Posted by
GregChapman on
Sep 01, 2024; 7:56pm
URL: https://support.nabble.com/Can-t-login-to-forum-via-web-page-it-s-embedded-in-tp7613865p7614232.html
SMF was on my short list of forum software to try.
It does not offer the simple kind of embedding function that Nabble provides. However, if you have HTML and CSS skills you are free to edit any of its themes to suit your own site.
I tried SMF first after trying the demos of a number of forum packages and I can't remember why I eventually rejected it. I suspect that the themes I tried as a starting point for what I wanted to achieve used Bootstrap, Smarty, or one of the other popular tools that are supposed to make achieving your end quicker, but, for me, it meant learning another tool before I could start, so I thought I'd try another to see if that didn't need learning something else first.
Next I tried MyBB. I got on with that better. I got to the point where I began to built the site I wanted the forum to support. (I had just bought a 50 year old ex-hire boat on the Norfolk Broads and there wasn't a site that explored the history of the type, although there some 250 built) I got quite a long way.
I did some minor changes to the colours of the forum but most of the work was making the beginnings of the site look like the default board. However, eventually I gave up on that as well. Again, I can't remember exactly what the issue was.
I'm sure that it was very much my personal lack of knowledge that put me off these two packages rather than a problem with either of them. My skill set does not include JavaScript or PHP.
Next I tried phpBB. I was slightly resistant to this package as I like things small and, of the three, this was the largest download by far. However, this is the package that I managed to adapt using only my HTML and CSS knowledge.
My host has the Softaculous app installer package included and SMF and phpBB both have demos available you can play with before deciding to have the package install them. Softaculous not only installs the package but also sets up the required database as well. In other words it does all the heavy lifting needed to get the packages running. If you want to try the demos go to
https://softaculous.com/apps/forumsIf you want to see how well I managed to "embed" phpBB in my site take a look at
https://hamptonsafari.uk
Volunteer Helper - but recommending that users move off the platform!
Once the admin for GregHelp now deleted.