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

[Biggles]

Hi Bobster

Fantastic concept. Love it. I will be giving it a try with my limited skills (clicked installed, of course). Thanks a million. :up:

Scamorz

Thanks for the peek at your site. Very impressive indeed. Great work, particularly that little fold over thingy in the top right corner. Well done.

[Scamorz]

Biggles that site is not mine ...it has been posted by bobster to test his script

[dieselpowered]

Biggles, thank you for the compliment, I am assuming you are referring to my site www.teryxhq.com ?

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by xtremeoff-road

Biggles, thank you for the compliment, I am assuming you are referring to my site www.teryxhq.com ?

Yes indeedy, it was in fact your site to which I referred. It's great. And a little humbling too. Brilliant work, xtremeoffroad.

As for my little faux pas, Scamorz, sorry about that. I'm beginning to feel too old and arthritic for all this.

It may have something to do with me getting this great mod three-quarters installed and then losing my way completely. And the more I read bobster's excellent instructions the less they are making sense to me, if you follow what I mean?

I think I'll go to bed early and forget about it. Bah! Anyone want a FORUMHOME template for a child style that looks 3/4 cool? He he.

I do have a perhaps naive question: why not just install some tab images in the right position and hyperlink them to the desired forums?

[dieselpowered]

Thank you Biggles for the kind words

I would try to help you out, however, I am not using the version you are, therefore, am not familiar with it.

I am half tempted to just tell you to wait for a little bit until the AJAX version is released....much easier to work with!

[dutchbb]

Looks like a great idea but i don't understand the install file, and it's way too much work. You need to make this easier to install.

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by xtremeoff-road

Thank you Biggles for the kind words

I would try to help you out, however, I am not using the version you are, therefore, am not familiar with it.

Smashing site you have, so totally deserving of my kind [and sincere] words.

Am I right in thinking the version you are referring to is vBulletin 3.6.10? If so, there's a good reason why I have gone back to that older version of vBulletin (I won't bore you with it here though). Suffice to say it works better for me.

I am half tempted to just tell you to wait for a little bit until the AJAX version is released....much easier to work with!

I think that's good advice, xtremeoff-road. I've had my sleep and will play around with bobster's instructions again later today. But I have this kinda sinking feeling that bobster's lengthy manual instructions are just a little beyond my aged and decrepit capabilities. I am rather pleased I got it 3/4 installed anyway. I must be getting better at this stuff than I thought! :up:

[xTerMn8R]

I dont know, I was using and STILL AM at this point, the Older version that used php files to arrange the Tabbed content. I dont like this new layout having to chop up default templates and php files to get the layout. I notice that all the referals are for the INDEX.PHP files and no mention of the cmps_index.php used with vbadvanced. The old method made it very easy to create a specific template for Tabbed content and made incorporating it into Modules for CMPS very easy. Am I Missing summin here , Whats the Improvement?

Confused and ready to stick with what worked and didnt appear broken,

Tom
www.superskunkracing.org

[OsideRida06]

I am using the current version, and will be updating as soon as the new version comes out. This has to be one of the greatest mods on here. I know my members love it.

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by xTerMn8R

I dont know, I was using and STILL AM at this point, the Older version that used php files to arrange the Tabbed content. I dont like this new layout having to chop up default templates and php files to get the layout. I notice that all the referals are for the INDEX.PHP files and no mention of the cmps_index.php used with vbadvanced. The old method made it very easy to create a specific template for Tabbed content and made incorporating it into Modules for CMPS very easy. Am I Missing summin here , Whats the Improvement?

Confused and ready to stick with what worked and didnt appear broken,

Tom
www.superskunkracing.org

Tom, you are talking about a totally different MOD. The one you are referring to is AJAX Tabbed Content that I wrote specifically for vBa CMPS.

This has nothing to do with that. This is a NON AJAX Solution for Tabbing out the Categories for Forum Home only. It was done this way on purpose. It was done as a request and was something I never wanted to release because it required manual install and setup, however, I received 100s of PMs and was tired of dealing with them so I just released this MANUAL version. It was never written with the intention of releasing it to members here. It was written the way it was so that it could be customized in one template (FORUMHOME) without writing a ton of template conditionals within multiple templates. It was also done NON Ajax for a reason.

Version 2 (which HAS been written with the intention for releasing to members) works similar (but not the same) as the MOD you are talking about. One difference will be that version 2 of this MOD will utilize YUI.

Once version 2 of this MOD is done, AJAX TABS for CMPS is being converted to YUI as well.

What will be nice for you is that the content files that you already have can also be used in this one (as well as 3 other mods that are currently under development)