thanks for the thoughts, but nothing is working. tried what you suggested and actually got some fatal error messages in the admin panel. so its got to be a code issue somewhere.
I did put <{$xoops_module_header}> in the theme.html, so thats not it, i dont think. i will re-read the readme.
I must be missing something somewhere, ill keep digging.
thats something im good at.

just for gits and shiggles, i installed newbb just to see what it is all about now that i understand how to upload new modules.
This forum module may be exactly what I wanted in the first place, i mentioned in a previous post about using another forum software.
install was no problem, but when i click on the newbb link to go to the forum i get this below the footer.

Warning [PHP]: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in file /home/content//html/xoops/html/modules/newbb/index.php line 90
Warning [PHP]: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in file /home/content/
Notice [PHP]: Undefined variable: category_array in file /home/content//html/xoops/html/modules/newbb/index.php line 158
Warning [PHP]: array_multisort(): Argument #1 is expected to be an array or a sort flag in file /home/content//html/xoops/html/modules/newbb/index.php line 158
Notice [PHP]: Undefined variable: category_array in file /home/content//html/xoops/html/modules/newbb/index.php line 160
Notice [PHP]: Undefined variable: display in file /home/content//html/xoops/html/modules/newbb/index.php line 161

so therefore, the forum doesnt work properly, inability to post etc.

what needs to be done???
thought about doing a complete uninstall of the entire XOOPS system and starting over.
or is that too hardcore.
thanks

kinda funny, after all the hacking i did to get the site to look like i wanted it to, the contact us link is giving me fits.
i am using another forum software and went to the theme.html file and changed the link to what i needed.
but when i try and do the same for the contact us link and load the new file to the server, it appears as though the system is rewriting my rewrite.
no matter how many times i change the modules/contact/ nothing happens.
just trying to make a simple a href"mysite.com/contact.htm">-=contact us=-/a change.
like i said, it worked for the forum link.
any suggestions??

my site is entropictimes.com

i took the 4 metal theme and modified it to my liking.

and by the way, i really like the XOOPS concept so far. has been really easy to use and figure out as i am still just an intermediate code hack.