Forum updates gadget

You can display a list of the most recent forum updates by adding a forum updates gadget to a page or page template on your Wild Apricot site.

Topics from multiple forums will be combined into a single list. Topics are displayed in chronological order, beginning with the most recent. Sticky topics are treated the same as other topics.

Adding a forum updates gadget

You can insert the gadget into a page onto your site, or into a page template so that all pages that use that template will automatically display the gadget. For instructions on inserting, moving, and deleting gadgets, see Gadgets.

To add a forum updates gadget to a page or page template, follow these steps:

1. Click the Website menu, then click the Sites pages option within the Website module. 
2. Create or begin editing the site page or page template where you want the forum updates to appear.
3. Click the Gadget icon to display the list of available gadgets.
4. Drag the forum updates gadget from the list, and drop it where you want it to appear on the page. You can insert it into a section within a layout, or above or below a layout.
5. After you have dropped the gadget in the desired location, hover your pointer over it and click the Settings icon.
6. From the gadget settings panel on the left, choose the desired settings for your forum updates. For more information, see Forum updates settings (below).
7. Click Save to save the changes to the page.

Forum updates gadget settings

Now that you have added a forum updates gadget to a page or page template, you can adjust the forum summary gadget settings to control its appearance and content.

Gadget settings appear in a panel on the left side (which can be hidden to maximize the page design area). To display the settings panel, you position your pointer over the gadget – while editing a site page or a page template – then click the gadget's Settings icon.

The following forum summary gadget settings are available.

Show last n topics

Choose the number of recent forum updates that you want to display on the gadget.

Forums to include

Choose the forums to be included in the forum updates. Forums are identified using the forum name you specified as part of the discussion forum gadget settings.

Text to show when there are no topics

The text to be displayed when there are no forum updates to display.

Forums to include

Choose the forums to be included in the forum summary. Forums are identified using the forum name you specified as part of the discussion forum gadget settings.

Margins

The amount of space – in pixels – that appears outside the gadget. You can set top, bottom, left, and right margins separately.

Advanced options

For designers and developers familiar with HTML and CSS, the following advanced settings are available:

HTML ID
A unique identifier by which the gadget can be referenced within custom CSS or JavaScript code. The identifier is automatically generated but can be replaced with a more readable or memorable one (e.g. MyForumUpdatesGadget).

CSS class
The name of a CSS class defined on the CSS customization screen.

Inline style
CSS code to control the behavior or appearance of the gadget. For example, you could enter width: 250px; to control the gadget width.

Changing colors and fonts

You can change the colors, text styles, and backgrounds used in your website from the Colors and styles screen.

For more advanced fine-tuning, you can use CSS customization and theme overrides.

For forum updates gadgets, you can modify the following elements from the Colors and styles screen:

Gadget title

• General formatting or Typography > H4
• Gadgets or Gadget styles > Title
  (Blueprint, Clean Lines, Dark Impact, Fiesta, Firma, Homestead, Showcase, Skyline, Terra, and White Space themes)

Topic title/link

• General formatting or Typography > Text/Normal, Link

Author

• General formatting or Typography > Text/Normal, Link
• Gadget styles > Author
  (Blueprint themes)
• Forum > Author
  (Bookshelf, Building Blocks, Clean Lines, Dark Impact, Fiesta, Firma, Homestead, Kaleidoscope, Showcase, Skyline, Terra, Tinted Tiles, Treehouse, Whiteboard, and White Space themes)

Update date

• General formatting or Typography > Text/Normal
• Gadget styles > Date and time (Blueprint themes)
• Forum > Date and time
  (Bookshelf, Building Blocks, Clean Lines, Dark Impact, Fiesta, Firma, Homestead, Kaleidoscope, Showcase, Skyline, Terra, Tinted Tiles, Treehouse, Whiteboard, and White Space themes)

Any changes you make will be applied to other gadgets that use the same settings.