Need help and guidance [multi questions]

[MindTrix]

Ok i want to start working on a tiny addition too vB. Im guessing i would be better of doing it with vB3 (gulp)

So basically ive set this thread up so i can ask multi questions as i progress, in hope i get the answer i need :)

Firstly, i will need to make an option in the Admin CP so i can have this feature turnt on and off, Is this a big thing to do like PHP wise or should it be quite simple?

If someone can guide me in the right direction, Not tell me EXACTLY what too do though, just guide me and tip me off :) Maybe give some code snippets i dont know :)

I want help to get this hack made, but i want to struggle 60% of the way myself :) Thanks guys!

[Zachery]

well do you want to give it its own section like a side box? or just a settin in the main vBoptions?

[MindTrix]

Well i guess if i didnt want to take up much space, it would be better in the vB Options as it is only one option (Turn off or on) :)

[NTLDR]

Enable debug mode and ye shall see some developer links on the vB Options pages which allow the addition/modicication of settings and setting groups :)

[Zachery]

Enable debug mode and ye shall see some developer links on the vB Options pages which allow the addition/modicication of settings and setting groups :)
NTLDR beat me to it lol :)

[Xenon]

NTLDR beat me to it lol :)
hehe, i have enabled debugmode all the time, i don't know how the acp would look without it ;)

[Zachery]

hehe, i have enabled debugmode all the time, i don't know how the acp would look without it ;)
isnt there a way to always enable debug mode. but just in the ACP ?

[Xenon]

:)
install my first vb3 hack ;)

[NTLDR]

In includes/init.php

find:

require_once('./includes/config.php');

Add after:

if (VB_AREA == 'AdminCP') {
$debug = 1;
}

Now the ACP allways has debug on, but the rest of vB doesn't.

[Zachery]

In includes/init.php

find:

require_once('./includes/config.php');

Add after:

if (VB_AREA == 'AdminCP') {
$debug = 1;
}

Now the ACP allways has debug on, but the rest of vB doesn't.
:) thanks NTLD :D

what is VB_AREA ? anyway

[NTLDR]

VB_AREA is the constant defined to let you know what 'area' of vB your in:

AdminCP: Admin CP;
ModCP: Mod CP;
Forum: Anything in the root or anything that requires the roots global.php
Install: The installer for vB3
Upgrade: The upgrade system for vB3

[Zachery]

VB_AREA is the constant defined to let you know what 'area' of vB your in:

AdminCP: Admin CP;
ModCP: Mod CP;
Forum: Anything in the root or anything that requires the roots global.php
Install: The installer for vB3
Upgrade: The upgrade system for vB3
so is that sorta how locations are defined in vB3 ?

[MindTrix]

Me thinks NTLDR is way to brainy :)

[NTLDR]

so is that sorta how locations are defined in vB3 ?

I don't think its used in many places, but allows to easy selection of code based on where the user is, take alook at print_cp_login() in adminfunctions.php for an example, it selects the CP title, and what stuff to display based on the value of VB_AREA. Its also used when sending out DB errors IIRC.

Me thinks NTLDR is way to brainy :)

*lmao* Thanks :D

[MindTrix]

Wow this debug mode is crazy!! It's like vBulletin on drugs or something, well to me anyway :)

So im guessing this should help me with things now?

[NTLDR]

Yes it should help you out and quite alot of 'extra' stuff is enabled/visible when debug is on. Note that debug mode can be dangerous and does pose a security threat. If you have it enabled on a public board install Xenons hack so its only switched on for yourself :)

[MindTrix]

Mines a mess about board at the moment so :)

I cant quite grasp how it helps me lol, but im sure i will eventually.

[NTLDR]

OK, some cool debug stuff ;)

Look at the bottom of each forum page, you'll see a drop down list, this contains all sorts of stuff thats added to it as PHP executes the code. Under this is a 'template usage' box, this shows all the templates that the page you are on has used, and how many times, if you see bold red ones then these are uncached templates (which is bad generally) and have caused extra queries which can normally be avoided.

Add ?showqueries=1 or ?explain=1 onto any URL and it gives an output of all the queries that have run on that page and how long each one took. Very usefull for finding sluggish queries that slow down the page load time.

The settings stuff as explained before.

And probably a bunch of other usefull things that I've forgotten ;)

[MindTrix]

Maybe you should write a tutorial/list then ;) The info you just told me sounds interesting. I thought the debug was just for the admin control panel :) Thats the only place i looked!