Help with thread preview...

[Moncha]

I've made a custom template for a recent posts widget using a modification of the "vbcms_widget_recentposts_page" template and the "threadbit" template. I have two elements that aren't working, the thread preview and the thread views. If I change the:

<div class="threadinfo" title="{vb:raw thread.preview}">

to:

<div class="threadinfo" title="{vb:raw thread.previewtext}">

the preview works, but the special characters show and breaks the page. left alone the preview doesn't show.

Is there any way to make this work correctly??

<div class="cms_widget">
	<div class="block">
		<div class="cms_widget_header">
			<h3><img alt="" src="{vb:stylevar imgdir_cms}/widget-forum.png" /> {vb:raw title}</h3>
		</div>
		<div class="cms_widget_content widget_content">
		<vb:each from="threads" key="threadid" value="thread">
		<div class="threadinfo" title="{vb:raw thread.preview}"><!-- From the threadbit template -->
			<div class="cms_widget_post_bit widget_post_bit">
				<div class="cms_widget_post_userinfo widget_post_userinfo">
				<vb:if condition="$thread['postusername']!='guestuser' AND $vboptions['avatarenabled']">
					<div class="cms_widget_post_useravatar widget_post_useravatar">
						<a class="comments_member_avatar_link" href="{vb:link member, {vb:raw thread}}">
						<vb:if condition="$thread['avatarurl']" >
							<img src="{vb:raw thread.avatarurl}" alt="{vb:raw thread.postusername}" />
						<vb:else />
							<img src="{vb:stylevar imgdir_misc}/unknown.gif" alt="{vb:raw thread.postusername}" />
						</vb:if>
						</a>
					</div>
				</vb:if>
				</div>
					<div class="cms_widget_post_comment<vb:if condition="!$vboptions['avatarenabled']">_noavatar</vb:if> widget_post_comment<vb:if condition="!$vboptions['avatarenabled']">_noavatar</vb:if>">
												<h4 class="cms_widget_post_header widget_post_header">
							<a href="{vb:link thread, {vb:raw thread}}">{vb:raw thread.title}</a>
						</h4>
						<div>
{vb:rawphrase replies_x_views_y, {vb:raw thread.replycount}, {vb:raw thread.views}}<!-- From the threadbit template -->
						</div>
						{vb:rawphrase thread_starter}:
						<vb:if condition="thread.postusername == 'guestuser'">
							{vb:raw thread.postusername}
						<vb:else />
							<a href="{vb:link member, {vb:raw thread}}">{vb:raw thread.postusername}</a>
						</vb:if>
						Last Post: {vb:raw thread.lastpostdate}<vb:if condition="!$thread['detailedtime']">, <span class="time">{vb:raw thread.lastposttime}</span></vb:if>

						<vb:if condition="$thread['lastposterid']" >
							{vb:rawphrase by_x, {vb:link member, {vb:raw thread}, null, 'lastposterid', 'lastposter'}, {vb:raw thread.lastposter}}
						<vb:else />
							{vb:rawphrase by_x_guest, {vb:raw thread.lastposter}}
						</vb:if>
						<a href="{vb:raw thread.lastposturl}"><img class="inlineimg" src="{vb:stylevar imgdir_button}/lastpost-{vb:stylevar right}.png" alt="{vb:rawphrase go_to_last_post}" border="0" /></a>
						<vb:comment><br/>
						{vb:rawphrase replies_x_views_y, {vb:raw thread.replycount}, {vb:raw thread.views}}</vb:comment>
					</div>
			</div>
		</vb:each>
		</div>
	</div>
</div>
</div>

[Lynne]

Why are you changing is from preview to previewtext? And where is the code that defines those variables?

[Moncha]

In using the vbcms 4.1.9 widget creator, I've selected "recent threads" as the widget type and changed the template to my custom template.

I know there should be code that defines the variables but, I'm not sure where the widget calls to so, I don't know where the variables would call to as well. Hence looking for some direction... I had a hack working, performing the same preview in vBPortal but am trying to get it to look the same with vbcms. Can I use a hook in the template to help with the variables?

[Lynne]

I don't know exactly what you are trying to do. But, if it's the recent threads widget, then look at the code in /packages/vbcms/widgets/recentthreads.php and you should see where previewtext is defined. Perhaps you can edit the code under it to make it do what you want.

[Moncha]

That will do it! Thank you! I'll do some comparing between the file you mentioned and the showthread.php to see what I can find..

The whole point of this is to have a post preview in the widget when hovering over the thread title. None of the widgets and mods I have found have that capability whilst keeping the display simple.

[Moncha]

In an attempt to further this design for a CMS widget, I'm trying to use this code that was pulled from "threadbit" template;

<vb:if condition="$show['gotonewpost']">
			<a href="{vb:link thread, {vb:raw thread}, {vb:raw pageinfo_newpost}}" id="thread_gotonew_{vb:raw thread.realthreadid}" class="cms_widget_post_bit widget_post_bit"><img class="inlineimg" src="{vb:stylevar imgdir_button}/firstnew.png" alt="{vb:rawphrase go_to_first_new_post}" border="0" /></a>
		</vb:if>

The code only works if I remove the "if conditional", so, what can you see what's wrong?

[Lynne]

Try spitting out the show variable. My guess is it was not defined and that is why you can't use it.

[Moncha]

Ok, in trying to define the variable, I found on the functions_forumdisplay this code:

if ($thread['lastpost'] > $lastread)
		{
			if ($vbulletin->options['threadmarking'] AND $thread['threadread'])
			{
				$threadview = $thread['threadread'];
			}
			else
			{
				$threadview = intval(fetch_bbarray_cookie('thread_lastview', $thread['threadid']));
			}

			if ($thread['lastpost'] > $threadview)
			{
				$thread['status']['new'] = 'new';
				$show['gotonewpost'] = true;
			}
			else
			{
				$newthreads--;
				$show['gotonewpost'] = false;
			}
		}
		else
		{
			$show['gotonewpost'] = false;
		}

Could I insert that in the widgets/recentthreads.php? I am not at all good at the more complex conditionals. I keep reading and reading but get more and more confused.

[Lynne]

You can try what you are thinking (I'm not sure exactly what you are thinking of doing) and see if it works. This is why we have test sites - to try things out.

[Moncha]

Yes ma'am, I am doing this on my test site but, I'm stuck.

What I'm trying to achive is a CMS widget that will show recent thread activity as a listing of new posts. In that list, I have it show a preview of the post when you hover over the title, show reply and view count, who started the thread with alink to that users profile, when the last post was and by whom, and a link to the last post in the thread. (See attachment)

The last two things that I would like to have and is where I'm stuck at, is the "Take me to the FIRST UNREAD POST" link and icon like on forum display, and the integration of the product "VSa - Jump to My Last Post".

The link for the GOTNEW POST works but I suck at the conditional and have not been able to figure what I need to get it to work. I've tried the above to no avail....
Trust me, I have been working on this and not just waiting for someone to give me the answer. I just asking if someone with tons more experience would be willing to shed some light.

I do thank you for your help, by reading your and others' posts I've been able to achieve a lot, even the elusive 240px, 100%, 240px grid that others seem to have a heck of a time with.