Setting up Vanilla

You need to have the LAMP stack pre-installed; minimum versions include PHP 5.2.0 and MySnL 5. Download the software from http://vanillaforums.org/. 8QzLS WKH zLS fiOH into the Web server's htdocs directory. Create a database named vanilla via the MySnL prompt or phpMyAdmin GUI. Visit http://localhost/vanilla in the browser, assuming the directory name under htdocs is vanilla. Fill the form with the username (admin role), the password and enter the database name as vanilla. Submitting the form will take you to the Vanilla administration page.

Banner customisation: The forum banner can be customised to suit the kind of forum being hosted—including changing the title and logo. Figure 3 shows a changed logo.

Look and feel selections: Vanilla has options to change themes and layouts based on user devices. The default theme is for desktops, but there are also embed-friendly and mobile viewing versions.

Messages to the community: As administrator, you can set information-based (e.g., new categories created) and warning messages (reminders of forum rules and company policies) on any of the pages on the forum. You can choose not only the messages, but also which page to display them on, where to display them, and whether or not the user can close the message. You can also enable or disable the appearance of a message.

User addition: User addition can be done by the administrator or through the self-registration option, which is best for a community that's growing large. Administrators,