Integration with vBulletin - YAFB - Yay! Another Facebook Bridge

This is not just a "port" for vBulletin 4 of this modification, this is the next version of the modification which support both vBulletin 4 and vBulletin 3 family

IMPORTANT: FILE ISSUES HERE: http://code.google.com/p/vbulletinfacebook/issues/list (require a Google Account)

Yay! Another Facebook Bridge 3.3.2
Tested to work with vBulletin 3.7.x and 3.8.x (3.6.x requires some manual edit, contact me for detail instruction)
Tested to work with vBulletin 4.0 (use different .xml import file)
Please note: this product requires PHP5. If you get weird error messages, please check if you PHP version is still 4 (which is very old and you should change to PHP5 as soon as possible). Also, MySQL 5 is strongly recommended

[WHAT IS IT?]
There are many vBulletin - Facebook bridge out there but installing is always the problem for most of forum owner. So I decided to build this product from scratch and provide you the ability to install this Facebook Bridge into your forum in 10 minutes. The detail install instruction can be found below (under the Feature section). A few technical notes: This product uses Facebook Connect to maintance connection between vBulletin forums and complicated (and awesome) Facebook servers. All most everything is automatically done by the script, even the Administrators don't need to do any manual editing (yeah, I'm talking about manual templates editing, you WON'T need to edit templates each time you implement a new style). Once again, most of everything is options which can be enabled/disabled via AdminCP or UserCP interface. All possible type of caching is use to improve performance and reduce heavy PHP load on server side or javascript load on client side. Well, it's quite a long paragraph for introducing. Let's make it work!

[SEE IT IN ACTION]
Screencast:
1. Installation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ComjeipReE4
2. Connecting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7m85O_iX70
3. Posting and Notifications: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBwwiffLvJ8
Demo board:
vBulletin 3.8: http://daohoangson.com/vb38
vBulletin 4: http://daohoangson.com/vb40
Authentication Username: demo. Password: demo.

[MAIN FEATURE]
*** Damn easy to install!
1. Loaded with long list of actions/notifications: posting thread, posting reply, rating thread, sending pm, sending visitor message, uploading image (avatar/profile picture), uploading pictures, comment on pictures. This list are designed to be expandable easily later by me or other people who loves to develope this product (well, if you do, contact me right now!)
2. Ability to quick register with Facebook credential but Administrator can disable this function via AdminCP. Facebook proxied email addresses are handled completely and vBulletin can send email without any problems (of course, the member must grant the Email extend permission). There is a setting in AdminCP to disallow Facebook proxied email addresses also for boards that need email explicitly
3. Ability to auto login with Facebook session (Administrator can turn this on or off in AdminCP and members can enable or disable this feature on their accounts either)
4. Other abilities: Display a profile block on vBulletin member page. Display a wall tab/box on Facebook profile page. Synchronize avatar from Facebook.
5. [AdminCP] Administrator can "edit" template bundle easily. Actually the old template will be deactivated, the new template will be registered and then all action associated with the old template with be updated with the new template bundle id. Oops, why you need to care about all of it? I did it for you already! Just go the the editing page and click Edit. Yay! All done
6. [AdminCP] Staffs can manage connected users and see basic information about them (including granted permissions)
7. [AdminCP] Administrator can decide to: migrate connected users from other products to YAFB, restrict private forums from being posted to Facebook, view detail log of YAFB in action, send notifications to connected users
*. [Experimental] I have added a fun feature that generate the Fans List, the photo will be posted to new thread with friend tagged (if available). The main purpose of this bonus feature is to demostrate the ability of the bridge. If you have an idea, contact me and I will implement it if I can
*. [Experimental] Friend Inviting functionality is added. Access from UserCP > Facebook Bridge > Invite Friends

[CHANGE LOG]
Version 3.3.2 (released on Jun 10, 2010): Register On-the-fly issue with vBulletin 3.8.4 fixed
Version 3.3.1 (released on Jun 08, 2010): Bug fixes and Migration for vBulletin 4.0.3
Version 3.3 (released on Apr 06, 2010): Auto login related features added. User experience reached a new higher level!

[NEW INSTALLATION]
*. Upload all files/folders in folder "upload" into your forum root (Please upload before importing product)
1. Import Product:
1.1. Go to AdminCP
1.2. Plugins & Products ~> Manage Products ~> Add/Import Product:
1.2.1. Browse to the .xml file (use product-yafb.xml for vBulletin 3 and product-yafb_vb4.xml for vBulletin 4)
1.2.2. Click Import

2. Fill the settings:
2.1. Go to AdminCP
2.2. vBulletin Options ~> vBulletin Options ~> Yay! Another Facebook Bridge
2.2. Create a Facebook Application if you haven't had one for your forum. Refer to the Creating Facebook Application below if you don't know how to do it
2.3. Fill the API key and Secret into the approriate fields. You can leave the Template fields untouch (the will be filled automatically). If you want to use the Account Reclamation feature, please place http://domain.com/forums/register.php?do=fbb_reclaim into Account Reclamation URL field. With other fields, it's your decision to made
2.4. Click Save and you are done!

2.* Creating Facebook Application:
2.*.1. Go to Facebook Developer > Create Application page http://www.facebook.com/developers/createapp.php (login if you didn't)
2.*.2. Enter the Application Name. Suggestion: Put your forum name here. Don't forget to tick the Agree radiobox and then click Save Changes
2.*.3. Now you can get your API Key and Secret (that are needed in step 2.3)
2.*.4. And go to the Connect tab, fill your forum url into Connect URL, fill your domain into Base Domain.
2.*.5. You are done with required information. But you can go through other tab and enter more detail about your forum, your application. I suggest putting a nice icon, banner into it. Happy customizing!

[UPGRADING]
Just upload overwrite files/folders then reimport the xml file. Do not forget to check "Yes" under "Allow Overwrite" to upgrade

[CONFLICT]
Since this product interfere with the registration procedure, I have found some other plugins/products that conficts with this product. Below is the full list of known confict and action taken to resolve the issue
No Spam (Human Verification): Temporary disabled during Facebook registration
vMail (Email Verification): Temporary disabled during Facebook registration

[OTHER PLUGINS/PRODUCTS]
I have developed an easy to use options/permissions system that allow other plugins/products to add it's actions into this bridge and let the forum members experience a whole new era of connections. I did a small demostration with my kBank System (which is a money system with award/thank functionality and a useful hiding feature) and it runs pretty well. If you are interested in testing kBank in action with YAFB, contact me. If you are a developer who wants to integrate your plugins/products with this Bridge, contact me either! You are all welcome
*Also available: Publishing Blog (vBBlog) to Facebook [New! Updated on Jan 10th, 2010]


[KNOWN ISSUES]
FILE HERE: http://code.google.com/p/vbulletinfacebook/issues/list (require a Google Account)

[AllinJac]

Originally Posted by vidan

If by any chance, facebook apps is update again, and therefore we need an update in this mod/addons/script to make our member can log-in again through the forum, and mrpaint late to update, so all member can't login? because fbconnect must be update first, or we can login ourself by username and password as usual?
thanks

Can login with user name and password...

You have to remember when FB Updates stuff NOT everyone is alerted about changes till usually AFTER they happen...

FOR A FREE PRODUCT, Mr. Paint is a God send for doing what he does...

I don't think you are complaining about this FREE product I just thought it necessary to point that out as he is working hard for us to be happy for FREE!

Guys if you like this MOD not only add it to the MOD of the Month but feel free to throw a few bucks his way. Of course this is not mandatory but this is by far the BEST mod to connect to FB and without him continuing to support it we will all be in trouble

Thanks

[AllinJac]

Originally Posted by hIBEES

Thanks for this, moving to this from the unsupported facebook connect...

Small problem...

vb 3.8.5

When I log in its not letting me use my already registered account on my forums and trying to make me register?


I've added the reclaim info into the connect section on the developers section.

Any idea's?

Thanks

EDIT: Apologises never set my user cp up to connect...

Another small prob which I need to sort, its not posting to my wall? Does this version do that or does it just notify all my facebook friends?

YES it does support the ability to connect to the wall...

When you post a quick or regular reply you will see check boxes in the bottom that should be checked to post to FB...

Now in saying that there are sometimes issues for me (1 out of 50 or so) that do not post for whatever reason...

Then all I do is if I have to post that I just go back to the thread and post and click the F button for FACEBOOK in the bottom right hand corner to repost it to my wall for everyone to see!!!

Hope this helps!

Thanks,

[AllinJac]

Originally Posted by Bacon Butty

Guys, when this product is enabled I am receiving this error at the very top of the page;



and this prompt in the centre;



Any ideas? This only happens when a member attempt to view a thread which they have replied to.

Any help would be great, as this mod is vital to our forum and I cant keep it disabled.

Sorry no idea on this but when you find out could you please update us with the issue so we can help others if this happens again!

Thanks

[Digital Jedi]

Originally Posted by filt

Ooh... there it is...

The whole registreation through facebook is a bit weird... Asked a few friends of mine to try it, its alot of steps and not really logic.

It has a lot of options, not steps. Getting it up and running it actually quite simple. You can post the demo video from YouTube if you want to teach your users how to configure the additional options, which are also just a bunch of yes/no abilities.

[Bacon Butty]

I'm been tweaking my template so this Facebook bridge is more prominent as I think it's kinda disguised, as epitimised by members replying to this thread wondering where the login is once installed...

Anyway, I've stuck the link in the top like so;



At the moment it links to the page on /facebook.php , prompting the user to take a second click on the icon to prompt this login box;



Does anyone know how to call that login box from clicking the first link? Rather than having to go to /facebook.php ?

[mrpaint]

I'm getting lost, can you (who ran into bugs) file issue here: http://code.google.com/p/vbulletinfacebook/issues/list (require a Google Account)

Thank you

[mrpaint]

Big news today: version 3.3 is out!

Everyone who is running YAFB should upgrade this version right away since it has a killer feature, sorry, 2 killer features:

1. User doesn't have to go to facebook.php anymore (of course, in a few situations, they will have to as it's necessary)
2. User who doesn't connected and registered can have their new account with 1 click! New account will be registered "on-the-fly" with pattern predefined in AdminCP

Install the new version and go straight to AdminCP, Settings page to check them out right now. The 2 new settings are: "Activate on System Wide" (for 1st feature) and "Auto Register On-the-fly" (for 2nd feature). Imagine when you enable both these 2 features, it will really become a seamless user experience!

[gurler]

Still not working for new registration, after loged in who is not registered.

edit: i am sorry.. the problem coused by a phrase which i edited. thank you mrpaint. it works.

[hollosch]

Update works ! Now i wait for feedback of my new (and existing) users ;-)

[CoZmicShReddeR]

OMG lol 3.3 my navbar vanished and logout and login vanished...