BuddyPress.org

> What are the differences and similarities as to how the buddybar and the WP adminbar are configured? What will be lost and what will be gained and how configurable will it be?

The BuddyBar will still be there, though it will be turned off by default in favor of the WP Admin Bar. (In BP 1.5, that’s reversed – you can enable the WP admin bar manually with
`define( ‘BP_USE_WP_ADMIN_BAR’, true );`
in wp-config.php.)

BP’s WP Admin Bar implementation has:
– a logged-in user dropdown menu (links to logged-in user’s groups, activity, etc
– admin links for current group
– admin links for currently displayed user
– Notifications

There is ‘Visit Random’ button in the current implementation, though it’s worth an enhancement request on http://trac.buddypress.org

In any case, it will be completely customizable. The BuddyBar is mostly hardcoded HTML. The WP Admin Bar is built using an easy-to-use API, making it far easier to customize to your liking. If you don’t like the search, it’s easy to remove. If you don’t like the appearance, it’s easy to modify with CSS.

> Does anyone know yet if BP 1.5 will run on WP 3.3?

It’s mostly fine. The WP Admin Bar, which changes a lot between 3.2 and 3.3, does not work all that well.

> Is there any way to create one nice big CSS for the whole BuddyPress shebang, so it won’t be so difficult to figure out the where, how, and why of formatting?

Most of bp-default’s CSS is in bp-themes/bp-default/_inc/css/default.css.

Good thinking

Setting up a true development environment may take some time up front, but it saves enormous amounts of time in the long run. The simple fact that you can work locally instead of remotely is in itself an enormous time-saver. Add on top of that the fact that you will be avoiding unexpected site crashes, because everything will be tested ahead of time, and it’s a far more sane way to work

Also regarding 1.5 -> 1.6

1) I understand that 1.6 will be using bbPress 2.x plugin for group forums. Is this correct? If so, will it be using bbPress in such a way that bbPress forums, topics, posts, replies, and comments will be stored as custom WP posts?
2) I can’t seem to figure out where one might read about 1.6 so this may be obvious to others, but is there any chance that 1.6 will also implement buddypress groups, activities, etc as WP custom posts rather than in BP specific db tables?
Thanks very much,
joe

== BuddyPress to become more compatible with WP themes in general ==
@kkradel use the BP Template Pack plugin with your WP theme. If you need assistance post a new topic in this forum.