How Do I Install Tiny Portal? First and most importantly, make a backup of your forum. If you are not sure how to do that, you can this the guide: How Do I Create A Backup Of My Site?
Second, download the version of Tiny Portal you wish to use (latest release recommended) from: http://www.tinyportal.net/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=tinyportal
Third, in your SMF forum go to "Admin > Package Manager > Download Packages > Package to Upload > Browse" then select the TP package you downloaded and click "Upload".
Forth, once the TinyPortal package has been successfully uploaded click on the "Install Mod" link.
Finally, assuming everything tested successfully, with no red "Test failed" warnings showing, click on the "Install Now" link and your all done!
*However, if it shows "Test failed", you may need to manually install Tiny Portal. You can read instructions on how to do that here: How Do I Manually Install Tiny Portal?
If you are experienced and confident with what you are doing, you can proceed to install even though it says "Test failed", and manually modify those files using the guidelines from the manual install guide mentioned previously.
Useful Links:
Package manager ...A Doc on the SMF Package Manager and file permissions.
The one thing that I notice the most is a lack of consistency in coloring, spelling, grammar as far as what things are called. Things like "member groups" that are in the docs should as SMF calls them to make sure NEW users do not think it is something different. SMF calls it "membergroups" without the space. That is what they may be looking for, specifically. When they see something different they may think it is referring to something else.
And you can never overstate details! Remember, some people will be trying to build a website while they barely know how to use a computer. Been there dozens or hundreds of times. They are missing steps because of a lack of basic computer knowledge that we take for granted. They may have seen an ad for "making millions running a website" or something else to make money with their computer. Meanwhile, they have not taken the time to learn the basics of working a PC or surfing the internet.
That is how I run my site...based on that they may not know these things. Giving them too much information they may already know will save a lot of time instead of asking question after question and a week later you realize they know nothing about using a computer and are trying to run a website. My tutorials give a kind of "you are here and next you want to go there" through the displaying of images. This also has the advantage of helping people who do not speak English as the images will help show them what they wish to accomplish and will also help everyone (no matter what language they speak) make sure they know where they should be and what they should be doing.
This also has an added benefit of dramatically cutting back on support which will leave the staff more time for other things...like working on newer TP versions.
