XOOPS Version: Newest
Module Name/Version: System
PHP Version: 4.4.2
MySQL Version: 3.23.49
Web Server Software (Apache/IIS/Other): apache 2.0.58
Operating System: WinXP
Theme you are using: Custom containing all block outputs
Custom template: (Yes/No) yes?
PHP Debug Messages:
MySQL Debug Messages:
Smarty Debug Messages:
A full description of the issue:

First, I have two unrelated questions:
1/2. how do I create a custom link to the register/lost password pages? (I have custom login support currently and need the register/lost password things so I can put them on the page somewhere)

Now for my main question:
I've created 4-5 custom blocks that contain template code. (the smarty based code and html). They are just static tables that use images from my custom theme. When I preview them, nothing is shown and if I try to use them anyway, still, nothing appears. Did I miss some critical info about blocks? or basically what am I doing wrong?

One of the custom blocks mind you is just text with html formatting.

I have no modules installed, I'm just running the base system.

I figured it out.
I accidently made $xoops_showcblock plural.
I figured this out when I made two blocks that worked on the bottom block areas.
The registration variable I still have yet to find but i know for a temporary fix I can just send the link to register.php.
pretty much the same for the lost password situation.

Now I just have to figure out why my images won't show...

Alright!
This apparently has bread an entirely new problem:
I have 4 blocks defined for my main page:
1 left-center
1 right-center
1 bottom-left-center
1 bottom-right-center

These 4 blocks are visible to anonymous users and each block is visible by 1 group that relates to that block.
(this way, if you were not logged in, you would see all 4 blocks but if you log in and you belong to one of the 4 groups, you would only see that block)

I am able to set each block only to be visible on either:
All Pages or
Top Page

This is fine because I only want them to see these blocks on what I would consider the top page.
and what I would consider the top page to be is the first page they would see. for example if you just got to my site, you would be at the top page. If you just logged in, you would be in the top page, but belong to a certain group.

The problem is that if I set them to be viewed on the top page, none of them are displayed-- ever!
If I set them to all pages, they are always displayed on every page, which is not what I want.

I searched for others who had the same problem, but it was generally different enough to not affect me.

What XOOPS version are you running? I know you put Newest, but believe you me I get confused enough as it is and can stay they way for quite some time.

Register:
Here is something I use in my theme for people to register. It has other parts to it which will show Login and Register if they aren't a registered user and then after they log in it shows Welcome usersname Have a Great Day. But here is the Register Here portion.

Register
Here    It's Free !

Blocks:

1. What is your start page set to in the admin/system/preferences/general settings? (set it to the page you are wanting to show when a user comes to your site).

2. Is modify/change Template/html set to Yes? (if making changes you want this set to YES, then change it back when done).

3. Clear your template_c folder but leave the index.html

Let us know how this goes.

Check the F.A.Q.s and Documentation in the Links of the Community Menu on the left.

Version: 2.0.14-RC1
I was thinking of changing over to 0.13 and see if it works okay there.

thanks for the register thing, its pretty much what I figured.
I have a little script to make the login area -vanish- when someone is logged in, but its more of a work-around. I tried using the $xoopsUser variable that I found in the module docs, but it didn't work at first so I decided to just check to see if there are any left blocks (since left blocks are never there if you're not logged in and are always there if you are)

back to the main problem:
1. its set to None, since I have no modules installed, its the only option I have.
2. It was set to yes but I just changed it back
3. Just did that too

so far they still don't appear. I know at this point they work but not if I set it to top page x_x.

Thanks for the suggestions though!

Since you are running 2.0.14RC1 let me ask you something?

Maybe you still haven't set them to top page then. Maybe you are just seeing the Top Page text in the pull down at the top of the blocks admin. If you haven't already done this then:
Find the block you want viewed on the top page. Look to the right and click on edit. Now set the settings in there the way you want it-selecting top page, make sure it is set YES for visible and then SUBMIT.

Quest

Well actually, that's the thing.
I tested the block's ability to work by editing each specific block and setting to to be viewed on either the top page or all pages. I know the blocks work because they work if I set them to view on all pages, which I can only do in the edit page for each specific block. I then set them back to be viewed on the top page (which is my only option) and they are not viewable.

However, I thought about one point you brought up, and I think it might be the issue. XOOPS is made to be run with its modules, almost no one uses XOOPS without any modules installed because you just can't do much with the base system. I think the fact that I have no modules installed means I literally have no pages that can be used as a 'top page'. Since I have no pages that can be used as a 'top page', I essentially have no top page. This bugs me a bit since you would think there would be a base top page installed with the main system which would just contain no content, but I think this might not be the case. Either way, I am going to download a generic module and see how that works.

Thanks for the help so far.

--Update--
So that didn't work.
Its odd that it will show my block on the first page if I have it set to all pages, but it won't show it on the first page if I have it set to top page.
I will probably install XOOPS v.2.0.13 soon if I just can't get this to work

I Fixed it.
all I had to do was install v.2.0.13 rather than v.2.0.14-RC1
bug? maybe.
there was another bug I found: in 14-RC1 when you add something to the bottom block area, you can not set its permissions in the groups, and if you change permissions for a group that has it enabled and submit the changes, the group might lose access to that block which could at some point make it there but inaccessable.
Just thought I'd state that.