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

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by JamesB

Howdy, I seem to be having a problem uploading images after installing GAS onto fresh vB. I get this error when uploading an image:

Warning: move_uploaded_file(/var/www/html/gas/images/3/pass_screen.jpg): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /includes/functions_geekarticles_images.php on line 104

Warning: move_uploaded_file(): Unable to move '/tmp/php1xEqUS' to '/var/www/html/gas/images/3/pass_screen.jpg' in /includes/functions_geekarticles_images.php on line 104

Just wana say thanks for coding this mod. I was hoping to find a hack like this when I wanted to buy vB, and I was over the moon when I found this.

Hey James.

Your paths are not correct. Sadly I cant tell you what they should be as it is different for each server setup. In the setting for the server path, the description gives you a pretty good guess at what it should be for your server - but its only a guess.

[JamesB]

Yikes, it seems I overlooked the path edit within the GAS CP. My Bad :nervous: Works like a charm now

[Nordinho]

Originally Posted by Nordinho

Warning: move_uploaded_file(/hosted/nordinho.com/www/vbull/gas/images/1/godofwar.jpg): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /includes/functions_geekarticles_images.php on line 104

Couldn't it have something to do with capital letters??...the path is /hosted/nordinho.com/WWW/vbull/gas/images/1/godofwar.jpg but for some reason that doesn't get saved...

Originally Posted by Nordinho

Sorry to bug you, but I just can't get the image upload to work...the server is not in megasafe mode and the path is right afaik...except for the capital letters...

Oke, I keep on trying...I replaced the $path=$GAS_setting['server_path_to_images'] on line 72 in functions_geekarticles_images.php with the hardcoded path and I deleted the 'strtolower' on line 101 and 103 of the same file...It seems to work now, the new images get uploaded and are displayed...but by doing it this way, I probably ruined something else...

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by Nordinho

Oke, I keep on trying...I replaced the $path=$GAS_setting['server_path_to_images'] on line 72 in functions_geekarticles_images.php with the hardcoded path and I deleted the 'strtolower' on line 101 and 103 of the same file...It seems to work now, the new images get uploaded and are displayed...but by doing it this way, I probably ruined something else...

naaa. If the strtolower worked for you then its fine. Just keep note of it for future upgrades. Not sure off the top of my head why I would force it to lower case... but that is the most likely reason.

Glad its sorted

[Troy McClure]

Hoping someone could help me out here. Installed 3.51 and everything seemed to go fine but when Igo into my admincp it looks like the image attached. On the side navigation the text for GAS and the underlying link do not appear but I can click on it to get to the settings. In the setting, only the actualy control options appear but not the associated text. Any ideas how to fix this?

Thanks,

Troy

[Kriminal]

Originally Posted by The Geek

Kriminal - that looks ok - I suspect maybe another file edit error.
Is it only the forumdisplay of articles that come up blank or was it all forumdisplays that were getting blanked?

All forumdisplay, articles and regular forums.

Thanks !

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by Troy McClure

Hoping someone could help me out here. Installed 3.51 and everything seemed to go fine but when Igo into my admincp it looks like the image attached. On the side navigation the text for GAS and the underlying link do not appear but I can click on it to get to the settings. In the setting, only the actualy control options appear but not the associated text. Any ideas how to fix this?

Thanks,

Troy

search for a GAS_ phrase, edit it and then save it to rebuild them.

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by Kriminal

All forumdisplay, articles and regular forums.

Thanks !

Then there is a file edit error or a conflict with another modification guaranteed.
Why not revert forumdisplay back with the gas/changes/backup/forumdisplay.php and manually go step by step through the file changes.

[JamesB]

Howdy, sorry to bother you again but the way I access GAS is not through the main Admin CP, but the actual GAS_admin.php file. It doesnt seem to show up probably because I renamed the admincp to something else for security. Do you know what I need edit to get GAS admin cp to show up in the main cp?

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by JamesB

Howdy, sorry to bother you again but the way I access GAS is not through the main Admin CP, but the actual GAS_admin.php file. It doesnt seem to show up probably because I renamed the admincp to something else for security. Do you know what I need edit to get GAS admin cp to show up in the main cp?

in the readme it recommended renaming your admincp dir back to the default for the install.
However you can simply run the install again, but ONLY CHOOSE the manual file change Link.
THere you will see a list of all file changes needing to be made. Look for the admincp/index step, click on it and follow the directions to manaully edit your admincp/index.php file.

HTH's