Hey there...

I searched and cannot find an answer to my question which is pretty simple.

On any and all plugins I want to use it seems like I have to add code to the appropriate .php files. I know absolutely NOTHING about coding and am finding it extremely frustrating atm. I though that zenphoto was a simple out of the "box" and customize without coding experience necessary.

Am I wrong in thinking this?

More specifically I am having problems figuring out (mentioned I know nothing about coding/php code) once I place a code (example):

<?php
if (function_exists ('printCommentForm')) { ?>
printCommentForm();
}
?>

...in/on the appropriate .php file what the heck do I write to make the plugins show up? Do I write TRUE; FALSE; IM A TOTAL IDIOT; NULL; etc. And what in the world does "Place a call on the function printCommentForm()..." mean?

At this point I think I will just go ahead and uninstall if every single plugin I want to run needs to be modified. Perhaps it is just on the themes I install after initial setup???

Thanks and sorry for venting...

Zenphoto is dependent on which theme being used. Each theme has different functionality built in (those are listed to our best knowledge on the themes section). As long as you are satisfied with what the theme chosen offers it does work out of the box. The themes are more or less meant as a starting point as no theme can be right for anyone anyway. If you need extra functionality you have to do some work yourself. This applies to all CMS out there in one way or the other.

If you wish to change things it is not avoidable to know some basics about web techniques like HTML, CSS and a bit PHP and occasionally JS (jQuery). Teaching these is of course out of scope of this forum (as mentioned onthe forum rules).

If you have this knowledge you can learn the basics of Zenphoto theming on the theming tutorial and the user guide. Again, the more special things you want to do the more you need to get into it.

As to your specific question about the comment form, you practically answered it yourself.
`Place a call on the function printCommentForm()…` means you have to place the PHP function you describe in the theme page where you want the comment form to appear.
Please see: http://www.zenphoto.org/news/theming-tutorial#adding-the-comments-section.

All you have to do next is make sure you activate the `comment_form` plugin.

Thanks to you both; seems like I need to read up on some HTML/PHP skills. I suppose you are right about all CMS' needing some sort of form of customization through coding procedures.

AS for the topic on my specific question fretzl; that is where I found my "Own answer..." Wasn't much help since I do not understand what I am reading! LOL

Thanks again guys, I will be back when I am a little more versed.