Here we go again, and I can't tell you how much I hate install cms that don't give you clue as to what to do next once you have the thing up and running.

First, I spent 30 minutes searching the XOOPS site for the application download. Logically, you'd expect it to be under the catagory "download" It's not. In fact, there's nothing giving you a clue as to where to download the source code. Why? I don't know.

Then after you install, you're left looking at a sidebar but that's all. You click on adminstration go to templates and get a message telling you to upload tempate zip. Huh? Well, where is it? Is it a secret? If not, why not tell us.

I've got two folders in the XOOPS folder and not the foggiest idea what I'm supposed to do with them. The readme files don't tell me. And the so-called "installation guide" ends after the install. So what am I supposed to do with the "diffs" folders and the "extra" folders -- I know, spend an hour searching the forum for the answer, right?

Fine. But why didn't it occur to anybody to write a sentence or two answering this question and including it in the docs? Also, where's this template file I'm supposed to upload? I still don't know.

Why do you developers consistently leave out important steps like this? Don't you realize how frustrating it is to the newbie.

Ricland, If you do a search on these forums, you will most likely find all the answers to your questions. Plus you could just ask. Your post is a frustrated one and no one can help you if you don't ask a specific question.

You shouldn't have to upload a templates package if you installed XOOPS correctly. You install XOOPS by uploading everything that is in the html folder of your XOOPS folder.

Which you must have done if you were able to get through the installation and login.

To change the look of xoops, it comes with a couple of themes already but you can download themes here or at other sites that provide XOOPS themes.

You can modify the themes to suit your preferences by editing the style.css and the theme.html files that come with themes.

You can edit the templates for your blocks and modules by going to system admin > templates and clicking on the clone link by the default template. Name the clone and then go to system admin > preferences > general settings and changing your default template to the newly created clone.

Then you will be able to edit templates for blocks by going to system admin > blocks and clicking the edit link by the block you want to modify.

If you want to modify a module's front page, you would go to system admin > templates and click on the list link by the name of the module you want to modify.

To have content on your site, you have to create content. To create blocks or have blocks show on your front page, go to system admin > blocks click on visible by the block you want to show and choose a order number for the block to set up the layout of where you want the block to show on your front page or even on other pages.

To make sure the blocks are visible to others, you go to system admin > groups and click on each group and check or uncheck the boxes to allow what that group gets to see on your site.

To modify the order of your main menu go to system admin > modules and put numbers in the order blocks by the name of the modules to arrange the order of them for your main menu. If you don't want a link for a module in your main menu, set it to 0.

Hope this answers some of your questions.

BTW, the extra folder contains a template. Plus you don't need to upload the diffs or extras folder to install xoops, just what is IN the html folder.

Well, it only came with one theme and that one theme isnt displaying correctly -- all the blocks are lined up on the left side. Here's the url:http://www.ericlanders.com/

Also, I've noticed that there's no central location for themes here in xoops. All these third party themes want you to register to download their themes. Worse still none of them give you a large enough graphic to see what the theme looks like before you download. And worse yet, most have only one or two themes. I don't want to spend the whole morning registering n all these sites just to find a decent them. Why don't you have at least 10 here on your own site -- with a full size view?

already this program is sucking my time and energy. I need a news site like the XOOPS futbol site with red headings the guy has in the site review section. How do I get a theme like that.

But I must tell you, I'm five minutes away from dumpping this app. And what are the diffs files for?

I edited my post above to answer the diffs question. You don't upload anything in the XOOPS folder except what is inside the html folder. You don't even upload the html folder itself, just what is inside that folder. The extras folder contains another theme and it's template, That is installed into your themes folder on your server.

You don't have to register at 7dana.com to get free XOOPS themes. You don't have to register at 4thefort (I believe) to get free XOOPS themes.

There is a themes.xoops.org coming soon here and a modules.xoops.org.

And here's yet another example of wasted time:

I just came from this site:
http://www.studiocreativ.net/modules/news/index.php?storytopic=2


At the top of the page the heading reads this:

xf_cssbasic download

Note the word "download." But where is the download? I searched the entire page and tried all the links and there's no download for the theme he speads an entire page talking about.

This XOOPS thing is turning into an enormous waste of time.

I hate to say this but you have an attitude problem, ricland. You are putting down XOOPS without bothering to do any work to make your site better. You seem to expect it to do everything for you by itself but you have to do some of the work. If you don't want to work on creating your site for your own preferences then you should forget about cms's and go back to basic html site creation. XOOPS is new to you and to use it correctly, you have to do research and read documentation, and do your own experimenting. I had to work to get my XOOPS site to look like I wanted it. Everyone does.

I think that for you it is best to look for a simplier application. If you've never done network apps then you have discovered they aren't download/double_click/setup/fiddle_in_menus type of app.

Have you tried the hordes of other CMSs? Many of the same issues more or less depending on what you expect. You could even spend $$ for a commercial/hand_holding CMS.

Bottom line, thousands of XOOPS sites out there. Most spent the time setting it up and don't feel they have wasted their time. So ease up a bit, it works just fine for most.

I'm sorry for my attitude, but this is a pain in the neck. I did everything right. the site is up, but I'm wasting all this time because somebody didn't take a second or two to explain things.

For example, the XOOPS folder had three folders in it, but you say the html is the only one I have to upload. Well, Jesus, how was I supposed to know that? Why couldn't someone put one line in the docs saying that? It makes no sense. then you say I should have themes in the default, but I don't. the only theme I have there is the default theme (1) and it's got all the blocks to the left.

You guys should have this crap figured out by now. I was here exactly a year ago and dumped the application for the same reason. And your documentation is still a joke.

xf_cssbasic download - read the forums there, the theme is given to registered members. You could just ask him for it.