New Posting Features - vB Spell

What this does: vB Spell allows you to install a dictionary (English dictionary included) into your MysQL database, and provide a spell checking window that works in both of vB's editor modes, standard and WYSIWYG.

Background: This mod was originally developed by tamarian for vB 3.5.x. With the release of 3.6.x the installer stopped working for fresh installs and the template changes were considerably out of date, tamarian gave me permission to release a 3.6.x version with updates.
This version should work with both 3.5.x and 3.6.x series.

Features:

• Supports most recent versions of browsers. Tested on IE, Firefox, Mozilla/Netsacpe, Opera and Konqueror (Konqueror implies Safari, but please confirm Mac folks).
• Learn Feature uses cookies, so it won't increase the database size.
• Admin panel options.
• Spell Check button appears anywhere there is a WYSIWYG Enhanced or Standard Editor Toolbar [includes quickreply but not quickedit].
• Skips quoted text and other tags (PHP, code, etc.).
• Usergroup permisisons.
• Template based interface, and uses your default style.
• Link buttons (Thesarus and Lookup) with links to Merriam Webster's online thesarus and dictionary links with the suggestion for misspelled words.

Installation:

• Unzip main package.
• Upload the contents of the 'upload' folder to your forum home directory.
  Regular Install:
  • Unzip dictionary-reg.zip.
  • Upload DICTIONARY.DIC to your forum home directory.
  Alternate Install
  • Unzip dictionary-alt.zip.
  • Import the SQL files to your database.
• Import product-spellvb.xml.
• Go to AdminCP > vBulletin Options > vB Spell and edit your usergroup permisisons.
• Template changes are now automatic. [accept for quickedit]

Q: What is the Alternate Install method for?
A: If you are having problems with the Regular Install (such as your dictionary import freezes at x%) then you should consider using the Alternate Install. If neither of these methods work for you then there might be an issue with your server host.

Upgrading:

• Unzip main package.
• Upload the contents of the 'upload' folder to your forum home directory.
• Import product-spellvb.xml.

To manually force the quickedit template to work with this mod:
postbit_quickedit
Find

		<if condition="is_browser('ie')">
			<td><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_editor]/separator.gif" width="6" height="20" alt="" /></td>
			<td><div class="imagebutton" id="{$editorid}_cmd_spelling"><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_editor]/spelling.gif" width="21" height="20" alt="$vbphrase[check_spelling]" /></div></td>
		</if>

Replace with

		<td><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_editor]/separator.gif" width="6" height="20" alt="" /></td>
		<td><div class="imagebutton" id="{$editorid}_cmd_spelling(null)"><img onclick="spellCheck('3', '$editorid', '2');" src="$stylevar[imgdir_editor]/spelling.gif" width="21" height="20" alt="$vbphrase[check_spelling]" /></div></td>

History:
0.10.x NyNe versions
v0.10.3b - 06/22/07:
Compensated for an issue brought up in this post.
v0.10.3 - 06/22/07:
Added a check to the product installer so it would not remove the vbspell table after just having created it.
Added $vboptions[bburl] to all template code that asks for files (this *might* fix the PhotoPost issues - no promises).
v0.10.2b - 08/26/06:
Fixed error in product installer (removed table prefix).
Changed all <? to <?php for php5 compatibility.
v0.10.2a - 08/26/06:
Removed alt product installer.
Product installer included now checks for dictionary file, if dictionary file is not found it continues installing.
Product installer no longer drops dictionary table before installing.
v0.10.2 - 08/22/06:
vbspell template is now XHTML 1.0 Transitional.
Fixed a version check for vbspell template (made compatible with 3.5.x).
vB Spell window should now open on top of other windows.
Removed table prefix for vbspell sql table (product installer includes code to remove old tables).
Included alternate installation method (Credit goes to Replicators for the SQL Install method).
v0.10.1 - 08/21/06:
Beta release for 3.6.x series.
Switched to product/plugin based installer.

0.9.x tamarian versions
v0.9.12 - 12/25/05:
Security fix for cases where you allow HTML posts and they contain malicious code (Credit goes to Brendan Donahue for finding the issue and alerting TechGuy, and to TechGuy for alerting me to it).
v0.9.11 - 11/02/05:
Fixes a bug with slashes in text.
v0.9.10 - 10/17/05:
Check for primary and secondary group for permission.
Bug fix for quoted words.
v0.9.9 - 09/13/05:
Bugfix for JS on IE with RC3.
v0.9.8 - 07/15/05:
Bugfix for JS code mismatch with template.
v0.9.7 - 07/14/05:
Initial release for vB 3.5 beta-4.

NOTE: The above section says NyNe versions, because I go by the name NyNe everywhere accept here.

Scrrenshots: (from tamarian's 3.0.7, but it's identical)

[Zer0s]

I'm getting a weird problem. When i type up my message and click my spell checker, i get this:



I have tried to uninstall and reinstall the product, but to no luck.

Also, if the first word is Hey, it will give me that error (replace update with error) but if i use Hi as my first word its checks it fine. Update was another word that gave me an error.

Thanks for the help anyone.

[davidw]

MySQL Error: Table doesn't exist...
Read from post 132 on - on this page: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...=124578&page=9

[r5e]

David (and everyone else in here who's advice I have thus far used) - thanks very much for all your help so far. I just thought I should do a quick summary of what has happened with my install over the last few days that I have wasted doing this. It has become a long thread now and I know that most people will just read the stuff at the end, so hopefully this will help them.

As it stands now, I finally have a working spell checker, but I still get the problem of the spell checker window not opening in front (on Firefox). I might go and investigate this one myself unless someone else has already found the answer to fix this?

Here?s what I?ve done so far to get to this point:

I removed the code from the xml file (as suggested earlier by Pyrix - the bit which removed the database after it created it). I removed the dictionary.dic file so it was not referenced during the running of the xml file. This (as expected) did not spend ages installing and hanging somewhere before 99%, but immediately installed.
Now looking at my database from phpmyadmin, I can see the vbspell table has been created.
Then I import the database (the fullsql one posted by replicators) using BigDump, as suggested by Steadicamop. The vbspell table is now populated with the dictionary words when I check from phpmyadmin.
At this point the little "ABC" spelling check icon appears in my edit box as described here, but the spell check window hides behind the main one (which was meant to have been fixed in v0.10.2) This seems to be last great un-addressed issue that many people (including myself) still get.

I really like this plugin (as it really is the only option for something that should be built into all forums, of not built into all web browsers). Credit to Cynix2 for getting it this far. I look forward to the next release and I hope all these issues can be squashed soon.

[r5e]

Oh, one last bit I thought I should mention (this was brought up by bbcentral on the first page). The ability to add words to the dictionary is important for special interest forums. For example, I run a biofuels forum (which will be picked as a misspelled word). Curiously, "biodiesel" is now included and not corrected (this was not in the original dictionary - maybe it was in replicators one?).

Could someone perhaps outline some suggestions for editing the dictionary file before upload? (I did this on my own dictionary.dic, as it was already just a text file - sadly I could not end up using this option as I had to manually load the sql). I had a look at the format of the sql dictionaries, but was a little confused by the format of this. I'm sure it is very simple, but a little explanation would be nice. Also, is there an easy way to add a word from phpmyadmin? I'm sure there is, but being a complete newbie to mysql, a few pointers would be appreciated.

Also, I'm afraid I spoke too soon about it mostly working, it would seem that no words are suggested for any spelling errors. Sigh. I guess it is back to trawling through this long thread and wasting another day... :cross-eyed:

[r5e]

Sorry to do 3 posts in a row, but I think I've made some progress.

Firstly, apologies for missing one of the posts in here: An easy way to add you own dictionary words from in phpmyadmin - http://www.bbhosts.net/vbspell/ (thanks to bbcentral).

Secondly here is how I fixed it:

I completely removed the bits in the xml file about // Remove Old vB Spell Table and // Create vB Spell Table. As suggested by Erwin here.
Then I made sure that my product was uninstalled and that my dictionary.dic (with my own edits for the extra words I wanted in it) was in my home dir. I ran this sql query on my database from phpmyadmin

PHP Code:

CREATE TABLE vbspell (word varchar(30) NOT NULL, sound varchar(10) NOT NULL, UNIQUE KEY word (word), KEY sound (sound)); 


This created my database table correctly for vbspell.
Lastly, I installed the edited product xml file and it ran with no problems, my spell check now works and with the extra words I added too (biodiesel and biofuels).

I just have the popup problem to solve now. I had a quick look, but decided that although I know how to make this happen on its own, it might be best left to the developer to do this in his own script.

Also, I noticed that the spell check button, although it appears in almost everything, including the quick reply, it does not show in the edit, only if you click on "go advanced". It would be nice if it also showed in the edit as well.

[user02934123123]

Just a note to say that the key to the problem I was having with install (as per my above post in this thread) was indeed on account of remnants of the older version still around. Re-uploading the installer for the 3.5.4 version and using it to firmly uninstall the old system seemed to sort the issue. The main installer for the new vbSpell still would work; but I did manage to get the 'alternative' installer to work, via importing the dictionary SQL files directly into the database. All now does seem to be working properly.

Comments on vbSpell for 3.6.x at present:

I'm delighted that vbSpell has finally been ported over to a version for 3.6, and indeed with some very pleasant improvements (the new check spelling icon, automatic integration into most templates, etc.). Once up and running, it seems to work rather well, and is a great asset to any forum.

I would summarize the issues with the 3.6 version at present as follows:

• Problematic installation process: The main problem with the hack is the complexity and unreliability of its installer. The default installer, with the dictionary as a flatfile for import, takes to much extended server time for most hosting server configurations, which kill the process and abandon the install. The 'alternate' installer provided in the discussion thread (1st page) provides a workaround for this, but the workaround presumes the user installing the hack has a working knowledge of SQL imports into a database (and indeed, has access to MySQLAdmin on their server, which many do not). All in all, it's a problematic process. I would think first priority would be to re-work the installer slightly, so that it uses a series of flat files (e.g. dict1.dic, dict2.dic, etc.) rather than simply one great enormous file, importing them in series so that the server is not in one sustained process. The installer really does need to work first go, first time.
• Traces of old installations: Many admins may not be clear that uninstalling the old 3.5. version of the hack from AdminCP > Manage Plugins > Uninstall doesn't actually remove all traces of the hack, and that the bits and pieces left behind from that manner of install in fact prevent sucessful installation of the 3.6 version. Either this should be explained explicitly in the current version's instructions, with guidance given on re-uploading the old installer and using it for a complete uninstall prior to running the new installer; or - far better - the installer for the current version should have a 'remove all traces of vbSpell for 3.5.x' feature as an option in the new installation process.
• Customizable dictionaries: One of the nicest 'new features' that could be added to really flesh out the hack would be some concrete guidance on how to use customized dictionaries with the hack, or advice on how to customize the standard/default dictionary that is provided. Ideally, an ability for the admin to upload a file of 'additional words' to augment the standard dictionary, without replacing it, would be perfect -- i.e. if there are a host of specialist or local words in common use on a forum, these could be compiled to a list and uploaded (or otherwise added in) by the administrator, so that they become a part of the standard dictionary.

[GlitterKill]

It has been found that this hack causes a problem with the comments box in PhotoPost Pro. When this hack is enabled the Comments post box in each of the showphoto pages does not show at all and when disabled it does. Any idea how that can be fixed?

[davidw]

<a href="https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost.php?p=1065575&postcount=97" target="_blank">https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showp...5&postcount=97</a>

[GlitterKill]

Thanks! That did it!

[SpadMan]

<i>If it ain't broke, don't fix it.</i>

I guess I shouldn't have upgraded to v0.10.2b (08/26/06).