Thanks C - World
That wasn't actually the solution at all as it was just to create two columns for the index page only, and I wanted a three column layout through the rest of my site excluding the index page.. however I have managed to do it anyway and I will share how to do it to others. I haven't tested it any further but it appears to be working, and if I have missed anything or there is going to be any adverse effects I will update, and hopefully Maverick can spare us a moment to confirm.
-Note : If you are not good with coding html and more so the CSS don't attempt this as my site is now very modified from its original layout. The third column may appear but it wont just be 'wa la'... in the right place.
ALSO note: This was done on my test site - It will produce an error on your live site so you will also need to add the modified frame.html, and the new home_right html files to the live site aswell (def skin). Just make sure you empty the home_right.html file contents completely so that it doesnt appear or mess up your site.
First copy this line of code from frame.html
<div id="content_column2">
{left_content}
</div>
Paste it back into the content-container but make sure its positioned to be the last div in the container.
-alter it to look like this: (column3 & right_content)
<div id="content_column3">
{right_content}
</div>
You should now have 3 main div structures. Make sure they are in this order starting from the top.
(this is modified on my site so that the content_column2 is NOT contained within content_column1.)
1<div id="content_column2">
{left_content}
</div>
2<div id="content_column1" class="{tplvars.page} content_area large"> etc...
3<div id="content_column3">
{right_content}
</div>
Make this same change to your def skin also.
Then add this line of style code to the content.css file.
(note you will probably need to float all 3 columns left, but you will need to play around until it works)
#content_column3
{
float:left;
}
Now lets use the home.php as the page we will add the 3rd column to.
Take a copy of the home_left.html and rename it to home_right.html (leave the original contents in the home_right.html) and upload it back to the server where the other .html files reside in your test skin folder (test site)
Now empty the contents and of this same home_right.html file and upload it to your default(def) skin. You must do this to avoid creating an error on your live site as you have manipulated the php files. it is now empty so it wont display and mess up your live site.
Next:
Take a copy of the home_left.php and rename it to home_right.php.
Open this file and change the following from:
$tpl->set_file('left_content','home_left.html');
$tpl->set_var('tplvars',$tplvars);
$tpl->process('left_content','left_content',TPL_OPTIONAL);
to this:
$tpl->set_file('right_content','home_right.html');
$tpl->set_var('tplvars',$tplvars);
$tpl->process('right_content','right_content',TPL_OPTIONAL);
Save and upload it back to where the .php files reside, just like what we did with the previous html file.
Now finally open the home.php - we are going to make a duplicate 'if statement' from the existing one.
Where you see this section of code:
$tplvars['title']=$GLOBALS['_lang'][124];
$tplvars['page_title']=$GLOBALS['_lang'][124];
$tplvars['page']='home';
$tplvars['css']='home.css';
if (is_file('home_left.php')) {
include 'home_left.php';
}
Copy the "if statement" and paste it below itself and change where it says 'home_left.php' to 'home_right.php' (both of them) to look like this:
$tplvars['title']=$GLOBALS['_lang'][124];
$tplvars['page_title']=$GLOBALS['_lang'][124];
$tplvars['page']='home';
$tplvars['css']='home.css';
if (is_file('home_left.php')) {
include 'home_left.php';
}
if (is_file('home_right.php')) {
include 'home_right.php';
}
Save and upload once again and overwrite the old file.
You should now have a duplicated 3rd column in the home page which contains the same content as the original column2 ..just dump the contents from the home_right.html and insert what ever html you wish.
Use the same principle on any page that you want three columns.
Now along comes Maverick to say Noooo! its all wrong! Fingers crossed huh
