Add-On Releases - Mobile Device Style Assignment

This is my first released hack, be nice.

This hack will detect when a mobile device connects to your site and allow you to override the default style/skin with one you specify.

Just install the product-file and set which style is your mobile device style via the AdminCP. Has been tested with several 3.6.x versions up to 3.6.8

I am also releasing a skin I wrote (it is based on vbmechanics Alabama skin, so updated or modified would be a more accurate description) for my own needs - it could probably be tidied up a lot more, but it works for me - take it as it is, I may offer limited support for this skin if I get time (no promises), and feel free to offer suggestions. Mobi - My super light skin is probably the one to go for, it has much greater functionailty.

=Install Instructions=
Go to Plugin System, Manage Products in your AdminCP and click Add/Import Product link at the end of the page
Browse for the product-mobile_enabled36-x.x.x.xml product file and click 'import'
Refresh your admincp page and in VBulletin Options, select the settings for 'Mobile Device Detection'
Change the styleid of your mobile skin in "Mobile Device Style" to the StyleID number of your mobile device skin
Change the styleid of your PDA skin in "PDA Device Style" to the StyleID number of your PDA device skin
Your mobile/pda skin must be user selectable (although you can disbale the ability for users to change styles in vBulletin Options)
Thats it!

=Upgrade Instructions=
Go to Plugin System, Manage Products in your AdminCP and click Add/Import Product link at the end of the page
Browse for the product-mobile_enabled36-x.x.x.xml product file
Choose to overwrite
Click 'import'
Re-configure Styleid of mobile/pda skin if required

VERSION 1.0.7a
Based on initial release - supports assigning one alternative style to ALL detected mobile devices

VERSION 2.1.2
Now allows the addition of exceptions and also specifying a skin for Pocket PCs (Windows CE devices) and a skin for all otehr detected mobile devices.
I've also released a very light skin HERE which is great for cell/Mobile phones

LAST UPDATE 22-October 2007
VERSION 2.1.3 - removed, small bug
VERSION 2.1.3a

• Added ability to assign different styles to IPods/iPhones (In addiotn to Windows CE devices and other detected mobile devices
• Added ability to assign specific style to a user defined device (based on user agent string).
  
  You will need to know the useragent string, or a unique fragment of the user agent string to do this. One exmple of how this can be used would be to assign a specific style to say Firefox users, perhaps a different style for Blackberry users, or you could assign a specific style to search engines (beware when doing this - google apprently doesn't like people displying different content to search engines)
  

To upgrade, simply overwrite product - your existing settings should be preserved.

I've left the previous version available for download - to get the new version, download and install the attached XML

**BACKUP YOUR DB BEFORE INSTALLING**

Other Mobile / Lite Skins:

Mobile - My super light skin
iPhone / iPod Touch Optimised Style
Alabama
VBLite
WAP Plugin - this is a similar product and skin which I didn't find till after I'd made this one - it seems to be more directed at WAP devices as opposed to all Mobile Devices, and appears to no longer be supported, but worth having a look at.


Remember to click install and give a rating :up:

keywords: Mobile, PDA, Autodetect, Autoselect, WAP, Skin, portal, cell, phone, iphone

3.7 Version Here

[aggiefan]

Originally Posted by dartho

Wow! That is a VERY neat skin!

To export, go into "Download / Upload Styles" in the "Styles & Templates" section in your admincp. THen pick the style name from the first drop down and download.

In regards to vbadvanced, all I did for my site was to only dispaly the centre vBadvanced column - just edit teh adv_portal template and remove the
"<if condition="$show['left_column']">" block and the "<if condition="$show['right_column']">" If you just want to go straight to your forums, you could clear out the whole adv_portal template and just have a redirect to the Forum page

Ok I get it now... what was confusing me about this is I completely forgot about the vbadvanced stuff was installed in the templates (i was thinking it was only in the vbadvanced section in admincp).

Anyways I am going to attach our smartphone theme here.... It will need some work. I got it close but as others have stated it needs more work because there is still alot of fluff in the theme but I think I have a good place to start from. I also inadvertently created some errors that show up in IE (probably removing a bit of code I shouldnt have)

[tekguru]

Feedback from one of my teamn members:

Finally got round to trying mobile and ..... er ... what's with the garish colours? All negative from me I'm afraid!

The portal weighed in at about 150k and non of the images loaded.

I have to load another page to reply to a post

Oh and those colours!!

Agie will try your style next if you and Dartho can work on one together it should be awesome!

[dartho]

@tekguru - thats all about the mobile skin as opposed to this add-on. It's written for vBulletin not any portals, so not much I can really do there as everyones portal is different. To fix up the images though, you will need to set the image paths in the style options. The mobile style itself uses no images.

As for the colours, I just went with a few of the 216 web safe colours knowing that these would easier enough to change by people who use the skin by editing the CSS file.

I should be able to add a "quick reply" box.

I'm in the process of revamping this skin specifically for Windows Mobile type devices.

@Aggiefans - thanks for sharing!

[Rickeo]

Thank you great just what I needed.

~Rick~

[tekguru]

Originally Posted by dartho

@tekguru - thats all about the mobile skin as opposed to this add-on. It's written for vBulletin not any portals, so not much I can really do there as everyones portal is different. To fix up the images though, you will need to set the image paths in the style options. The mobile style itself uses no images.

As for the colours, I just went with a few of the 216 web safe colours knowing that these would easier enough to change by people who use the skin by editing the CSS file.

I should be able to add a "quick reply" box.

I'm in the process of revamping this skin specifically for Windows Mobile type devices.

@Aggiefans - thanks for sharing!

Argh sorry about that serves me right for replying mid-migraine Looking forward to the updates to both Mods Understand about the CSS - can you give a guide to editing that in the relevant thread?

I'll investigate the image paths.

[ShackMaster]

Super nice! Installed!

Just wondering... when I go to the Alabama style on my laptop... how do you change the style again since there is no option for another style? I know I can logout and it will take me back to the original default style. Am I missing something... I'm easily at the top of the "duh" list.

[ShackMaster]

Another question...

I noticed you have the Mobile/Cell Phone style here at vB.org as well. Should I use it for mobile and cell and use the Alabama style for PDA? What is best for which?

Thanks!

[dartho]

G'day Shackmaster,

easiest way to get back to your default skin is to go to "http://domainname.com/?styleid=xx" where xx is your default style ID. I haven;t added a style chooser to the alabama skin as I made it for use with this hack on my site which does not allow users to change skins. A future release will probably have a style chooser option for those that wish to give users more control...

[dartho]

Originally Posted by ShackMaster

Another question...

I noticed you have the Mobile/Cell Phone style here at vB.org as well. Should I use it for mobile and cell and use the Alabama style for PDA? What is best for which?

Thanks!

Yep - that skin would be more compatible with more devices - I use that one for all devices persoanly because of its low bandwidth use. The Alabama one is good, but needs to be re-done from the ground up - I am in the process of writing a new 'PDA' skin from scratch, but it may take a little while....

[ShackMaster]

Okay... thanks.... it makes sense that when members are on a regular computer they don't need to have the option of that style.