Chat Modifications - MGC Chatbox (with AJAX)

Last version - MGC Chatbox Evo available : here

Description

When I had left the vBulletin world, I was in the past the co-author of a little chatbox (shoutbox), very well known in the vBulletin world.
This chatbox had been developed by Svaliotti (known as Poseidon on vb.org) for vB2 in the past and I had made the porterage (with is authorisation as we were both members of the same french non-official support forum) and the improvement for vB3.

It is thus normal that in my return in the vBulletin world, I begin by getting down to this hack. Even if several versions of chatbox are already present in the vBulletin world, I said to myself that it would be a good thing to make a made in France.

Naturally, I don't deal with a "copy" version of the other chatbox, I have any coded at the beginning (it was preferable because the front code wasn't so clean any more), and I integrated a good quantity of very interesting features.

New version features

The new version contains all the features from the previous version. Description of these versions can be found in Sofia's post hereabove (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost.php?p=1257510&postcount=3).

Modifications from previous version are the following :

• 1.5 :
  • Fixed bugs :
    • Chatbox is shown two times in full page mode when the Display on all pages under the navbar option is selected.
    • "Fermer" is not in a sentence.
    • Overflow problem with Netscape.
    • Uppercase transformed to lowercase in the PM channel.
    • The ban cron debans user indefinitly banned.
    • Chatbox continuously loading on some forums.
    • Inactivity and guests problem.
    • Team icon blinking is not working properly.
    • Coma error in the who is online.
    • 2 spaces instead of one between the date and the time.
  • New functionnalities :
    • Option to deactivate the random smilies.
    • Option to deactivate the automatic PM sending when banning a user.
    • New permission to allow or not the downloading of shouts.
    • Option to specify the name under which unregistered users shouts appear.
    • Syntax change for the /ban, /ignore, /del, /pm commands : Possibility to use them with the username or the userid (For more information about the new syntax, check the help button in the chatbox).
  • Removed functionnalities :
    • vBAdvanced integration [TEMPORARLY] => See this for integration with this version https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=163628

This hack is very light in term of queries : only one for every recharging / refreshment of the chatbox and 5 for the statistics in the load of the page if you actiate them. If you don't activate advanced options of course as stated aside each in the acp

Installation

Read the file "Installation" in the pack.

Once the installation is ended, go in usergroups and edit permissions to see the Chatbox.

By default, no group has access to the chatbox.

Screenshots

The screenshots are in french as I have made it on an online website which is in french. Don't hesitate to give me new one if you want in english

They are up to date of 1.3 version.

See the following post : https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost.php?p=1292136&postcount=559

User manual

Coming soon ...

Copyright

This hack is under copyright MGC (Mtor&Grog Corporation) 2007-forever and was developed for vBulletin-Resources.com & vb-hacks.org. Its redistribution on another forum that vbulletin-ressources.com, vb-hacks.org or vbulletin.org are prohibited without aggreement of the authors!

Evolutions and improvements

This sixth version of the chatbox is already very complete, but like each product, its evolution depends on all. Then don't hesitate especially to share your ideas of improvements so that we can improve even more this chatbox.

Languages

Actually available :

1. French
2. English
3. Arabic [Translator : alessai]
4. German [Translator : captainslater]
5. Vietnamese [Translator : Anhyeu12000]
6. Turkish [Translator : neutralizer and bocek]
7. Spanish [Translator : obmob] [TO BE UPDATED FOR 1.5]

To be available [Translation in progress] :

1. Bosnian [Translator : Benjaminbih]

[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']For the translators : phrases with version number 1.5 in the English language file are the one that have been modified or added in the new version so you should probably find the modification for your language file easily.[/font]

Contact me if you want to participate and add your own country language file

Support

Several possible problems are explained in the file "Read Me"
Chatbox in iBProarcade and vBadvanced CMPS

See the readme file for iBProarcade.

For vbadvanced, a module is available here : https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=163628.

FAQ

Q: I installed the chatbox but it doesn't display
R: Check if you have allowed users (permissions in usergroups)

Q: I see shouts but in the collapsed chatbox
R: You can specify number of shouts in the collapsed chatbox. If you don't want to see it, put "0" for this option.

Q: The chatbox doesn't display below or in the top of one of the pages while in the other position it displays
R: You use a style and it's possible that variables used in templates aren't present. (Read the file "Read Me")

Q: I have a problem with accents in the Chatbox
R: Read the file "Read Me"

Q: How to change the value of color for date and for command /me?
R: When you add additionnal CSS for each style, you can change color in class CSS.

Thanks to Sofia for her earlier help on the chatbox.

You can donate if you want to show your support

Last version - MGC Chatbox Evo available : here

[santimariani]

This might be helpful: Here is my navbar template.

<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
function log_out()
{
ht = document.getElementsByTagName("html");
ht[0].style.filter = "progidXImageTransform.Microsoft.BasicImage(gray scale=1)";
if (confirm('$vbphrase[sure_you_want_to_log_out]'))
{
return true;
}
else
{
ht[0].style.filter = "";
return false;
}
}
//-->
</script>

<br />

<!-- breadcrumb, login, pm info -->
<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
<tr>
<td class="alt1" width="100%">
<if condition="is_array($navbits)">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tr valign="bottom">
<td><a href="#" onclick="history.back(1); return false;"><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/navbits_start.gif" alt="$vbphrase[go_back]" border="0" /></a></td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td width="100%"><span class="navbar"><a href="$vboptions[forumhome].php$session[sessionurl_q]" accesskey="1">$vboptions[bbtitle]</a></span> $navbits[breadcrumb]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="navbar" style="font-size:10pt; padding-top:1px" colspan="3"><if condition="$_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST'"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/navbits_finallink.gif" alt="" border="0" /><else /><a href="$scriptpath"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/navbits_finallink.gif" alt="$vbphrase[reload_this_page]" border="0" /></a></if> <strong>$navbits[lastelement]</strong></td>
</tr>
</table>
<else />
<div class="navbar" style="font-size:10pt"><a href="$vboptions[forumhome].php$session[sessionurl_q]" accesskey="1"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/navbits_start.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a> <strong>$vboptions[bbtitle]</strong></div>
</if>
</td>


<if condition="$show['member']">

<td class="alt2" valign="top" nowrap="nowrap">
<div class="smallfont">
<strong><phrase 1="$bbuserinfo[username]">$vbphrase[welcome_x]</phrase></strong><br />
<phrase 1="$pmbox[lastvisitdate]" 2="$pmbox[lastvisittime]">$vbphrase[last_visited_x_at_y]</phrase>
<if condition="$show['pmmainlink']"><br /><phrase 1="$vbphrase[unread_x_nav_compiled]" 2="$vbphrase[total_x_nav_compiled]" 3="$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[private_messages_nav]</phrase></if>
<if condition="$show['pmwarning']"><br /><strong><phrase 1="$vbphrase[pmpercent_nav_compiled]">$vbphrase[your_pm_box_is_x_full]</phrase></strong></if>
</div>
</td>

<else />

<td class="alt2" nowrap="nowrap" style="padding:0px">

<!-- login form -->
<form action="login.php?do=login" method="post" onsubmit="md5hash(vb_login_password, vb_login_md5password, vb_login_md5password_utf, $show[nopasswordempty])">
<script type="text/javascript" src="clientscript/vbulletin_md5.js?v=$vboptions[simpleversion]"></script>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="$stylevar[formspacer]" border="0">
<tr>
<td class="smallfont"><label for="navbar_username">$vbphrase[username]</label></td>
<td><input type="text" class="bginput" style="font-size: 11px" name="vb_login_username" id="navbar_username" size="10" accesskey="u" tabindex="101" value="$vbphrase[username]" onfocus="if (this.value == '$vbphrase[username]') this.value = '';" /></td>
<td class="smallfont" colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap"><label for="cb_cookieuser_navbar"><input type="checkbox" name="cookieuser" value="1" tabindex="103" id="cb_cookieuser_navbar" accesskey="c" />$vbphrase[remember_me]</label></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="smallfont"><label for="navbar_password">$vbphrase[password]</label></td>
<td><input type="password" class="bginput" style="font-size: 11px" name="vb_login_password" id="navbar_password" size="10" tabindex="102" /></td>
<td><input type="submit" class="button" value="$vbphrase[log_in]" tabindex="104" title="$vbphrase[enter_username_to_login_or_register]" accesskey="s" /></td>
</tr>
</table>
<input type="hidden" name="s" value="$session[sessionhash]" />
<input type="hidden" name="do" value="login" />
<input type="hidden" name="vb_login_md5password" />
<input type="hidden" name="vb_login_md5password_utf" />
</form>
<!-- / login form -->

</td>

</if>

</tr>
</table>
<div class="dcc"><div class="dcg"></div><div class="dcd"></div></div>
<!-- / breadcrumb, login, pm info -->

<!-- nav buttons bar -->


<!-- / nav buttons bar -->
$LaCN_InfoCenter
<br />
<if condition="$show['forumdesc']">
<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
<tr>
<td class="tcat" width="100%"><strong>$foruminfo[title]</strong> <span class="smallfont">$foruminfo[description]</span></td>
</tr>
</table>
<div class="dcc"><div class="dcg"></div><div class="dcd"></div></div>
<br />
</if>

<if condition="$show['popups']">
<if condition="$vboptions[mgc_chatbox] && $chatbox_permission">
<td id="mgc_cb" class="vbmenu_control">
<a href="#">$vbphrase[mgc_chatbox]</a>
<script type="text/javascript">
vbmenu_register("mgc_cb");
</script>
</td>
</if>


<!-- NAVBAR POPUP MENUS -->
<if condition="$vboptions[mgc_chatbox] && $chatbox_permission">
<div class="vbmenu_popup" id="mgc_cb_menu" style="display:none">
<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" border="0">
<tr>
<td class="thead">$vbphrase[mgc_chatbox]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="vbmenu_option">
<a href="mgc_chatbox.php?$session[sessionurl]do=view_chatbox" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[mgc_cb_voir]</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="vbmenu_option">
<a href="mgc_chatbox.php?$session[sessionurl]do=view_archive" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[mgc_cb_voir_archives]</a>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</if>


<if condition="$show['searchbuttons']">
<!-- header quick search form -->
<div class="vbmenu_popup" id="navbar_search_menu" style="display:none">
<form action="search.php?do=process" method="post">
<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" border="0">
<tr>
<td class="thead">$vbphrase[search_forums]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="vbmenu_option" title="nohilite">
<input type="hidden" name="do" value="process" />
<input type="hidden" name="quicksearch" value="1" />
<input type="hidden" name="childforums" value="1" />
<input type="hidden" name="exactname" value="1" />
<input type="hidden" name="s" value="$session[sessionhash]" />
<div><input type="text" class="bginput" name="query" size="25" tabindex="1001" /><input type="submit" class="button" value="$vbphrase[go]" tabindex="1004" /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="vbmenu_option" title="nohilite">
<label for="rb_nb_sp0"><input type="radio" name="showposts" value="0" id="rb_nb_sp0" tabindex="1002" checked="checked" />$vbphrase[show_threads]</label>
&nbsp;
<label for="rb_nb_sp1"><input type="radio" name="showposts" value="1" id="rb_nb_sp1" tabindex="1003" />$vbphrase[show_posts]</label>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="search.php$session[sessionurl_q]" accesskey="4" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[advanced_search]</a></td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>
</div>
<!-- / header quick search form -->
</if>

<if condition="$show['member']">
<!-- user cp tools menu -->
<div class="vbmenu_popup" id="usercptools_menu" style="display:none">
<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" border="0">

<tr><td class="thead">$vbphrase[quick_links]</td></tr>
<if condition="$vboptions['enablesearches']"><tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getdaily">$vbphrase[todays_posts]</a></td></tr></if>
<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]do=markread">$vbphrase[mark_forums_read]</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="#" onclick="window.open('misc.php?$session[sessionurl]do=buddylist&amp;focus=1','buddylist','statusbar=n o,menubar=no,toolbar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=y es,width=250,height=300'); return false;">$vbphrase[open_buddy_list]</a></td></tr>

<tr><td class="thead"><a href="usercp.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[user_control_panel]</a></td></tr>
<if condition="$show['siglink']"><tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="profile.php?$session[sessionurl]do=editsignature">$vbphrase[edit_signature]</a></td></tr></if>
<!--<if condition="$show['avatarlink']"><tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="profile.php?$session[sessionurl]do=editavatar">$vbphrase[edit_avatar]</a></td></tr></if>-->
<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="profile.php?$session[sessionurl]do=editprofile">$vbphrase[edit_profile]</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="profile.php?$session[sessionurl]do=editoptions">$vbphrase[edit_options]</a></td></tr>

<tr><td class="thead">$vbphrase[miscellaneous]</td></tr>
<if condition="$show['pmmainlink']"><tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="private.php$session[sessionurl_q]" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[private_messages]</a></td></tr></if>
<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="subscription.php$session[sessionurl_q]" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[subscribed_threads]</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$bbuserinfo[userid]">$vbphrase[my_profile]</a></td></tr>
<if condition="$show['wollink']"><tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="online.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[whos_online]</a></td></tr></if>

</table>
</div>
<!-- / user cp tools menu -->
</if>
<!-- / NAVBAR POPUP MENUS -->

<!-- PAGENAV POPUP -->

<div class="vbmenu_popup" id="pagenav_menu" style="display:none">
<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" border="0">
<tr>
<td class="thead" nowrap="nowrap">$vbphrase[go_to_page]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="vbmenu_option" title="nohilite">
<form action="$vboptions[forumhome].php" method="get" onsubmit="return this.gotopage()" id="pagenav_form">
<input type="text" class="bginput" id="pagenav_itxt" style="font-size:11px" size="4" />
<input type="button" class="button" id="pagenav_ibtn" value="$vbphrase[go]" />
</form>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>

<!-- / PAGENAV POPUP -->
</if>

Does anything need to be changed? Thanks for the help and support!

[VBDev]

Originally Posted by Yukino_AE

erm. i'm having trouble with this. it's just not showing up. i even tried the little Display the Chatbox on some styles alteration with no success. help please? @_@

Have you set all the permissions for your usergroup through the usergroup manager ?

If yes, have you tried the different positions of the chatbox to see if one works ?

If yes, then your style must present some differences from the original default one, you have to follow the steps described in the readme files for custom styles.

Originally Posted by santimariani

This might be helpful: Here is my navbar template.

Does anything need to be changed? Thanks for the help and support!

Hum, I see ! You don't have links in your navbar ! This is the reason of the bug.

You should not apply the modification to the navbar template described in the readme file.

How do you add links to the different elements in your forum ?

You should do the same for the chatbox by adding those two links :

<a href="mgc_chatbox.php?$session[sessionurl]do=view_chatbox" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[mgc_cb_voir]</a>

<a href="mgc_chatbox.php?$session[sessionurl]do=view_archive" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[mgc_cb_voir_archives]</a>

[santimariani]

Originally Posted by VBDev

Hum, I see ! You don't have links in your navbar ! This is the reason of the bug.

You should not apply the modification to the navbar template described in the readme file.

How do you add links to the different elements in your forum ?

You should do the same for the chatbox by adding those two links :

<a href="mgc_chatbox.php?$session[sessionurl]do=view_chatbox" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[mgc_cb_voir]</a>

<a href="mgc_chatbox.php?$session[sessionurl]do=view_archive" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[mgc_cb_voir_archives]</a>

Hoorah! We are getting somewhere.

I am currently using the chestnut style for my forum, so I didn't know about it not having links (although I can click on the buttons, but that might be something else?) If I ever need to link something, such as the arcade, I simply create a forum and use it as a link. Do I need to do that in this case for the chatbox to work? In other words, if I do not include those two codes somewhere, will it affect the chatbox?

I'm learning!

[santimariani]

Dev,

Idea: Do you think I could somehow put those two links in the Quick Link button?

:up: :down:

PS: By the way, I took out the codes form the navbar and now everything works. Except that now I cannot access whatever those links point to.

[VBDev]

Yes you can add them to the quick links button.

You can access to the second link by clicking on the Archives link in the chatbox The other one is used to open the chatbox in full page mode if authorized.

[Allan]

I Voted for ChatBox Ajax in the MOTM here

[d3adlythegame]

can anyone tell me wht i did wrong ? As soon as i installed the chatbox it messed my forum template.
thx

[VBDev]

In my opinion, you have done wrong modifications to the navbar template as you can see from the mgc_chatbox menu links shown badly on the page.

Please check again and tell me if you achieve fixing it.

[d3adlythegame]

i did check again and had no errors. Still i replaced the codes.

Still the problem is there

[santimariani]

Dev,

Something weird happened. Last night, the chatbox was working great. I removed the navbar stuff, add the extra forumhome code to have it show at the bottom, and it was showing in the forum display. Great stuff! However...

Today I wake up, and the chatbox is gone. I can't see it using my custome made webmaster account on neither the home page or in the forum display pages. I log in as a regular member, and I can see it in the forum display, but not forum home...

Do you know what could have caused this to happen overnight? Little bit confused.

Thanks for the help as always.