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.

[Expertu]

Originally Posted by tansu

is there a fix for "Who's Online" page?

The fix is listed in the product's description:

Optional add-ons

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

MPDev, any ideea about my problem ?

[Jon.]

Originally Posted by MPDev

Did you almost modify the html to only have 10 rows?

I edited a line under the grabbing of threads, and it seems to have limited it to only collect 10. I'll try fiddling with it some more and get back to you.

EDIT

No matter what I change, it won't grab any more posts:

http://www.thecarforum.net/forum/ignition.php

Code:

PHP Code:

<?php
//################################################################################//
//         MOD NAME: VBISpy                                                      #//
//################################################################################//
//      DESCRIPTION: This modification for vBulletin adds a "live" scrolling     #//
//                   update of new posts to the forum                            #//
//################################################################################//
//               BY: MPDev                                                       #//
//             DATE: 9.26.06                                                     #//
//          VERSION: 1.0.12                                                      #//
//################################################################################//

// ####################### SET PHP ENVIRONMENT ###########################
error_reporting(E_ALL & ~E_NOTICE);

// #################### DEFINE IMPORTANT CONSTANTS #######################
define('THIS_SCRIPT', 'vaispy');

// ################### PRE-CACHE TEMPLATES AND DATA ######################
// get special phrase groups
$phrasegroups = array();

// get special data templates from the datastore
$specialtemplates = array();

// pre-cache templates used by all actions
$globaltemplates = array();

// pre-cache templates used by specific actions
$actiontemplates = array();

// ######################### REQUIRE BACK-END ############################
require_once('./global.php');

// #########################   CONFIG VARS    ############################
// The number of days to scan the table for .. (86400 represents the number of seconds in 24 hours)
$daysprune = 1;

// Do not list these forums even if they have permissions (test categories, etc)
$blockforums = "";

// #########################   CONFIG VARS    ############################

$forumperms = array();
$lastpostid = (int)$_REQUEST['last'];
$subscribe = (int)$_REQUEST['subscribe'];

foreach($vbulletin->forumcache AS $forum) {
    $forumid = $forum['forumid'];
    $forumperms =& $vbulletin->userinfo['forumpermissions']["$forumid"];

    if (!isset($vbulletin->forumcache["$forumid"]) OR !($forumperms & $vbulletin->bf_ugp_forumpermissions['canview']) OR !($forumperms & $vbulletin->bf_ugp_forumpermissions['canviewothers']) OR !verify_forum_password($forumid, $vbulletin->forumcache["$forumid"]['password'], false))
    {
        $blockforums .= ','.$forum['forumid'];
    }
}
unset($forum);

$datecut = "AND thread.lastpost >= " . (TIMENOW - ($daysprune * 86400));
$prefetched = null;

############################################################################
// Get Threads I've Posted In
require_once(DIR . '/includes/functions_forumdisplay.php');
$result = $db->query_read("
    SELECT threadid
    FROM " . TABLE_PREFIX . "thread as thread
    WHERE thread.forumid NOT IN (0$blockforums) and
        thread.visible = 1 and
        thread.open <> 20 and
        thread.lastpostid > $lastpostid
        $datecut
");

$idsArray = array();
while ($id = $db->fetch_array($result))
{
    $idsArray[] = $id['threadid'];
}

$dotthreads = fetch_dot_threads_array(implode(',', $idsArray));
############################################################################
// Get Threads

// Do not set to more than 20 unless you know how to modify the html at the bottom of the page (and at line 291)
$limitq = ( isset($_REQUEST['do']) ? "20" : "1,20" );

if ( $subscribe == 1 )
{
$getthreads = $db->query_read("
      SELECT subscribethread.subscribethreadid,
             thread.forumid,
             thread.firstpostid,
             thread.lastpost,
             thread.lastposter,
             thread.lastpostid,
             thread.replycount,
             thread.threadid,
             thread.title,
             thread.open,
             thread.views,
             post.pagetext AS preview,
             post.userid AS lastpuserid
        FROM " . TABLE_PREFIX . "subscribethread AS subscribethread
             INNER JOIN " . TABLE_PREFIX . "thread AS thread ON (subscribethread.threadid = thread.threadid)
             LEFT JOIN " . TABLE_PREFIX . "deletionlog AS deletionlog ON (thread.threadid = deletionlog.primaryid AND type = 'thread')
             LEFT JOIN " . TABLE_PREFIX . "post AS post ON (post.postid = thread.lastpostid)
        WHERE subscribethread.userid = " . $vbulletin->userinfo['userid'] . "
            AND thread.forumid NOT IN (0$blockforums)
            AND thread.visible = 1
            AND subscribethread.canview = 1
            AND thread.lastpostid > $lastpostid
            AND deletionlog.primaryid IS NULL
            $datecut
       ORDER BY thread.lastpost DESC LIMIT $limitq
");
}
else
{
$getthreads = $db->query_read("
      SELECT thread.forumid,
             thread.firstpostid,
             thread.lastpost,
             thread.lastposter,
             thread.lastpostid,
             thread.replycount,
             thread.threadid,
             thread.title,
             thread.open,
             thread.views,
             post.pagetext AS preview,
             post.userid AS lastpuserid
        FROM " . TABLE_PREFIX . "thread AS thread
             LEFT JOIN " . TABLE_PREFIX . "deletionlog AS deletionlog ON (thread.threadid = deletionlog.primaryid AND type = 'thread')
             LEFT JOIN " . TABLE_PREFIX . "post AS post ON (post.postid = thread.lastpostid)
       WHERE open <> 10
         $datecut
         AND thread.forumid NOT IN (0$blockforums)
         AND thread.visible = '1'
         AND thread.lastpostid > $lastpostid
         AND post.visible = 1
         AND deletionlog.primaryid IS NULL
       ORDER BY thread.lastpost DESC LIMIT $limitq
");
}

$row = $highestid = 1;
$rowcolor = "alt2";

while($thread = $db->fetch_array($getthreads)) {
    $color = $color == 'alt1' ? 'alt2' : 'alt1';

    $thread['title'] = htmlspecialchars_uni(fetch_censored_text(fetch_trimmed_title(unhtmlspecialchars($thread['title']), 85)));
    $thread['date'] = vbdate($vbulletin->options['dateformat'], $thread['lastpost'], 1);
    $thread['time'] = vbdate($vbulletin->options['timeformat'], $thread['lastpost']);

    // Get rid of html and bbcode first
    $thread['preview'] = strip_tags(strip_bbcode($thread['preview'], true, true));
    $thread['preview'] = htmlspecialchars_uni(fetch_trimmed_title($thread['preview'], 200));
    $thread['preview'] = fetch_censored_text(fetch_word_wrapped_string($thread['preview'], 20));

    $thread['replycount'] = vb_number_format($thread['replycount']);
    $thread['views'] = vb_number_format($thread['views']);

    $tforumid = $thread['forumid'];
    $thread['forum'] = htmlspecialchars_uni($vbulletin->forumcache["$tforumid"]['title']);

    if ( $thread['lastpostid'] == $thread['firstpostid'] )
    {
        $etype = "New Thread";
    }
    else
    {
        $etype = "New Post";
    }

    // Statusicon
    // show dot folder?
    if ($vbulletin->userinfo['userid'] AND $vbulletin->options['showdots'] AND $dotthreads["$thread[threadid]"])
    {
        $thread['statusicon'] .= '_dot';
        $thread['dot_count'] = $dotthreads["$thread[threadid]"]['count'];
        $thread['dot_lastpost'] = $dotthreads["$thread[threadid]"]['lastpost'];
    }

    // show hot folder?
    if ($vbulletin->options['usehotthreads'] AND (($thread['replycount'] >= $vbulletin->options['hotnumberposts'] AND $vbulletin->options['hotnumberposts'] > 0) OR ($thread['views'] >= $vbulletin->options['hotnumberviews'] AND $vbulletin->options['hotnumberviews'] > 0)))
    {
        $thread['statusicon'] .= '_hot';
    }

    // show locked folder?
    if (!$thread['open'])
    {
        $thread['statusicon'] .= '_lock';
    }

    $thread['statusicon'] = $stylevar['imgdir_statusicon'] . '/thread' . $thread['statusicon'] . '.gif';

    if ( $_REQUEST['do'] == "xml" )
    {
$output .= <<<VAPRINT
<event>
<id>{$thread['lastpostid']}</id>
<what>$etype</what>
<when>{$thread['date']} {$thread['time']}</when>
<title>{$thread['title']}</title>
<preview>{$thread['preview']}</preview>
<poster>{$thread['lastposter']}</poster>
<threadid>{$thread['threadid']}</threadid>
<postid>{$thread['lastpostid']}</postid>
<lastpost>{$thread['lastpost']}</lastpost>
<userid>{$thread['lastpuserid']}</userid>
<forumid>{$thread['forumid']}</forumid>
<forumname>{$thread['forum']}</forumname>
<views>{$thread['views']}</views>
<replies>{$thread['replycount']}</replies>
<statusicon>{$thread['statusicon']}</statusicon>
</event>
VAPRINT;
    }
    else
    {
        $rowcolor = ( $rowcolor == "alt1" ? "alt2" : "alt1" );

        $where = $clip = $poster_clip = $poster = null;

        if ( stristr($etype, "thread") )
        {
            $post_url = "showthread.php?t={$thread['threadid']}";
        }
        else
        {
            $post_url = "showthread.php?p={$thread['lastpostid']}#post{$thread['lastpostid']}";
        }

        if( !$thread['title'] )
        {
            $clip = "<strong>Unknown</strong>";
        }
        else
        {
            $clip = "<strong><img src="{$thread['statusicon']}" alt="" /><a target="_blank" href="{$post_url}">{$thread['title']}</a></strong>";
        }

        if ( $thread['preview'] )
        {
            $clip .= "<br />{$thread['preview']}";
        }

        $clip .= " ({$thread['views']} views, {$thread['replycount']} replies)";

        if ( $thread['lastpuserid'] )
        {
            $poster_clip = "<a target="_blank" href="member.php?u={$thread['lastpuserid']}">{$thread['lastposter']}</a>";
        }

        $poster_clip .= "<br />{$thread['date']} {$thread['time']}";

        if ( $thread['forum'] )
        {
            $where .= "<strong><a target="_blank" href="forumdisplay.php?f={$thread['forumid']}">{$thread['forum']}</a></strong>";
        }
        else
        {
            $where = "";
        }

        if (is_browser('opera'))
        {
$prefetched .= <<<VAPRINT
<div id="row{$row}"><table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"><tr><td width="20" class="$rowcolor smallfont" nowrap="nowrap" align="center">$etype</td><td class="$rowcolor smallfont" width="225" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">$poster_clip</td><td class="$rowcolor smallfont" width="80%">$clip</td><td class="$rowcolor smallfont" width="200" nowrap="nowrap" align="center">$where</td></tr></table></div>\n
VAPRINT;
        }
        else
        {
$prefetched .= <<<VAPRINT
<tr id="row{$row}"><td class="$rowcolor smallfont" align="center"><div class="smallfont">$etype</div></td><td class="$rowcolor smallfont"><div class="smallfont">$poster_clip</div></td><td class="$rowcolor smallfont"><div class="smallfont">$clip</div></td><td class="$rowcolor smallfont" align="center"><div class="smallfont">$where</div></td></tr>\n
VAPRINT;
        }

        $row++;
        if ( $thread['lastpostid'] > $highestid )
        {
            $highestid = $thread['lastpostid'];
        }
    }
}

if ( $row < 6 )
{
    for( $x = $row; $x < 22; $x++ )
    {
        if (is_browser('opera'))
        {
$prefetched .= <<<VAPRINT
<div id="row{$x}"></div>\n
VAPRINT;
        }
        else
        {
$prefetched .= <<<VAPRINT
<tr id="row{$x}"><td class="$rowcolor smallfont" align="center">&nbsp;</td><td class="$rowcolor smallfont">&nbsp;</td><td class="$rowcolor smallfont">&nbsp;</td><td class="$rowcolor smallfont" align="center">&nbsp;</td></tr>\n
VAPRINT;
        }
    }
}

// memory saving
unset($thread);
$db->free_result($getthreads);

if ( $_REQUEST['do'] == "xml" )
{
    header( 'Content-Type: text/xml' . ($stylevar['charset'] != '' ? '; charset=' .  $stylevar['charset'] : '') );
    echo '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="' . $stylevar['charset'] . '"?>' . "\r\n";

    if ( $output )
    {
        echo "<events>$output</events>";
    }
    else
    {
        echo "<events />";
    }

    exit;
}

$navbits = array();
$navbits[$parent] = 'Ignition';
$navbits = construct_navbits($navbits);

eval('$navbar = "' . fetch_template('navbar') . '";');
$navbar = process_replacement_vars($navbar);

eval('$headinclude = "' . fetch_template('headinclude') . '";');
$headinclude = process_replacement_vars($headinclude);

eval('$footer = "' . fetch_template('footer') . '";');
$footer = process_replacement_vars($footer);

echo<<<VAPRINT
$stylevar[htmldoctype]
<html dir="$stylevar[textdirection]" lang="$stylevar[languagecode]">
<head>
$headinclude
<style type="text/css">
.spyfade1 div, .spyfade1 span,, .spyfade1 td, .spyfade1 img {
opacity:0.90;
filter:alpha(opacity=90);
-moz-opacity:0.90;
}
.spyfade2 div, .spyfade2 span, .spyfade2 td, .spyfade2 img {
opacity:0.80;
filter:alpha(opacity=80);
-moz-opacity:0.80;
}
.spyfade3 div, .spyfade3 span, .spyfade3 td, .spyfade3 img {
opacity:0.70;
filter:alpha(opacity=70);
-moz-opacity:0.70;
}
.spyfade4 div, .spyfade4 span, .spyfade4 td, .spyfade4 img {
opacity:0.50;
filter:alpha(opacity=50);
-moz-opacity:0.50;
}
.spyfade5 div, .spyfade5 span, .spyfade5 td, .spyfade5 img {
opacity:0.30;
filter:alpha(opacity=30);
-moz-opacity:0.30;
}
</style>
<script language="javascript" src="clientscript/va_prototype.js"></script>
<script language="javascript" src="clientscript/va_effects.js"></script>
<script language="javascript" src="clientscript/va_spy.js"></script>
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
<!--
    spymax = 25;
    highestid = $highestid;

function pauseSpy() {
    var playimg = document.getElementById("vaplay");
    var pauseimg = document.getElementById("vapause");

    playimg.src = "images/misc/play_up.gif";
    playimg.alt = "Click to Play";
    pauseimg.src = "images/misc/pause_down.gif";
    pauseimg.alt = "Paused...";

    pause();
}

function playSpy() {
    var playimg = document.getElementById("vaplay");
    var pauseimg = document.getElementById("vapause");

    playimg.src = "images/misc/play_down.gif";
    playimg.alt = "Playing...";
    pauseimg.src = "images/misc/pause_up.gif";
    pauseimg.alt = "Click to Pause";

    resume();
}

function pause() {
    play = 0;
}

function resume() {
    play = 1;
}
// -->
</script>
<title>Ignition - Accel - the car forum .net </title>
</head>
<body onload="spyinit();">
$header
$navbar

<table width="90%" align="center"><tr><td width="50%" align="left"><input type="checkbox" id="subscribe" value="1">&nbsp;subscribed threads only</td>
<td width="50%" align="right">
<img id="vaplay" src="images/misc/play_down.gif" style="cursor:pointer;" alt="Play" title="Play Comments" onclick="playSpy();" /> &nbsp;
<img id="vapause" src="images/misc/pause_up.gif" style="cursor:pointer;" alt="Pause" title="Pause Comments" onclick="pauseSpy();" />
</td></tr></table>
<br />
VAPRINT;

if (is_browser('opera'))
{
$output .= <<<VAPRINT
<table class="tborder" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" align="center" id="spy_table">
<tr><td width="20" class="tcat" nowrap="nowrap" style="height:25px;">&nbsp;</td>
<td class="tcat" width="225" nowrap="nowrap" style="height:25px;">By</td>
<td class="tcat" width="80%" style="height:25px;">Thread/Post</td>
<td class="tcat" width="200" nowrap="nowrap" style="height:25px;">Forum
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="4" class="alt1">
$prefetched
<div id="row21" style="display:none;" class="spyfade1"></div>
<div id="row22" style="display:none;" class="spyfade2"></div>
<div id="row23" style="display:none;" class="spyfade3"></div>
<div id="row24" style="display:none;" class="spyfade4"></div>
<div id="row25" style="display:none;" class="spyfade5"></div>
</td></tr>
</table>
VAPRINT;
}
else
{
$output .= <<<VAPRINT
<table class="tborder" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="1" border="0" width="100%" align="center" id="spy_table">
<thead>
<tr align="center"><td class="thead" width="100">Event</td><td class="thead" width="190">By</td><td class="thead">Thread/Post</td><td class="thead" width="190">Forum</td></tr>
</thead>
<tbody class="alt1">
$prefetched
<tr id="row21" style="display: none;" class="spyfade1"><td align="center">&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td align="center">&nbsp;</td></tr>
<tr id="row22" style="display: none;" class="spyfade2"><td align="center">&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td align="center">&nbsp;</td></tr>
<tr id="row23" style="display: none;" class="spyfade3"><td align="center">&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td align="center">&nbsp;</td></tr>
<tr id="row24" style="display: none;" class="spyfade4"><td align="center">&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td align="center">&nbsp;</td></tr>
<tr id="row25" style="display: none;" class="spyfade5"><td align="center">&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td align="center">&nbsp;</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
VAPRINT;
}

$output .= <<<VAPRINT
$footer
VAPRINT;

echo $output;
?>

[Expertu]

Originally Posted by MPDev

Without the header and footer in place, I have no way of checking to see what error may be causing the problem. Did you check your JavaScript console (in FF) to see what error might be throw up?

Hey MP... Any ideeas ? You have my replies above.

[MPDev]

Originally Posted by Jon.

No matter what I change, it won't grab any more posts

You have spymax set to 25 but then you removed the first 20 rows to your html, but left the last 5 - not numbered sequentially from 1.

You need to edit your files properly if you want it to work other than it was designed.

[MPDev]

Originally Posted by Expertu

Hey MP... Any ideeas ? You have my replies above.

Turn off your snow effect; you cannot have more than one timer running on a page at once.

[Doglet]

I am missing something here.

I have installed it and if I put the url into my browser, it is working.

BUT. How do you open it from the forums. Does a link need to go in somewhere and if so what and where?

[Doglet]

Also, when I use it to take me to a new post, the only way I can get back to iSpy is to use the browser's back arrow and the post that I read still shows as unread, even if I refresh the screen.

I must be doing this wrong. Any hints?

[MPDev]

Sure, put a link to it in your navbar; otherwise people won't know how to get to it.

[smiralles]

ok so i put a link in hte nav bar but it seems to get stuck every tome more then 1 person is using it! can u tell me y pls? thanks!

http://www.electronicguru.net/forum/vaispy.php

[MPDev]

You have to be registered to see it (so I cant see it); but the number of users viewing it doesn't have any bearing on its ability to do what it does.