vBxB -> vBJournalLite 1.1b by Ryangel Custom Blog/Journal System ADDON.
 

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vBxB -> vBJournalLite 1.1b by Ryangel Custom Blog/Journal System ADDON.
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::What does this hack do?::
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This hack enables the user to pick from three different types of templates from an already installed vBJournalLite and customize them to his or her wishes. This can be a great addon for your site. It can be modded to custom-fit "premium" users. It also can also be a great addition for someone's own personal site that would enjoy adding the benefit of having a blog or journal available for their visitor's reading but would rather not install [or cannot install] the proper php or cgi code to run the journal.


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::What templates are included with this journal hack?::
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There are three templates included though more can be added with a little work from the site admin. The first template is the exact same, default template that vBJournal Lite uses. The second template selection isn't really a template at all -- it's a very user-customizable version of a site header and footer [using textboxes saved via the SQL db]. The second template option also uses a custom CSS LINK along with the CSS color code/width options given for setup in the journal config. This enables the user to customize his or her own site [header AND footer] (using their own webserver and webspace) with the user's journal entries being placed firmly in the middle. Finally, the third template available has been taken directly from LiveJournal
(the 'Generator' template) and it has been modded to fit this addon's
needs appropriately. I take no credit for the layout of the template whatsoever
nor it's classed contents.


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::Why have you included Ryangel's journal.php with this zip?::
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As I'm trying to get this out to the public as quick as I can, I just don't remember all of the code I went through trying to get this running. I know that dummy me should've wrote down or saved what I was doing to another file somewhere, but I was too anxious to get this going.

Ryangel, if you have any problems with me including the modded version of your file, please alert me immediately and I'll try my best to edit the install file to include what I've done to your original code asap. Thank you!


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::Warnings?::
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Plenty.

:: REMEMBER THIS HACK IS A BETA! :: It can and probably WILL screw up on you if there is something wrong or if I have forgot anything in the install instructions! If in the case I have forgot something in the install instructions, please tell me and I'll fix it asap!

If you notice something wrong or your journal is acting quirky, please let me know!

This is my first hack for vBulletin! It's probably not the cleanest code you've ever seen nor is it even all that brilliant, but it gets the job done I think. >.>;

I will NOT be held responsible for user's boards that have been messed up
by this hack! You have been forewarned both here and in the journal.php file itself!

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::Possible SECURITY issues?::
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I am not aware of any security issues or threats that this may cause to your vBulletin forum, though this obviously doesn't mean that they aren't possible.

The blog's header and footer function uses a 'textbox' input. That's alot of possible HTML code that can be added and, of course, it can be modded. It reads -anything- like a normal HTML file can. Meaning - if the user has on his or her webspace a flash file, it will read the flash file. I don't know how to take these statements out of the user's input yet.. so please don't kill me for that. :P

Maybe you guys could offer some suggestions on it?

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::To Do:::
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SQL Queries to INSERT: (23) [I think. I was pretty drunk counting this. ;)]
Files Modified: (2)
Templates Added: (5) Templates Modified: (5)
Files to Upload from .ZIP: (5)


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::This sounds pretty cool, but what about the screenshots?::
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The screenshots are included in the attached ZIP at the bottom. Please make sure you look at these for any information you'd like to receive on what's included in the modifications this addon will install.



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::Thanks!::
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Thanks go out to Ryangel, Anime-loo, PixelFX, LiveJournal, and all the vBulletin
hackers. ;)


If this works, I hope you enjoy! Please have fun with it and try to think of some ideas! This is atleast a backbone for your thoughts if nothing else. :)

** Updated journal/templates to allow EXISTING USERS [10:28pm] [10-24-03] - This is EXPERIMENTAL at this time. It worked for me! That's all I tested it on, but it should work. This swaps the journal_deftemp and journal_display templates as well as adds an updated journal.php to reflect these changes. Existing users can now change their options at will. If this doesn't work then notify me immediately and I'll try fixin' it.

** Updated SQL INSERT [11:20pm] [10-15-03] - Had someone testing that needed to create a journal. SQL error came up due to an error in the INSERT line [my screwup. Oops.] Fixed.

** Updated WARNING [10:54pm] [10-15-03] - Custom template had no warning to the user whatsoever if their header information was not entered in their journal config. Fixed.

** Updated SCREENSHOTS [7:01pm] [10-15-03] - Updated screenshots. Previous screenshots were way too small anyway. Each screenshot shows the new modifications (atleast what the user sees.)

** Updated QUERIES [12:58am] [10-15-03] - Forgot to add two db queries. Fixed.

** Updated TEMPLATE [1:20am] [10-14-03] - Forgot to add one of the templates to mod. x.x; Fixed.





** EDIT 10:06pm [Jan. 06, 04]

Expect a bunch of new stuff to be released with the next version. For details, check one of the last posts.


** EDIT 11:26pm [Jan. 20, 04]

An active demo of the Nightingale Journal is now available. As it's in beta, you can receive a fully templated journal with no community posts required. Please click here for it.

Warning: It's anime, it's girly, and it's a small community. ;)

Also, if you experience problems (parse errors appearing randomly, something not loading..) it's because of the work I'm doing to it, more than likely.


Another note - don't expect this to be the final version after beta. I'm constantly adding changes and ideas. This is the -base- of the journal, however.

you have been busy good luck with the new hack :) I'll check it out soon :)

I made something unreleased, similar to this on vbjournal ;) but I think yours probably has more customization. Probably will go with yours :P

awesome!!
i would install it now.........but i'd rather wait til the final version is out :P

Thankies guys ;). Note the edit to the first post -- updated zip.


If there's something missing in the install or something doesn't work quite right, please let me know. :)

Not bad. Would you want to develop the Joournal to 2.0 ?

Excellent work, I'll install this right away!

Thanks for the groovy compliments. :) I'm really hoping this works for all of you who use it. If you see something that doesn't look correct to you, please tell me and I'll try my best to fix it.



About the Journal 2.0, however. That's a substantial develop task for me. :P The real question is, what features would the majority of users like to see in a Journal 2.0?


This vBxB addon includes journal moods, music, customized templates, selectable templates.


I -could- rewrite the moods to include graphics instead of text (yet again leaning toward the whole LiveJournal thing), but it'd take me a little time because I'm so new to programming around with vB -- and really programming in general. This is, more or less, my first real bite into the apple.

:P I'm just worried about the vB3 version of the journal. Maybe when vB3 hacks are allowed, 2.0 can come out *shrug*

This does look awesome! I think users will greatly appreciate this!

Not sure what happened but I get this sql error:

"Invalid SQL: SELECT u.username, e.entryid, e.journalid, e.title, e.entry, e.timestamp, e.userid, e.private, e.displayorder, e.mood, e.music, e.comments
FROM journal_entry e
LEFT JOIN user u ON e.userid = u.userid
WHERE e.journalid = 1
ORDER BY e.timestamp DESC LIMIT 10
mysql error: Unknown column 'e.mood' in 'field list'"

Anyone have a suggestion on what I can do to correct this?

Okay, to fix this problem [and this has been corrected in the first post and the file setup] run these two queries:

Im still planing to do a version, waiting on vB 3 RC and some spare time.

Glad to see you got it figured out harleguin :)

I coded up a quick installer that will run the needed querys for you, just upload the attached file to the admin folder and run it. I was going to add template installer functionalty but I dont have the time to escape all the double quotes...

O yea, its not tested because I dont have a version 2 install right now.

Is there a chance we might get a list of modifications for those of us already running modified versions of vBJournal?

I've just updated all of the screenshots [noted in the first message] to make them considerably larger and very readable. You'll be able to see what's added by the new screenshots. Please take the time to look at them.


Thankies. ;)


Oh! And thankies Anime-loo! I've yet to test this installer -- anyone want to give it a whirl before I include it in the zip?

Thanks Harlequin for the added querys. That solved the mysql error.

One other question, when I go to the journal main page on my forum the colors/style are the default ones. However, when I click on "my journal" or "eileen's entry" the pages that come up do not show any styles.

All they show is a white background, a white box with "add entry" and the rest is just plain text.

Is this telling me that I have to work on the templates?

Looking forward to releasing this to my members and thank you

I think that's what it's telling you, and I'm a bit tired after working all day but I'll try to answer this as coherently as possible. :)


The only pages that I have changed are the actual journal "display" templates (the pages with the recent entries on them). Those templates are: journal_deftemp, journal_display, and journal_customtemp1 .. I believe. Every other part of the journal system has been untouched and should pretty well display the same.


But whenever you click your journal and nothing but the 'Add Entry' box pops up, that tells me a few things.


#1. Have you entered an entry in your journal and is it displaying okay on the page with the white background?

#2. Is the custom option selected in your journal config? If so, try linking to an image or typing some words or something in the 'Custom Header' box to see if it displays whenever you look at your journal.

#3. It's entirely possible I'm still leaving something out of the install, so don't fret.


If it is what I think it is and you've selected the 'Custom' option for your journal instead of the 'Alpha' template, then you'd be entirely correct. Your header and footer would just need a little tweaking and working to have it display however you like.

However, if you're selecting the 'Alpha' or 'Default' template and are only receiving what you're telling me, then something is badly wrong and I need to find out what it is immediately.


I can update the journal.php a bit, which I was planning on sooner or later anyway, to tell the user to (atleast) add a custom header.



Look forward to hearing your reply. :)


** EDIT ** : So I decided to fix the custom template white-out problem. I added an admin-set message telling the user that they need to add a header [if the header information does not exist].

I have one entry and on the display entry (the white page) the font is super super small.

Now when I click on "add entry" the forum default style/colors appear as it does on my main journal page.

I tested it using both 'Alpha' and 'default' and I get the same results. Also, after checking the 'Alpha' template, I go back to change template and it reverts back to 'default' (it seems the 'alpha' template is not saved)

DISREGARD above post.

I had a few minutes ago downloaded your updated file and after uploading the journal.php, it shows up now (although those red colors are such a contrast to my soft colors) :)

Thanks so much for helping me out with this and after I get the template style configured and start getting forum members participating, I'll update here

Im going to install a vB 2 on localhost tonight and play with journal.php a bit, if I come up with anything useful ill post back.

Eileen -

Please let me know if you have any more issues. I want this to be an enjoyable part of people's boards if they opt to use it. :)

Anime-loo -

That sounds very groovy to me. You were talking about making a new journal for vb3 -- want to butt a few heads on some ideas? ;)


And I'm still a little uneasy about security. I know it's a pretty big umph whenever users can enter a considerable amount of text and it be read as html. Does anyone else have any concerns about this or any ideas for workarounds if they think this a problem?

Already working on the html problems, its a big fix that requires alot of work tho. So what im probbly ganna do is request permission from vBjournal lite's author to release a modifyed version. It really needs a re-write to be honest, and it would only require a day or two of work.

And yea, im working on a vB 3 journal system, but its more to it then just that ;), send me a pm if you are intrested in helping and we will throw around some idea's. :)

one of the things i'll be waiting for before i update to vb3 is a journal based upon/upgrade for vBjournal Lite, will installing this hinder that in any chance as i'll probably go with yours :)

heres the zipped templates for ppl with TBS installed

has anyone installed this with no casualties on a board with an active pre-existing vbjournal lite hack?

any store integration with this yet?

I forgot to ask previously... Does this addon give any admin options? I had to stop use of the original journal hack because some of my members were posting offensive comments and I wasn't able to remove them.

Store integration - No. But it'd certainly be nice. ;)

I think Anime-loo is currently working on a fixed up spiffied version of this that's actually coded with security in mind.


Fleabag - Admin options are in the journal.php -- but not for curse words, removing comments, etc. This requires me to know what I do not know concerning filtering [for the header and footer textbox, entries, etc.]

This addon includes only the ability to do what's able in the screenshots and the default setup of whatever is in journal.php - that's it.

Though I hope Anime-loo replies soon to my pm. ;)

well i really wanna install this, but i want everyone to buy it from the store rather than just have it for free.

Ive been real busy working on bigger projects that dont relate to vBulletin, so I havent been as active as I normally would in the support community's lately.

Harleguin: I got your pm, I will try to reply sometime tonight :).


As for the journal hack, it is begin worked on. I want to release something thats secure and includes moderation so it takes awhile to make sure everything is working like it should ;).

Sounds great :) can't wait to see it!

Most definitely. I have alot of faith in you, Anime-loo. :)


Certainly, an option for admins to choose store integration with a custom journal wouldn't be that bad of a feature. The more I think about it, the more it sounds pretty groovy.


What I was meaning to mention earlier to FleaBag about the cursing and filtering and whatnot, that'd be a pretty nice admin edit menu, too.


Humm humm. I might have to work on something like that.

Hi There. I remember a few:

1. I think the biggest single issue is the journal display beyond 10 entries is very poor. You can look at either all entries or the last ten, and if you have lots of entries (or even a few embedded graphics) you could be looking at a very long load time.

2. A couple of other people were very anxious to get the capability for buddies to view private entries. Personally I don't have a need, but it was a big deal for them.

3. There was also some issue with journal management. I wasn't clear if it was having admin capability to delete a user journal (I've had a few people create one accidentally and never put anything in it). I suspect they can be culled in phpMyadmin in a pinch, but somebody had a database error, so maybe it's not that easy.

4. There were some posts about having journal entries increment the user post counter. No big deal for me either way.

5. Somebody(s) wanted to be able to use attachments with journals.

6. Option to limit journal entries to one per day.

7. Someone was concerned about spamming the journal (bumping their own view counter). I posted a fix for that in the original vBJournal thread.

8. There is a minor bug in the way the journal invokes BB code that can prevent IMG tags from displaying properly. I posted a fix for that in the original vBjournal thread.

9. URLs don't autolink. I never got to the bottom of that one, because it was small potatoes compared with the other stuff.

10. Someone had the idea that journals could be subscribed to and you'd get notification of new entries in that journal. I don't know if it needs to be that complex, but maybe if the postbit MY JOURNAL button were red if there were posts since the reader's last login, that would be enough to flag new events without full fledged subscription.

11. Some wanted the standard vB editor with smilies and stuff to appear. Makes sense to me.

I'm sure there were other ideas, but those stuck out in my mind. In my opinion #1 is the immediate need, affecting usability for everyone who has a vBJournal.

Regards,

Matt

All of those are absolutely great suggestions.

To add to that, I was thinking of adding a 'buddy' capability, including the private journal entry view only option that would allow other people to 'buddy' their friends. [Yet again, hellooo LiveJournal.]

I need to wait on seeing what Anime-loo's finished product is going to be though before I try anything. I don't want to rehash old work if he's going to blow me out of the water [which he certainly can.]

That's considerate, but it may be unnecessary. He must have bigger fish to fry, which is completely understandable. It was going to be a 2-3 week project nearly six months ago, then a before summer thing, then it dropped off the radar entirely.

I understand we all have shifting priorities. The birth of my daughter recently made that crystal clear.

Regards,

Matt

Anime-loo and I have been talking thoroughly about this project for the past two weeks now. It's been given new blood by the addition of this addon and I have faith he'll pull through on whatever he thinks will work.


I look forward to his product. ;)

However, curiosity killed the cat and last night I began working on a few tidbits.

One of those is the ability to delete an entry if you're an admin -- that was really no sweat.

The second one is a bit tougher for me but it's coming along okay methinks. I'm integrating vBJournal's buddy list with a LiveJournal-type journal "friend" system.

I been trying to take a break from the net this year because I spend 1/2 of the last 4 years on it :). Ive been on most of the time the last month and have alot to catach up on, mostly opening two sites, one of which will hopfully bring in some profit. So that explains the delays, I apologize for everyone thats been waiting :).

Im going to complie a feture list tonight so people can add to it and post it in a new thread over in general hacking so we can stop hi-jacking this one ;). It is going to take a total re-write of the code to do it correctly and make sure it is secure.

That sounds absolutely wonderful, but have no fear -- I've been on the net ever since I was 9 and haven't bothered taking a break at all. No, I don't have a telephone jack sticking out of my ear -yet-, but I look forward to having one pretty soon. ;)



Certainly I'll add to this feature list when I can. ;)

I think I found something this morning that just makes sense -- having the vBJournal "buddy" feature that I was adding read from the original vBulletin group of "buddies" and if so and so has a recent journal entry, display it.

I think I was somewhere in that vacinity with my stab at coding it last night. :P



I hope to work with you in the future on this -- if you need any templates or anything if I can't help you out on code, please let me know and I won't hesitate to try.

hopefully we could get the store integration before work starts on all this, as much as i'd love it all, i'd love to get to this stage atleast first https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/external/2003/10/8.gif

I'm sure store integration would be cool for those who use it, but simply managing the display of journal entries is essential for everyone, unless you like reading 100 at a time.

Regards,

Matt