Add-On Releases - Custom Tag Cloud for Forums, Threads, vbAdvanced & Social Groups

If you only have VB 3.7.x, then download this mod: 2.0 Version (VB 3.7+ required)
This mod adds 8 features to VB?s tag cloud:

NEW FEATURES: Social Group Tag Cloud (VB 3.8.0 or higher required)

1. A tag cloud for social group categories can be displayed anywhere in the site homepage (vbAdvanced) or forum homepage (forumhome). Similar to the forum tag cloud, the social group cloud resides in a collapsible box and the links can be custom styled to draw focus to specific groups (ie: if you have a new group that you want to promote).

2. Both the forum tag cloud and social group cloud can now be positioned in the left, right, or center blocks (download the VBA xml files). In earlier versions, the tag cloud could only be hooked to the adv_portal template.

Version 2.0 features:
1. It allows you to display the tag cloud in forum related pages in any location you want. You can display tag clouds in forumhome, forumdisplay, and showthread, and hook it to any $template_hook or HTML comment. Instead of installing 3 different mods to accomplish this, you can install this mod to do all 3. Plus you can specify if you want to not display the tag cloud in certain pages.

2. It allows you to show the tag cloud in your site?s home page in any location you want if you have vbAdvanced installed (optional).

3. When viewing forumdisplay or showthread (pages listing threads or posts), you can specify custom styles for tags that belong to the active forum or thread being viewed so that users will know which tags are relevant to that forum or thread.

4. It allows you to specify preferred tags that you want to have custom styles so that they will be noticed more. For example, if your site just started a forum about cars with tags like ?Lexus? ?Infinity?, you can specify those tags as preferred to draw attention to the new forum.

5. The tag cloud resides in a collapsible box and has a legend for the custom styles.

6. When viewing a thread (in showthread), this mod will move the thread?s tag box below the tag cloud. The tag box and tag cloud are different: the tag box shows tags specific to its thread, whereas the tag cloud shows tags from all threads. Currently, the tag box is shown at the very bottom of the thread, which can be easily ignored by readers. Moving it next to the tag cloud will make the tag box more visible.

Installation
1. Download the product-forum_vba_tag_clouds.xml file. Go to Manage Products > Add/Import Product, upload that xml file, set ?allow overwrite? to yes, and click Import.

2. Go to VB Options > Forum VBA Tag Clouds to set the tag cloud locations, specify preferred tags & special groups, and set custom tag styles.

3. Optional: to display the tag cloud in vbAdvanced, go to VBA CMPS > Default Settings > Main Options > add to ?Portal Output Global Variables?:

tag_cloud
group_cloud

.
If you want the tag clouds to show in the left/ right/ center blocks instead of being hooked to adv_portal: go to VBA CMPS > Download / Upload Modules > in ?Module to Upload?, select ?forumtagcloud.xml? or ?socialgroupstags.xml? (download these files below), and click ?Submit?.

Important: The tag clouds can use 3 different types of hooks. You can read this thread?s 2nd post for further examples, instructions, and tips. If you still do not understand, just use the default hooks ?cause I can not elaborate any further?.

Update:
1. Reimport the new product xml file and allow overwrite.
2. Optional: upload the VBA modules and set ?Portal Output Global Variables? via vbAdvanced AdminCP (read ?Install? instruction #3 above for further details).
3. See the 2nd post for template hook selection tips.

Versions:
2.5.0 Initial VB 3.8 Release.
2.5.5 Optimized code to create tag links. Created preselected hooks for forumhome.
2.6.0 Fixed a potential conflict with other mods.

Notes:
1. I read all posts for this mod so feel free to post any comments or suggestions.
2. You will be notified by e-mail for future updates if you click ?Marked as Installed.? If you find this mod useful, remember to click ?Nominate for MOTM.?

Things to notice about the tag cloud screenshots:
1. Tag clouds are in ?what?s going on box? in forumhome (you can move it anywhere you want).
2. Button to collapse the tag cloud & tag legend are at the right corner.
3. ?Uploaded? is styled red because it?s set as a preferred tag.
4. ?Hobbies? is styled lime because it?s set as a special group.
5. ?Test? & ?xml? are styled aqua because they are active/ present in the thread being viewed (for a forum, all tags in its threads will be custom styled).

MAKE SURE TO CLICK INSTALL

[vbboarder]

Originally Posted by PtitLu

I have a weird problem with this mod. The tag cloud is perfect on the forum home & in the forums. But in the thread, all the tags have the same size.
Here are two screenshots, one in a forum and the second, in the thread. Did anyone have this problem ?

The template that controls the size of the tags is tag_cloud_headinclude, which is a default VB template that's used by this mod. Check to see if you have that template included in your page source.
If it's there, then your custom CSS style in this mod's settings may be conflicting with VB's tag cloud CSS. Try a simple style like: style="color: red"
If it's not there, then your custom template modifications or another mod may be replacing that template with another one - try reverting the showthread template and see if the problem persists.

[PtitLu]

Originally Posted by vbboarder

If it's not there, then your custom template modifications or another mod may be replacing that template with another one - try reverting the showthread template and see if the problem persists.

That's it. I switched off one product at a time and found it :
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=199100 is guilty

I now have to try to correct it because i need this image resizer. Thanks for the tip.

[vbboarder]

New version 2.5.5: Optimized code to create tag links. Created preselected hooks for forumhome.

This is not a critical update, but it will speed up creating tag links a little. Also, if you are having trouble selecting hooks for the tag clouds in forumhome, you should update since preselected hooks are now included for forumhome.

[KevinL]

This is going to sound really stupid since I had this working before without a hitch...but..

If I want this in a vba sideblock which one do I download now? Also in showthread & forumdisplay will it still show the different tags?

Thanks

[vbboarder]

Originally Posted by KevinL

This is going to sound really stupid since I had this working before without a hitch...but..

If I want this in a vba sideblock which one do I download now? Also in showthread & forumdisplay will it still show the different tags?

Thanks

Download all 3 xml files to if you want the tag clouds in VBA blocks.

Active tags will still be highlighted in showthread & forumdisplay.

[KevinL]

haha I knew it was going to be some very easy answer.

I need all 3 even if I don't want anything on forumhoome?

[vbboarder]

Originally Posted by KevinL

haha I knew it was going to be some very easy answer.

I need all 3 even if I don't want anything on forumhoome?

The VBA xml's will not work without the main product xml, version 2.5+

[Theater]

Hello vbboarder,

Thank you for the modification. I was wondering though what it would take to make this work at the footer of the board, and thus throughout the entire site. I want to remake my footer into a Wordpress-like theme so that say I have links in the left column, tags in the middle column, and the copyright info in the right column.

Thank you in advance for any recommendations you may lend,
-TT

[testbot]

is there a way to exclude certain words?

some clever users think it's funny to add a dumb tag to every post so it's huge on the main page. it's funny but i still want the control of a tyrant.

thx

[vbboarder]

Originally Posted by testbot

is there a way to exclude certain words?

some clever users think it's funny to add a dumb tag to every post so it's huge on the main page. it's funny but i still want the control of a tyrant.

thx

Good idea, I'll try to implement that feature within the next month.... no guarantees though