SCSS Compiler

Overview

Some phpBB styles are designed to be compiled. They use SASS syntax. These files have a .scss file suffixes and allow styles to be easier to manage and change. For example, these files can have switches that allow a style’s logo to be displayed or not, or to specify colors in a variable which if changed allows the new colors to be applied to lots of CSS styles when the .scss files are compiled. The compiler reads the .scss files and usually generates one .css file which the browser reads to render the styling.

This extension allows these phpBB styles to be compiled inside phpBB’s Administration Control Panel, which simplified things considerably. The extension attempts to write the compiled file to the style’s theme folder. If the permissions are missing they are written to the /store/phpbbservices/scsscompiler folder. In this case, you must move them manually into the style’s theme folder with FTP or moved a file manager.

To do this magic, the SCSSPHP library is integrated into the extension. It does the actual compilation. You use the extension to pick the styles you want to compile and then press a button to compile them using the SCSSPHP library. The library is free to use.

Limitations

There are some limitations to using this extension:

  • The style must be installed. It can be inactive.
  • You can select the .scss to compile and the .css file to compile to. Generally you should leave these alone as stylesheet.scss is the default .scss file and stylesheet.css is the default .css file used by most styles.

Status

This extension is approved.

Usage and screenshots

Once installed using phpBB’s normal process for installing extensions, you can find it in the ACP on the Customise tab: ACP > Customise > Style management > SCSS compiler

SCSS ACP compiler interface

If the file fails to compile, it should generate an error message that will help fix the SCSS syntax error:

SCSS ACP compilation error message

If the extension can write to the style’s theme folder, you will see this dialog box:

SCSS ACP compilation success message

If the extension can’t write to the style’s theme folder, this dialog box will appear:

SCSS ACP compilation store to store folder message

Downloads and support

Click on the link below to download an archive. It’s also available on GitHub. Choose the branch corresponding to the version. If downloaded from GitHub, make sure to place files in an /ext/phpbbservices/scsscompiler folder.

Version Date
1.0.6 Approved December 10, 2022 September 7, 2022
1.0.5 June 28, 2022
1.0.4 February 22, 2022
1.0.3 February 14, 2022
1.0.2 January 5, 2022
1.0.1-rc December 18, 2021
1.0.0-dev November 25, 2021

If you need support try this topic on phpbb.com.