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
    

[Action-N]

Everything outside the admin should be phrased that will allow different languages. So instead of using a different language you could have the text read whatever you wanted. The inputs at the top of the edit page would still need to represent the same thing as there used for other parts of the mod. However, further down the page, almost forty of the custom fields are separate an can be customized towards any product you'd want. (Fields in this example). Then that might make the signature template screwy cause it only supports the variables I added. The only thing you'd have to live with is the php file names. So for what I think you want to do the answer is yes it should be possible to use this for things other than cars.

[joeychgo]

Very nice. I would consider it but I have no way to pull my existing garage data into this

[Action-N]

Looking at your website you must be using vbPicGallery as a garage. Tried looking at your data page an your register popup was in the way an I couldn't close it. What I could see from the mods website your page specs are manually added as the description an not separate fields. If so then yeah not much an importer could do to separate them, only repost as a description then the owner would be responsible to cut-n-paste that into the new rides fields.

I've been waiting to make sure vbrides is installable an in stable running condition before working on importers. When I do it will take a copy of the database structure an a sample data in order to make one an I didn't see a free version of that mod. It also doesn't look to be available or in development any longer. I hope you might reconsider at some point an maybe ask your members how they'd feel about trying vbrides.

I'd be curious if people would be allowed to send me structure an a data entry from phpMyAdmin export so I could make importers. If anyone knows how that part works I'd like to hear it. The paid version of vb Pro Garage is another I don't have that would be wanted.

[Action-N]

Hey EcoCav,
I'm adding a defualt style forum button on the front page over the right side blocks. Another is on the view ride page but the permission setting was wrong so it wasn't showing. I have the delete ride issue fixed, functions file wasn't updated with the zip. Probably fixes some other stuff now. Typo was also an easy fix an done. Ride stats are done through cron so default is updates hourly, but will check to make sure the proper file is in the install zip. The enable tab works now, had something to do with extra space in the install file. Can't seem to reproduce the problem with the sections not working as you upload new images.

For your ideas, If I understand what your asking you want to add more section to the already chassis, engine, body, and interior? Right now there is only code for the four, but I'm sure it's possible to ad more sections manually. Exhaust and suspension are spec under engine an chassis sections. By audio meaning the stereo it would go in dash specs an overflow could go in 'Other Interior'. Unless you run a audio genre garage then for now you could rename the section title in the options an edit the phrases for that section for what you need. End users won't see the variable names so other than some variables are selected to make the members signature shouldn't run into problems.

[Action-N]

Updated: Reupload functions_vbrides.php to the includes folder. Re run the product.xml allowing overwrite. Template changes to 'vbrides_view_ride', 'vbrides_rightside', and 'vbrides_my_comments_bit'. So revert them if you've made changes, backup if you want to re add your edits.

[Gadget_Guy]

Installed, but now getting this when entering my forums:

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_FUNCTION in /home/torontos/public_html/forums/includes/functions_vbrides.php on line 1142

[KenDude]

IMHO the input boxes for some items should NOT be free form text as shown in this image:
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/attachmen...6&d=1407131555

Things like model should be from a drop down, otherwise you have someone spelling it "Camaro" while someone else spells it "Camero" etc. If a model isn't on the list then there should be a link to add a model to the list pending admin approval. This is how VBGaragePro works and is preferable to free-form fields prone to user errors which will make later searching/sorting/displaying more difficult.

[Action-N]

Hey Gadget Guy, that error was in the delete directory function. Looked up the error an it said something about being from an older version of PHP 5.2. I actually had two different delete directory functions I left in there an the second one seems to have worked. I uploaded the vbrides_usercp file with the new function call, the function file I just deleted that other delete directory function in case your server won't work with it still in there.

KenDude, I knew that might be a concern in the future. Right now I don't depend on the make an model fields for anything, but in the future your right there might be a need for standards. I've been trying to avoid being a vb pro garage copycat, but that might be one feature I would want to implement.

I have an import script working for vb pro garage 3.0.9 with timeslips, just want to better organize I guess.

[Gadget_Guy]

Thanks... testing now.

I'd be happy to give that importer a whirl if you want.

D.

[Gadget_Guy]

Got it working now.

The forum home block however is not displaying.

D.