Major Additions - GRPS: Groups Commune 2.0.x

Welcome ladies and gentleman, this is the release thread for GRPS, an interactive groups commune. I hope you enjoy this release and i sincerely hope it provides everything to your community in which you're looking for.

What is it?
It's a groups commune. The original idea is that forums with lots and lots of forums on the front-page suck, as a result i thought most of the conversation was rather obscure in regards to what the forums were trying to achieve, so it'd be nice to have that all going on elsewhere, not detracting away from the content and stopping your front-page from looking like a car crash.

Features?

• Groups Home
  
  • Groups Activity List
    
    • Newest Groups
      
    • Most Popular Groups
      
    • Largest Groups
      
  • Category List
    
  • Group Search by Title
    
  • Group Sort by Alphabetical Title, Categories, Member Count
    
    
  • Users can create groups
    
  • Admin switch to moderate groups or not
    
    • Admin CP access to moderation panel
      
• Groups Page
  
  • Posts since last visit notification
    
  • Group Info
    
    • Group Leader shown with avatar
      
    • Category
      
    • Type
      
      • Groups can be listed as public, private or hidden
        
    • Start Date
      
    • Member count
      
    • Post count
      
  • Group Desciption
    
    • Shows group title
      
    • Shows random image
      
    • Shows group information set by group leader
      
  • Groups Thread List (Forum)
    
    • Status Icon
      
    • Title
      
      • Threads use postbit as per the forums
        
    • Thread Author with avatar and time that the thread was started
      
    • Last reply with avatar, username and time that the last reply was posted
      
    • Post New Thread Button
      
      • Groups Members can create threads
        
  • Newest Members
    
    • Shows five newest members
      
    • Link to view all members
      
      • Shows all members of the group
        
  • Group Options
    
    • Users can join/leave groups
      
      • PM Notification for group leaders upon join requests (when moderation enabled).
        
      • PM Notification for of acceptance or refusal.
        
    • Users can send invites to other users via PM
      
• Groups Thread
  
  • Groups Info Box (see above for more info)
    
  • Group Description box (see above for more info)
    
  • Newest Members List (see above for more info)
    
  • List of groups posts using forums postbit
    
  • Pagination using native vBulletin pagination
    
  • Group Leader/Moderation Options
    
    • Open/Close Thread
      
    • Stick Thread
      
    • Delete Thread
      
  • Users have the ability to report posts
    
  • Moderators have the ability to view IP and host.
    
• Group Leader Options
  
  • Groups Management
    
    • WYSIWYG Editor
      
    • Reason for editing box
      
    • Group Options
      
      • Private Posts
        
      • Only group leader can make threads
        
      • Moderate Members
        
      • Show group text edit details
        
      • Hide group image on group pages
        
      • Hidden Group
        
        • This option is only available to admins
          
  • Group Members Moderation
    
    • Ability to accept or deny new members
      
• Postbit Integration
  
  • View Users Groups
    
• User Control Panel (Integration)
  
  • List of groups appears in usercp in order of the last post
    
• Administrator Options
  
  • vBulletin Options
    
    • Turn groups on or off
      
    • Groups Limit Per User
      
    • Posts Per Page (threads)
      
    • Check Forum Activity Posts
      
    • Check Forum Activity Time
      
    • Number of Random Images
      
    • Turn email notification of new groups on/off
      
  • Usergroup Options
    
    • Can view groups
      
    • Can create groups
      
    • Can join groups
      
    • Can post messages in groups
      
    • Can edit messages in groups
      
    • Can delete messages posted in groups
      
    • Numbers of groups usergroup can join limited
      
    • Can moderate groups
      
      • See above for more info
        
    • Can view IP Addresses
      
  • Category Editor
    
    • Edit
      
      • Edit cat id (please not this can ef up your show)
        
      • Edit cat title
        
      • Edit cat description
        
    • Add
      
      • New Cat Title And Description
        
  • Groups Editor
    
    • Search for group by id
      
      • Edit
        
        • Title
          
        • Desciption
          
        • Categoryid
          
        • Group leader id
          
        • Private Posts
          
        • Moderate Members
          
        • Hidden group
          

Special Thanks to harry1951, without his help testing and his recommendations, this would've never ended up the way it did.

Honestly, i can't think of anything else, if you appreciate the work gone into this mod, please donate (in GBP) (right click open in new window)

Hopefully you all appreciate that i just relaunched my site and rather than soak up the atmosphere there or go out drinking i came to release this tonight.

Screens below, rest to your right

Please note this mod does work with 3.5.x

PLEASE DO NOT JOIN MY SITE IN A BID TO PLAY WITH IT OR HAVE A LOOK AT IT FURTHER, MY SITE IS SOMETHING I VALUE FOR BEING SOMEWHERE I CAN CHILL AT, IT'S NOT A TEST SUITE OR DEMO!

Bug Fixes

• Groups v2.0.0 RC1b.zip: fix regarding incorrect table prefixes in index.php and editpost.php
• Groups v2.0.0 RC2.zip: fix regarding incorrect table prefixes in functions_grps.php and class_grps.php. also fix regarding installation instructions.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC3.zip: fix regarding inability to get to create groups page. updated simplified instructions, sadly still not cool html ones and also added ability to delete groups, delete categories and of course the menu options to get to these.
  • Groups v2.0.0 RC3b.zip: fix regarding joining and leaving group depreciated function error added uninstaller to the zip at http://www.yoursite.com/groups/tools...p?do=uninstall
  • Groups v2.0.0 RC3c.zip: fix regarding edit being stated as 70's on group stages, requires re-installtion of the plugin only.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC4.zip: various bug fixes and new general setting, please reupload all files and then reinstall the product.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC5.zip: bug fixes regarding fixing links to forums being broken and forcing redirects for create group outcomes.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC6.zip: various bug fixes including table prefixes in admincp, invitations system now features in-line erroneous username fall-back and clean up regarding broken images in viewthread.php
• Groups v2.0.0 RC7.zip: bug fixes including missing phrases and missing 'noavatar.gif for group leader on groups info.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC8.zip: various bug fixes including missing phrases, smilies not working. new function to turn of new group moderation. form now working on print_no_permission page (thanks Adrian) and something else i forgot.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC9.zip: fixes two spelling mistakes, moves viewthread.php string_replacements to admincp and simplifies the installer experience. (yeah i thought there'd be more to it too).
  • Groups v2.0.0 RC9b.zip: re-fixes two spelling mistakes, fixes a viewthread.php string_replacement via the admincp and turns the default random image count down to that of which is provided.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC10.zip: optimises some of the code, cuts down on queries in exchange for additional joins and now forces compatibility in groups/viewthread.php with vBulletin options. also adds new option in admincp in order to make usercp listing work better out of the box.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC11.zip: fixes a problem with avatars not displaying correctly in thread listing and also optimises the code in membership.php
• Groups v2.0.0.zip: adds and array_merge to the code and smilie popup fixed. now features hooks for plug-in 'easability'. uCS integration moved to external plugin too.
• Groups v2.0.1.zip: removes one hook, fixes problem with membership.php, fixes problem editgroup.php not remembering options and fixes avatar problem.
• Groups v2.0.2.zip: various bug fixes (like missing pagenavs, more elegant removal of reputation button and infraction button and php notices), one or two new features (like intuitive page titles) and now fully phrased.
• Groups v2.0.3.zip: bug fix regarding now being able to select categories. includes a new feature which is basically pagination for the thread listings.
• Groups v2.0.4.zip: bug fix regarding not being able to moderate group memberships.
• Groups v2.0.5.zip: bug fix regarding those introduced via 2.0.4, new features such as double post prevention disable, admins can override privacy settings, usergroup permission text more intuitive and end-user usability increased with modification to threadbit on groups.php. group leaders can now kick users from there groups.
• Groups v2.0.6.zip: bug fix including report, missing edit button and other misc small bugs, new features such as disable hidden groups, allow mods to see private groups, and resign from group handing off to another user.
• Groups v2.0.7.zip: bug fix including fixing post counts, thread goto's and fatal php errors.
• Groups v2.0.8.zip: bug fix regarding inability to delete posts, problem with editing posts and other misc errors.
• Groups v2.0.9.zip: various bug fixes including wywiwyg error, admin cp error and redirect/goto errors.
  • Groups v2.0.9b.zip: fixes problem with upgrade4.php
• Groups v2.0.10.zip: various bug fixes including acknowledging renamed modcp and admincp dir's also adds option regarding removing of posts at group exit/kick.
• Groups v2.0.11.zip: various bug fixes including security/privacy fixes.
• Groups v2.0.12.zip: permission bug fixed.
• Groups v2.0.13.zip: various bug fixes including ability to ignore members in groups and newreply bug.

[seangworld]

can you please post in your description what exactly is the difference between 2.0.9 (what i have) and 2.0.10 ? or at least pm me the diff.

thanks.

[mescalin]

I have a problem with the links in the mod..

ie. when i click create a new group it goes to
/forum/?do=creategroup
instead of
/groups/?do=creategroup

how can i fix that linking problem..?

[daloosaa]

Hi,
ive got an error in Firefox. The User-CP looks like a Car-Crash. But works fine with Internet Explorer. See attachment (Screen record, requires Flash 6). First (normal) view: Internet Explorer 6, 2nd (car-crash ) view: Firefox 2.

Greetings,
Florian

EDIT: Forget about it! Someone has installed Firefox 3 Alpha on my workspace! (that's why it looks so bad) *grml*

[sabret00the]

sorry folks i'm not ignoring the thread. just been very busy. will be back supporting this asap.

[vgevolution]

Hi sabert00the, I'll keep an eye out for those fixes, but in the meantime, I have some suggestions to flesh out the moderation and privacy options.

Right now, as I see it, here's how the two options (moderate and private) work and my observations:

Moderate Members:

• :up: Non-members must be approved to become full members of a moderated group
• :down: If a non-member joins a moderated group, they get a message that they are now a member of that group, not one that tells them they must await approval to be a full member
• :down: The Total Members count increases before the prospective member has been approved
• :down: Non-members can post in public, moderated groups, no membership needed

Private Posts:

• :up: Non-members can't see any threads
• :down: Non-members can see membership info (Total Members, View All Members, Latest Members, etc)
• :down: Non-members can join any "private" area unless it is also moderated.

Other:

• :up: I love the option to only allow the group leader thread-creation permission
• :up: Kicking - Members who are "Kicked" from a group can attempt to rejoin
• :down: There's no true "Ban" option for leaders to permanently ban problem users from their group (and dealing with their rejoin requests) without site admins creating a special "Cannot Use Groups" usergroup with no group permissions at all

Here's what I'd LOVE to see:

Moderate Members becomes Moderated Group
Private Posts becomes Private Group

Implications on usage:

Public Groups:

• Non-members can view posts in Public Groups
• Non-members must use a captcha image to create posts or join
• Non-members can see membership info
• Non-members can join (using captcha image), and become Full Members immediately
• Only Full Members can make posts without captcha images and send invites
• The captcha suggestion is purely for anti-spam purposes and to encourage non-members to join
• Make the captcha an option for group management

Moderated Groups:

• Non-members can view, but not post in Moderated Groups at all
• Non-members can apply for membership using a captcha image, and become "Pledges", not hidden members
• Pledges receive a notice that they must await approval
• The Total Members only counts Full Members, not Pledges
• A new Total Pledges stat becomes available to leaders, with link to moderation page
• When a Pledge is approved, the Pledge receives a PM that they're now full members
• Once approved, Full Members can reply to threads and send invites
• After a set time limit (7, 14 or 30 days, etc), Pledges expire and are automatically denied and pruned, yet they can apply again afterwards

Private Groups:

• Private automatically indicates Moderated, otherwise there is little reason to be Private
• Non-members cannot view or post in Private Groups, nor can they see Membership info
• Non-members can see the group description, the group leader info and a link to join
• Non-members can apply for membership using a captcha image, and become "Pledges", not hidden members
• The Total Members only counts Full Members, not Pledges
• A new Total Pledges stat becomes available to leaders, with link to moderation page
• Once approved, Full Members can view and reply to threads, send invites and view membership info
• After a set time limit (7, 14 or 30 days, etc), Pledges expire and are automatically denied and pruned, yet they can apply again afterwards

Other Ideas:

• A checkbox for "Closed Membership" - This option grants group leaders the ability to close the group to new members, i.e., non-members cannot attempt to join. Non-members retain the same privileges as they did, they just can't try to join.
• Banning - Members who are "Banned" from a group cannot attempt to rejoin without the group leader's permission (by removing their ID from a ban list)

I have more, but this is a start.

[sabret00the]

wow, that's a comprehensive suggestion list. thank you, i'll definitely go through that carefully.

btw. here's a preview of the threadlist. i have no idea why i'm only sharing this but here it is:


basically

left to right:

• Subscription status (full colour/greyed out): whether threads go into your subsume (inbox).
• Favourite status (full colour/greyed out): whether threads are marked as favourites thus sit within your private favourite list for quick access. a little like book marks.
• Post Icon
• New Replies/No New Replies

The first two are AJAX controlled for easy toggling too.

As a note to everyone. suggestions really do help. they may not get implemented or may be implemented differently to what you envisioned. hey they may even go in as you designed but they always help. And the earlier you get the suggestions to me the better as i really hate the idea of recoding whole sections of code or just wedging code in randomly. i really want the code to be a lot cleaner on 3.0. Also suggestions as to what permissions (the ones settable in the admin control panel) you'd like to see are a lot of help also.

[mescalin]

Originally Posted by mescalin

I have a problem with the links in the mod..

for example when i click create a new group it goes to
/forum/?do=creategroup

instead of

/groups/?do=creategroup

how can i fix that linking problem..?

still i couldnt solve the problem. can u help me? :S

[sabret00the]

Originally Posted by mescalin

still i couldnt solve the problem. can u help me? :S

you have an SEO mod installed in which this hack isn't compatible with.

[Exitilus]

Here's my most recent Feature Request:

Collapseable Group Info
Ajax Features
Ability to Include new Group Posts in New Posts Window (If Possible)
Custom Postbit (I'm using the modified code you gave me for custom Posbit).

[dpatel304]

I installed it, and everything seemed to go okay, but I have no idea how to access my groups. I can't see any links on my forum page, and when I enter in the url manually, there are problems with my header.

Everything seems to have gone okay, as far as installation is concerned.

A couple of things to note:
I do have ZOINTS Local installed
My forums are in the root directory of my FTP account.

My forums are at: www.afkay.com/forums in case that helps
and my groups home is: www.afkay.com/forums/groups