# Forum Weblogs

### Coder’s Guide

Ah, so you’ve made a weblog. Now it’s time to design the weblog to suit your needs. Well, this is the place to start.

If you look at the Weblog Page HTML box, you’ll see you weblog page in its HTML format. If you know HTML, you can go straight ahead and start messing with things. If you don’t know HTML, you should learn HTML so you can code your own weblog. Alternatively, you can use a “What-You-See-Is-What-You-GET” (or WYSIWYG) Editor which will let you code HTML in an easy to use format.

There are a few things to keep in mind while coding your weblog:

- Your weblog is dynamic; it will change based on certain circumstances (such as a new entry). You will see some new code that will allow the page to change.
- Dynamic parts usually have a “{“ and a “}” as well as a “<!--” and a “-->”. These are used to create dynamic pages.
- Braces that surround something may change (e.g. {L_WEBLOG}).
- Dynamic parts starting with “L_” are usually Labels. You can usually tell what they are, or you can refer to the list towards the bottom of this page. These are usually meant to change if the board has more than one language.
- Dynamic parts starting with “U_” are usually links. These will contain the complete link to a different page. To use them, you have to stick them in the href=”” part of the <a> tag.
- Dynamic parts with “<!--BEGIN fetchpost_row -->” and “<!--END fetchpost_row -->”are going to repeat everything between the two when there is another entry.

Here is the list of all the dynamic parts that you may be interested in:

Dynamic Part: | What it Does:
{SITENAME} | Displays the name of your forum’s site
{SITE_DESCRIPTION} | Displays the description of your forum’s site
{L_INDEX} | Displays “(SITENAME) Forum Index”
{L_WEBLOGS} | Displays “Weblogs”
{CURRENT_TIME} | Displays the current time
{TOTAL_USERS_ONLINE} | Displays the number and type of users online in the forums.
{LOGGED_IN_USER_LIST} | Displays the list of users that are online in your weblog.
{U_WEBLOGS} | Links to the main weblog page.
{FORUM_NAME} | Displays the name of your Weblog.
{U_USERPROFILE} | Links to your profile page.
{LOCATION} | Displays your location, from the profile page.
{OCCUPATION} | Displays your occupation, from the profile page.
{INTERESTS} | Displays your interests, from the profile page.
{AVATAR_IMG} | Displays your Avatar.
{U_PAST} | Links to another weblog page that shows all your past entries.
{WEBLOG_DESC} | Displays the description you set for your weblog.
{WEBLOG_POSTS} | Displays the number of posts to your weblog.
{WEBLOG_ENTRIES} | Displays the number of entries in your weblog.
{USERNAME} | Displays your username
{JOINED} | Displays the date you joined the forums.
#### Images Most of these have two parts: one that makes a link, and one that is the actual image.
{PM_A} {EMAIL_A} {ICQ_A} {AIM_A} {MSN_A} {YIM_A} {NEW_ENTRY_A} | These are the first part of a link. These will allow a viewer to click on this link and contact you via the chosen method
{PM_B} {EMAIL_B} {ICQ_B} {AIM_B} {MSN_B} {YIM_B} {NEW_ENTRY_B} | These will end the above links.
{PM_IMG} {EMAIL_IMG} {ICQ_IMG} {AIM_IMG} {MSN_IMG} {YIM_IMG) {WWW_IMG} {NEW_ENTRY} | Displays an image corresponding to the type of contact method. (except MSN_IMG, which will display the msn email only, and NEW_ENTRY which will only show to you, the weblog owner).
{PM} {ICQ} {EMAIL} {AIM} {MSN} {YIM} | Displays a text corresponding to the type of contact method.
{S_AUTH_LIST} | This will tell the viewer what he/she can and cannot do in your weblog.
#### Fetchpost These will need to be enclosed within “<!--BEGIN fetchpost_row -->” and “<!--END fetchpost_row -->”. These will automatically replicate what's inbetween for every entry you make.
{fetchpost_row.ICON} | Displays “Mood” and “Currently” in your entries.
{fetchpost_row.TITLE} | Displays the subject of the entry.
{fetchpost_row.POSTER} | Displays who posted the entry. Usually it will be you.
{fetchpost_row.TIME} | Displays the time the entry was posted.
{fetchpost_row.TEXT} | Displays the contents of the entry.
{fetchpost_row.POST_COMMENT} | Displays the label that you have set in the My Weblog configuration for posting a comment.
{fetchpost_row.REPLIES} | Displays the label that you have set in the My Weblog configuration for the comments label.
{fetchpost_row.U_VIEW_COMMENTS} | Links to a page that displays the entry along with all the comments.
{fetchpost_row.U_POST_COMMENTS} | Links to a page that allows the viewer to post a reply to the current entry.

Well, that’s it. The rest is up to you. I’m sorry if the above looks a little daunting, but you’ll get used to it.