Chat Modifications - MGC Chatbox (with AJAX)

Last version - MGC Chatbox Evo available : here

Description

When I had left the vBulletin world, I was in the past the co-author of a little chatbox (shoutbox), very well known in the vBulletin world.
This chatbox had been developed by Svaliotti (known as Poseidon on vb.org) for vB2 in the past and I had made the porterage (with is authorisation as we were both members of the same french non-official support forum) and the improvement for vB3.

It is thus normal that in my return in the vBulletin world, I begin by getting down to this hack. Even if several versions of chatbox are already present in the vBulletin world, I said to myself that it would be a good thing to make a made in France.

Naturally, I don't deal with a "copy" version of the other chatbox, I have any coded at the beginning (it was preferable because the front code wasn't so clean any more), and I integrated a good quantity of very interesting features.

New version features

The new version contains all the features from the previous version. Description of these versions can be found in Sofia's post hereabove (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost.php?p=1257510&postcount=3).

Modifications from previous version are the following :

• 1.5 :
  • Fixed bugs :
    • Chatbox is shown two times in full page mode when the Display on all pages under the navbar option is selected.
    • "Fermer" is not in a sentence.
    • Overflow problem with Netscape.
    • Uppercase transformed to lowercase in the PM channel.
    • The ban cron debans user indefinitly banned.
    • Chatbox continuously loading on some forums.
    • Inactivity and guests problem.
    • Team icon blinking is not working properly.
    • Coma error in the who is online.
    • 2 spaces instead of one between the date and the time.
  • New functionnalities :
    • Option to deactivate the random smilies.
    • Option to deactivate the automatic PM sending when banning a user.
    • New permission to allow or not the downloading of shouts.
    • Option to specify the name under which unregistered users shouts appear.
    • Syntax change for the /ban, /ignore, /del, /pm commands : Possibility to use them with the username or the userid (For more information about the new syntax, check the help button in the chatbox).
  • Removed functionnalities :
    • vBAdvanced integration [TEMPORARLY] => See this for integration with this version https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=163628

This hack is very light in term of queries : only one for every recharging / refreshment of the chatbox and 5 for the statistics in the load of the page if you actiate them. If you don't activate advanced options of course as stated aside each in the acp

Installation

Read the file "Installation" in the pack.

Once the installation is ended, go in usergroups and edit permissions to see the Chatbox.

By default, no group has access to the chatbox.

Screenshots

The screenshots are in french as I have made it on an online website which is in french. Don't hesitate to give me new one if you want in english

They are up to date of 1.3 version.

See the following post : https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost.php?p=1292136&postcount=559

User manual

Coming soon ...

Copyright

This hack is under copyright MGC (Mtor&Grog Corporation) 2007-forever and was developed for vBulletin-Resources.com & vb-hacks.org. Its redistribution on another forum that vbulletin-ressources.com, vb-hacks.org or vbulletin.org are prohibited without aggreement of the authors!

Evolutions and improvements

This sixth version of the chatbox is already very complete, but like each product, its evolution depends on all. Then don't hesitate especially to share your ideas of improvements so that we can improve even more this chatbox.

Languages

Actually available :

1. French
2. English
3. Arabic [Translator : alessai]
4. German [Translator : captainslater]
5. Vietnamese [Translator : Anhyeu12000]
6. Turkish [Translator : neutralizer and bocek]
7. Spanish [Translator : obmob] [TO BE UPDATED FOR 1.5]

To be available [Translation in progress] :

1. Bosnian [Translator : Benjaminbih]

[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']For the translators : phrases with version number 1.5 in the English language file are the one that have been modified or added in the new version so you should probably find the modification for your language file easily.[/font]

Contact me if you want to participate and add your own country language file

Support

Several possible problems are explained in the file "Read Me"
Chatbox in iBProarcade and vBadvanced CMPS

See the readme file for iBProarcade.

For vbadvanced, a module is available here : https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=163628.

FAQ

Q: I installed the chatbox but it doesn't display
R: Check if you have allowed users (permissions in usergroups)

Q: I see shouts but in the collapsed chatbox
R: You can specify number of shouts in the collapsed chatbox. If you don't want to see it, put "0" for this option.

Q: The chatbox doesn't display below or in the top of one of the pages while in the other position it displays
R: You use a style and it's possible that variables used in templates aren't present. (Read the file "Read Me")

Q: I have a problem with accents in the Chatbox
R: Read the file "Read Me"

Q: How to change the value of color for date and for command /me?
R: When you add additionnal CSS for each style, you can change color in class CSS.

Thanks to Sofia for her earlier help on the chatbox.

You can donate if you want to show your support

Last version - MGC Chatbox Evo available : here

[Adam21]

Good job,looks great!Installing it now,thank you!

*Clicks Install*

*Edited:Installed and works perfectly fine on 367PL1!Installation is easy and less than a minute!

[Sofia]

Older version features

• 1.0 : Creation of the first version
  • MGC Chatbox Options:
    • Enable/Disable of the Chatbox
    • Chatbox Height and Widht of the field input
    • Choose the number of messages in collapsed chatbox and expanded chatbox
    • Enable/Disable automatic refreshment and you can specify a value of refreshment.
    • Allow text formatting BBCODE, URL and IMG
    • You can choose the number of smilies on the menu
    • Choice of number of smilies that an user can use in his shouts
    • You can choose the date color of the Chatbox
    • Display the chatbox on index, in the forums or in the theads
    • Choose the position of the chatbox on index/forums/threads
    • Enable/Disable command /me, choice of the command color
    • Enable/Disable command /team, choice of command color and usergroups who can see and use it
    • You can specify which usergroups can manage his shouts (delete and edit)
    • Enable/Disable the display of Chatbox statistics on the index
    • You can choose the number of days for the automatic deletion of messages (cron)
    • You can consult the archives of Chatbox
    • Choice of the number of messages per page for the archives
  • Usergroups permissions:
    • Usergroups who can use the Chatbox
    • You can specify a number of posts that an user must have to use the Chatbox
    • Usergroups who can manage his shouts
  • Banishment of users via the users manager
  • Enable/Disable the automatic deletion of old messages with the scheduled tasks manager
  • Automatic sending of a private message to the banned user
  • You can edit shouts by double-clicking on them in the Chatbox or in archives (AJAX)
  • Deletion of shouts via a little red cross in archives (AJAX)
  • Automatic/manual refreshment of Chatbox (AJAX)
  • Sending shouts without the loading of page (AJAX)
  • You can download archives in TXT, CSV or XML
• Version 1.1:
  • Fixed bugs:
    • Enlarge Chatbox when you click on the display of BBCODES (IE)
    • Problem with the display of smilies (IE)
    • Display statistics in archives
    • Automatic parse of url when BBCODE URL is allowed
  • New features:
    • Banishment via the Chatbox with 3 new commands : /ban, /deban and /showban)
    • Automatic MP sending on user ban
    • You can see all banned users with the command /showban
    • You can ban an user for a specific period (you can lift a ban automatically by a scheduled task)
    • You can display the Chatbox on a full page (you can specify the full page chatbox height)
    • Add a chatbox menu in navbar when you enable the display of full page Chatbox
    • Split of shouts in two tabs: one for the general messages and the other one for shouts /team (use 2 channels)
    • BBCODE color is now included for the shouts /team
    • Colors of shouts /me et and shouts date for each style via the CSS
    • Options in the user profile for the selection of default font, color and size
    • You can add an announcement at the top of the Chatbox (for rules for example)
  • Deleted features:
    • Banishment via the users manager in the admincp
    • Color of command /team
• Version 1.2 :
  • Fixed Bugs:
    • Problem with CSS overflow with Opera and Safari
    • Full mode permissions
    • Strange number of queries when unregistered users
    • Prevent downloads shouts when there isn't
    • Fonts size in Statistics
  • New features:
    • Command /del all independent according to channels (when the two channels are enabled).
    • Users can choose to display chatbox in the usercp (options).
    • Default BBcode B, I and U in usercp (options).
    • You can choose the number of users for the Top X Shouters.
    • Choose the display order of shouts (Newest or oldest at the top).
    • You can choose the editor position in the Chatbox (at the top or below).
    • Adding command /annonce. You can manage announce in the chatbox (and in the options).
    • You can choose to use chatbox with two channels (normal and team) or simply one general channel and team shouts appear in this channel.
    • You can change chatbox title.
    • New usergroups permissions for commands like team and me, ...
    • Enable/disable date in the chatbox.
    • You can specify users who can use command /team (if they don't have permissions in their usergroup).
    • Specify your team prefix (appear in the chatbox) when the team channel is disabled.
    • Choose your date format for the chatbox.
  • Deleted features:
    • Deletion of options for users can manage chatbox and use command /team (based on usergroups permissions now).
• Version 1.3
  • Fixed bugs :
    • Ksort function error when chatbox is empty.
    • Error in the top shouters phrase in the archives.
    • Italic selection in the user control panel not taken into account.
    • Date local problem in the chatbox depending on server (% necessary and some server while not on others) - Thanks to Dream from here.
    • Browser sent to the top when clicking on a smiley on some forums (now a click on the smiley bump the browser to the top of the chatbox).
    • In the oldest shouts first mode, the scrolling bar is not at the bottom thus forcing the user to scroll in order to view new shouts.
    • "Can view" permission only not working properly.
    • Team image disapearance when clicking on it on IE6.
  • New features :
    • All chatbox buttons redesigned - Thanks to Raz from vbulletin-ressources.com
    • Opacity effect on select channel button.
    • New option to add a delete cross directly aside the shouts (in addition to the one in the archives).
    • Selection of the maximum size selectable by users for the SIZE BBCODE.
    • New option to select the items the users can choose for the default shouts formatting in their user control panel.
    • /announce command added as an equivalent of the /annonce one.
    • Possibility to hide the refresh displaying elements (animated gif and refresh button).
    • New options to hide the time or the date or both.
    • Option to activate the chatbox on all the pages (all or define ones through a list). Two implementation possibilities :
      • Above the navbar.
      • Or in the $mgc_chatbox global variable which can be used in the pages corresponding templates.
    • Idle mode which permits to disable the refresh of the chatbox when a user hasn't participated to the chatbox since a define time period (timeout). Can be enable/disabled from the acp, along with the time period value.
    • Dropdown menu in the archives to show only team shouts (if user has the right) or only generals or both.
    • Warning system when a new shout is available in the team channel with the chatbox in 2 channels mode (animated gif). Both activation/deactivation and time period for the new shouts presence checks can be done within the acp.
    • /ignore (ignore shouts from a particular user), /showignore (view ignored users list), /deignore (remove a user from your ignored users list) commands added.
    • New channel activable from the acp to allow defined usergroups to view who is actually online in the chatbox.
    • Split of options in four groups.
  • Removed features :
    • None
• 1.4 :
  • Fixed bugs :
  • • Scrolling not working properly when oldest shouts first is selected.
    • Problem of page bumped to the top when clicking on smilies.
    • Inactive mode problem when chatbox is collapsed.
    • Js error when clicking on wol channel button (experienced only by Adam21).
    • When team command is not active, clicking on the wol button and then back to the normal button make a second normal button appears.
    • When a user disables the chatbox from its ucp, he can't activate it again.
    • Problem when having a smilieys smileys like : : D and \ : D /..
    • When delete cross is active in the chatbox there is an alignment problem.
    • In archives, when viewing team shouts only and deleting a shout, the page is back to the view all shouts page.
  • New features :
  • • Random smilies - Thanks to stangger5 from vb.org.
    • Channel name shown on channel buttons' mouseover.
    • Option to align or not the username in the chatbox.
    • Full page mode link directly in the chatbox.
    • Don't count at all team shouts in top X shouters (actually they were counted but only when user viewing the stats has access to the team command).
    • Full page mode as popup or in the same browser window
    • Option to choose the number of shouts in the full page mode independently from the one in the normal mode.
    • Nex commmand : /pm or /mp which allow users to send private shouts (enabled through acp option + usergroup permissions).
    • For the user which have access to this command, a little pen is shown near others username in the chatbox to easier private shouts sending - Thansk to Teepiak from vbulletin-ressources.com for his inspiration on that part
  • Removed features :
    • Aucune

[VBDev]

Originally Posted by Sofia

Reserved.... Good job my darling

Good job too darling I post it thanks to your job on the french to english translation

[beduino]

thanks !
a lot of options [including display modes] makes this hack a very useful code
joao barroca
aka beduino

[Sofia]

Originally Posted by VBDev

Good job too darling I post it thanks to your job on the french to english translation

I made it with pleasure

[Adam21]

In the Admincp options,there's the option for Refreshment Time (in seconds).Does that mean when other users enter their shouts,we wont see their shouts instantly until the shoutbox automatically refresh itself in the given value?

[VBDev]

Yes you are right ! Anyway, you can set this time as you like but I don't think thats it is absolutoly mandatory to see the shout immediatly as it's only a chatbox not a chat

Anyway you can set it to the value you want so you've full freedom on this

[gforce75]

Thanks! I installed it and works smoothly.

[bela-meaad]

i like it
good job

Thanks