The Requirements:
We're looking to modify a vBulletin site to utilise a two-column layout using the vBadvanced.com product (known as VBCMPS). vbAdvanced VBCMPS is a free add-on for the forum software vBulletin, used to manage content, and show left and right side bars on forum pages.
Most of the functionality we need can be achieved "out-of-the-box" using the VBCMPS product. But we want to modify the layout of the showthread slightly to shrink the first post on each page of a thread, to show a 300x250 advertising unit.
You can see a working example of the kind of layout we're looking for on the slashdot website:
Slashdot | World's Oldest Bible Going Online
The Nickname/Password box to the right shrinks the first post while the remainder of the thread expands more fully.
After the first post is shown, we continue showing the remaining elements of the right-hand VBCMPS column alongside showthread in a more compact fashion.
I have attached a screenshot of a mockup that shows this in action on a vBulletin site:
http://sv3.imagetagged.com/out.php/i1869_mockup.jpg
So to clarify the layout on each showthread.php page:
1. We have the first post.
2. To the right the advertising column.
3. Then the second post of the thread below.
4. And to the right of the second post is the vBCMPS module. Note how the right-hand column shrinks for the vBCMPS sidebar module.
The advertising box needs to be shown on the first post of every page in every thread on showthread pages.
The contents of the 300x250 advertising box should be loaded from a newly vBulletin template.
Ideal Candidate:
Ideally you will have experience of working with the vBulletin forum software and the VBCMPS add-on. You will know how to manipulate the vBulletin template system using plugins and hooks. Please state your experience working with these software products when posting your quote.