Defaulting The Dark Theme

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MightyHypnotic
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Hey everyone,

As of this weekend, everyone is getting switched to the dark theme which is the theme of this site. I will be offering a mirror copy of this theme with light colors also but it's too much for me to keep 2 code bases updated. (A light version of this theme would share the same codebase, just different theme sets.

Give it a try!

If you have a problem where you are having trouble viewing the forum, let me know.

You can also put complaints here as well...

I know we talked about adding a directory and that's been a little lower on my list but if people really want it I can probably work on that next week.
Renegade
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I take it this theme is phone/tablet friendly? On my olde timey desktop monitor all of what I want to read is squeezed over to the left half (60%) of the screen. Not optimal for me, but if that's your audience now - c'est la vie.

Even less useful for me, is the old alternate(?) theme gave me "unread posts" labeled with the sub-forum the post comes from, where this theme (apparently) does not. So I was taking waaaay longer than I wanted to trying to figure out which threads I actually wanted to check out.

Perhaps I give up on trying to keep up with the site as a whole, and just go to the "latest releases" list, which is probably the most (30%?) I tend to keep up on?

A 'light' version of even this theme would be good with me, this darker one doesn't appeal to my eye AT ALL. Still, thanks as always for your efforts.
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MightyHypnotic
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Do you see the recent topics on the right hand side? That should give you the information you're looking for.

This theme IS mobile friendly but its main design is for desktop viewing.... Are you able to take a screenshot of what you see? I might be able to tweak some things to make it appear better on older monitors.

What I am trying to accomplish is a theme that works for everyone at different browser sizes, so that I don't have to update code in 2 places...
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batgirl1969
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Well once you go dark...there is no turning back....
Imagineer
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Make your browser window 1080 or 1200 pixels wide and see what it looks like for people with portrait-mode monitors or tablets held like magazines. Reading a particular topic is okay, but the topic and section browsing loses so much information, and what information remains is chopped into such narrow columns, that it's almost useless. People with less-than-full-HD screens like smaller less-expensive laptops might find themselves in a similar pinch.

The issue is that, on the forum sections pages, it's no longer a big-column + sidebar design, it's a multi-column design jammed into a not-big-enough column + sidebar design. Could you drop the two numeric columns in the middle?

If I could collapse the sidebar life would be good. As it is, the sidebar wastes a ton of space. I hate it. But I'm just one guy. Feel free to not cater to me, and I'll just curse wearing out my scroll wheel and getting a kink in my neck when I browse the site too long on my side monitor. Really, it's not a big deal if your audience is 95% regular desktops with full-HD screens, and it probably is.
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MightyHypnotic
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I appreciate the feedback and I see what you're saying. I can always change the collapse point of the sidebar so it collapses sooner, like at the portrait/tablet break point. Anything that will make the site easier to read. I'll look into it and make the necessary adjustments. If it's not working for you in portrait mode, it's probably not working for others as well.
Renegade
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MightyHypnotic wrote:
6 years ago
Do you see the recent topics on the right hand side? That should give you the information you're looking for.
Maybe there's a setting I missed, but the "Recent Topics" column only lists the last 7 posts (and yes - those posts list the sub-topics, which is mostly what I'm missing functionality wise). But right now that only covers the last 5 hours of posts, and I'm a once-a-day visitor.

Along with the text pushed over to the left 60% of the screen, the pics are similarly shrunk to fit that column. If I open the pic in a separate tab, I then get the full-size view. Just in case there's anything that can be done without making you keep up two separate format programs, which I imagine would be a PITA.

Thanks for the response!

PS - Heh, I have a widescreen monitor, but keep my browser at around 2/3rd the screen width so I can keep a eye on a chat program and other stuff. I just thought to go full screen with my browser and that seems to take care of much of the 'scrunching' issue. I suppose if you could make the sub-forum show up in the "Unread Posts" list (and perhaps "New Posts" if you want), that would fairly solve the issues I'm asking about here.
vnv7272
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Fine with the new look. Only thing is I miss being able to see when a topic was created on the front page. It only shows last post now.
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MightyHypnotic
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Renegade wrote:
6 years ago
MightyHypnotic wrote:
6 years ago
Do you see the recent topics on the right hand side? That should give you the information you're looking for.
Maybe there's a setting I missed, but the "Recent Topics" column only lists the last 7 posts (and yes - those posts list the sub-topics, which is mostly what I'm missing functionality wise). But right now that only covers the last 5 hours of posts, and I'm a once-a-day visitor.

Along with the text pushed over to the left 60% of the screen, the pics are similarly shrunk to fit that column. If I open the pic in a separate tab, I then get the full-size view. Just in case there's anything that can be done without making you keep up two separate format programs, which I imagine would be a PITA.

Thanks for the response!

PS - Heh, I have a widescreen monitor, but keep my browser at around 2/3rd the screen width so I can keep a eye on a chat program and other stuff. I just thought to go full screen with my browser and that seems to take care of much of the 'scrunching' issue. I suppose if you could make the sub-forum show up in the "Unread Posts" list (and perhaps "New Posts" if you want), that would fairly solve the issues I'm asking about here.
Ohhh I see what you mean now. Unread Posts from the menu on the left. That's a good point. I will look into it.
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hiddenevil
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Just spent all morning looking how to change the theme. I'm using my iPad and when viewing my inbox the blue & grey tex boxes are almost illegible :-(
A man may fight for many things: his country, his principles, his friends, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally I'd mud wrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a sack of French porn.
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MightyHypnotic
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hiddenevil wrote:
6 years ago
Just spent all morning looking how to change the theme. I'm using my iPad and when viewing my inbox the blue & grey tex boxes are almost illegible :-(
I am going to make a light version of this theme available this week.
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hiddenevil
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That would be muchly appreciated, I thank you on behalf of my eyes :-)
A man may fight for many things: his country, his principles, his friends, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally I'd mud wrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a sack of French porn.
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MightyHypnotic
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hiddenevil wrote:
6 years ago
That would be muchly appreciated, I thank you on behalf of my eyes :-)
I agree.. Keep an eye on this thread and I will let you know when it's available.....
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hiddenevil
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One eye or two? You see if i pop both eyes out, I'm going to struggle driving the car.
A man may fight for many things: his country, his principles, his friends, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally I'd mud wrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a sack of French porn.
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tallyho
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hiddenevil wrote:
6 years ago
One eye or two? You see if i pop both eyes out, I'm going to struggle driving the car.
Use the 'Eye of the Tiger' - worked for Rocky.
How strange are the ways of the gods ...........and how cruel.

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hiddenevil
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A tiger? where am I going to find one of those? Zoo's have a strict policy about taking things from the exhibits, can't imagine them being chuffed if I steal an eye.
A man may fight for many things: his country, his principles, his friends, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally I'd mud wrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a sack of French porn.
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hiddenevil
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Any news on this? Been waiting to change this blasted theme :-)
A man may fight for many things: his country, his principles, his friends, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally I'd mud wrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a sack of French porn.
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hiddenevil
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Your sir are a star!
A man may fight for many things: his country, his principles, his friends, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally I'd mud wrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a sack of French porn.
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hiddenevil
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Any progress?
A man may fight for many things: his country, his principles, his friends, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally I'd mud wrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a sack of French porn.
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MightyHypnotic
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I actually have to start it from scratch and make the light theme the main theme and allow people to choose the dark theme. I am ok with that but it will take a bit more work.. I have this weekend free so I will most likely do it then...
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MightyHypnotic
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Ive added a light theme, it needs some work but Im too tired to work on it anymore tonight, however, it's viewable so if the dark colors are bothering you too much, come to the light!

You can make the change in user preferences. Click on your avatar up top and make the change.
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hiddenevil
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I just logged in with my phone and lovely light theme. Thank you so much! This is much much easier on the eyes!

:-D
A man may fight for many things: his country, his principles, his friends, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally I'd mud wrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a sack of French porn.
Renegade
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Very nice, much easier to navigate the threads this way. Thanks, oh Mighty One!
GWalb
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Yes this is infinitely Better.
GWalb
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And thanks for all the work you put in.
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What ever they pay you, it is not enough.
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DrDominator9
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Hi MH. I switched to the Light theme and liked it very much until I realized there was no chat function there. Sorry to be a pain but until there is chat in the light theme, I'm going to have to stay on the dark side of the Force.
Follow this link to descriptions of my stories and easy links to them:

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=32025
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DrDominator9
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My gosh. You're right. MH. Thank you, Oh Great Mighty One. Your magnificence is, like, totally sick.
Follow this link to descriptions of my stories and easy links to them:

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=32025
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MightyHypnotic
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You're welcome everyone and Dr!

My pleasure. I will be adding the recent topics soon, either tonight or tomorrow...
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MightyHypnotic
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Recent topics have been added to the sidebar for the light theme.

The liight theme is now the default theme for the site.


Dark theme is also available.

Select your name at the top and go into the USER CONTROL PANEL and once there select the BOARD PREFERENCES tab.

You can make changes from there.
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