Add-On Releases - vBISpy - AJAX real-time feed of new posts/threads

After seeing the http://www.digg.com/spy application; I wondered if this could be done for vBulletin as well. I came across this webpage which had a "how to" on how they built a similiar application to do the same thing. Taking a page from their book (i.e. the code), I modified it for use with vBulletin.

During development, I also came across this post here on vBulletin.Org where the very subject had already been discussed.

So I put this together; a simple ZIP file with a single PHP script, three javascript files and 4 images.

Installation

. UNZIP the file into your forums directory
. That's it!

Virtually all the code to customize the page is in the vaispy.php script; there are no plugins, no templates and no phrases. You do not need to do anything further; this should work right out of the box.

In your browser, open the URL:

http://www.yourforum.com/forum/vaispy.php

You can see examples of this at:

http://www.viperalley.com/forum/vaispy.php
http://www.extremefitness.com/forum/vaispy.php

Note: I claim no ownership of this code except for the file vaispy.php - the rest of the files were using 'freely distributable' sources. As such, you may use these files as you wish, but please do not remove the copyrights.

This modification is for vBulletin 3.6 only, if you are running vBulletin 3.5 you will need to see this thread.

JOIN THE vBIspy Network!
Once you have this mod installed, you can join the vBIspy network to have your threads appear on this site; the vBIspy Network is a great way for people to see what's going on in various vBulletin communities and for forum owners to promote their sites and generate new traffic.

Optional add-ons

Who's Online mod for this: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=126209

vBAdvanced Module: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=126421

UPDATES
1.0.4
Added buro9's code from here

1.0.5 - 9.9.06
Modified some JavaScript in va_spy.js to remove split strings

1.0.6 - 9.10.06
Added date cuffoff code from here and changed init() to spyinit() - changed vaispy.php and va_spy.js files.

1.0.7 - 9.12.06
va_spy.js: Added a forum url variable to allow for integration with portals or other products outside the forum directory
va_spy.js: Added xmldelay variable at top of script for easier configuration or repolling
Updated files: vaispy.php, vb_spy.js

1.0.8 - 9.13.06
vaispy.php - changed code for checking for forum permissions to include password protected forums, added javascript tag for script code

1.0.9 - 9.16.06
vaispy.php
va_spy.js
va_effects.js
- modified to allow for proper display in Opera browsers and moved more html into vaispy.php to allow for stylevars, trimmed va_effects.js to remove unused code (ForumDog's suggestions, except not using templates yet), changed way threads are parsed (removes html as well)

1.0.10 - 9.17.06
va_prototype.js - removed 20kb of unused code

1.1.11 - 9.25.2006
vaispy.php
va_spy.js
- added SirAdrian's mods for thread status icons and alternating row colors
- added code to prepopulate the first 10 rows with existing threads allowing for 5 new ones to be added in scrolling mode (versus scrolling starting from the first thread).
- added option to display subscribed threads only

1.1.12 - 9.26.2006
vaispy.php
- added code to add empty rows if initial pull has less than 20 rows.

[MPDev]

Yeah, something is off on IE; checking now.

[MPDev]

OKay, I've updated the build with a fix and included some new code I was working on to select only subscribed threads while viewing.

[Adrian Schneider]

I added one more thing to mine - ability to filter forums via query string (?forumids=x,y,z) as well as the option to not check child forums for the forums you specify (&noChildren=1). I'll share them later tonight if I get some time.

[MPDev]

I just modified it again to put the alignment for IE back into place; I don't have any subscribed threads, so if anyone can test that out and let me know if it worked that would be nice.

Thanks, SirAdrian; look forward to adding more.

[firstrebel]

Originally Posted by MPDev

OKay, I've updated the build with a fix and included some new code I was working on to select only subscribed threads while viewing.

Much better, thanks.

Bob

[MPDev]

You'll notice that I've pulled some code form the va_spy.js that was only for IE and redone some of the html in the vaispy.php to pre-populate those rows; this leaves 5 rows that will be scrolled with the last 5 posts (and with the "fade"), but removes all the empty rows problems of IE that we had before.

If you modified the code in the past to change the number of rows, you'll have an easier time adjusting this code; as all the changes will be in the vaispy.php script.

Except for changing some variables in the va_spy.js script; you shouldn't need to change much else in the file.

[Kaleem]

Thanks for update working fine

http://www.friendskorner.com/forum/vaispy.php

[Chadi]

Suggestions:

- add refresh button (ajax style perhaps)
- new version seems to instantly load about 15 threads without scrolling nicely like the old version

[MPDev]

Not sure what a refresh would accomplish since it's already on a polling cycle.

Yes, the new version preloads the rows with 15 items and scrolls 5, as per the version updates.

[G_Man]

Originally Posted by MPDev

You'll notice that I've pulled some code form the va_spy.js that was only for IE and redone some of the html in the vaispy.php to pre-populate those rows; this leaves 5 rows that will be scrolled with the last 5 posts (and with the "fade"), but removes all the empty rows problems of IE that we had before.

If you modified the code in the past to change the number of rows, you'll have an easier time adjusting this code; as all the changes will be in the vaispy.php script.

Except for changing some variables in the va_spy.js script; you shouldn't need to change much else in the file.

I went back in the change the URL for CMPS in va_spy.js, but it isn't showing on my CMPS ??

In the past, that was all I had to change when updating. Ideas?