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.

[MPDev]

Thank you.

Like I said, sducky, I don't know of any way to have two timers running on the same page without merging the two codebases in some way.

[stud]

MPDev - you mentioned the two AJAX timer conflict. Does this apply to using the iSpy CMPS Module on the same CMPS page as a Shoutbox Module? I haven't attempted this yet but wonder if this is a known conflict that I guess i'll have to avoid.

[MPDev]

I'm not familiar with the shoutbox modules; so I can't tell you one way or the other.

[711]

Great script, a must for moderators!

Installed!

I tried to make this script available ony to certain usergroups by trying this code:

// ######################### REQUIRE BACK-END ############################
require_once('./global.php');

if ( !$vbulletin->userinfo['userid'] )
{
    print_no_permission();
}


if ( !$vbulletin->bbuserinfo['2'] )
{
    print_no_permission();
}

but it did not seem to work. The code to prevent guests from viewing works fine, but the part for excluding only permitted user groups needs editing I guess.

Any ideas?

[heynurse]

This is an awesome mod! Except, I got a problem, the page loads but it does not update with live results? I have to refresh to get updates

any ideas?

Is there a list of other hacks or settings that might conflict with this hack? thanks

UPDATE: I just removed my header and footer from the vaispy.php code and it's working fine, must of had some conflict Thanks for the rockin hack!

[MPDev]

No, I don't have any kind of "list" going; sorry.

[ubblite]

I have one request.

Since the cmps module for this hack is having problems, I think it would be very nice to have an option to display vbispy on the forumhome page.

[SaN-DeeP]

Hello MPDev,
thanks for a very nice addon, I need to implement few changes listed below, if you can help me out.
Script is installed here http://forums.techarena.in/vaispy.php

1. How can i remove By column (which describes usernames)

2. Is there a way to link to /showthread.php?t=634312 instead of linking to showthread.php?p=2368180#post2368180 ?
(linking to original thread instead of postid)

3. A small bug if there is & in forum name
Example: Overclocking & Computer Modification
this name appears as Overclocking & Computer Modification.

Thanks again.

[t325]

This is an excellent modification, thank you.

Does anyone know what sort of affect this has on server load? I've got 11 copies of it open between 2 computers right now, and my load is still well under 1 (it's at .2 right now), but we've been having spikes of traffic lately that seem to make the load jump, and I don't want the spy to make it worse.

[Dankness]

This is a execellent mod but lately iv been getting some weird DB errors maild to me from using this? Does anyone know why these errors are appearing all of a sudden?

Im usign VB 3.6.4 also

Database error in vBulletin 3.6.4:

Invalid SQL:

    	SELECT thread.*, post.pagetext AS preview, post.userid AS lastpuserid
    	FROM vb3thread AS thread
    	LEFT JOIN vb3deletionlog AS deletionlog ON(thread.threadid = deletionlog.primaryid AND type = 'thread')
    	LEFT JOIN vb3post AS post ON(post.postid = thread.lastpostid)
    	WHERE open <> 10 AND thread.lastpostid > 43469
    	AND forumid NOT IN (0,49,50,51,22,40,136,163,32,23,31,38,43,48,56,112,134,113,114,115,116,117,118,119,122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129,130,120,131,132,133,)
    	AND thread.visible = '1'
    	AND deletionlog.primaryid IS NULL
    	ORDER BY lastpost
    	DESC LIMIT 10;

MySQL Error  : You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ')
    	AND thread.visible = '1'
    	AND deletionlog.primaryid
Error Number : 1064
Date         : Tuesday, December 5th 2006 @ 01:46:44 PM
Script       : http://www.villu-reborn.com/vaispy.php?do=xml&last=43469&r=0.0840441166388669&_=
Referrer     : http://www.villu-reborn.com/vaispy.php
IP Address   : 67.126.202.236
Username     : TOB
Classname    : vB_Database
=====================================================

Database error in vBulletin 3.6.4:

Invalid SQL:

				SELECT *
				FROM vb3session
				WHERE sessionhash = 'bdce42f7e1d317b047a3dc7e49429ded'
					AND lastactivity > 1165344136
					AND idhash = '7b36de2b030fce6f3b1a836591791a87';

MySQL Error  : Lost connection to MySQL server during query
Error Number : 2013
Date         : Tuesday, December 5th 2006 @ 01:58:20 PM
Script       : http://www.villu-reborn.com/vaispy.php?do=xml&last=43471&r=0.49022190606534977&_=
Referrer     : http://www.villu-reborn.com/vaispy.php
IP Address   : 
Username     : 
Classname    : vB_Database
=====================================================

Database error in vBulletin 3.6.4:

Invalid SQL:

				SELECT *
				FROM vb3session
				WHERE sessionhash = '9d818bc112fde35ebc591b04907f1765'
					AND lastactivity > 1165346474
					AND idhash = 'ce5f7ee9179f6b9722a5610947e86ed5';

MySQL Error  : Lost connection to MySQL server during query
Error Number : 2013
Date         : Tuesday, December 5th 2006 @ 02:36:33 PM
Script       : http://www.villu-reborn.com/vaispy.php?do=xml&last=43474&r=0.8675544199068099&_=
Referrer     : http://www.villu-reborn.com/vaispy.php
IP Address   : 
Username     : 
Classname    : vB_Database
=====================================================

Thank you for your time.