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

[class101]

MGC Chatbox 1.5 & vBadvanced CMPS Integration

First read the documentation to build the chatbox module in vBa, I assume you already have your Chatbox template module linked to a template adv_portal_mgc_chatbox with the variable
$mgc_chatbox into. Then follow theses instructions:

1) MGC Chatbox > Display and position > Display on defined pages above the navbar > NO
2) MGC Chatbox > Display and position > Display on defined pages in a variable > YES
3) vBa CMPS > Default Settings > Main Options > Portal Output Global Variables > Enter the value mgc_chatbox
4) Plugins & Products > Plugin Manager > Product : MGC chatbox : Variables globales chatbox > Click Large Edit Box and start editing as mentioned below:

FIND

	if (THIS_SCRIPT == 'adv_index' && !empty($forumpath)) {
		$mgc_cb_floc = $forumpath;
	} else {
		$mgc_cb_floc = '.';
	}

AND DELETE IT, SAVE THE FILE.

5) Styles & Templates > Style Manager > Edit Templates > MGC Chatbox Templates > mgc_chatbox and start editing as mentioned below:

FIND

var mgc_cb_jsloc = "$mgc_cb_floc";

REPLACE BY

var mgc_cb_jsloc = "$vboptions[bburl]";

FIND

<script type="text/javascript" src="$mgc_cb_floc/clientscript/mgc_chatbox.js"></script>

REPLACE BY

<script type="text/javascript" src="$vboptions[bburl]/clientscript/mgc_chatbox.js"></script>

6) Styles & Templates > Style Manager > Edit Templates > MGC Chatbox Templates > mgc_chatbox_editor and start editing as mentioned below:

FIND

<a href="mgc_chatbox.php?$session[sessionurl]do=view_chatbox" target="_blank">

REPLACE BY

<a href="$vboptions[bburl]/mgc_chatbox.php?$session[sessionurl]do=view_chatbox" target="_blank">

FIND

<a href="mgc_chatbox.php?$session[sessionurl]do=view_chatbox" target="_top">

REPLACE BY

<a href="$vboptions[bburl]/mgc_chatbox.php?$session[sessionurl]do=view_chatbox" target="_top">

Pay attention to correct each steps carefully and MGC will run smoothly (This does not alter in any way how MGC is working, I have checked carefully my modifications the way that it shouldnt produce new bugs or disable functions, but if you have a problem feel free to report.)
It makes MGC no more dependent on directories paths so you must be able to place it in any dir/pages with $mgc_chatbox like vba wich is often placed in another one.

france 0wwnz ) Greetings VBDev , hope I helped you out

[Amiga75]

Great, Thanks.

[class101]

have figured out how to workaround the chatbox width problem on the portal, when you have a small width portal then the chatbox is too long and will break the layout, figured out how to correct it like in the picture attached, if some need explanations feel free to request

[VBDev]

Thanks for your sharing class101.

However, your solution was kinda like the previous way I did the integration with vbportal and also why I removed it.

Let me explain it a bit.

In that code :

var mgc_cb_jsloc = "$vboptions[bburl]";

You're adding the $vboptions[bburl] var. So ajax calls in the mgc_chatbox.js file will be done with a full http url.

Calling ajax with full http url is generally not allowed by browsers (forbidden action in the javascript language definition).

It might work on some host but it might also not work at all on others.

So I recommend to becareful when using your fix as this could not work.

[class101]

No problems in IE and Firefox, who cares of others ? You must try out the various browsers ouuta there but I doubt this is a problem, I have IE 7 + Firefox and there is no problems at all , no scripting error spawn at all so I guess all is ok if both major broswers are rendering it correctly, personnaly I prefer to use that way because the forum path isn't defined in all vbuletin config, most are forgetting to set it up, and having the local path of the computer showable in the source is not really security friendly I mean you just have to read the source of the index to read what is the full system path with the /home included of your box, really not security friendly (that's probably why vbulletin replaces the defaults mysql error page by a standalone one wich looks like a 404 error to hide the path to each errors).

Well anyway you dont like it or not I think I showed you enough to understand from where vbadvanced is giving some complications, that path can be modified in seconds if you prefer another way but the main goal to make 1.5 working with vba is done

[VBDev]

This doesn't seem to depend on the browser.

In the 1.4 version, the code was the same as yours but this caused problem on some host.

Don't know exactly why on some but not all ... But when there was an error it said that this action was not allowed (I mean the call of a js files with full http url).

Putting the $forumpath was the only simple way I found as for now. Indeed it might not be secure enough but the big problem is the full http url in the path.

This problem is not that simple and needs more reflexion to find the perfect solution which I don't have for the moment.

[class101]

a ok I see you mean some web hosting problems. Well then warn in the documentation some host may disallow direct .js linking explaining a workaround for that issue because your script is very fine and that's not to you to workaround stupid server's configuration, just my 2cent mind.

[jonbaker]

new problem. it seems that some users do not have access to the chatbox, but many others do. they are all lumped in the same primary usergroups. the odd think is that i have a test screen name that does not have access to the chatbox when i log in under that name.

[VBDev]

Have you made the modifications to the modifyoptions template ?

[andrewtr89]

Originally Posted by VBDev

It seems that it depends of the server configuration coz user with big boards haven't experienced such problems while few of you have.

What refresh rate have you put for the chatbox ?

Have you activated team message warning system and inactive mode ?

I have the reset rate at 10 seconds.

All Mods and Admins (11 total) have access to the chatbox. Only registered users with 5 or more posts can view it, which is only around 500 members.