Forum Home Enhancements - [AJAX] Tabbed Forum Home

Tabbed Forum Home version 1.01

[AJAX] Tabbed Forum Home version 1.5.0 (BETA)

NOTE: Works with both 3.7x and 3.6x

Description: This MOD is for creating a "Tabbed" Forum Home Page to have Categories displayed within Tab containers (similar to what the new Profile System looks like on vb3.7). Please do not confuse this with the Tab Menu System here at vbulletin.org. They are totally different systems. These Tabs actually switch the content without leaving the main forums page.

I wrote the initial Non AJAX version based on reading many requests from members asking about how namepros created their custom tabbed forum home page. The first implementation I did was a request by bbwforums.net (which you can visit to see a working example). I have shared this version with many members already and decided to release it since it seems to be something that a lot of members are interested in.

UPDATE: I have released a BETA [AJAX] version for those that what something a little more robust and easier to install/configure. This Beta version will never go into production tho as version 2.0 will utilize the YUI AJAX Tabview Toolset. It IS stable tho and is currently running on a few live sites.

NOTE: Keep in mind, I wrote this with the assumption that you are fairly well versed and comfortable with editing files/templates and following the flow of things. If there is something you don't understand, PLEASE let me know so that I can help you understand it. This IS NOT a product that a novice can just plug and play and it takes a little bit of time to setup, but its well worth it in the end (if you want a custom unique look to your forum home page)... the next version (Don't ask when, cause its just on the drawing board) will be a product with ACP controls for easy setup

The attached Zip File(s) contain the Files and Instructions necessary to install each version.

DEMO: www.bbwforums.net or www.namepros.com
[Moderator Edit: The first URL has been un-linked as there has been reported malware on that domain. The mod author may edit this notice once the situation has been cleaned.]

Screen Shots: None, visit one or both of the above links as seeing them in action is better than some static image(s)..

Bobster

Change Log

version 1.01 -
tabcontent.js ver 2.2 to support remote links
updated install instructions (both in txt and rtf format)

version 1.5.0 -
BETA [AJAX] version

July 8, 2008 - Added xml file for WOL
Sep 2, 2008 - Updated xml file for WOL

[dodjer42]

Love this hack!

One thing that is strange on my install is some white padding between forums now. It only appears when I select the 'tabbed' style. The parent style does not have that problem.

Eg: http://www.wpguild.com/index.php

Also, once ive gone into a sub forum, the tabs disappear. Is there anyway to have them their at all times?

[Nordinho]

Originally Posted by bobster65

You can take a look at dynamic drive and see if the remote links work differently within the AJAX Version of the .js file. I did see in their forums that someone from here posted about this issue and there was some sorta solution that seemed to work for them.. I don't have it bookmarked, just do a search on Tabs and Remote Links and you should be able to find it. Sorry that I can't be more help right now... Im not pursuing using the DD .js file anymore as we shifted all development to YUI Tabview. (and just so you know, so far remote links work like a charm with the YUI Tabview).

Hey Bob, great mod. I'm having some troubles setting up remote links as well. Looked at the DD thread.

Ok, I can define something like $tabid in vb's core php file which is bbs.php and have that passed to template forumhome, so I could put something like

ajaxtabs_instance.expandit($tabid);

in my forumhome template

That shouldn't be hard.

Any ideas how to achieve that I tried adding

$tabid = $_GET['ajaxTFH'];

to my index.php, but that obviously was too simple thinking (btw using the 1.5 version of the mod)

[Chris11987]

I was sort of skimming the thread and it appear this works for 3.7.x, right?

Also, I saw something about Google not being able to crawl or get certain content with the tabs. What's the story with this?

[iBaker]

Originally Posted by King Kovifor

For me, this seems unfeasible. As switching between tabs would make us have to use AJAX to change the quick search query after extracting the category ids and allowing sub-forums in the search. I will add it to our tracker, but most likely won't see it for a long time.

I have worked out that this can be done through Usergroups. If public joinable secondary usergroups were set, up one for each tab and users selected which tabs of forums they were interested in viewing, then all the search, new posts etc would only display what their usergroups were allowed to see

Now the final thing and what seems to be the most elusive feature for me is how to get the tab bar after my first main category of generic forums.

I have experimented but can't get it to work. My main category of generic forums is ForumID 4 so somewhere in the compilation of the forum home page i.e. as it is creating the forums to display it need to have an "if" in there. So as it creates the page if condition="$forum[forumid] == 4" then start creating the page as normal (without tabs) and then if condition="$forum[forumid] != 4" THEN create the tabs.

I know it sounds easy for a non coder which I am but no doubt it may not be as easy as that.

Any suggestions on how I can do this as I so desperatly need it - my forum members need it

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by iBaker

I have worked out that this can be done through Usergroups. If public joinable secondary usergroups were set, up one for each tab and users selected which tabs of forums they were interested in viewing, then all the search, new posts etc would only display what their usergroups were allowed to see

Now the final thing and what seems to be the most elusive feature for me is how to get the tab bar after my first main category of generic forums.

I have experimented but can't get it to work. My main category of generic forums is ForumID 4 so somewhere in the compilation of the forum home page i.e. as it is creating the forums to display it need to have an "if" in there. So as it creates the page if condition="$forum[forumid] == 4" then start creating the page as normal (without tabs) and then if condition="$forum[forumid] != 4" THEN create the tabs.

I know it sounds easy for a non coder which I am but no doubt it may not be as easy as that.

Any suggestions on how I can do this as I so desperatly need it - my forum members need it

Its actually very easy to pull off by using some code from version 1 (to do the forums before the tabs).. I don't have time to explain it right now as we've been evaced from our property do to forest fires, so I have limited internet access at the moment. Just hang on for a few days and I will show you how simple it is to do..

[iBaker]

Thanks a million Bobster

One more thing - I have just noticed that the "Who's Online" page is showing many blank locations for users - anyone else have this and is there a fix?

Thanks!

[The Cat!]

Is there a way to disable the collapse? When I installed this I had a few catagories collapsed and now no matter what I do I can't get them to un-collapse. I would like to just disable them. Anyone?

[i156]

Nevermind, seems to be working great now!

[King Kovifor]

Originally Posted by TheInsaneManiac

This really isn't necessary? Considering advanced search lists all forums and you can select any that you want to search in.

Let me explain why I am saying changing it doesn't seem easily achieved. Unless I am reading your reply wrong, you have say 3 tabs (made up):
Tab One: Forum IDs: 2, 5, 8
Tab Two: Forum IDs: 1, 4, 7
Tab Three: Forum IDs: 3, 6

Now, as I understand it, if you are viewing tab one you would like the quick search to only search Forum IDs 2, 5, and 8. But viewing tab two, you want it to search 1, 4, and 7. The problem is not learning how to specify the tab URLs, it is learning how to dynamically change the values as you switch tabs unless we redesigned how TFH looked by removing the navbar and forcing it into the tab view so it could be different per tab.

Also, I am not sure if we can limit new posts and the other suggested items based on forum ids.

Originally Posted by Chris11987

I was sort of skimming the thread and it appear this works for 3.7.x, right?

Also, I saw something about Google not being able to crawl or get certain content with the tabs. What's the story with this?

Yes, this works with 3.7.x and according to the website where the engine was found, it says it is search engine friendly.

Originally Posted by iBaker

Thanks a million Bobster

One more thing - I have just noticed that the "Who's Online" page is showing many blank locations for users - anyone else have this and is there a fix?

Thanks!

I believe Bob uploaded a .xml that has WOL fixes, if not, it is fixed in 2.0 already.

Originally Posted by The Cat!

Is there a way to disable the collapse? When I installed this I had a few catagories collapsed and now no matter what I do I can't get them to un-collapse. I would like to just disable them. Anyone?

This is a known bug and we are working on fixing this in 2.0. I don't have a solution for you now, Bob?

[vietfancy]

The who's online thing is not working.