This is a template modification that I use on almost all my skins. It only changes the small necessary bits.
This modification will separate the forum tables on your forumhome, a screenshot is attached.
To fully understand this modification, basic HTML knowledge is required. You can download the complete XML file from the right if you would like to install this right away.
Modified templates
* FORUMHOME
* forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost
Forum Home Overview
Open the 'Forum Home Templates > FORUMHOME' template, we only need to edit the area between the <!-- main --> tags. Here's the default code:
HTML Code:
<!-- main -->
<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
<thead>
<if condition="$show['guest']">
<!-- guest welcome message -->
<tr>
<td class="tcat" colspan="<if condition="$vboptions['showmoderatorcolumn']">6<else />5</if>"><phrase 1="$vboptions[bbtitle]">$vbphrase[welcome_to_the_x]</phrase></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="alt1" colspan="<if condition="$vboptions['showmoderatorcolumn']">6<else />5</if>">
<phrase 1="faq.php$session[sessionurl_q]" 2="register.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[first_visit_message]</phrase>
</td>
</tr>
<!-- / guest welcome message -->
</if>
<tr align="center">
<td class="thead"> </td>
<td class="thead" width="100%" align="$stylevar[left]">$vbphrase[forum]</td>
<td class="thead" width="175">$vbphrase[last_post]</td>
<td class="thead">$vbphrase[threads]</td>
<td class="thead">$vbphrase[posts]</td>
<if condition="$vboptions['showmoderatorcolumn']">
<td class="thead">$vbphrase[moderator]</td>
</if>
</tr>
</thead>
$forumbits
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="tfoot" align="center" colspan="<if condition="$vboptions['showmoderatorcolumn']">6<else />5</if>"><div class="smallfont"><strong>
<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]do=markread" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[mark_forums_read]</a>
<if condition="$vboptions['forumleaders']">
<a href="showgroups.php$session[sessionurl_q]" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[view_forum_leaders]</a></if>
</strong></div></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
$forumhome_markread_script
<!-- /main -->
Everything between the <!-- main --> tags is one table. We are going to separate this into multiple tables.
The above code contains:
* The guest welcome header.
* The 'forum, last post, threads, post' area.
* The category and forums rows ($forumbits).
* The 'mark forums read' and 'view forum leaders' links.
Forum Home Changes
What has to be changed:
* Guest welcome header should have it's own table.
* Delete the 'forum, last post, threads, post' area.
* Bottom links need their own div
Forum Home Result
Here's the final code:
HTML Code:
<!-- main -->
<if condition="$show['guest']">
<!-- guest welcome message -->
<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
<tr>
<td class="tcat" colspan="<if condition="$vboptions['showmoderatorcolumn']">6<else />5</if>"><phrase 1="$vboptions[bbtitle]">$vbphrase[welcome_to_the_x]</phrase></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="alt1" colspan="<if condition="$vboptions['showmoderatorcolumn']">6<else />5</if>">
<phrase 1="faq.php$session[sessionurl_q]" 2="register.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[first_visit_message]</phrase>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<br />
<!-- / guest welcome message -->
</if>
$forumbits
<div class="tborder" style="padding: $stylevar[cellspacing]px;">
<div class="tfoot smallfont" style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; padding: $stylevar[cellpadding]px;">
<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]do=markread" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[mark_forums_read]</a>
<if condition="$vboptions['forumleaders']">
<a href="showgroups.php$session[sessionurl_q]" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[view_forum_leaders]</a></if>
</div></div>
$forumhome_markread_script
<!-- /main -->
==========
Forum Bit Overview
Now, open the 'Forum Home Templates > forumhome_forumbit_level1_nopost' template. This is the default code:
HTML Code:
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="tcat" colspan="<if condition="$vboptions[showmoderatorcolumn]">6<else />5</if>">
<a style="float:$stylevar[right]" href="#top" onclick="return toggle_collapse('forumbit_$forumid')"><img id="collapseimg_forumbit_$forumid" src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/collapse_tcat{$collapseimg_forumid}.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">$forum[title]</a>
<if condition="$show['forumdescription']"><div class="smallfont">$forum[description]</div></if>
<if condition="$show['subforums']"><div class="smallfont"><strong>$vbphrase[subforums]</strong>: $forum[subforums]</div></if>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
<if condition="$childforumbits">
<tbody id="collapseobj_forumbit_$forumid" style="{$collapseobj_forumid}">
$childforumbits
</tbody>
</if>
As you may have noticed, this code is a table row. Because we got rid of the table surrounding this table row (in the FORUMHOME template), we should now make this code into a complete table.
Forum Bit Changes
What has to be changed:
* Add table open tag
* The 'forum, last post, threads, post' area should be pasted before the forum rows.
* Add table close tag
* Add br tag at the end to create a space between the tables.
Forum Bit Result
This is the final code:
HTML Code:
<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="tcat" colspan="<if condition="$vboptions[showmoderatorcolumn]">6<else />5</if>">
<a style="float:$stylevar[right]" href="#top" onclick="return toggle_collapse('forumbit_$forumid')"><img id="collapseimg_forumbit_$forumid" src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/collapse_tcat{$collapseimg_forumid}.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">$forum[title]</a>
<if condition="$show['forumdescription']"><div class="smallfont">$forum[description]</div></if>
<if condition="$show['subforums']"><div class="smallfont"><strong>$vbphrase[subforums]</strong>: $forum[subforums]</div></if>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
<if condition="$childforumbits">
<tbody id="collapseobj_forumbit_$forumid" style="{$collapseobj_forumid}">
<tr align="center">
<td class="thead"> </td>
<td class="thead" width="100%" align="$stylevar[left]">$vbphrase[forum]</td>
<td class="thead" width="175">$vbphrase[last_post]</td>
<td class="thead">$vbphrase[threads]</td>
<td class="thead">$vbphrase[posts]</td>
<if condition="$vboptions['showmoderatorcolumn']">
<td class="thead">$vbphrase[moderator]</td>
</if>
</tr>
$childforumbits
</tbody>
</if>
</table>
<br />
That's it, these two template modifications are enough to get the desired effect of separated forum rows.