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

[COBRAws]

/me orders slave to click install

hehe done

[The Geek]

rampag - looks fine to me from scanning it. The reason the file changes were not done was because the changed files sit in gas/changes/ until you move them.

Regardling clicking last post and getting the comment instead of the article - once again thats kind of how it works. In the next version I will look toward doing a 'preview' of the article at the top of each comment page.

[Rampag33]

Alright went ahead and moved the edited files. Still came up with an error saying "geek_articles" wasn't created.

Ran this query found in another post:

CREATE TABLE `geek_articles` ( `threadid` int(11) NOT NULL default '0', `byline` varchar(150) NOT NULL default '', `userid` int(11) NOT NULL default '0', `iconpath` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '', `synopsis` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '', `feature_untill` int(11) NOT NULL default '0', PRIMARY KEY (`threadid`)) TYPE=MyISAM;

After running that. Everything worked fine. Great Job ... cliccs install.

Is there a way I can have a page like articles.php that shows all the articles?

[arob42]

What directories and files are required to have 777 permission after installation?

The reason I ask is because someone was able to place a mass mailing script on my website that was generating lots of spam to thousands of random email addresses, all in my name. I narrowed this down to a executable, named tt.txt, in my forum/gas directory.

[The Geek]

hmmm...

Not sure how a txt file could execute - regardless I must confess that Im no expert on that subject. I thought they would still need ftp access to your site to write into the directory. GAS has the ability to limit what content can be uploaded (by extension) to prevent executables being uploaded.

Ill see what I can find out but in the meantime you can try:
1- Turn off the ability to upload their own images - just use the gallery side of things. Then you can chmod to normal permissions.
2- I havent tried this, but in theory: only Apache needs write access so maybe try making the owner of the gab/images folder (and sub directories) Apache, and give the apache user write permissions and the group read/execute.

Im open to any other suggestions.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Chances are big that this was not done using GAS, but that this file by coincidence ended up in the GAS directory.

This kind of hack is mostly done by someone gaining access to your server using Telnet/SSH (or maybe FTP) and placing his files in many directories, probably also using many different names, or even modifying existing files.

You should consider your server as infected and insecure at this time, and your passwords to be compromised. I suggest you contact your host about cleaning the server and resetting all passwords.

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by MarcoH64

Chances are big that this was not done using GAS, but that this file by coincidence ended up in the GAS directory.

This kind of hack is mostly done by someone gaining access to your server using Telnet/SSH (or maybe FTP) and placing his files in many directories, probably also using many different names, or even modifying existing files.

You should consider your server as infected and insecure at this time, and your passwords to be compromised. I suggest you contact your host about cleaning the server and resetting all passwords.

I agree with Marco.

On a side note - I have ran some tests and the GAS folder (and contents) can (and I guess should) be chmod 0775 as long as the apache (or nobody, or whatever account PHP runs under) has ownership and therefore access to write.

[arob42]

Originally Posted by MarcoH64

Chances are big that this was not done using GAS, but that this file by coincidence ended up in the GAS directory.

This kind of hack is mostly done by someone gaining access to your server using Telnet/SSH (or maybe FTP) and placing his files in many directories, probably also using many different names, or even modifying existing files.

You should consider your server as infected and insecure at this time, and your passwords to be compromised. I suggest you contact your host about cleaning the server and resetting all passwords.

I am still looking into exactly how this happened. It was an old polling script that was compromised, but it was accessing the tt.txt file in the gas directory to do its dirty deed. It changed the permission on tt.txt to executable and then executed it using a tool25.dat hacking tool by the hacker known as r3v3ng4ns. Grrrrr

[arob42]

On another subject, is streaming media supported by this product? I'd like to display some video in parts of the articles. Thanks.

Regards,
--Robert

[The Geek]

Never tried it - however I wouldnt think it would be a problem. No different than sticking a streaming media clip in a post. You may have to create a new bbcode for it.

HTH's