How to add a new field to the CMS
 

- Apply the changes mentioned in this how-to at your own risk.
- You must have a basic understanding of php, html and vbulletin.
- This is a how-to for vb4.1, and may not work on previous versions.

Everywhere you see FIELDNAME, replace it with your field name (must not contain spaces).

1.
Create a new field in the cms_node table.

2.
If you run vB 4.1.9 or lower , open packages\vbcms\item\content.php and find:
Add above it:
If you run 4.1.10+, you can just create a new plugin with the above code, the hook is vbcms_content_publish_editor.

3.
Go to the template vbcms_edit_publisher.
At the bottom of the template, before these lines:
Add the following lines of code:
4.
Go to your ACP --> Plugins & Products --> Add New Plugin.
Hook Location: vbcms_article_save_start.
PHP Code:

The following steps have been written by Lynne, thank you :)

5. To get the field to spit out, you must add it to the vbcms_content_article_page somewhere (this is rough, you'll have to add your own class/styling).

6. Then, open vbcms/item/content/article.php and add your field to the end of the protected $content_properties array.
7. In that same file, add this line with the other similar lines:

8. Again, in the same file, add this with the other similar functions:
9. Then add another plugin using hook_location "vbcms_article_populate_start":
I think I got that all correct.


That's it, you're done.

Thank you! I'll have to try this out. :)

I tried that for 3 fields (instead of one) and I can't get any of the data submitted to save into the database... some troubleshooting of the above code might be needed... have you tried this yourself?

Please paste the relevant lines of code from packages\vbcms\item\content.php, vbcms_edit_publisher and the plugin.

Sure.

content.php:


article.php:


vbcms_content_article_inline template

added this:
right below this:


plugin with vbcms_article_populate_start hook:


and plugin with vbcms_article_save_start hook:


As I said, the fields show up just fine, but when I enter anything into them and click Save or Apply, the values are not shown.

They are correctly saved in the mysql, but are not being shown in the Edit Article page under those fields when the changes to the article are saved.

I have tried this and it works fine for me. Have you tried spitting out your last query to see if it is correct?

This is incorrect:
You are using $geturl_text for all three of them. I would actually do this:

Doh!

Obvious mistake.

That was it, in a way...

Now, the problem I have is if I put those fields in "vbcms_edit_publisher" template, they show up just fine and work ok. But if I put them in "vbcms_content_article_inline" template - no go, they don't show the values at all, even though they save them properly.

And I'd rather have those extra fields in vbcms_content_article_inline, below the actual content box instead of in vbcms_edit_publisher which adds them into the right-hand column which makes that long column even longer now...

Thoughts?

Maybe this has something to do with the hooks?

If you want them in other templates, you must write a plugin to register them for use in the other template. Cellarius wrote a really good article that you may be interested in - [vB4] Rendering templates and registering variables - a short guide

And that's a short guide?

Geez... I just spent almost an hour going through it and trying it out without any success.

Tsk, why does this have to be so darn complicated...

Hmm, how can I extend that $pub_view array to be available to other templates, not just vbcms_edit_publisher (as defined in content.php) in an easier manner...

--------------- Added [DATE]1295989658[/DATE] at [TIME]1295989658[/TIME] ---------------

It seems that I am having some issue with spitting out the value in the front-end as well... adding that code to vbcms_content_article_page prints out nothing.

Seems the root of the problem is $view->FIELDNAME = $this->content->getFIELDNAME(); in the plugin attached to vbcms_article_populate_start... as if I change that $view->FIELDNAME value to a constant, I get a value out on the front-end and in all the other templates (weird). If I leave it as $this->content->getFIELDNAME(), it ends up blank.

Ah yes, steps 5 through 9 were written to add the fields to the article page. That's it. If you need it on another page, you'd have to probaby do all those steps on another page. Perhaps someone else will look into that part and post it.

hey Yellow :)

cant you please check you PM inbox - you qouta is up and the reply you asked me for cannot be sent to you :)

I can't manage to make this to work, I've made everthing it says in here but when I put the data into the fields and push SAVE I get this error

That's because you have a comma right before the WHERE line which isn't supposed to be there.

The problem it is as you said a comma, thank you verry much for the help. Now i have the same problem as HouseAddict, the date is inserted into the database but is not spit out on the article page. Can you help me fix that problem too ?

Thanks again for the help.

I haven't any need for adding a new field to my CMS, so I haven't looked into this in anyway past what I posted for Yellow Slider.

I've tried the exact example and the date still isn't spit out in the article page.

Hi lynne,
I have the same problam,
I managed to save it but not to spit it out.
I didn't quiet understood number 5 -
To get the field to spit out, you must add it to the vbcms_content_article_page somewhere (this is rough, you'll have to add your own class/styling).

HTML Code:
<div>Custom Field:{vb:raw FIELDNAME}</div>

I have added <p>{vb:raw articlesource}</p>
and nothing..

any help?

I'm desperate for custom article fields and ways to manage the CMS better - if this existed, it would make the CMS amazing. Currently I'd just describe the CMS as functional, albeit simple and easy to use.

Anyone else reading this thread, please vote and watch and comment here: http://tracker.vbulletin.com/browse/VBIV-10048

We have spent a lot of time making the VB4CMS look fantastic, and now just need it to BE fantastic! I can't spend time manually making new fields in the database - the long term implications are just too tricky.

Off to a bad start since I don't even understand step 1.
Could someone explain?
Is this something I do in the control panel?
Do I need to create a plugin?
Modify a template?

These instructions involve manually modifying the database and editing vb files as well as template modifications and creating plugins. It took me a bit to understand that the first step is to add a column to the cms_node table in the database (could probably use some clarification there).

Ah...
So I just add a column to the cms_node table?
Easy enough.

This is my first foray into vBulletin modding and I just get nervous about operating with a chainsaw. :)

--------------- Added [DATE]1336088225[/DATE] at [TIME]1336088225[/TIME] ---------------

Sorry for the noob questions.
If I edit conten.php, isn't the change going to get blown away when update vBulletin?

Yes. That's why it's good to use plugins when possible, but there isn't always a hook location in place to do what you want to do.

And this is why you should always keep notes when editing your site.

anybody got this running without editing the files?

I don't think it's possible because there is no hook location to call via a plugin product.

1. edit isn't necessary => hook vbcms_content_publish_editor
2. template edit is fine, who cares about this ( tms^^ )

but everythng else seems to be impossible
shame that they still didn't change this:(

Yep, it took a year but they finally added the hook. I've updated the relevant step.

I guess I should have asked them to add some other hooks back then, cause if I open a new hook request now, vB 5 would be out by the time the hooks get added :)

Having the same issue... $this->content->getFIELDNAME() seems like giving me blank too...

I also blank too , I try to fixed and works.

edit:
packages/vbcms/item/content/article.php

find:
add node.FIELDNAME, at the end of the line:

Can anyone confirm that this mod still works? How many custom fields does this add to articles in your CMS?

I used this steps before (vb4.2.0) and it works like a charm, but today when I want to reused in newer version (4.2.1) it doesn't work.
I have problem in update to database process, it didn't save anything in database, any hints?

So, once you've successfully gotten the fields to populate in the database, what variable or phrase do you use to call them into play?? I have myfield1 but when I try to use {vb:raw myfield1} it remains blank.