Add-On Releases - vBISpy - AJAX real-time feed of new posts/threads

After seeing the http://www.digg.com/spy application; I wondered if this could be done for vBulletin as well. I came across this webpage which had a "how to" on how they built a similiar application to do the same thing. Taking a page from their book (i.e. the code), I modified it for use with vBulletin.

During development, I also came across this post here on vBulletin.Org where the very subject had already been discussed.

So I put this together; a simple ZIP file with a single PHP script, three javascript files and 4 images.

Installation

. UNZIP the file into your forums directory
. That's it!

Virtually all the code to customize the page is in the vaispy.php script; there are no plugins, no templates and no phrases. You do not need to do anything further; this should work right out of the box.

In your browser, open the URL:

http://www.yourforum.com/forum/vaispy.php

You can see examples of this at:

http://www.viperalley.com/forum/vaispy.php
http://www.extremefitness.com/forum/vaispy.php

Note: I claim no ownership of this code except for the file vaispy.php - the rest of the files were using 'freely distributable' sources. As such, you may use these files as you wish, but please do not remove the copyrights.

This modification is for vBulletin 3.6 only, if you are running vBulletin 3.5 you will need to see this thread.

JOIN THE vBIspy Network!
Once you have this mod installed, you can join the vBIspy network to have your threads appear on this site; the vBIspy Network is a great way for people to see what's going on in various vBulletin communities and for forum owners to promote their sites and generate new traffic.

Optional add-ons

Who's Online mod for this: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=126209

vBAdvanced Module: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=126421

UPDATES
1.0.4
Added buro9's code from here

1.0.5 - 9.9.06
Modified some JavaScript in va_spy.js to remove split strings

1.0.6 - 9.10.06
Added date cuffoff code from here and changed init() to spyinit() - changed vaispy.php and va_spy.js files.

1.0.7 - 9.12.06
va_spy.js: Added a forum url variable to allow for integration with portals or other products outside the forum directory
va_spy.js: Added xmldelay variable at top of script for easier configuration or repolling
Updated files: vaispy.php, vb_spy.js

1.0.8 - 9.13.06
vaispy.php - changed code for checking for forum permissions to include password protected forums, added javascript tag for script code

1.0.9 - 9.16.06
vaispy.php
va_spy.js
va_effects.js
- modified to allow for proper display in Opera browsers and moved more html into vaispy.php to allow for stylevars, trimmed va_effects.js to remove unused code (ForumDog's suggestions, except not using templates yet), changed way threads are parsed (removes html as well)

1.0.10 - 9.17.06
va_prototype.js - removed 20kb of unused code

1.1.11 - 9.25.2006
vaispy.php
va_spy.js
- added SirAdrian's mods for thread status icons and alternating row colors
- added code to prepopulate the first 10 rows with existing threads allowing for 5 new ones to be added in scrolling mode (versus scrolling starting from the first thread).
- added option to display subscribed threads only

1.1.12 - 9.26.2006
vaispy.php
- added code to add empty rows if initial pull has less than 20 rows.

[kall]

Nice.

Although.. it doesn't seem to like either GARS or the RSS bot feature..

http://www.nzboards.com/forums/nzbpostspy.php

Only the New Post has a 'Forum' entry.

*edit* In Firefox, that is.

[nix]

I'm using it with RSS feeds and its working fine in FF. Same with Gars.

[kall]

Here's the code.. it looks like something is being stripped.

<td class="alt1Active"><strong><a href="showthread.php?t=30950">Object from 'space' found by chance - Stuff.co.nz</a></strong><br><div class="smallfont"><br><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="7" width=""><tbody><tr><t><a... replies="" 0="" views="" (0=""></a...></t><td class="alt1" align="center"><div class="smallfont"><strong><a href="forumdisplay.php?f=76">New Zealand News Feeds</a></strong></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td>

I see this in one of the .js files:

if (e instanceof RangeError) return '...';

Range error for those threads that have 0 replies and are posted by the RSS bot.. in FF?

[ForumDog]

Originally Posted by MPDev

The thing I don't like about stylevar is having to explain to everyone that they have to copy those images to all their style directories. This is much more simplistic.

True, it just makes it impossible for people with multiple themes to be consistent. Up to you if you want to do this since it adds a tiny amount of uncached js, but for everyone else wanting to use multiple themed buttons (or having no choice because of multiple style directories)...

In va_spy.js

REMOVE

function pauseSpy() {
	var playimg = document.getElementById("vaplay");
	var pauseimg = document.getElementById("vapause");

	playimg.src = "images/misc/play_up.gif";
	playimg.alt = "Click to Play";
	pauseimg.src = "images/misc/pause_down.gif";
	pauseimg.alt = "Paused...";

	pause();
}

function playSpy() {
	var playimg = document.getElementById("vaplay");
	var pauseimg = document.getElementById("vapause");

	playimg.src = "images/misc/play_down.gif";
	playimg.alt = "Playing...";
	pauseimg.src = "images/misc/pause_up.gif";
	pauseimg.alt = "Click to Pause";

	resume();
}

function pause() {
	play = 0;
}

function resume() {
	play = 1;
}

In vaispy.php

FIND:

<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
<!--
    spymax = 25;
// -->
</script>

Note: I added the js commenting for older browser compatbility and the javascript type for code validation, I'll just assume they'll be added in future versions. If you don't have it as above, replace it.



ADD BELOW:

<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
<!--
function pauseSpy() {
	var playimg = document.getElementById("vaplay");
	var pauseimg = document.getElementById("vapause");

	playimg.src = "$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/play_up.gif";
	playimg.alt = "Click to Play";
	pauseimg.src = "$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/pause_down.gif";
	pauseimg.alt = "Paused...";

	pause();
}

function playSpy() {
	var playimg = document.getElementById("vaplay");
	var pauseimg = document.getElementById("vapause");

	playimg.src = "$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/play_down.gif";
	playimg.alt = "Playing...";
	pauseimg.src = "$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/pause_up.gif";
	pauseimg.alt = "Click to Pause";

	resume();
}

function pause() {
	play = 0;
}

function resume() {
	play = 1;
}
// -->
</script>

FIND

<img id="vaplay" src="images/misc/play_up.gif" alt="Play" title="Play Comments" onclick="playSpy();" /> &nbsp;
<img id="vapause" src="images/misc/pause_up.gif" alt="Pause" title="Pause Comments" onclick="pauseSpy();" />

REPLACE WITH:

<img id="vaplay" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/play_down.gif" style="cursor:pointer;" alt="Play" title="Play Comments" onclick="playSpy();" /> &nbsp;
<img id="vapause" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/pause_up.gif" style="cursor:pointer;" alt="Pause" title="Pause Comments" onclick="pauseSpy();" />

Note: Added CSS to change the mouse to the hand icon when hovering over the buttons as well.

And make sure your Play/Pause buttons are uploaded to the misc directory of each individual theme.

Finis.

[ForumDog]

Originally Posted by mini2

For those that use the selective forum fiter, you can have that apply also to this spy by doing this...

After:

$blockforums = "";

Add:

$selectivefiltered = $vbulletin->userinfo['excludeforumids'];

After:

    AND forumid NOT IN (0$blockforums)

With:

    AND forumid NOT IN (0$blockforums$selectivefiltered)

Could be worth adding this as default, not sure if it will cause errors for those that do not use the selective forum filters, but I doubt it.

Great stuff and these instructions also work in exactly the same way with the Andreas's Opt-Out Forums from Get New/Get Daily for 3.5.4 - also works on 3.6 - (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=91025). Just instead of:

$selectivefiltered = $vbulletin->userinfo['excludeforumids'];

use:

$gnpoptoutforums = $vbulletin->userinfo['excludeforumsgnp'];

[MPDev]

I'd be curious if the selected forums code works on sites where people do not use that feature; if so, I can add it.

On another note, I've updated vBIspy.com so that it can pull threads using vBulletin's external.php script; so we can aggregate content with vBIspy client (you get some additional features like profile links, forum specific links, views/replies) or with vB's own internal RSS feed.

I am updating the download with a new version that changes the forumpermissions area to include checking for password protected forums.

[ForumDog]

It's not selected forums code, it's deselected forums code to exclude forums from getnew searches. It's not default vBulletin code so I don't see how it could work on those without the appropriate plugin installed but I don't see why it would cause a problem for people without it. Should just be skipped over. I'll try it properly later.

Um, could you possibly not advertise in the hack update feature.

[MPDev]

Originally Posted by ForumDog

Um, could you possibly not advertise in the hack update feature.

Apologies. Given the time invested in the mod and having only sent out one update, I don't think a line about vbispy.com integration is out of place; but that's just me, others might disagree.

[theodonnells]

Originally Posted by buro9

Do you have a different language pack from the default installed? It's missing the encoding, which is normally part of the localisation.

Indeed the line in the PHP file is:

PHP Code:

echo '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="' . $stylevar['charset'] . '"?>' . "\r\n";

Ah the language problem again...See i had english and german languages on my forum.When i installed the german it changed some of my english phrases too.Have tried unsuccesfully to fix this..Got querys to run from vb.com etc reinstalled original language but nothing shifts it...So probably is the language that is a problem..

[MPDev]

Originally Posted by ForumDog

It's not selected forums code, it's deselected forums code to exclude forums from getnew searches. It's not default vBulletin code so I don't see how it could work on those without the appropriate plugin installed but I don't see why it would cause a problem for people without it. Should just be skipped over. I'll try it properly later.

Um, could you possibly not advertise in the hack update feature.

I'd probably say that any code to support other plugins should not be standard; if you use that mod you can add the code as you documented.