Geek Article System 3.52

IMPORTANT:
Please note that I can no longer support this project. Primarily as it is designed for vb3.0.x and I no longer use that version (im obviously on vb3.5x ). There is a version for vb3.5 however its a commercial script. This project is left here for the community.
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HowdA All.

The GAS3 system is a comprehensive article system that completely integrates into vB3.

News:

• Updated 3/08/05 to version 3.53 for compatability with vb3.08
• Updated 13/05/05 to version 3.52!!! Posts for 3.52 to integrate with GAL4.0 start here

History

Originally, I looked into other article systems to integrate with my forums but just got irritated over and over again as I found the other offering out there very limiting for my needs. I wanted to use my members usergroup permissions, the search facility (so when someone did a search for 'bob' both articles AND threads appeared on one page), I also wanted wysiwyg editing and vBs attachment system. Well, I accomplished 99% of my needs with the Geek Article System 2.0
Why 3.0? While the 2.0 was fine for my needs, many users began asking for a far more complex system that took the beauty of 2.0 and added popular features in the other article systems.

Here are the features in a nutshell:

• Integrates 100% into vB. No importing forums or creating special groups. Simply mark forum as an 'Article' forum and instantly all threads become articles. Dont like it anymore? Simply remove the ID and the therads and forums go back to normal.
• Whatever you can do in a thread or post, you can do with the GAS3 system (uploading attachments, smiles, BBcode, various editors, yadayadayada)
• Adding on the above point: all the differing vB editors (wysiwyg, etc..), usergroup permissions (heck - anything you can set for a forum you can set in this - AND MORE!) why> because it is totally integrated!
• Create multiple pages in your post by simply putting [BREAK] anywhere in your post.
• The first thumbnail in an article substitutes the posters avatar (switchable via admincp)
• Upload header images and have them auto resize
• Choose header images from a global (or forum specific) gallery
• Integrated article byline.
• Synopsis - allows users to give a summary that appears on the new forumdisplay
• New forumdisplay shows article header image and synopsis (if no synopsis then the first X amount of characters from the article is used)
• Synopisis allows BBCode
• Integrates with the Geek AutoLink system (optional)
• Allows you to post as other users
• Article sidebar that shows the article rating, your rating, the rating form, article tools, and article attachments (all toggable via admincp)
• An auto installer/upgrader/uninstaller that makes all file edits for you!
• A whole host of other tiddlybits that I wont bore you with

Special thanks goes to rlamego, peterska2, Snow, Gldtn, and Magic Spark for private Beta testing this for me. Couldnt of happened without them!

Change log
13.05.05 - updated to 3.52
All this does is update GAS for the GAL4.0 integration.
To update, simply replace your existing functions_geekarticles.php with the one in the latest package.

18.3.05 - updated to 3.51
This really just fixes a couple of mega minor bugs.
Added new default icon per forum functionality (see readme)
Wrote a real README.
Wrote a seperate 3.5x upgrade script. Users of 3.5x should run admincp/gas3_upgrade.php

16.3.05 - updated to 3.50
Loads of new features and a new installer that makes the file changes for you.
New forumdisplay
Uploading of images for your header
Synopsis box
yadayadayda

10.2.05 - updated to 3.02
Fixed typo in readme (step 2.6 referenced $articlebyline instead of $GAS_byline). This bug fixes the disappearing byline when editing an article.
To upgrade - edit your editpost template and search for $articlebyline then replace it with $GAS_byline

Importers
I have made an importer for v3articles. Technically speaking, you dont have to strictly have GAS3 installed to use the importer (though it is ideal). What it does is essentailly import v3articles, comments, ratings, and attachments into existing forums as new threads, replies, threadratings, and post attachments. The idea is that you install GAS3, create the forums to house your articles, and then import your existing v3articles into them (but as I said, you can simply import v3articles into normal forums without having GAS3 installed).
There is also a rollback feature in case you change your mind or experience a problem with the import. Your v3articles installation isnt touched. In fact, no v3articles are harmed in the process

Known issues:

• none that I am aware of.

Demos: (note that I have a custom skin, so your results will be ever so slightly different)
http://www.thenailgeek.com/showthread.php?t=11287
http://www.thenailgeek.com/showthread.php?t=8801 - pages with comments (click View Comments to see comments only)


Difficulty - EASY
Time - about 5 minutes
File modifications? a few but now all done automatically for you

Change log:

Updated to 3.01 Feb 7th
Fixed a couple template errors and minor readme instructions


Instructions

Click install. I have busted my butt over the past few weeks to do this and all I ask is that you click install if you use it

• Download the package and unzip.
• Follow the README!
• Ther installer does all the work for you
• When done, go into your admncp, and adjust your settings

Troubleshooting:

• No phrases after install? This happens a lot with many installers for some bizzare reason. All you have to do is do a phrase search for GAS_ , edit the phrase (dont change it), then save it. Bingo - all your phrases appear.

Also:

I would therefore backup your DB, your styles, and any of the files the README asks you to change.

nJoy

[oceanart]

The Geek - ahhhhh - you have answered my questions to the fullest. Completely happy and your support is by far the greatest. Enjoy your vacations. My site will go live soon so I will be able to show of my articles :-) thanks to you, clayton and everyone who has helped.

Thank You.
Paul

[Clayton]

for this setting

URL to default image can be relative (i.e. gas/images/default.jpg)

each time I enter the relative path of

gas/images/default.jpg

it keeps resetting it with a / before the gas/images/default.jpg

this causing the default.jpg not to show

any suggestions please?

[TCB]

Is anyone hosting his/her vbulletin at Powweb AND has Geek Articles running?

[Lizard King]

Originally Posted by TCB

Is anyone hosting his/her vbulletin at Powweb AND has Geek Articles running?

Not me but i know someone running on powwed web .

[N2activeWeb]

We just installed GeekArticle and Latest Geek Article. Can someone please tell me how to use Geek Article. I am looking in my admincp and I don't anything about articles or where to make a forum an article based forum.

Thank You

[DarkDestinyD]

I have a full question...i have VBAdvanced installed as well as Geeks Articles of course ..now i run a gaming forum thats about to REopen and i will have different admins writing reviews and previews and news on games,movies etc etc

What i want is to have the Article Display image to display on the front of the portal instead of our avatars is there anyway to do this? In reallllllyyyy dont want to go through 80 pages to not find the answer i already went through 15 lol. I would install the featured Featured Article but we want it to just list normally like you would do regular news on a portal instead of just being a few/1 post thats featured.

[Robert Basil]

Originally Posted by DarkDestinyD

I have a full question...i have VBAdvanced installed as well as Geeks Articles of course ..now i run a gaming forum thats about to REopen and i will have different admins writing reviews and previews and news on games,movies etc etc

What i want is to have the Article Display image to display on the front of the portal instead of our avatars is there anyway to do this? In reallllllyyyy dont want to go through 80 pages to not find the answer i already went through 15 lol. I would install the featured Featured Article but we want it to just list normally like you would do regular news on a portal instead of just being a few/1 post thats featured.

I would love to find out how to do this as well. I think it might be an option to ask for in the VBA forums though.

[TCB]

Originally Posted by Lizard King

Not me but i know someone running on powwed web .

Great.... And do you know if the 'article icon' uploadtool works for him/her?

[ccplim]

Originally Posted by The Geek

ccplim - sounds lie your php/apache precess is lacking permission to overwirte the files. That means the files themselves do not have write permissions enabled. Cant really help you there but Im sure if look at them again you may see how to set them.

Hi The Geek,

Thank you for the reply. I am thinking about the permission issue too. Anyway, I have performed the manual installation (it isn't that hard) and it seems to work great.

A couple of things that I would like to bring up.
1) Is it possible to have multiple authors per article? I have some articles that came from 2 or more members and it would be good if all their names can be credited.

2) Is it possible to set the number of images limit independently from the other forums? I have some articles with many pictures (I am using the [img] code and not using attachement) but at the same time, I want to limit the number of image that my members can post in the other forums.

[trulylowcarb]

Geek,
Hope I didn't miss this, but I can't seem to find it elsewhere - I want the comments to always be shown along with the content, and vice versa - my people can't seem to get why when they follow a recent comment, the recipe or review that is being referenced isn't automatically shown, along with the comments. Is there any way to alter this? Thanks in advance.