Version: 2.0.4, by CyberRanger
Developer Last Online: Jan 2015
Version: 3.5.4
Rating:
Released: 02-05-2006
Last Update: 08-01-2006
Installs: 249
DB Changes Uses Plugins Template Edits
Additional Files
No support by the author.
What is AboutToday?
AboutToday provides a central place to bring daily items of interest to your forum visitors. It includes two main components: an RSS Reader System and Local Events database System.
Please NOTE: This mod has been modified for vb ver 3.6.4. It should work on vb ver 3.5.4 and 3.6.x.
An RSS Reader system where the admin can enter RSS feeds that will then be displayed on the page. RSS feeds can be set to AUTOMATICALLY create threads or be set so that users can easily create a thread from a feed.. Feeds can be read via fopen or cURL.
The RSS Feeds are fully intergrated with vbAdvanced and could actually be placed anywhere you want!!
A database system that can hold unlimited categories of "AboutToday" events. For example, you could have a history category (like a Today in History) with sub-categories for different eras in history. Or, you could have a daily joke or software tip of the day, etc.
The "Add Event" feature is intended to help you if you want for example - Sports: Today in History. With the vb calendar, you cannot have categories and you are restricted with how far back the dates can go.
So with the "Add Event" feature, you could have a category tree like:
Hockey
Professional
College
High School
Football
American Football
The Rest of the World (Soccer)
Baseball
with the normal calendar feature, you cannot have categories. And with "Add Event" you can have any date. So, if you want an event like "Jan 1, 132 B.C. - the first ball was invented", you can do that. But, that isn't possible in the normal calendar. Also, the events in "Add Event" are fully searchable.
Installation
Copy the following files to your server in the forums directory:
From the admincp, import the product file product-abouttoday.xml (Manage Products - Add/Import Product).
REFRESH your admincp window. You should now see a listing in the left column of the admincp for "AboutToday".
Getting Started
NOTE - if this is a new install, a Yahoo RSS Feed and CNN Entertainment Feed have been automatically added to give you a feel for how the product looks.
If you plan to use the RSS Feeds:
1. From the admincp, select AboutToday - RSS Feeds. Add an RSS Feed.
2. From the admincp, select Usergroups - Usergroup Manager. Add permissions so the Administrator group can use the product.
3. From your forum directory, bring up the file abouttoday.php. 4. If you want the feeds to AUTOMATICALLY create threads, go to admincp - abouttoday - settings. There you must set the userid of the account to use to create the thread. Then, edit the RSS Feed with the forumid of where the threads for that feed should be created!
If you plan to create your own "today in history" type of database:
1. From the admincp, select AboutToday - Categories. Add a category.
2. From your forum directory, bring up the file abouttoday.php. "Add" your first event to the category you have created!
Version Status
I've tested this product extensively but ... use this totally at your own risk!
Credits
I learned a lot about how to code this and used a lot of the code from what Ron1n did with ecDownloads. What I've learned from his code while helping to support ecDownloads has been invaluable.
Awesome hack, just what I was looking for to clean up my RSS feeds.
I have a couple of questions. How can I move the column that lists the RSS feeds to the right of the feed display? I already have a left hand column and it looks weird with 2 lefthand columns and then the main content.
Also, is there a way to make the RSS feeds show by default rather than the events section?
Awesome hack, just what I was looking for to clean up my RSS feeds.
I have a couple of questions. How can I move the column that lists the RSS feeds to the right of the feed display? I already have a left hand column and it looks weird with 2 lefthand columns and then the main content.
Thanks! You'd have to modify the templates. I plan to really make some changes next week. I'll see if I can make that an option.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnstires
Also, is there a way to make the RSS feeds show by default rather than the events section?
If you aren't using the local events, set "Disable Local Events?" to Yes in AboutToday -> Settings. NOTE - "can view disabled AboutToday" over-rides this! So, if you are an admin with "Can View Disabled" permissions, you will still see the local events!!
Total noob question probably, but what do the $myfeeds variables do?
Also, is there a setting to expand the window for the RSS feeds summary? I was able to change the template but it looked as though there was a setting, but I couldn't find it.
When you load the AboutToday.php page, it does check to see if any of the feeds need updated. If you site isn't very busy, ie the feeds aren't getting updated very often via the vb scheduled tasks, then loading the page could be slow as the feeds update. Otherwise, it should load fairly fast.
What is considered updating often? My page is loading slowly. and I have about 20 feeds. I have the feed check every 60 minutes. Any other ways to speed this up?
Total noob question probably, but what do the $myfeeds variables do?
The $myfeeds variables let you place summary information from your RSS feeds on ANY page and ANY place you want if that page is vb powered (ie global.php is called). Here is a good example of what you can do: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=215
What is considered updating often? My page is loading slowly. and I have about 20 feeds. I have the feed check every 60 minutes. Any other ways to speed this up?
The RSS feeds are updated by the vb scheduler. Also, when the AboutToday page is loaded, a check is run. The question is really how busy is your forum. The scheduled task will only run if folks are visiting your site. If not, then the feeds are probably being updated when abouttoday.php is called. There's not much of a way to speed that up. Instead, you may need to increase the update time until the site has more hits.
If instead, your site does have a lot of traffic ... check each feed to make sure the url is still valid. A bad url could slow down the update process.
Also, is there a setting to expand the window for the RSS feeds summary? I was able to change the template but it looked as though there was a setting, but I couldn't find it.
In abouttoday.php, look for this around line 1756
PHP Code:
$sizeofselect = 180;
Change the 180 to a higher number to make the window wider. (Yes, I need to get that number more easily configured!)
Warnung: require_once(./includes/class_abouttoday.php) [function.require-once]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /includes/cron/cron_abouttoday.php (Zeile 23)
Fatal error: require_once() [function.require]: Failed opening required './includes/class_abouttoday.php' (include_path='.:/php/includes:/usr/local/lib/php:/home/d00002/smarty') in /home/d00007/websites/mb/vb/includes/cron/cron_abouttoday.php on line 23
Scheduled task fails, the smarty path is apparently wrong, where can I change it?
AboutToday - Bring RSS Feeds and Daily Events to Your Site! Details »»
About Developer
DB Changes 
No support by the author.
10-27-2006, 01:50 AM
