Add-On Releases - vBISpy - AJAX real-time feed of new posts/threads

After seeing the http://www.digg.com/spy application; I wondered if this could be done for vBulletin as well. I came across this webpage which had a "how to" on how they built a similiar application to do the same thing. Taking a page from their book (i.e. the code), I modified it for use with vBulletin.

During development, I also came across this post here on vBulletin.Org where the very subject had already been discussed.

So I put this together; a simple ZIP file with a single PHP script, three javascript files and 4 images.

Installation

. UNZIP the file into your forums directory
. That's it!

Virtually all the code to customize the page is in the vaispy.php script; there are no plugins, no templates and no phrases. You do not need to do anything further; this should work right out of the box.

In your browser, open the URL:

http://www.yourforum.com/forum/vaispy.php

You can see examples of this at:

http://www.viperalley.com/forum/vaispy.php
http://www.extremefitness.com/forum/vaispy.php

Note: I claim no ownership of this code except for the file vaispy.php - the rest of the files were using 'freely distributable' sources. As such, you may use these files as you wish, but please do not remove the copyrights.

This modification is for vBulletin 3.6 only, if you are running vBulletin 3.5 you will need to see this thread.

JOIN THE vBIspy Network!
Once you have this mod installed, you can join the vBIspy network to have your threads appear on this site; the vBIspy Network is a great way for people to see what's going on in various vBulletin communities and for forum owners to promote their sites and generate new traffic.

Optional add-ons

Who's Online mod for this: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=126209

vBAdvanced Module: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=126421

UPDATES
1.0.4
Added buro9's code from here

1.0.5 - 9.9.06
Modified some JavaScript in va_spy.js to remove split strings

1.0.6 - 9.10.06
Added date cuffoff code from here and changed init() to spyinit() - changed vaispy.php and va_spy.js files.

1.0.7 - 9.12.06
va_spy.js: Added a forum url variable to allow for integration with portals or other products outside the forum directory
va_spy.js: Added xmldelay variable at top of script for easier configuration or repolling
Updated files: vaispy.php, vb_spy.js

1.0.8 - 9.13.06
vaispy.php - changed code for checking for forum permissions to include password protected forums, added javascript tag for script code

1.0.9 - 9.16.06
vaispy.php
va_spy.js
va_effects.js
- modified to allow for proper display in Opera browsers and moved more html into vaispy.php to allow for stylevars, trimmed va_effects.js to remove unused code (ForumDog's suggestions, except not using templates yet), changed way threads are parsed (removes html as well)

1.0.10 - 9.17.06
va_prototype.js - removed 20kb of unused code

1.1.11 - 9.25.2006
vaispy.php
va_spy.js
- added SirAdrian's mods for thread status icons and alternating row colors
- added code to prepopulate the first 10 rows with existing threads allowing for 5 new ones to be added in scrolling mode (versus scrolling starting from the first thread).
- added option to display subscribed threads only

1.1.12 - 9.26.2006
vaispy.php
- added code to add empty rows if initial pull has less than 20 rows.

[MPDev]

Or on the FORUMHOME?

http://www.viperalley.com/forum/

[Capt. GannA]

Originally Posted by MPDev

You mean like this?

http://www.viperalley.com/index.php

How can I do that? I'd like to have it on my CMPS main too.

[ForumDog]

The inability to use $stylevar[imgdir_misc] is a real thorn in my side at the moment too.

Something to add to the pile...

In vaispy.php,

FIND:
eval('$navbar = "' . fetch_template('navbar') . '";');

ADD ABOVE:
$navbits = array();
$navbits[$parent] = 'iSpy';
$navbits = construct_navbits($navbits);

Voila, breadcrumb. Should change <title>iSpy</title> to <title>$vboptions[bbtitle] - iSpy</title> for consistency too.

Edit: The closing body and html tags are missing too, I'm sure you can guess where they go.

Love the mod, give yourself a thorough pat on the back.

[MPDev]

The thing I don't like about stylevar is having to explain to everyone that they have to copy those images to all their style directories. This is much more simplistic.

Thanks for the other changes; I'll add them in the next update.

[SaN-DeeP]

will there be any issues renaming vaispy.php to some other name ?
any changes which might be required for this ?

[MPDev]

You'd have to change the name of the script in the va_spy.js script, too.

[SaN-DeeP]

Originally Posted by MPDev

You'd have to change the name of the script in the va_spy.js script, too.

thanks for quick reply
thats a very small change overall.

Will test this script now.

[warnmar10]

Originally Posted by Boots

any idea why it won't work if I'm logged in?

Other than that one, minor annoyance this is a nice add.

On my site, in Firefox or IE, it only works for guest.

If I log in and run vaispy.php?do=xml under Firefox, everything looks to be in order, I see exactly what I would expect to see but it doesn't display anything on the vaispy.php page.

If I log out in Firefox, browse to vaispy.php it works.

If I open a new tab and log in, it continues to work in the 1st tab.

If while I'm logged in on the 2nd tab I refresh the first tab it continues to work but it doesn't show me as logged in.

If I log in to the working instance on tab 1 it stops working.

I read all 5 pages and saw this problem mentioned 4 or 5 times, did I read past the answer somewhere?

Very cool for my guests though.

[SaN-DeeP]

One last question, how can i remove the event and by columns completely from this script ?

Looks wonderful how i missed this modification.

regards,

/me nominates this for MOTM