Forum Home Enhancements - [AJAX] Tabbed Forum Home

Tabbed Forum Home version 1.01

[AJAX] Tabbed Forum Home version 1.5.0 (BETA)

NOTE: Works with both 3.7x and 3.6x

Description: This MOD is for creating a "Tabbed" Forum Home Page to have Categories displayed within Tab containers (similar to what the new Profile System looks like on vb3.7). Please do not confuse this with the Tab Menu System here at vbulletin.org. They are totally different systems. These Tabs actually switch the content without leaving the main forums page.

I wrote the initial Non AJAX version based on reading many requests from members asking about how namepros created their custom tabbed forum home page. The first implementation I did was a request by bbwforums.net (which you can visit to see a working example). I have shared this version with many members already and decided to release it since it seems to be something that a lot of members are interested in.

UPDATE: I have released a BETA [AJAX] version for those that what something a little more robust and easier to install/configure. This Beta version will never go into production tho as version 2.0 will utilize the YUI AJAX Tabview Toolset. It IS stable tho and is currently running on a few live sites.

NOTE: Keep in mind, I wrote this with the assumption that you are fairly well versed and comfortable with editing files/templates and following the flow of things. If there is something you don't understand, PLEASE let me know so that I can help you understand it. This IS NOT a product that a novice can just plug and play and it takes a little bit of time to setup, but its well worth it in the end (if you want a custom unique look to your forum home page)... the next version (Don't ask when, cause its just on the drawing board) will be a product with ACP controls for easy setup

The attached Zip File(s) contain the Files and Instructions necessary to install each version.

DEMO: www.bbwforums.net or www.namepros.com
[Moderator Edit: The first URL has been un-linked as there has been reported malware on that domain. The mod author may edit this notice once the situation has been cleaned.]

Screen Shots: None, visit one or both of the above links as seeing them in action is better than some static image(s)..

Bobster

Change Log

version 1.01 -
tabcontent.js ver 2.2 to support remote links
updated install instructions (both in txt and rtf format)

version 1.5.0 -
BETA [AJAX] version

July 8, 2008 - Added xml file for WOL
Sep 2, 2008 - Updated xml file for WOL

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

bobster65, if i install this will it create problems for the search engines? will my page rank....etc suffer?

If you are worried about that, then just make a tabbed style (or child style) and have the default style (that guests like search engines would see) non tabbed. Its best to allow your users to have a choice between tabbed and non tabbed anyway IMHO...

[merk_aus]

Bobster sorry to be a pain but was wondering if you could help me with setting this up...

I actually have installed it with no problem at all on numerous occassions... but asked for help earlier to try and get this set up like http://www.dailysportspages.com/forums/index.php and you gave advice but i still cant get it - are you able to provide help to have it set up like that site?

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by merk_aus

Bobster sorry to be a pain but was wondering if you could help me with setting this up...

I actually have installed it with no problem at all on numerous occassions... but asked for help earlier to try and get this set up like http://www.dailysportspages.com/forums/index.php and you gave advice but i still cant get it - are you able to provide help to have it set up like that site?

Shoot... I thought you said you figured it out lol ... its easy to pull off. Do you have a DEV site?

[merk_aus]

Originally Posted by bobster65

Shoot... I thought you said you figured it out lol ... its easy to pull off. Do you have a DEV site?

I thought I got it figured out but after doing the coding it didn't work so I kinda gave up. I currently do have a development site however have not actually installed the tabbed forum home as I was awaiting some help with this (I even contacted that website to ask).

My development site is actually a new project I am working on and would like to see forum tabs used on it. If you like (its 3am my time) I will install forum tabs when I wake up and will let you know the address etc

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by merk_aus

I thought I got it figured out but after doing the coding it didn't work so I kinda gave up. I currently do have a development site however have not actually installed the tabbed forum home as I was awaiting some help with this (I even contacted that website to ask).

My development site is actually a new project I am working on and would like to see forum tabs used on it. If you like (its 3am my time) I will install forum tabs when I wake up and will let you know the address etc

ok, ya.. get it setup on Dev and I can help you out and then you can add it to production when you feel comfortable with it just blast me a PM. I'll need both ftp and AdminCP access (access to styles so I can work on the templates)

[Simon Lloyd]

Bobster65, i installed this for the first time, follwed your instructions (only the ones in the Tabbed Forum Home Installation instructions.txt) to the letter but i don't have any tabs just links one under each other, when clicking one of the links the forum shows as a white page with the forum home exploded all over it with no tabs to get back......what have i done wrong?

EDIT:Installed the Ajax version and am using vb3.8.4

[Simon Lloyd]

I have fixed it to a fashion, i had to be explicit as to where the clientscript folder was using

PHP Code:

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="http://www.thecodecage.com/forumz/clientscript/tabs/ajaxtabs.css" /> 


instead of

PHP Code:

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/clientscript/tabs/ajaxtabs.css" /> 


the only problem i have now is that i have only used single category id's but in some its also showing the category that appears below it?

[Simon Lloyd]

Sorted, my bad, didnt read the tabbedcat&....etc properly

[Simon Lloyd]

Bobster65, i have it working at last, what i would like to know is how do i keep the tabs visible at all times?, i have adjusted the forumhome slightly so the tabs are at the very top of the forum above $header however, when you click a forum within a category you get your standard look forum i.e there are no tabs at the top, i tried adding the tab code to the header but it gave me a white page with the selected forum exploded all over it (i'm assuming thats because it couldn't find a container - im no coder by the way) could you give some instruction as to always have them visble?

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

Bobster65, i have it working at last, what i would like to know is how do i keep the tabs visible at all times?, i have adjusted the forumhome slightly so the tabs are at the very top of the forum above $header however, when you click a forum within a category you get your standard look forum i.e there are no tabs at the top, i tried adding the tab code to the header but it gave me a white page with the selected forum exploded all over it (i'm assuming thats because it couldn't find a container - im no coder by the way) could you give some instruction as to always have them visble?

If you are trying to simulate what vborg is doing, you are using the wrong Modification. This simply replaces the existing FORUMHOME listing of Categories and allows you to put them into a Tabbed Container on the FORUMHOME page. Just like default forum home, when you click on a FORUM link, it goes to a FORUM DISPLAY page (which is generated using a different PHP file and set of functions and templates)...

Now, what you CAN DO is make a template modification to the FORUMDISPLAY pages that have a Tabbed MENU that will take viewers to other Forums... kinda like combining the two MODS..