Making forum software...

[Joel~]

Okay, I have recently been thinking of developing my own forum software (mainly because, so far, nothing offers EXACTLY what I want) but I have come across a few minor problems.

Firstly, I'm not entirely sure what languages will be needed. I think that the list will at least include: MySQL, XML, XHTML, PHP or ASP, CSS or XSLT.

Secondly, I only know bits of some of those languages, so I would need to know what to focus on in order to have the best chance of making something exactly how I want it.

Thirdly, I have no idea what components I will have to build and how to link them all together to make the software.

And finally, I don't think I would be able to do the whole thing on my own.

If anyone can point out what I will need to learn language-wise and any example source code of forum software (the ones that are open-source, of course) then I would be extremely grateful.

In addition, if anybody would like to help (eventually - it may take a while for me to sort out all the language stuff) then I would be grateful for that, too

Thanks
~Den

 

[User name1]

Denthul, please contact me via PM as soon as possible.

Well lets start with your main forum board software
- vBulletin
- MyBB
- IPB
- phpBB

All of those use PHP & MySQL so these are the languages you NEED to start learning if you want to program a semi functional forum system. HTML, CSS, XML are all good for the themes you would want to incorporate in the future.

Question, are you planning on releasing this, or is it just for your personal use?

In order to link these functions all together you may want to make a development map, something like below, only in more detail.
- User registration (Sessions or cookies, encryption type, required fields)
Remember each user has an id, signature, postcount, user title, etc.
- Categories, forums, threads, posts.
- Profile viewing
- Who is online
- Total counts, x members, x posts, x threads.
- Installation, make an install file with queries to create all the necessary tables.
Table prefixes for security, allow the user to choose a table prefix so each table has their prefix underscore tablename

It is a complicated thing to do, so as I said, please contact me by PM, ASAP.


- User name

 

[Joel~]

Thanks. I already have an extensive list of things I want to build into it, and obviously some are more important than others. I will, however, PM you now.

 

[~NeonFire372~]

If I were you, I'd run it on PHP & MySQL, like some of the major bulletin board software companies use.

 

[Joel~]

Thanks. User Name gave me a quick PHP and MySQL tutorial earlier today. If anyone would like to help, just send me a PM.

 

[~NeonFire372~]

A tutorial, eh? User Name, can you send me one too?

 

[User name1]

Links sent to your Inbox.

 

[~NeonFire372~]

Thanks, I'll give you some positive rep for that.