Miscellaneous Hacks - Ultimate Side Columns 2.2

Ultimate Side Columns
By Kerry-Anne www.peterska2.co.uk

Welcome to Ultimate Side Columns 2.2 !

USC 2.2 has now been released!!!!

Introduction

Following the success of the left and right side column modifications, and building on their weaknesses, the Ultimate Side Columns system was born.

Ultimate Side Columns (USC) is your one stop shop for all your side columns needs. It is an easy to configure, all in one solution.

USC 2.0 was born through the evolution and bug fixing of USC 1.0 for vBulletin 3.6 and is for vBulletin 3.7.0 RC1 and later only. It is not supported with earlier versions and may not work with them.

Features

USC 2.0 is fully customizable, can use conditions and variables (not available in USC 1.0), has greater flexibility in where it can be omitted from (after requests received), and contains new functionality of both independently collapsible columns and user defined custom links to be displayed on a per user basis in the column location of the administrators choosing.

A maximum of 20 blocks spread over the two columns are available at this time. However, if more are required then an expansion pack will be provided. The blocks can be reordered and moved between the templates with ease through simple template edits.

USC 2.2 Change Log:
Fixed bug with profile.php?do=editattachments
Added All Pages options

USC 2.1 Change Log:
Fixed blank page caused by missing template in the XML
Added compatibility with 3.7.0 Stable/Gold
Manual Template Edit instructions added to package
Enhanced the display page choices to allow exact selection of the pages where USC is to be displayed
Added usergroup permissions in addition to the global options for viewing the left column, viewing the right column, and using the custom contents block.

USC 2.1 has additional files. You need to upload the files first BEFORE importing the product

Upgrading from USC 2.0
Upload the contents of the upload folder, except the admincp directory, then import the XML.

Go to vBOptions > USC Options and set the display pages using the new options
Go to Usergroups > Usergroup Manager and set the permissions for each usergroup as desired. By default no permissions are given to any usergroups.

Upgrading from USC 1.0

USC 2.0 has been rewritten from the ground up and therefore all the blocks have been moved from the settings into the templates. Therefore, a unique upgrade script has been provided which must be run before importing the new product. Importing the new product first will result in the loss of your existing USC contents.

The upgrade script is located in the admincp directory after uploading the USC files and is ran by pointing your browser to admincp/usc_upgrade.php

Full upgrade instructions are included in the upgrade readme file in the zip.

Installation Instructions

Download the zip, unzip it and upload the contents of the upload folder to your forum directory. Import the product, all done.

Full instructions are included in the install readme in the zip.

Support

This modification has limited support only and is therefore flagged as unsupported. Support will be given when possible although it is always preferable when users of USC support each other. This was very successful with USC 1.0 and therefore is continued with USC 2.0

If you have any other combinations of pages that you would like to see available for the column options, please post them in the support thread ensuring that you add the title "USC Page Combination Request" to your post, or use this as the first line of your post ensuring that it is in bold text. This is very specific as due to the limited nature of support and time, the support thread will only be quickly skimmed through and therefore requests may be missed if it is not clear what they are.


The screenshots attached to this post and the next one show a range of pages with a range of column combinations. They are not labeled but they are pretty self explanatory.

Enjoy USC 2.0.

Kerry-Anne


PLEASE NOTE: This modification is unsupported. You may not receive a reply right after posting. Please try and help each other out.



Problems with your side columns not showing?
For your side columns to show, you need to update your usergroup permissions from the usergroup manager for each usergroup

Problems with errors in your vBOptions?
Point your browser to admincp/index.php?do=buildbitfields then try again

[d-wiz]

Originally Posted by onestopadam

Switch off whichever one you dont want in the options.

Nice try , but there is only one Ultimate side comlumns option menu

I have two right AND left columns, here I'll post a better screen:



Note: playing around with the columns so I now there is a difference in size.

Anyone know the HTML for last poll?

Any help would be much appreciated!

[lstintxs100]

Originally Posted by d-wiz

Nice try , but there is only one Ultimate side comlumns option menu

I have two right AND left columns, here I'll post a better screen:



Note: playing around with the columns so I now there is a difference in size.

Anyone know the HTML for last poll?

Any help would be much appreciated!

how many times is it listed in the product manager?

[ChandlerDog]

Originally Posted by lstintxs100

chandlerdog,

When you installed the product does it show in the list of installed products?

The only thing that is showing up on the list of installed products is vBulletin 3.7.2

[lstintxs100]

Originally Posted by ChandlerDog

The only thing that is showing up on the list of installed products is vBulletin 3.7.2

I am sorry, I got your pm last week and I sent you a cut and paste to another project I was working on. I just looked at my sent pm and it is a list of database tables for a copy machine product I am working. I will see what I can do in a few minutes. I am so sorry. I had meant to send you the instructions. I bet that sent you for a interesting loop.

[d-wiz]

Originally Posted by lstintxs100

how many times is it listed in the product manager?

One time.

I seem to recall something about trying to install it twice or starting with 2.0? if tha helps?

[lstintxs100]

Chandler, in your pm, you mentioned you had the files uploaded. Lets go from that point.

go into your product manager and click the link [Add/Import] product.





Hit the <browse> icon.




Find this file in the USC 22 folder : product-ka_ultimate_sidecolumn_2-2.xml



Depending on if you upgrade, or fresh install you will want to tell the reader this option. I did a fresh install and out of habit I clicked the "allow overwrite" option. Then press the <import> icon/button and it will list the styles it is adding the templates to. With this product in the install instructions the "upgrade" path may be a little different between the last version and this one.





This is what the screen will look like after it installs the product.



sorry I messed up. I honestly had this all typed up and pretty. What I sent you was a table of a database I was working on for my own forum. Edit your usergroup permissions and templates for your ads.

[ChandlerDog]

Originally Posted by lstintxs100

I am sorry, I got your pm last week and I sent you a cut and paste to another project I was working on. I just looked at my sent pm and it is a list of database tables for a copy machine product I am working. I will see what I can do in a few minutes. I am so sorry. I had meant to send you the instructions. I bet that sent you for a interesting loop.

It's OK! You really don't know how much I appreciate the help you have given me :up:
In a way it's kinda funny, I studied that code hard even printed it out a read it on the road in-between jobs. I keep telling myself "I will not rest until i understand."LOL

[d-wiz]

I tried uninstlling and reinstilling still got the two column problem

[lstintxs100]

d-wiz, the only thing that comes to mind is that you have the modification installed twice or have a previous install. In your plug-ins (not your products) do you have anything about side columns listed? with not being able to see your admin cp my troubleshooting is limited.

[d-wiz]

Originally Posted by lstintxs100

d-wiz, the only thing that comes to mind is that you have the modification installed twice or have a previous install. In your plug-ins (not your products) do you have anything about side columns listed? with not being able to see your admin cp my troubleshooting is limited.

There is a whole row in plugins all crossed over? Should I uninstall and check if they are still there?

I think you are right about installing it twice, I had a little trouble installing it as I'm new to all this and had to try a couple of times before I got it right.

I'm actually still not sure if I was supposed to just install 2.2 or 2.0 then 2.2 to be honest