Major Additions - Discuss!! A Yahoo Answers Clone

Discuss!!
A Yahoo Answers Clone

by ChrisTERiS

Compatible with 4.2.0
but you must download the file Disucss_1_4_0.zip

1. Why we need a discussion mod

Maybe sounds crazy to have a powerfull forum and to install this AddOn. But this is not true. I do agree that vB has tons of features for any type of discussions. But from the other point Yahoo Answers (and dozens of similars sites) became famous, because they offer a simple way to users to get replies. Short questions, with a couple of replies. Why to go in a complicated system for this? And why to add dozens of extra categories, subcategories etc etc, just for this? This is the reason that you need it.

2.- How it works?

Very simple, so easy to use by novice users too. A member is posting a question in any of your categories (unlimited level are supporting) and then is waiting other members to post a reply. Reads the replies, chooses the best and that's all. There is no need for discussion here.





3.- Installation

1. Download, unzip and upload all files from the "upload" folder where your vb installation is (you can't install in different directory).
2. Goto you admincp and import the product-discuss.xml
3. That's all

4.- Configuration





Configuration is very easy and is like all other addons here. You need to follow the steps below, and soon you'll be ready:

1. First of all goto Usergroup permissions and set what each usergroup can do or not do.
2. Goto Discuss General setting, check the default values and change them if you want
3. PM Templates. I believe that the predefinied text is ok for most of you. But if you want you can change them. Please don't touce the variables (anything inside {}). The available variables are:
   1. {questiontitle} : Title with link
   2. {questiontitle_nolink} : As above but without link
   3. {category} : Category name with link
   4. {category_nolink} : Category without link
   5. {questionowner} : The author's username with link
   6. {questionowner_nolink} : As above, no link
   7. {description} : 200 chars from the question body
   8. {username} : This is the "To:" value. eg Dear {username},
   9. {postdate_short} : Post date in format that you've set as long dates
   10. {postdate_long} : Same as above in long date format
   11. {signature} : Anything that you've set in your settings
4. Last step is to set your categories.

5.- Copyright

In the footer of each page there is a link back to my site vBulletON.com. Even if it easy to remove it, please avoid doing it. Respect if you want to be respected. That's the only that I can say.

6.- PRO version

Currently there is no one. I don't use to build an addon, and then remove 90% of its features to make a free version. No. This is all that I've done. Sure there are dozens of more features that I can add. If I see that this mod becomes popular then I'll add them but as commercial version.

7.- Live Demo

http://www.christeris.com/testvb4/discuss.php

Login:
demouser1 / demopass1
demouser2 / demopass2
demouser3 / demopass3

Enjoy
Chris

[jaderollie]

Ill be adding this to my magic forum, as it will be ideal on helping magicians who need answers to an effect, or move

[whitetigergrowl]

Uninstalling is leaving things behind that when you try to re-install spits out SQL errors because it never properly uninstalled. This is on a stock VB 2.4. Errors which have been posted previously in the past few or so pages. Is there an SQL command that can help rid the sql database of content left behind by this plug-in?

[ru55ian]

There is an issue with permissions. When set for guests to be able to ask questions, however moderate them, it post questions without moderation queue. Please resolve.

Also, would be great to have a widget for cms with latest questions.

Awesome mod though.

[cstreater]

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

Uninstalling is leaving things behind that when you try to re-install spits out SQL errors because it never properly uninstalled. This is on a stock VB 2.4. Errors which have been posted previously in the past few or so pages. Is there an SQL command that can help rid the sql database of content left behind by this plug-in?

Ditto. It leaves behind the discuss_categories, discuss_questions, discuss_replies, and discuss_watch tables. If you don't, you will get database errors if you try to re-install, plus it isn't good to leave these tables anyway.

You'll need open your SQL manager and drop each of them.

BACKUP first!

[Christos Teriakis]

Originally Posted by cstreater

Ditto. It leaves behind the discuss_categories, discuss_questions, discuss_replies, and discuss_watch tables. If you don't, you will get database errors if you try to re-install, plus it isn't good to leave these tables anyway.

You'll need open your SQL manager and drop each of them.

BACKUP first!

It does not leaves back anything. A simple look in product-discuss.xml can prove it:

        $vbulletin->db->query_write("DROP TABLE
			`". TABLE_PREFIX ."discuss_categories`, `". TABLE_PREFIX ."discuss_questions`,
			`". TABLE_PREFIX ."discuss_replies`, `". TABLE_PREFIX ."discuss_watch`
        ");

Just now I tried once more to install and uninstall it, checking the database with phpMyAdmin. Tables created correctly and removed after uninstallation.
Please look somewhere else to find the reason that the tables didn't removed.

Chris

[whitetigergrowl]

Originally Posted by ChrisTERiS

It does not leaves back anything. A simple look in product-discuss.xml can prove it:

        $vbulletin->db->query_write("DROP TABLE
			`". TABLE_PREFIX ."discuss_categories`, `". TABLE_PREFIX ."discuss_questions`,
			`". TABLE_PREFIX ."discuss_replies`, `". TABLE_PREFIX ."discuss_watch`
        ");

Just now I tried once more to install and uninstall it, checking the database with phpMyAdmin. Tables created correctly and removed after uninstallation.
Please look somewhere else to find the reason that the tables didn't removed.

Chris

Posting xml coding doesn't prove that its uninstalling anything. Especially on newer software.

Yes the software uninstalls from the forum. BUT when the software is re-installed, the sql errors are spit out because of the sql tables being left behind. It's not mine or VBulletins fault. I simply just do the uninstall from VBulletin. So who else could we talk to?

So even though mine was done on a stock version of the VBulletin 4.2 software, and obviously VB won't support this, then who else does since it's obvious you feel hassled to.

What version of VBulletin did you test this on? Is this 100% confirmed to be 4.2 compliant? For future reference.

Your post almost seems to blame us. What's funny is you are saying this is supported above, yet tell us to go somewhere else to get support. Amusing.

When mine was done on STOCK (no other mods or template edits at the time and using the stock skin) VBulletin 4.2 software I uninstalled it because the navbar link was not showing up so I figured if I uninstall and re-install it maybe it would be fixed. When I went to re-install it is when the sql errors occured. And that is when I found out from coming back here and searching in this thread that another user or 2 posted with the same problem, and I saw for myself, was the sql code was left behind.

Also, its leaving a 'discuss' in the usergroups that that SQL coding is obviously also not removing. Because if you remove those by themselves....the 'discuss' entry is still left in the Usergroups. When you delete it it stays gone. That is until you try re-adding this plug-in. Once you try re-adding this plug-in it automatically re-adds those sql.

Keep in mind this is the ONLY plug-in I have had this issue with.

[Christos Teriakis]

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

Posting xml coding doesn't prove that its uninstalling anything. Especially on newer software.

Posting the xml code (and of course checking that really this code exists in your file, proves that there is no coding error.

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

Yes the software uninstalls from the forum. BUT when the software is re-installed, the sql errors are spit out because of the sql tables being left behind. It's not mine or VBulletins fault. I simply just do the uninstall from VBulletin. So who else could we talk to?

Even a simple server down at the time of uninstallation can be the reason that uninstallation fails.

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

So even though mine was done on a stock version of the VBulletin 4.2 software, and obviously VB won't support this, then who else does since it's obvious you feel hassled to.

You post at 03:41am my time (hope that you're permitting me to sleep at nights), and I replied at 08:12am, which means 13 minutes after the time that I came online. So I'm supporting you.

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

What version of VBulletin did you test this on? Is this 100% confirmed to be 4.2 compliant? For future reference.

If you give a minute to read the details, you'll find out that says: "vB Version: 4.1.11". Not even 4.1.12. So don't asking if its confirmed for 4.2 compliant.

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

Your post almost seems to blame us. What's funny is you are saying this is supported above, yet tell us to go somewhere else to get support. Amusing.

My second reply to your questions shows that I'm supporting it. But for issues that are coming from wrong code etc. Not for issues that you maybe have in your server, or in your vb installation, or (most probably this is the issue) from the vb version that you're using.

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

I uninstalled it because the navbar link was not showing up so I figured if I uninstall and re-install it maybe it would be fixed.

All mods here which are using tabs and menus are having incompatibilities with 4.2 as vb is using a totally different way for navbar in this version. I'm working on this, just keep in mind that I've more than 10 mods to fix.

Originally Posted by whitetigergrowl

When I went to re-install it is when the sql errors occured. And that is when I found out from coming back here and searching in this thread that another user or 2 posted with the same problem, and I saw for myself, was the sql code was left behind.
Also, its leaving a 'discuss' in the usergroups that that SQL coding is obviously also not removing. Because if you remove those by themselves....the 'discuss' entry is still left in the Usergroups. When you delete it it stays gone. That is until you try re-adding this plug-in. Once you try re-adding this plug-in it automatically re-adds those sql.

Keep in mind this is the ONLY plug-in I have had this issue with.

If the uninstallation failed, then ALL the database changes left behind. For your refference (but only if you're familiar with phpMyAdmin), there are 4 tables and 3 fields to remove:

1.- Tables

discuss_categories
discuss_questions
discuss_replies
discuss_watch

2.- Fields

a] Discuss in table usergroups
b] discuss_questions in table user
c] discuss_replies in table user

Chris

[whitetigergrowl]

Even a simple server down at the time of uninstallation can be the reason that uninstallation fails.

Which would be great but the server has never been down and has never experienced problems with SQL. EVER. While it's not impossible, it's pretty unlikely.

You post at 03:41am my time (hope that you're permitting me to sleep at nights), and I replied at 08:12am, which means 13 minutes after the time that I came online. So I'm supporting you.

But telling us to go somewhere else for the answer is NOT supporting us after telling us it uninstalled and re-installed fine for you. Anyone can give a vague or simple answer. Especially to just go elsewhere for help.

Actually helping figure out why its only your plug-in that I have used that is experiencing this issue would be support. While 4.2 may be the issue...there are other 'not quite yet updated' plug-ins that have installed and uninstalled just fine on 4.2 for me and not experienced the same problem with them.

If you give a minute to read the details, you'll find out that says: "vB Version: 4.1.11". Not even 4.1.12. So don't asking if its confirmed for 4.2 compliant.

And I was clear in my first post that I was using 4.2 stock at the time. When you responded you never stated what version of VB you used to do your test on. And you never stated 4.2 was the likely problem. But to just go somewhere else for support.

My second reply to your questions shows that I'm supporting it. But for issues that are coming from wrong code etc. Not for issues that you maybe have in your server, or in your vb installation, or (most probably this is the issue) from the vb version that you're using.

While my issue was with 4.2....I can't vouch the others with the same issue what VB version they were using, but they at a minimum experienced the same things left on the server after uninstall. But I was not the only one.

All mods here which are using tabs and menus are having incompatibilities with 4.2 as vb is using a totally different way for navbar in this version. I'm working on this, just keep in mind that I've more than 10 mods to fix.

Fair enough.

If the uninstallation failed, then ALL the database changes left behind. For your refference (but only if you're familiar with phpMyAdmin), there are 4 tables and 3 fields to remove:

1.- Tables

discuss_categories
discuss_questions
discuss_replies
discuss_watch

2.- Fields

a] Discuss in table usergroups
b] discuss_questions in table user
c] discuss_replies in table user

Thank you. I had already deleted the Tables...just gotta dig up the Fields but those will have to wait until tomorrow as it's too late tonight for me to get rid of them.

[cstreater]

I don't know about all of that. I installed as instructed & then uninstalled. I then re-installed, and started getting database errors that tables already existed. I found that the uninstaller had left all 4-tables behind. Believe me or not, it's a fresh 4.2 test environment.

[Christos Teriakis]

Please don't try it in vB4.2. I haven't checked it there. The max checked and compatible version is 4.1.12

Chris