Discuss!! A Yahoo Answers Clone for vB3
 

Sorry, no more free time......




1. Why we need a discussion mod:confused:

Maybe sounds crazy to have a powerfull forum and to install this AddOn. But this is not true. I do agree that vB has tons of features for any type of discussions. But from the other point Yahoo Answers (and dozens of similars sites) became famous, because they offer a simple way to users to get replies. Short questions, with a couple of replies. Why to go in a complicated system for this? And why to add dozens of extra categories, subcategories etc etc, just for this? This is the reason that you need it.

2.- How it works?

Very simple, so easy to use by novice users too. A member is posting a question in any of your categories (unlimited level are supporting) and then is waiting other members to post a reply. Reads the replies, chooses the best and that's all. There is no need for discussion here.


3.- Installation

1. Download, unzip and upload all files from the "upload" folder where your vb installation is (you can't install in different directory).
2. Goto you admincp and import the product-discuss.xml
3. That's all:)

4.- Configuration


Configuration is very easy and is like all other addons here. You need to follow the steps below, and soon you'll be ready:

1. First of all goto Usergroup permissions and set what each usergroup can do or not do.
2. Goto Discuss General setting, check the default values and change them if you want
3. PM Templates. I believe that the predefinied text is ok for most of you. But if you want you can change them. Please don't touce the variables (anything inside {}). The available variables are:
   1. {questiontitle} : Title with link
   2. {questiontitle_nolink} : As above but without link
   3. {category} : Category name with link
   4. {category_nolink} : Category without link
   5. {questionowner} : The author's username with link
   6. {questionowner_nolink} : As above, no link
   7. {description} : 200 chars from the question body
   8. {username} : This is the "To:" value. eg Dear {username},
   9. {postdate_short} : Post date in format that you've set as long dates
   10. {postdate_long} : Same as above in long date format
   11. {signature} : Anything that you've set in your settings
4. Last step is to set your categories.

5.- Copyright


In the footer of each page there is a link back to my site vBulletON.com. Even if it easy to remove it, please avoid doing it. Respect if you want to be respected. That's the only that I can say.

6.- PRO version

Currently there is no one. I don't use to build an addon, and then remove 90% of its features to make a free version. No. This is all that I've done. Sure there are dozens of more features that I can add. If I see that this mod becomes popular then I'll add them but as commercial version.

7.- Live Demo

http://www.christeris.com/testvb3/discuss.php

Login:
demouser1 / demopass1
demouser2 / demopass2
demouser3 / demopass3

Enjoy
Chris

Great module...

Just a thought... What happens if the questioner does not pick a "best reply" ? Has it the same work as Yahoo's? Does the system pick the most voted?

And moreover... How is this accessed within VBulletin? Is there a link in the navbar?

Thanks for your development

i liked...
Thanks... same as facebook...
Very thanks...

Currently only the question's poster can chooses the best unswer as there is no voting system. As for the link, yes there is one which auto adding during installation (at the end).

Chris

Looks great!

Thank you all for your kind words. Step by step I'll add more features.

Chris

Sounds so good!

German : http://www.vbulletin-germany.org/sho...9856#post79856


Feature: Anonym posting ;-)

Great, but ... it could be have an "My Answers" !!!????

How I know what was "best answer"??? I can't see nothing.

..and who won?

Wow! What an intriguing modification! Thanks so much for the share and good luck in this months MOTM voting ;)

J.

Agreed, nice add-on, I think anonymous posting would be helpful. I haven't installed it yet but can we set permissions on usergroups to allow anonymous users to post questions?

Thanks Chris for this nice add!

One problem with the "categories" in which members can ask a question but they also can post a question in the "select all area". Or better, when a member do not choose a category for the question the question is "categoryless"!

Any idea ow to solve this?

In the next release :-)

members are able to post without choosing a category? eg letting the default "Select Category"?. That's a bug, I'll check it.

Question's owner must mark an answer as best answer. When he does it, then there is a "Best Answer" bedides that answer.

Its a bit complicating to add this feature. Not that it can't be added, but in this case user must enter an email address to be notify for new answers, and also to add some checks in the auto PMs. I'll see ...

Yes, they can. Thanks for fixing that.

Looks like a great Mod...Question:

Can you add an option in the CP to where we can display the most recent 1-3 questions on the Forum Home page?

Hi Chris, any update to this:

your demo doesn't work.

Hello Chris, is ths still supportet?

Does not appear to me
Do not know where I find?

@klaush
@3raq4all
-------------
Why do you think that is not supporting? Is there any bug report that I didn't replied and fixed? Of course I'm greatfull to all of you for your nice comments, but I was very busy to come online just to reply to compliments.

Chris

There was this bug, if you remember? Did you fix it already?

Thanks for feedback, Chris!

Is someone else who can confirm this bug? I checked the code and is correct:
The problem is that I don't have any vB3 installation to check it in real. But the same code exists in the version for vB4, and I didn't got any report there.

Can you give me your installation URL to try it? or better goto Add question form, and right click to see the page's code, and save that code in a file. Then post it here to give a look.

Chris

Here we are:

And you can choose "Please choose a category".