Major Additions - vbRides ? Garage

vbRides is a vBulletin Garage plugin for vBulletin Suite 4 forum software. Members of your website can showcase their rides with the community. This is not a port or copy of another garage but a unique mod designed by a car guy for the car community. My intentions with vbrides is avoid the bloat of unnecessary extensions an keep a simple 'showcase' style garage.

I have wanted to build a 'garage' add-on since I first started with vbulletin an worked on something with Magnus ten years ago. It was Christeris new add-ons that had the style an layout that inspired me to create this new add-on. He has since abandon his work an given ozzy47 his code who has given me permission to use Christeris code to build a new garage add-on called "vbRides".

Due to starting with code from another project this add-on will remain free an not offered as a pro or lite edition. However there was extensive work writing vbrides an would appreciate your support.


Key Features

• User management of rides through the User Control Panel
  
• Forty fields of specifications to fill out for a detailed ride profile.
  
• Support for an audio clip embedded with the HTML5 audio player.
  
• Ride owners can add a single YouTube video.
  
• RSS feed for new rides with photo, title, an description.
  
• Searchable fields include owner, VIN, and keywords.
  
• Unlimited categories an subcategories.
  
• Lightbox presentation of ride images
  
• Create new ride thread in a specified forum showing the ride year, make, model, an it's main image with a short description.
  
• Up to 5 ride listings can be automatically generated an added to owners forum signature.
  
• Social Media block can either use AddThis account or choose Twitter, Google, Pin It, an Facebook like buttons.
  
• Owners ride listings tab can be shown on their user profile.
  
• Vehicle of the day within it's category added with cron.
  
• Extra fields can be added under the user stats block.

Under Construction

• SEO Friendly URLs has not been tested an should be considered under development.
  
• Custom Facebook Open Graph isn't working as intended.
  
• Signature hook is only showing ride for first post. To Fix Plugin Manager > Edit Plugin vbRides: Postbit, Signatures and PM's, Remove the "_once" from require_once. :erm:
  
• Missing side padding for text in side blocks with last update.

Future Plans / Wishlist

• Drag Strip stats, an extension to add drag racing information with timeslip images.
  
• Modification system, an extension to add searchable database based on the parts. So a Holley carb install would be linked to other rides who have done the same install.
  
• Add activity stream support

Installation

• Download and unzip the file 'product-vbRides_x.x.x.zip'
  
• Upload the content of upload folder to your existing vBulletin directory. If your admincp folder is renamed from default manually move vbrides_admin.php to it.
  
• CMOD 777 the directories:
  
  • vbrides/photos
    
  • vbrides/audio
    
• Goto Admincp, Plugins & Products > Manage Products > Add/Import Product and import product-vbrides.xml
  
• Set the various settings in vbRides
  
• Set Usergroup permissions See Post

YouTube Channel
vbRides Instructional & Demo Videos

Demo:
http://www.action-network.com/vbrides.php

Demo Account:

vbrides:W5K9VK

More Screenshots

Translations
Phrases are included in the install xml, the file in downloads is extra for use in translating or rephrase for different uses.

Change Log

• Version 1.0.1
  
  • Updated functions_vbrides.php to correct missing deleteDir() function
    
  • Fixed template bugs in 'vbrides_view_ride', 'vbrides_my_comments_bit'
    
  • Added post new ride button to front page in 'vbrides_rightside' template
    
  • Product xml should now install on forums without cms although template is still added
    
• Version 1.0.2
  
  • Updated vbrides.php, vbrides_modcp.php, vbrides_usercp.php to fix bugs with comments
    
  • Updated add_rides_forumhome.php to hide block if no rides to show
    
  • Changed the moderate.png from site_icon folder to a filled in comment bubble
    
• Version 1.0.3
  
  • Added hard coded avatar width in comments to avoid breaking the layout
    
  • Redesigned how thumbnail images are made, now set a fixed height an width
    
  • Reworked RSS feed, now 100% validates so should work as intended
    
  • Fixed various bugs, so reupload all files
    
• Version 1.0.4
  
  • Inserted link to "AddThis" in AddThis profile ID description
    
  • Fixed Show Empty Categories to work as intended
    
  • Removed removeslash function as it didn't work on all servers causing fatal error
    
  • Removed bbc table structure in new ride forum post template to work with TapaTalk
    
  • Added min/max character info to small description input description so users are aware
    
  • Added style variables for adjusting the rating text in view ride page
    
  • Reworked pm and new thread code an phrase template
    
  • Edited moderate.png, moderated.png, and stars.gif
    
  • Fixed broken style in member ride tab caused by last update
    
  • Rewrote vbrides_stats.php to correctly count photos and main images as total images
    
  • Fixed various bugs, reupload all files
    
• Version 1.0.5
  
  • Ride report permission should be fixed to hide from Guests
    
  • Removed dependancy on cms an blog css tags
    
  • New setting Show Create Rides Button as graphic button, link, or hide
  • Fixed bug if overwriting main photo would add to the photo count
  • Performed a spellcheck on the phrases to fix misspelling an grammar
  • Added new style variables for list header to make up for removing blog.css
    
  • Fixed various bugs, reupload all files
    
• Version 1.0.6 Thanks to Keyser Soze for his contributions regarding this version.
  
  • Changed breadcrumb nav to better use vbulletins breadcrumb-navbits
    
  • Removed dependency on cms an blog css tags
    
  • Changed how YouTube videos are added, can now enter full urls
    
  • Fixed bug with comment counter
    

[ozzy47]

Originally Posted by I.G.O.T.A.

You around anymore?

I think he is a bit tied up with his personal life ATM.

Originally Posted by Action-N

Been having a little trouble getting the time to work on this product. I got a new puppy, the high energy kind that if it doesn't get enough attention it starts to chew on my arm.

[I.G.O.T.A.]

Originally Posted by ozzy47

I think he is a bit tied up with his personal life ATM.

I see that.

[Keyser Soze]

I am currently trying to use this addon in my forum and have noticed that the author doesn't use the usual vbulletin way to create the breadcrumb-navbits (he is inserting custom arrow-images).
I have coded a custom recursive function that makes perfect use of vbulletins breadcrumb-navbits. You just have to replace the function getRidesNavBar in functions_vbrides.php with the following function:

PHP Code:

function getRidesNavBarArray($navbitsarray, $catid, $lastnavbit) {
    global $db, $vbulletin, $vbphrase, $vboptions, $navbitsarray;
    
    if ($catid < 0) {
        return '';
    }
    
    $qry = $db->query_read("SELECT * FROM ".TABLE_PREFIX."vbrides_categories WHERE id = $catid AND active = 1");
    $row = $db->fetch_array($qry);

    $seolink = 'vbrides.php?do=main&amp;catid=' . $row['id'];
    
    if (count($navbitsarray) == 0) {
        // add custom lastnavbit if supplied
        if (!empty($lastnavbit)) {
            $navbitsarray = array($seolink => $row['name'], '' => $lastnavbit);
        } else {
            $navbitsarray = array('' => $row['name']);
        }
    }    else {
        $navbitsarray = array_merge(array($seolink => $row['name']), $navbitsarray);
    }

    // still have parents?
    if ($row['parentid'] != 0) {
        getRidesNavBarArray($navbitsarray, $row['parentid'], $lastnavbit);
    }    
    return $navbitsarray;
} 


And you will have to call this function in vbrides.php a little bit differently 2 times:

PHP Code:

$navbits = array_merge($navbits, getRidesNavBarArray(array(), $catid, $ride['title'])); 


and

PHP Code:

$navbits = array_merge($navbits, getRidesNavBarArray(array(), $ride['categoryid'],  $ride['title'])); 


After doing these 3 changes, you will see a breadcrumb in your forum's layout and not with these custom arrows that might not match your forum's style.

P.S.: Thanks for this great addon!

[Keyser Soze]

Another suggestion to the addon-author: you could parse the video-ID of Youtube-videos from Youtube-URLs with this little function (that I have found using Google) which will make it much more intuitive for users to add a youtube-link to their ride-profile because they no longer will have to add the exact embed url and can also add the usual URL from their browser's address bar:

PHP Code:

/*
 * Function to parse the id from all different types of Youtube Embed Codes and Youtube Urls
 *
 * @author Andreas Grundner
 * @date 22.07.2011
 * @licence freeware
 * @param string youtube url, embed code, share code, channel code ...
 * @return string youtube_id
 */
function getYoutubeId($sYoutubeUrl) {
 
    # set to zero
    $youtube_id = "";
    $sYoutubeUrl = trim($sYoutubeUrl);
 
    # the User entered only the eleven chars long id, Case 1
    if(strlen($sYoutubeUrl) === 11) {
        $youtube_id = $sYoutubeUrl;
        return $sYoutubeUrl;
    }
 
    # the User entered a Url
    else {
 
        # try to get all Cases
        if (preg_match('~(?:youtube.com/(?:user/.+/|(?:v|e(?:mbed)?)/|.*[?&]v=)|youtu.be/)([^"&?/ ]{11})~i', $sYoutubeUrl, $match)) {
            $youtube_id = $match[1];
            return $youtube_id;
        }
        # try to get some other channel codes, and fallback extractor
        elseif(preg_match('~http://www.youtube.com/v/([A-Za-z0-9-_]+).+?|embed/([0-9A-Za-z-_]{11})|watch?v=([0-9A-Za-z-_]{11})|#.*/([0-9A-Za-z-_]{11})~si', $sYoutubeUrl, $match)) {
 
            for ($i=1; $i<=4; $i++) {
                if (strlen($match[$i])==11) {
                    $youtube_id = $match[$i];
                    break;
                }
            }
            return $youtube_id;
        }
        else {
            $youtube_id = "No valid YoutubeId extracted";
            return $youtube_id;
        }
    }
} 


If you want to call this function in vbrides.php, do it this way:

PHP Code:

$html_video .= '<iframe width="280" height="158" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/' . getYoutubeId($ride['video']) . '" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>'; 


[Keyser Soze]

There's a small bug in vbrides_usercp.php that prevents the comments-counter for a ride-entry from decreasing after a moderator has deleted a comment. That means that the comment-counter does not represent the correct number of comments for an entry as soon as one comment will be deleted. To fix this, you only have to change one single character:

Open vbrides_usercp.php and replace

PHP Code:

if ($comments['state'] == 'visible') 


with

PHP Code:

if ($comment['state'] == 'visible') 


[romaszek]

Originally Posted by Keyser Soze

Another suggestion to the addon-author: you could parse the video-ID of Youtube-videos from Youtube-URLs with this little function (that I have found using Google) which will make it much more intuitive for users to add a youtube-link to their ride-profile because they no longer will have to add the exact embed url and can also add the usual URL from their browser's address bar:

PHP Code:

/*
 * Function to parse the id from all different types of Youtube Embed Codes and Youtube Urls
 *
 * @author Andreas Grundner
 * @date 22.07.2011
 * @licence freeware
 * @param string youtube url, embed code, share code, channel code ...
 * @return string youtube_id
 */
function getYoutubeId($sYoutubeUrl) {
 
    # set to zero
    $youtube_id = "";
    $sYoutubeUrl = trim($sYoutubeUrl);
 
    # the User entered only the eleven chars long id, Case 1
    if(strlen($sYoutubeUrl) === 11) {
        $youtube_id = $sYoutubeUrl;
        return $sYoutubeUrl;
    }
 
    # the User entered a Url
    else {
 
        # try to get all Cases
        if (preg_match('~(?:youtube.com/(?:user/.+/|(?:v|e(?:mbed)?)/|.*[?&]v=)|youtu.be/)([^"&?/ ]{11})~i', $sYoutubeUrl, $match)) {
            $youtube_id = $match[1];
            return $youtube_id;
        }
        # try to get some other channel codes, and fallback extractor
        elseif(preg_match('~http://www.youtube.com/v/([A-Za-z0-9-_]+).+?|embed/([0-9A-Za-z-_]{11})|watch?v=([0-9A-Za-z-_]{11})|#.*/([0-9A-Za-z-_]{11})~si', $sYoutubeUrl, $match)) {
 
            for ($i=1; $i<=4; $i++) {
                if (strlen($match[$i])==11) {
                    $youtube_id = $match[$i];
                    break;
                }
            }
            return $youtube_id;
        }
        else {
            $youtube_id = "No valid YoutubeId extracted";
            return $youtube_id;
        }
    }
} 


If you want to call this function in vbrides.php, do it this way:

PHP Code:

$html_video .= '<iframe width="280" height="158" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/' . getYoutubeId($ride['video']) . '" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>'; 


Thank you for that. How is it used?

[giaguaro]

i have to substitute my VB Pro Garage because it's no longer supported.
I was wondering if i can import the old users/rides/images from the old mod into this new one.
Thanks a lot

[llecount]

Originally Posted by giaguaro

i have to substitute my VB Pro Garage because it's no longer supported.
I was wondering if i can import the old users/rides/images from the old mod into this new one.
Thanks a lot

I am wondering this as well.

[cdoyle]

Originally Posted by llecount

I am wondering this as well.

Same here, it would be great to not lose the ones we already have.

Has there been any other updates to this mod? I'm really hoping to move to a better garage soon.

[PaulProe]

I am investigating this plugin and have run into an issue of approvals. Maybe I can't see the forest for all the trees in the way.

I post vehicle with information and it shows up. But it shows as un-approved. Where do I go to approve the post?

Then when I log out and come back, the vehicle doesn't show up in the list. Any ideas of what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks

Paul