Forum Display Enhancements - Alphabetical Forum Filtering (ABC Threads Menu)

This mod add an "ABC Menu" on top of forumdisplay.php, to filter threads by theirs initial letter. It's fully customisable, as you may see in the screenshots attached.

I take a lot of caution coding 3 different locations to place it and a variable that you can use to manual placement.

There's also styling options:

- active "filtered letter" link color;
- active "filtered letter" cell background color;
- letters cells classes (only alt2 or alternating alt1/alt2);
- configurable optional message above the ABC Menu - phrased (multi language);

When the user clicks a letter in the ABC Menu, the thread results will be filtered in the default order (configured in ACP or overriden by user options in UserCP). Then, a popup menu will be displayed aside the letter to reorder the filtering (there's all options: per title, starting date, last post date, replys number, number of views, thread started username and thread rating - all in both descending+ascending orders).

The # link lists not only the threads started by numbers, but all threads not started by a letter (what includes number 0-9 and all symbols).

Stop loosing your time. Download, install and see it yourself!

Installation instructions
- Import attached product

Upgrade instructions (any version to 1.1)
1- Import attached product (set Allow overwrite = Yes)
2- Check your configs (will need to adjust colspan and positioning again)

Note about colspan

Take some time checking the colspan value. The lower you set it, better. I'm saying this because if you set 5 for a skin that need only 4, newer browsers will renderize it ignoring the excess, but older will render 1 (or more) blank columns (and you will end up with an HTML structural error, regardless what the browser renderize).

It's now adjusted as 5 by default (new installs*). If you upgraded your version, you will need to manually adjust it. This occurs because the old version automatically add + 3 to configured value. But I saw some skins this week with very different layouts for forumdisplay (they have only 2-3 columns), so I decided to remove this "+3" adjustment in code. So, if you set it 3, you will have colspan="3", and so on.

The mod auto adjusts the colspan based in your forum configurations (the colspan is increased by 1 when the forum have threadicons and/or the inlinemod column is show). When you use manual placement, a key text should be used as colspan value in your template (--abcfilter-colspan--), to benefits of this function that identify the inlinemod/threadicons columns + the colspan setting.


Version History

01/11/2009 - 1.0
- Initial release.

01/11/2009 - 1.0b
- Fixed Plugin code (see post #1908976).
- Small edit in popup menu <if> statements.

05/11/2009 - 1.1
- Fixed pagination.
- New template positions.
- 1 more fix in the <if> statements.
- Removed unnecessary template caching.
- Added session hash in URL, when present.
- Configurable No Follow parameter in links.
- Optional line break (<br>) below ABC Menu.
- Configurable # symbol (set 0-9, @, or whatever).
- Selected letter cell class now match styles automatically.
- You may still customize the colors, if you want a "highlight".
- Re-ordering results in forum footer keeps the thread list filtered.*

* This may not work with all styles (let me know).

[S]Known bugs: pagination works fine, however, page totals are not decreased after filtering.

e.g.: if you have 200 threads, divided in 10 pages (20 per page), after filtering the forum for the letter "A", if you have 35 results, you will see not only 2 pages, but all 10 (pages 3 to 10 returns the default "no threads to show" error). I do not see it as a big problems, specially because I added both Asc/Desc orders in the filtering, so you don't need to waste your time trying to find the "last page" of a filtering with 5+ pages: just inverse the order and go to page 1[/S]

IF YOU'RE USING IT, MARK AS INSTALLED. IT'S GOOD FOR YOU AND ME.

[inciarco]

Nominated For MOTM. :up:

Works Fine on vB373 PL1. :up:

I Hope You Can Find a Way to Work the Extra Pagination.

Is Important that you Include Usergroup Restrictions, like an Option to Select the Usergroups that Can Use this Mod.

On Plugin "Alphabetical Forum Filtering - Show ABC Menu" you can add

at the Beginning

if (is_member_of($vbulletin->userinfo, explode(',','5,6,7,2')))
{

and at the End

}

to Display it Only to Usergroups '5,6,7,2'; if required you can Add Usergroups by Adding them Sepparated by Commas.

You can Add an Option for the Mod where Admins can Specify the Usergroups listed as

5,6,7,2

My Best Regards.

[Cerbero1000]

No way to have popup menu working. I have updated to last version. I'm on 3.7.5

[Floris]

Nice mod, and lol @ donate button INSIDE the admincp options ..

Probably going to use it on http://wetalk.tv in the 'tv shows' forum.

Feature request: this, but for forums. I have a site with 500 sub forums, having the user use that as a directory would be cool.

[RenatoMN]

Originally Posted by inciarco

Nominated For MOTM. :up:

Works Fine on vB373 PL1. :up:

I Hope You Can Find a Way to Work the Extra Pagination.

Thanks

I found a forum with a custom "ABC Menu" who did it, I think it's not too hard. Will look further still today.

Is Important that you Include Usergroup Restrictions, like an Option to Select the Usergroups that Can Use this Mod.

(...)

You can Add an Option for the Mod where Admins can Specify the Usergroups listed as

5,6,7,2

My Best Regards.

Thanks for the suggestion. Works exactly same way the forums configuration. I just didn't realize somebody would want usergroup permissions. Will be implementing this for sure.

Originally Posted by Cerbero1000

No way to have popup menu working. I have updated to last version. I'm on 3.7.5

The mod has been developed for 3.8.4 (should work from at least 3.8 RC 3).

3.7 require a new mod, with the JS popup menu ported (3.8 have it built in).

I will be looking @ it next days/weeks. Would be faster if you donate to incentivate

Originally Posted by Floris

Nice mod, and lol @ donate button INSIDE the admincp options ..

Probably going to use it on http://wetalk.tv in the 'tv shows' forum.

Something wrong with the donation button? :erm:

Searched vb.org rules and found nothing related to donations for coders. Considering vB.org have a specific forum for paid requests, it sounds nice to incentivate coders develop free mods and paid mods for a lower price (this mod is from a paid request, and while other coders would ask hundreds dollars, I asked a very low incentive and firmed that it would be publicy available after finished).

I'm still implementing all features the user request: he wants A-Z filtering in forumhome (index.php) also, below each forum title. However, this seems hards to code, because there are 4 forumbits to attach the ABC Menu template and there is nothink to "hook in" that is widely used from different styles. Any user using a style != from vB default will have to use the manual placement in forumhome (and, like I said, there are 4 forumbits...). Like you can see, I hate manual edits. It make upgrading vB a bad experience.

Feature request: this, but for forums. I have a site with 500 sub forums, having the user use that as a directory would be cool.

My forum have ~350 forums (50 of usergroups and staff level sections). I found a way to reduce the 300 content forums to only 8 (I'm implementing this - it's some kind of "filtering" too)

Send me a PM if you're interested in know more.

[RenatoMN]

@Cerbero1000:

Users reported it to works with 3.7.3 PL1, so it should work with 3.7.5 as well (I mean, it have the JS necessary built in), so there's no need for a new mod released to 3.7.x.

Please post your forums URL here (or send me a PM), then I will be able to debug it (at least 1 forum must be open to guests).

Originally Posted by inciarco

Hi.

Yes, it Works Fine on vB373 PL1; it's activated when the User Clicks on the Letter and after the Forum is Filtered on the Clicked Letter Appears the Dropdown Option with the Backgroud Color specified on the ACP Mod's Option, and when Clicking on it, Displays the Ordering Options, by Title and by other Criterias. :up:

Is a very nice Mod, RenatoMN, Thank You Very Much for Sharing it.

My Best Regards.

[Cerbero1000]

Pm sent.
Thanks!

[chesterano]

Nice work, thank you!
one q is possible to add filter threads by last word for eg.
Alphabetical Forum Filtering

[RenatoMN]

Originally Posted by chesterano

Nice work, thank you!
one q is possible to add filter threads by last word for eg.
Alphabetical Forum Filtering

Wow, what kind of forums you run? :P

I will study mysql/regex to find a way of doing it (I know the regex to do it matching "[space]F" but it would not match a thread with a single word).

[chesterano]

i have place wher users add threads for eg.

Mike - my collections pictures from Sweden
Kate - pictures from London

ect.
Thank you very much

[Floris]

Originally Posted by RenatoMN

Thanks

I found a forum with a custom "ABC Menu" who did it, I think it's not too hard. Will look further still today.



Thanks for the suggestion. Works exactly same way the forums configuration. I just didn't realize somebody would want usergroup permissions. Will be implementing this for sure.



The mod has been developed for 3.8.4 (should work from at least 3.8 RC 3).

3.7 require a new mod, with the JS popup menu ported (3.8 have it built in).

I will be looking @ it next days/weeks. Would be faster if you donate to incentivate



Something wrong with the donation button? :erm:

Searched vb.org rules and found nothing related to donations for coders. Considering vB.org have a specific forum for paid requests, it sounds nice to incentivate coders develop free mods and paid mods for a lower price (this mod is from a paid request, and while other coders would ask hundreds dollars, I asked a very low incentive and firmed that it would be publicy available after finished).

I'm still implementing all features the user request: he wants A-Z filtering in forumhome (index.php) also, below each forum title. However, this seems hards to code, because there are 4 forumbits to attach the ABC Menu template and there is nothink to "hook in" that is widely used from different styles. Any user using a style != from vB default will have to use the manual placement in forumhome (and, like I said, there are 4 forumbits...). Like you can see, I hate manual edits. It make upgrading vB a bad experience.



My forum have ~350 forums (50 of usergroups and staff level sections). I found a way to reduce the 300 content forums to only 8 (I'm implementing this - it's some kind of "filtering" too)

Send me a PM if you're interested in know more.

I don't mind that coders set paypal up in their profile, so those who decide to support it, have it in their release thread on the right column.

It's not needed to pollute my admincp with donate buttons.

If there's a readme.html or install.html, I think it's a suitable place to have someone consider contributing to it while they're reviewing it.

What's next, a popup that prevents one from using the product until donate option yes/no has been selected? Sorry, personally I find it a step too far to butt in on the admincp with going anywhere further than provide the code for the addon.

It's a personal preference. It got me by surprise. And I hope it's not a trend. It is actually a motivator for me to either a) stop using it and uninstall it as it gives me the impression the mod is only released to try and get some money out of it (just like so called "lite" releases on vborg) or b) just edit the code out and no longer support the idea of donating for it.

Again it's just me .. I would donate if it's a fair honest submitted contribution for free, no commercialization or monetizing on the mind, and there's a paypal link on the release or install thread in the right place.

No, it's not a problem, and yes, I understand your motivation. But no, I don't personally like it. That's why I commented on it. Nothing personal against you.