I was looking at a custom theme. Iam totally new to xoops. But here goes. I noticed in this theme there were a bunch of templates, including news, and others.

So if I install a custom theme, will it work with any new custom modules in install.

Like if I have a theme I buy from someone, and I install a new paypal cart module someone writes, must I create a new template for that theme/module combination?

Or will the new paypal module pick up the look of my site?

I hope I explained this well, thanks!!

There are several things to it. I suggest you look at the Theme Development wiki to get a better understanding of the whole template/theme thing.

But basically there is quite a difference between themes and templates:
Themes are placement + width etc. of blocks and colours. Mainly in the theme/[themename]/theme.html (placement and general layout + order of center blocks) and theme/[themename]/style.css (colours, indents etc.)

Templates are more specific for a module or a block about how the actual content is placed.

If you get a new template set and you have modules, which are not in that template set, you can go to Administration Menu -> System -> Templates and "Generate" these missing templates. They will then be taken from the default template set (but still with the theme you have on the site as a whole) and copied to this other template set and as such shouldn't be possible to "break" anything.

Hope this cleared matters up a bit and I was not too confusing

That's a good explanation. Cool. Also, do you know where there are any high quality themes for purchase.
Something along the lines of these

Go to www.templatemonster.com and there is a tab for phpnuke themes. They seem really cool, with flash headers and all.

Are there any along these lines for xoops, or would anyone be able to adapt them for me, and if so, how much would it cost?

Thanks again.

You are so very welcome

I don't know a lot about themes and which are available etc. It's basically so easy to make themes that I'd say that charging for them is ripping people off (others may disagree, though, and depending on the actual work they do, they may rightfully feel that it is worth some dough )

Check the theme section of the downloads on this site and look at the sites offering themes there. Might find something you like

Good luck and have fun

I'll check. I haven't seen anything that i really love for xoops. There is much more for phpnuke, but the actual administration of that seems like a pain. Can't select what pages I want blocks on, no user groups, and no easy way to modify the main menu.

Anyway, I have to disagree that charging people for something 'easy' is ripping them off. That goes against the very nature of 'society' and what it means.
Delivering newspaper is easy, but there is more value in one person bringing it to 50 people and getting paid for it, than 50 people disrupting their lives to go pick it up.

I am a software developer (COBOL, java/jsp and .net) and I find development FUN and EASY but also, I get paid by charging people to do it. This feeds my family and puts a roof over my head!! So certainly I'd pay someone to make me a great theme, since I'm no designer, and there is more value in paying someone that is an 'expert' in design, then me being a jack of all trades making mediocre things.

THANKS for all of your help tho!!!

Have fun guys, and hopefully I'll get XOOPS up and running today!

I didn't mean to say that just because it is easy it should be free. I have a software development company and also enjoy developing, but I sure as a very hot place charge for it.

As long as the charge is modest and justified when compared to the actual work invested in the product, I have no problems with it.

It's just that some things, I've seen, where the actual work was 10 minutes with a CSS editor and the price around £20 is just not justified.

The newspaper dude doesn't earn big bucks, unless he does real work like handing out loads of newspapers is what I am aiming at

Good luck with your XOOPS site