Bunch of questions from a novice

Right, I´m trying to make my forum look a bit more wintery, christmassy and I will get my members to help me out with it, but none of us really know anything about allt that stuff so I have a few questions.

1) Is it possible to have an image on the category field instead of colours? Just a little bit on the top. I´d like to put the same image up there as there is on the banner so it would match.

2) In what ways can you change the look of categories? Like, what can be done? Can you change the shape of the rectangle or something like that?

3) How do you change the New Topic, Reply etc buttons? What format do those images need to be in?

4) Which version of the forum is the best for changes and lets you play around a lot?

5) Is there anything fun or cool you´d like to recommend for my forum for the holiday that you have tried or seen?


Please don´t give too technical replies cause I´m really stupid when it comes to all that kind of stuff and I need to be in charge of it all and be able to give instructions to my members who are helping me.

1) I'm not fully understanding, do you mean something like a forum/category image?

2) Unfortunately no, the categories & forums are pre-determined as rectangular objects

3) Those images can be changed via: Admin panel >> Display ( Tab ) >> Pics management / Advanced mode > Icons for the forum > Right in front of you now

4) Depends on alot really. Personally, if u like flexibility in CSS & ability to edit the templates then PunBB is ur choice, but PhpBB2 also allows u to edit the Templates, bit PhpBB2 being the oldest Phpbb version out there, even here at forumotion has many sly tricks to beat up and destroy ur forum in.
I'll let ur make ur own call however, and let u view the guide: https://help.forumotion.com/tricks-tips-f32/forum-versions-t50776.htm
Just remember that the guide was wrighten a while ago, and before we were aloud to edit the templates of PunBB

5) There is a snow code which you can add, however you should be able to find it if u hit the search button and u do a good search, as I don't know the code off hand


I hope this isn't too technical for you

5) Oh I did find lovely little snowflakes which I will be adding. Hopefully it won´t make my forum slow.
If there is anything else anyone would like to share I´m all ears/eyes.

2) Okay, no problem

3) Right, thanks for that. I remembered now that I´ve been there before but had forgotten. This one I will be able to change.

Okay, so it´s about the templates and changing the look of category field.
First, I´m not sure what a template is. I know I read about it and I know that I can´t change them with my Invision version. If I´m right then this has to do with changing the look of what I want to change.
http://en.hitskin.com/?afolder=theme&id=147121 Somebody just posted that, hope they don´t mind I´m bringing this here as an example.
You see they way it has the green bar there with the present. That´s what I was talking about in point 1. How do I add stuff like the present and can I put an image instead of the green bar? Is that to do with the template thing and the CSS files or codes or whatever?

Any advice on the template thing? Or the changing the look of category yokes?

Sorry about the delay, I had things I had to do

Templates: A little tutorial: https://help.forumotion.com/updates-and-new-features-f1/tips-tuesday-how-to-use-the-templates-t57477.htm

Green bar with the present can be changed via: Admin panel >> Display ( Tab ) >> Pics management/advanced mode > General / explore Locate "Background picture (Row category right)"
I believe that is the one ur after, but I am probably wrong as I am not sure off hand.

Thanks, Darren. I will try to do something so.

No problem what so ever, I wish you the best of luck with ur adventures