How Do I Center Menu Buttons - TimosWelt Theme

[CassieT]

I found an answer to this question for the Igames theme on here, and spent all day yesterday trying to make it work on TimosWelt but to no avail - at least, I was able to center one of the menus, but not the other two, despite doing exactly the same thing 

The menu buttons look a bit odd being on the left when the rest of the gallery is centred

The gallery is at http://robbiewilliamsobsessed.com/galleries/index.php

Thank you in advance

[Joachim Müller]

The theme "timoswelt" has only been released for cpg1.5.x afaik. You can't use that theme on a cpg1.4.x-driven gallery without modifications. Backporting is beyond support scope.
Your gallery is in maintenance mode anyway, so there's little for us to look at. Disable offline mode if you want us to look into your issue. What's your actual question? What menu are you refering to (there are several different menus in coppermine).

[CassieT]

The theme "timoswelt" has only been released for cpg1.5.x afaik. You can't use that theme on a cpg1.4.x-driven gallery without modifications. Backporting is beyond support scope.

Well, apart from this cosmetic issue which is my concern and not the board's, it seems to be working exactly as it should.  But thank you for your concern 

Your gallery is in maintenance mode anyway, so there's little for us to look at. Disable offline mode if you want us to look into your issue.

I have disabled maintenance mode accordingly.  I apologise for this oversight on my behalf

What's your actual question? What menu are you refering to (there are several different menus in coppermine).

As the title of the thread suggests, I want to center the menu buttons at the top of the gallery.  Only one set show up to visitors so I've attached a screen cap.

[Joachim Müller]

Us the web developer toolbar or the firebug plugin (as suggested in "Making a brand new theme, where to start?" and many similar threads) to figure out which part of the style sheet controls which section of the screen. In your case, you need to edit http://robbiewilliamsobsessed.com/galleries/themes/timoswelt/style.css with a plain text editor and find the definition for #SUB_MENU and edit that as you see fit.

[Timos-Welt]

The theme "timoswelt" has only been released for cpg1.5.x afaik.

There's a 1.4.x version of this theme as well.

[CassieT]

There's a 1.4.x version of this theme as well.

Thank you Timo - I wanted to ask you about your excellent theme directly but I can't seem to find a pm button on this forum

I spent the whole day in the css and managed somehow to center one of the three lines of menu buttons, but the other two refuse to move whatever I do. 

From the 1.4 version could you tell me which bit I need to look for?  My partner, who is more experienced in these things than I am, also spent time on this, but she couldn't move the menu buttons either.

[Timos-Welt]

Add text-align:center to #SUB_MENU in css file.

[CassieT]

Add text-align:center to #SUB_MENU in css file.

I've done that, it's not working.  Screen-cap attached

Is the #SYS_MENU involved?

[Timos-Welt]

I simply don't know.

[CassieT]

Never mind - it's a lovely, lovely theme anyway, perfect for us (although we changed the colours a bit) and we love it.

It would just be nice to get those buttons centered, but they are refusing to move, I guess they must like it where they are!

Thank you, Timo

[Joachim Müller]

There's a 1.4.x version of this theme as well.

OK, I see. Link: http://sourceforge.net/projects/coppermine/files/Themes/1.4.x/cpg1.4.x_theme_timoswelt_v1.1.zip/download
However, there is no announcement thread on "cpg1.4 theme contributions" for the theme as far as I can see. Could you please create one? Thanks in advance.

I wanted to ask you about your excellent theme directly but I can't seem to find a pm button on this forum

That's on purpose. We don't want you to send PMs, that's why there is no such button for you. See Private messages disabled. There's no iondividual support.

From the 1.4 version could you tell me which bit I need to look for?

I already told you:

you need to edit http://robbiewilliamsobsessed.com/galleries/themes/timoswelt/style.css with a plain text editor and find the definition for #SUB_MENU and edit that as you see fit.

That's why Timo said

Add text-align:center to #SUB_MENU in css file.

I've done that, it's not working.

Seems like you have done even more: take a look at the generated output:

Code Select Expand

  <div id="SUB_MENU">
                            <table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" align="center"  >
                                <tr>

                                        <td class="top_menu_bttn">
                                                <a href="index.php?cat=0" title="Go to the album list">Album list</a>
                                        </td>
                                        <td class="top_menu_bttn">
                                                <a href="javascript:;" onmouseover="MM_showHideLayers('SYS_MENU','','show')">@</a>
                                        </td>
                                        <td class="top_menu_bttn">

                                                <a href="thumbnails.php?album=lastup&amp;cat=0" title="Last uploads">Last uploads</a>
                                        </td>
                                        <td class="top_menu_bttn">
                                                <a href="thumbnails.php?album=lastcom&amp;cat=0" onmouseover="MM_showHideLayers('SYS_MENU','','hide')" title="Last comments">Last comments</a>
                                        </td>
                                        <td class="top_menu_bttn">
                                                <a href="thumbnails.php?album=topn&amp;cat=0" onmouseover="MM_showHideLayers('SYS_MENU','','hide')" title="Most viewed">Most viewed</a>

                                        </td>
                                        <td class="top_menu_bttn">
                                                <a href="thumbnails.php?album=toprated&amp;cat=0" onmouseover="MM_showHideLayers('SYS_MENU','','hide')" title="Top rated">Top rated</a>
                                        </td>
                                        <td class="top_menu_bttn">
                                                <a href="thumbnails.php?album=favpics" onmouseover="MM_showHideLayers('SYS_MENU','','hide')" title="My Favorites">My Favorites</a>
                                        </td>
                                        <td class="top_menu_bttn">

                                                <a href="search.php" onmouseover="MM_showHideLayers('SYS_MENU','','hide')" title="Search">Search</a>
                                        </td>
                                        <td width="100%">&nbsp;</td>
                                </tr>
                        </table>
  </div>
is of course nonsense: the HTML-tag <table> can't have the attribute align. The wrapping table construct would of course have to stretch the entire available width, which is doesn't out of the box. This can not be set up in http://robbiewilliamsobsessed.com/galleries/themes/timoswelt/template.html, but probably resides in http://robbiewilliamsobsessed.com/galleries/themes/timoswelt/theme.php, which I can't look at. I have no idea if this is the case as well in the original theme by Timo or if it's something you added, but it's wrong.

[CassieT]

I apologise for my total lack of coding/script skills.  That's why I came to this support forum; I have complied with all of the rules and regulations but nowhere did I see a directive for total newbies not to even consider posting here, or risk scorn when we are genuinely in need of help.

And incidentally, before I plucked up the courage to post, I searched the forums and found this http://forum.coppermine-gallery.net/index.php/topic,45773.0.html which is what lead me to add the align attribute, as this was what was suggested for exactly the same problem within this other theme.

It would be wonderful if you could tell me what would work, as opposed to what won't.  I appreciate that this is not a scripting/coding support forum but seeing as the answer seems inherently to lie within this area, wouldn't it just be easier to at least suggest solutions rather than waste time pointing out what I have done wrong?

[Joachim Müller]

This can not be set up in http://robbiewilliamsobsessed.com/galleries/themes/timoswelt/template.html, but probably resides in http://robbiewilliamsobsessed.com/galleries/themes/timoswelt/theme.php, which I can't look at.

I can't tell you what to fix if I can't look at it. Imo it's pretty self-explanatory that you have to post that file for supporters to help. Zip your entire custom theme and attach the zip file to your posting.

I apologise for my total lack of coding/script skills.  That's why I came to this support forum

That's not actually related to coding imo, but plain HTML/CSS. We can not teach you HTML or CSS here, that's beyond the scope of this board.

However, I have tried to help you already and I still try, but I need you to do some thinking as well. I require as well that you read supporter's replies carefully. I said above that I can't look at the file that contains the needed data, so I find it self-explanatory that you provide that file.
Instead fo complaining I suggest to focus on your question and the possible solution.

[Timos-Welt]

However, there is no announcement thread on "cpg1.4 theme contributions" for the theme as far as I can see. Could you please create one? Thanks in advance.

There is one: http://forum.coppermine-gallery.net/index.php/topic,41931.0.html

[Joachim Müller]

ah, OK, great . How could I miss that? Sorry.

[CassieT]

However, I have tried to help you already and I still try, but I need you to do some thinking as well. I require as well that you read supporter's replies carefully. I said above that I can't look at the file that contains the needed data, so I find it self-explanatory that you provide that file.
Instead fo complaining I suggest to focus on your question and the possible solution.

Dear Joachim

Thanks to your suggestion, I did some thinking as you said, and thought that I would ask elsewhere for support.

The very first place I went to - incidentally, not a computer support forum, just a place where lots of people gather -  another poster gave me the answer I needed, without me needing to provide zipped files, proof of my competency, or my vital statistics.

Just for future reference - as it turned out, you were right when you said "In your case, you need to edit http://robbiewilliamsobsessed.com/galleries/themes/timoswelt/style.css with a plain text editor and find the definition for #SUB_MENU and edit that as you see fit." because that is indeed what I needed to do.  The point is, I didn't know HOW, and frankly I was too scared to ask given your previous scathing responses to my genuine requests for help. 

I am sure that technically you are very gifted - but from one forum admin to another - particularly to an admin running a SUPPORT forum - instead of complaining about how requests for help are mooted, I suggest you focus on your people skills.

I would have put all of this in a private message, but I couldn't....

[phill104]

You cannot send PM's because we have had a lot of abuse of the system in the past not just to supporters but to members. As such the decision was made to close that avenue for the good of everyone.

Had you provided a .zip file (which IMO is no effort at all on your part) then what usually happens is that one of the supporters will carry out the edits for you and attach the complete version. For free software with a free support forum that is good service if you ask me. If you look through the threads you will see this has been done hundreds of times in the past.

As for your comments about our devs I do think that is a little unfair. The team work extremely hard in their spare time to provide the software and support. As you will see there is no advertising on this site (bar a link to Bytemark who have kindly donated us some server space) so we make no revenue at all from the product. We all do it for our own reasons. In my case it is to learn more about software development. We also get a lot of abuse from disgruntled users who feel that we owe them something. Some of us have even had threats and worse, fortunately that is a minority. However, that is all wiped out by the sheer numbers of great users that use this masterpiece. We get a lot of thanks from users and even the odd donation from those who really appreciate the effort we put in. These donations don't cover our costs but they do help. Other users show their appreciation by giving something back to the project such as creating themes, mods or plug-ins. Some may spend time here helping to support the project and its users.

So next time you feel the need to have a moan think about the work that in ongoing with this project. Don't be scared to ask and as long as we can see that you have have put the effort in you will get a good response. When you request support please do as asked instead of wasting time arguing. It saves a lot of frustration from both sides.

[CassieT]

Phill

I certainly didn't mean to be rude to the entire development team, and I do indeed appreciate the hard work that goes on behind the scenes in any support scenario. 

The fact remains however that as a newbie, I was made to feel extremely intimidated.  As was blindingly obvious from my posts, I hadn't got the first idea of what I was dealing with and frankly, the tone of the very first reply to my question actually quite upset me.

For example, if "I have tried to help you already and I still try, but I need you to do some thinking as well. I require as well that you read supporter's replies carefully. I said above that I can't look at the file that contains the needed data, so I find it self-explanatory that you provide that file." had been phrased "OK, send us the zipped file and we'll see what we can do" then we wouldn't even be having this conversation. 

You must deal with many different levels of experience on here, I'm just not sure that a one-size-fits-all approach works.  To analogise it, you don't treat primary school pupils the same way as you do university graduates and if that is happening, then maybe the teaching staff should be re-deployed accordingly.

I apologise for any upset caused by my previous post, but would assure you that I have neither the time or inclination to be making arguments for arguments sake.  Maybe it was a translation issue, but having read other posts on here before deciding to take the plunge, I don't think so, and I don't think that marking me out as an example of everything that is bad about newbies is particularly helpful either.