight:700;
    }

    #blog_sub {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97205/Th.jpg) repeat-x top #262626;
    clear:both;
    position:relative;
    padding:5px 7px;
    text-align:right;
    }

    #blog_sub span {
    padding-top:4px;
    }

    #blog_sidebar {
    background:#262626;
    float:right;
    margin:20px 10px 0 0;
    padding:0 10px;
    width:160px;
    }

    #blog_sidebar dd {
    margin-left:10px;
    }

    #blog_user {
    }

    #blog table {
    clear:none;
    }

    div.blog_options {
    text-align:right;
    }

    div.blog_date {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    color:#261300;
    float:right;
    font-weight:700;
    margin:0 15px;
    text-align:center;
    text-transform:uppercase;
    width:40px;
    }

    div.blog_date span {
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-top:1px solid #111111;
    color:#a1a1a1;
    display:block;
    font-weight:700;
    padding:2px 4px;
    }

    div.blog_entry {
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    margin:10px 0;
    font-size: 12px;
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    #blog_comments li {
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    #blog_comments li.odd {
    background:#262626;
    }

    #shoutwrap {
    background:#262626;
    border:1px solid #111111;
    }

    #shoutwrap td {
    padding:0;
    }

    #shoutbox {
    list-style-type:none;
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
    }

    #shoutbox li {
    padding:5px 7px;
    }

    #shoutbox li.odd {
    background:#262626;
    }

    #shoutbox dl,#shoutbox dt,#shoutbox dd {
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
    }

    #shoutbox dt {
    color:#777;
    }

    #shoutopts,#shoutpost {
    clear:both;
    text-align:center;
    }

    #setskin {
    background-color: #262626;
    color: #a1a1a1;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    }



    #main_content {width:80%;margin:0px auto;}

    #sm {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97215/Submiddle.jpg) bottom;height: 24px; width:100%;}
    #sl {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97214/Subleft.jpg) bottom;height: 24px; width: 67px; float:left;}
    #sr {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97216/Subright.jpg) bottom;height: 24px;width: 67px;float:right;}


    #tb {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97212/M.jpg) bottom;height: 26px; width:100%;}
    #tlb {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97211/L.jpg) bottom;height: 26px; width: 42px; float:left;}
    #trb {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97213/R.jpg) bottom;height: 26px;width: 42px;float:right;}

    /***** Three Piece H2 *****/

    /* h2wrap is the center stretch.*/


    .h2wrap {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97218/H2middle.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    margin-bottom: -1px;
    }

    /* h2left is the left image. */
    .h2left {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97217/H2left.jpg) no-repeat top left;
    height: 36px;
    }

    /* h2center is the text itself. */
    .h2center{
    padding: 11px 0 0 0;font-weight: 700;font-size:14px;
    color: #261300;
    height: 36px;
    text-align: center;
    }
    .h2center a:link, .h2center a:visited, .h2center a:active, .h2center a:hover {
    color: #261300;
    }

    /* h2right is the right image. */
    .h2right {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97219/H2right.jpg) no-repeat right top;
    height: 36px;
    }

    /* Collapse/Uncollapse Images */
    .collapse,.uncollapse {
    right: 16px;
    top: 0px;
    }

    .calh2 { background: null!important;height: auto!important; font-weight: null; padding: 0px !important;border: null!important;}

    thead td,thead th {padding:0px;background: inherit;border-width:0px;}

    /* Leave the above alone. For the bottom, style your profile h2's. */
    .profile thead td,.profile thead th {
    padding:0px;background: inherit;border-width:0px;
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    color:#261300;
    padding: 2px 10px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    }
    .profile th.l {
    border: none;
    }

    th#profile_menuwrap, .profile th.l {
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97205/Th.jpg) repeat-x top #262626!important;
    color:#e97300;
    border: 1px solid #111111!important;
    padding: 2px 5px!important;
    text-align:left;
    }

    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu ul {
    padding-bottom: 0!important;
    }

    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu {
    margin-left: -15px;
    margin-top: 0px;
    }
    *:first-child+html #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu {
    margin: 0;
    }

    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu a, #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu a:hover {
    width: 160px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97207/Hover.jpg) repeat-x top #5b2d00;
    padding: 2px;
    margin: 0;
    color: #261300;
    }
    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu ul {
    padding: 0px;
    padding-right: 1px;
    margin: 0;
    width: 160px;
    border: 1px solid #111111;
    border-top: none;
    border-bottom: none;
    background: #111111;
    }

    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu li ul li a {
    width: 160px;
    color:#e97300;
    background:#262626 url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97203/Rl.jpg) repeat-x;
    border: none;
    padding: 2px;
    margin: 0;
    border-right: 1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    }
    #profile_menuwrap .drop_menu li ul li a:hover {
    border: none;
    margin: 0;
    background:#1b1b1b url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97206/Footshading.jpg) repeat-x;
    border-right: 1px solid #111111;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #111111;
    color:#f68c24
    }

    .category td.c_foot {
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97224/Footm.jpg) top repeat-x;
    padding:0;
    border: none;
    }

    .foot_left {
    float: left;
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97223/Footl.jpg) no-repeat top left;
    height: 20px;
    width: 48px;
    }

    .foot_right {
    float: right;
    background: url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97225/Footr.jpg) no-repeat top right;
    height: 20px;
    width: 48px;
    }

    #stats .foot_right {
    width: 600px;
    padding: 2px 20px 0 0;
    height: 18px;
    font-size: 11px;
    }

    #menu {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97208/Top.jpg);height: 22px; width:100%;}
    #menu_l {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97209/Topleft.jpg);height: 22px; width: 68px; float:left;}
    #menu_r {background:url(http://z3.ifrm.com/227/168/0/p97210/Topright.jpg);height: 22px;width: 68px;float:right;}

    .pin a {
    font-weight: bold;
    }

As an example of a free skin from there support forum.

Could someone tell me

Firstly, so I'm sure, where do I copy paste these things if you know Zeta boards ?

Secondly if anyone feels generous could they possibly #comment those blocks of code to give me a general outline of what everything is doing.

I also did a mock up of what I want to achieve in GIMP last night. What elements am I going to need to write the CSS for to achieve this?

I believe you would find it easier to do some general CSS design from scratch so that you can get to grips with it. Also give Bluegriffon a try, Komposer is no longer being developed and has been superseded by Bluegriffon.

I think it would take me too long to comment all that code, so your best bet is to try and get a grasp of CSS itself by making some basic web designs using CSS + HTML.