Miscellaneous Hacks - Ultimate Side Columns

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

Welcome to Ultimate Side Columns!

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.


Features

USC uses a standard vBulletin Options Interface with minimal template editing involved, to display content in columns on your site.

USC controls both the left and right columns on your site, both of which work independently of each other, and can be displayed on a range of pages through some very simple options.

The only editing required for a standard installation is the header and footer template. For advanced users, the templates for the two columns can also be edited if required. Most users of this system will not need to do this.


Installation

Import the product-ka_ultimate_sidecolumns.xml file as a product through your product manager.

Open your header template and at the very end add

<!-- USC header edit start -->
<table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tr>
$usc_left
<td valign="top">
<!-- USC header edit end -->

Open your footer template and above

$spacer_close

add

<!-- USC footer edit start -->
</td>
$usc_right
</tr>
</table>
<!-- USC footer edit end -->

That is all your template editing done.

Now, go to vBulletin Options > Ultimate Side Columns Options

Here you can set which column you wish to use, and where you want it to appear. Content is also controlled through the options on this page. HTML is allowed in all content boxes.


Configuration

As there are a number of options available, this section explains them all.

First, you have the settings for enabling and disabling the two columns. As these work independently of each other, you can have the left column turned on, the right column turned on, or both turned on. If you need to turn them off for any reason, you can also turn them off here. Also, if you need to disable plugins for any reason, the code is completely disabled meaning that no unsightly white gaps are left on your pages.

Next, we have the width settings for the two columns. If you find that your columns are too wide, or too narrow, then they can be adjusted independently here.

The display pages settings allow you to control where your columns are displayed. These are pretty straightforward, with the exception of the setting adsense appropriate. This option stops the column from being displayed on the following pages in line with the adsense TOS:
- search
- search results
- registration
- contact us
- usercp
This is correct as of todays date. Any changes in the TOS for adsense will only be reflected in any updates as appropriate.

Next are the settings for the content of the left column, followed by the content of the right column. Both sections are prefixed by a blank setting. This is by design and there is not a bug with the code or anything missing.


Adding More Blocks

By design there are five (5) blocks per column. Some people may require more than this. To allow for this, comments have been added to both the usc_sidecolumn_left and usc_sidecolumn_right templates. The comments include a commented out section of code to use as a template for additional blocks. There are also some warning comments present in both templates. Take heed of these as editing other than the places indicated will result in the templates being malformed and the USC system not working correctly.


Support

Support for this modification is extremely limited. However, as everything apart from the two small template edits is controlled directly through the vBulletin options and not through template editing, issues should be minimal.

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 the USC system.

Kerry-Anne




PLEASE NOTE: This modification is unsupported. You may not receive a reply right after posting. Please try and help each other out. I do not support custom styles. If this does not work in your style, and you can confirm that it does not work in the default style (with a link and screenshot) then you will need to resolve the problem yourself. I also do not support any versions earlier than 3.6.5 in any way, shape or form. If you are using it on a version prior to 3.6.5 then no support at all will be provided.



Version 2.0 information


Version 2.0 has been released and can be found here:
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=175181

[BrandiDup]

VERY nice. Thanks!

[Brandon Sheley]

woah, guess I should check out vb.org more often.

Great looking hack.. will see what I can do with it soon

Thanks Kerry-Ann

[armagan]

Originally Posted by nix

Try this.

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....2&postcount=12

I read the info that written in the link you gave
But I dıdnt understand how and where we do those things
Can you explain little bit

[peterska2]

Originally Posted by Bellinis

looks GREAT!

One question though...

I would like to use the sidebar for guests only (advertistement placing)
Is this already an option or can I somehow add this easily?

Thanks!

This may be included in a future version, although there are no guarantees or pressing plans for updates.

Originally Posted by wottech

I can't remember which sidebar hack I am currently using (yours or someone else's), but one thing I did due to requests by members was to make the sidebars collapsable. This way, if people want to see them, then they can. If their screen size doesn't work well with the sidebars, then they can collapse the sidebars when they don't want them and expand when they do need or want them. Just a suggestion... I'd definately be up for it if you did that, as I'm not 100% impressed with the way I did it.

Again, this may be included in a future version.

Originally Posted by UncoderMom

Quick question! Does this show on portal, photoplog or groups etc.. (subdirectories).

Yes, unless you choose one of the <this page> only options.

Originally Posted by beachinxj

Does this work with VB 3.5.4?

Edit: I got it installed on 3.5.4 by removing the execution order lines from the xml. The only issue I am having is in the configuration options page, instead of showing radio buttons to choose where the menus are displayed, it just blurbs out text, with no way to choose.

example:

Display Pages For Left Column
Using this setting you can determine the pages where the left column will be displayed.
    radio:piped 0|all pages 1|forumhome only 2|all pages except forumhome 3|all pages except forumhome and usercp 4|forum display only 5|showthread only 6|adsense appropriate

Does the same thing for the right.

This is not for 3.5.x and is not supported.

[peterska2]

Originally Posted by project-Buckfas

Can colums be shown/hidden to individual usergroups?

This would come in handy for my mods for links to there email e.t.c..

This may be included in a future version.

Originally Posted by mhammed

conditions don't work with this hack

for example
<if condition="$show['guest']">
<if condition="$show['registerbutton']">
<if condition="$show['contactus']"

any idea??

These will only work with direct editing of the templates and not in the easy edit blocks provided.

Originally Posted by dizzy100

Is there anyway to get conditions and include other templates in this hack ? It works great but if i add

$leftcolumn_advertisement (from the advertising mod which is global) to either the left or right column boxes or indeed the templates themselves they just display as $leftcolumn_advertisement instead of the content. Also phrases etc do not parse. Anyone any ideas how to modify that ?

Again, these will only work with direct template editing and not with the easy edit blocks provided.

[peterska2]

Originally Posted by KHALIK

Bish, can you provide me a "example" of the code used to get the image. A screenshot will help me alot.

Thanks.



p.s. I even tried both methods without success

[img]XXX http://www.fragmasters.co.uk/images/HGFMAD2.jpg[/img]
<img>XXXX http://www.fragmasters.co.uk/images/HGFMAD2.jpg</img>

Use

<img src="url to your image" />

Originally Posted by Capper5016

Anyway to maybe add RSS feeds, polls, and/or stats within the blocks?

There are no plans for this.

[peterska2]

Originally Posted by hornstar1337

Well it seems several people are now having the same problem as I first had.

Just incase Amy Misses all the other posts

Confirmend Bug

Please read the posts before this, as there has been a bug confirmed by several members now, not just by me.

Thanks.

ps. running vb 3.6.5

I cannot replicate this on a default style. Therefore, this is either due to custom styles which I do not support, or due to the contents of your easy edit blocks in the vB Options. As no-one to date has provided details of exactly what they have used there, or a link to a site where the problem is visible, I cannot even attempt to guess at what the problem is.

[Smoothie]

Installed, as easy as a walk in the park.

[KHALIK]

Increased delayed of loading time of forum when this mod is installed.

I installed this mod with out any problems, with default columes. Only used one right-handside colum with no text or image.

I noticed there was a significent delayin the load time when that hack is installed. When I uninstalled this hack, the delay was removed.

Are you getting the same problem?

[GruntHalo]

Wow thanks installing now!