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]

Thanks, ForumDog! I have an Opera integration working at:

ViperAlley.Com and at vBispy.com

I'll post an update soon.

[pdblizzard]

*pam clicks install*
Great add on, thank you so much!

Two things, a question, and a suggestion:

Question: Is there way to limit the number of characters in the thread text preview (I'm using the VBAdvanced hack and want to squeeze up the size of each line on the page)

Suggestion: How about the option to play a sound file when a new post/thread is submitted so I can browse away or walk away from the comp and come back when I hear the sound file

[kall]

Ahh, the issue I was having with Firefox was caused by the Forum in question allowing HTML.

The <br> that the RSS feed started with was translating into a <br> in the vaispy display.

Manually removing the <br> seems to fix it, but it would be grand if it could be stripped before display.

[MPDev]

I strip bb code, so adding a strip for html code wouldn't be a problem; I'll do that as well.

The thread preview is set by the , 200); line in vaispy.php

Not sure about a sound.....

[furst]

I would LOVE to see a mix between this and Top X Stats or Cyb's Advanced Forum Statistics.

[MPDev]

Posted changes to fix Opera browsers, improve post parsing, trim javascript effects file and move some javascript into index.php to make using stylevars easier for those who want to stylize their copies.

[Adrian Schneider]

The only thing I'd like to see is checking for new private messages as well. I know it's not really the point of the hack, but then you can just leave the one page open and be updated with everything.

[firstrebel]

Can the second column - By - be made smaller or dynamic. It's too wide.

Bob

[MPDev]

The html for the columns is in va_spy.js at lines 268 and 270; you could modify the columns widths there.

[firstrebel]

That didn't work, so I looked at vaispy.php and removed the width="190" attribute from <td class="thead" width="190">By</td> at line 291.

Bob