install plugin instructions link? or noob plugin install help.

[PaintBallcom]

Ok, I couldn't find the flame the noob with questions that have been answered 1,000+ times already, so I'm posting here.

If I've missed a link to "How to install a plugin for the complete Noob", please point me there now.

Thanks!

If not:

I'm trying to install my first vB plugin and well, this site is so well used and loved that every search I can come up with has a daunting number of posts and none that quite get as stupid as the answer I need.

I've seen a place in the admin control panel to add a plugin, but it seems like a one page xml deal (copy and paste).

This is a general question about files on the server and admin control panel, but I'll use a specific example to get to the point.

If I tried to install VBExperience 4 plugin (there are two FOLDERS to download). How would I know where the files needed to be on my server? Is there a built in way to upload these files to the server, or do I need to open up FTP or sFTP?

Once the files are on the server, then I just copy and past the XML into the admin control panel area.

That is the best I can come up with at the moment, but don't really want to screw things up badly, so looking for specific info before I "make it happen".

~ B

[Lynne]

Have you tried reading the manual? Plugin System (http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/plugin_system)

[mmfgamer5]

It's pretty easy/quick once you get used to it, but I had this problem when I started off with vB :)

1. Unzip the zip file that VBExperience came in.
2. Open up your FTP client (eg: FileZilla), and connect using your servers settings.
3. In your FTP client, you need to find the extracted files, and go to the upload_via_ftp folder. 4. Go into the folder, and upload all of the contents into your forums root directory.
5. Once it's uploaded, login to your AdminCP folder, and go to Plugins & Products > Manage Products (http://www.cjmmedia.com/admincp/plugin.php?do=product) > Add/Import Product (http://www.cjmmedia.com/admincp/plugin.php?do=productadd).
6. Click on the "Browse..." button and go to the extracted folder again, select the file named "product_vbexperience400.xml", and click Open, then Import.
7. You'll might need to activate VBExperience. To do this, go to Settings > Options (http://www.cjmmedia.com/admincp/options.php?null=0) > Experience (http://www.cjmmedia.com/admincp/options.php?do=options&dogroup=xperience) > Enable the Experience system? > Yes.

To upgrade/downgrade (if needed) the product, do steps 1 to 6 again, but set Allow Overwrite after step 5 to Yes.

[PaintBallcom]

@ Lynne: Certainly, that is pretty much where I got all the info I have.

I can't see where it tells me what to do with any other files besides the XML copy/paste.

~ B

[mmfgamer5]

You shouldn't need to copy/paste anything, especially the XML. Where are you copying the XML to?

Also, check my post above this one ;)

[PaintBallcom]

It's pretty easy/quick once you get used to it, but I had this problem when I started off with vB :) TY for the detailed instructions.

It sounds like I should upload all those images to the same directory as the index.php for the forums in it. My SA background nudges me that that might not be the best way to do it, so I'm hoping they actually go somewhere else??

~ B

[mmfgamer5]

Upload all the extra images to /xperience/icons/, just to keep everything organized.

The icons don't affect the product itself, it just gives you lots of extra icons to create your own achievements/awards.

[PaintBallcom]

Wheeeew...

Thanks for giving me the support to take that first step.

I got into the folders and found the "upload_via_ftp" folder ( /facepalm )

I thought it might say something about that in the forum post, but with so many files and more than a little apprehension for the whole process, I blanked.

And sure enough, there is an icon folder included in the package.

Now I'm a little wet, might as well jump on in. :eek:

@mmfgamer5 - Thanks again.

~ B

[your24hourstore]

useing CPANEL in your server:
most mods have some of the same folders as the files for VB, not all, but files like admin, admincp, images, so on so forth, the idea in most cases are to add files and not over write the orginal files, this places any new files in with the ones that are already there, without deleteing anything. if the same file exists it will be overwritten by the new file, so once you have copyed your new files over the old ones your set, you will have all the files from the vb and now the new ones for the mods are in there also.

lets say your forum structure is public_html/forums you would normally open the uploaded file and find the file named upload, you then select all files and move all the new files from public_html/forums/upload to public_html/forums, and then your ready to go to admincp/plugins & products/manage products, and select [Add/ImportProduct] at the bottem of the page , you will then upload the product XML , if its an upgrade you would also select yes in Allow Overwrite
If you wish to upgrade a product, you must set this to yes. now your mod should be installed and you can now moderate it

[PaintBallcom]

I got it installed and SELinux happy.

Seems to be working. Just need to wait for the recalc tomorrow am.

~ B