Hello,

I tired looking on the forums for an answer to this question, so if it’s a repeat, I apologize.

When I install bbPress will it automatically incorporate the theme of my WordPress Blog?

If not, is it difficult/ easy to have them match?

My goal is to make my web site, blog, and forums seamless.

Thanks!

[@zaerl Participant 14 years, 5 months ago]

No. bbPress is a standalone software. You need a theme that resemble the one you use in WordPress

[@johncalvinhall Member 14 years, 5 months ago]

I finally got bbPress installed and discovered that the answer to my question is, “NO!”

bbPress came up fine.

I did attempt to do a bit of hacking. I duplicated my theme from my wordpress blog and copied into my templates folder, hoping it would take. Though the theme came up in my Admin menu, the forum hair-balled all over the place when I tried to activate and use it!

Apparently, you need extra files in the theme folder than what is used in wordpress themes.

Bah!

Anyone have any instructions on converting a wp theme into a bbPress template?

Thanks!

[@ashfame Participant 14 years, 5 months ago]

If you are converting, then you will need to design a matching theme. thats it.

And if you are willing to go some extra, you can try deep integration for that – http://blog.ashfame.com/2010/05/match-bbpress-wordpress-theme-deep-integration/

[@ashfame Participant 14 years, 5 months ago]

Also consider pros & cons of deep integration – http://blog.ashfame.com/2010/02/bbpress-deep-integration-advantages-disadvantages/

[@kevinjohngallagher Member 14 years, 5 months ago]

Hi John,

I don’t know why after all these years that there is a refusal to put a clear and defining sentace saying that this isn’t part of the default bbPress package. It casues so much confusion for new users.

bbPress is a totally separate standalone forum, that can integrate user sessions (login/log-out) with WordPress. Nothing more. Its important to keep that in mind because it’ll save alot of thinking from a wordpress point of view.

That said, theming bbPress is quite simple as long as you know 1 thing: bbPress won’t run WordPress commands/functions/API calls.

Copy your default bbPress theme (the rather lacking Kakumei), rename it both in folder and in the template information held in the style.css file contained within.

You now have your own bbPress theme. Congrats.

The next step is simply to copy/paste the HTML you want to replicate from your WordPress theme into your bbPress theme. If you’re not doing any special processing, I strongly suggest copy/pasting the loaded/outputed HTML from when you load your WordPress homepage in a browser.

If you want to copy/paste from your header.php file in your WordPress theme, remember and take out all of those pesky WordPress functions, and replace them with bbPress equivalent or hardcoded information.

If you’ve ever made your own WordPress theme, you’ll find bbPress follows a very similar path/structure.

Good Luck

[@chrishajer Participant 14 years, 5 months ago]

a2vannoy, please start a new topic for your separate issues. I deleted your reply.

entrepreneurchic, I deleted your response to a2vannoy.