Forum Display Enhancements - Collapsable First Post using AJAX (or Last Post!)

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NOTICE: This is for vBulletin v3.6 ONLY. You can find a v3.5 compatible version here.

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*** Confirmed working on ALL vBulletin 3.6.x versions! ***

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Keywords: FORUMDISPLAY, search, results, collapse, AJAX, collapsable, first, last, unread, post

Description:
Allows you to expand/collapse the first, last or first unread post of a thread from FORUMDISPLAY and search results without the need to load the entire thread.

Details:
Upon perusing the wonderful deals over at slickdeals.net, I noticed this nifty feature which caught my eye. I found it quite useful as most people have a bad habit of not being very descriptive with their thread titles. This little trick made my browsing experience much more enjoyable, so naturally I had to borrow [read: shamelessly rip] the idea.

Please note that no additional queries are added, unless using the 'First Unread Post' option. Otherwise, the only queries performed are the same as those when a thread is normally viewed.

The magic behind this modification is performed by jQuery: The Write Less, Do More, JavaScript Library.

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Usage:
Simply click the expand icon [+] in front of the thread title to expand, and the collapse icon [-] to collapse. Rocket science, eh?

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Installation:

1. Download and unzip the ajax_first_post.zip archive.
2. Upload necessary files to their respective locations. (Attention custom style users! Be sure to upload the images to your custom image directory.)
3. Import the product-ajax_first_post.xml via the Product Manager.
4. Make any desired configuration changes via AdminCP > vBulletin Options > Collapsable First Post using AJAX
5. ???
6. Profit!

Notes:
All template modifications are made automatically. They attach to pretty common text locations, so modified styles shouldn't* be a problem.

However, for those who wish (or need) to perform the edits manually, you can find that information here.

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Comments:
As with all my hacks, this modification is provided free of charge. However, if you find this product useful and have money burning a hole in your pocket, feel free to make a small donation, I won't mind.. really.

Version History:

• 1.0.0 - Initial release, here's to hoping...
• 1.1.0
  • Fixed JavaScript errors when using search.
  • Resolved (known) cross browser compatibility issues.
• 1.2.0
  • New AdminCP configuration options:
    • Ability to select first or last post to be displayed.
    • Ability to disable on a per forum basis.
    • Option to update thread views when expanded.
    • Option to disable automatic template editing with a single click.
  • Tweaked a couple plugins to prevent unnecessary checking.
  • Properly registers in Who's Online
• 1.2.1
  • Will no longer show expand icon next to thread redirects.
  • Added ability to display first unread post.
  • Completely revamped the automatic template editing system. Should now be able to make template edits to even the most modified templates as well.
  • Fixed a couple non-breaking typos.
  • Included JavaScript in USERCP_SHELL to allow expand/collapse of subscribed threads.
  • Added a hover title to the expand icon to inform the user what they can expect when clicking it.

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Tips, Tricks and Modifications:

• Fix for users of passiveVid receiving Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /includes/class_postbit.php(296) : eval()'d code on line [#]

Currently Known Bugs:

• None

* Please note that this modification was developed on a forum with a userbase of 1 (myself). I've tested it for basic functionality but I cannot guarantee functionality or behavior on your forum. So, please -- make backups before installing this product!

[ragtek]

alright
thx 4 info

[LockeAG]

Ok , Curiously , I Optimize and Repair Tables and all is working like charm, I would like to understand the problem but , Whatever , everything is working ok.

Thanks Magnus!

[@ngel]

Originally Posted by magnus

This is by design.

Search results will always return the first post. I have it this way for temporary simplicity. Search doesn't use the same SQL queries as FORUMDISPLAY -- so the same information isn't available without adding extra queries. Until I can find a cleaner, saner way to allow for different post viewing configurations on the search page, I've defaulted it to First Post.

How can it be defaulted to the last post?

[LockeAG]

Another curious thing I found... when you colapse the post and if you have the Spoiler SHOW/HIDE method it will open in showing the spoiler, how can I fix this ?

thanks!

see'a

[magnus]

Originally Posted by LockeAG

Another curious thing I found... when you colapse the post and if you have the Spoiler SHOW/HIDE method it will open in showing the spoiler, how can I fix this ?

thanks!

see'a

Make the same modifications to vbpost_postbit that you had to make to your postbit or postbit_legacy for the spoiler modification.

[Tralala]

Thanks for the AdminCP setting for: first post, last post, or first unread post.

It might be nice to see that as an individual user preference, too (set within the UserCP.)

Also, it might be nice to have separate preferences for threads in UserCP vs. threads in forumhome. Because personally for threads in ForumHome I'd rather see "first post" and for threads in UserCP I'd like to see "first unread."

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I have just applied the update and now, going to UserCP on my forum resulted in an error:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: fetch_coventry() in /home/.odell/myname/myforum.com/forums/usercp.php(500) : eval()'d code on line 30

I presume this has something to do with this new feature:

Included JavaScript in USERCP_SHELL to allow expand/collapse of subscribed threads.

Perhaps my UserCP_Shell template wasn't properly modified by the product? Is that Javascript something I can try manually inserting?

[Lea Verou]

It's a pity that such a nice mod has such a lame thread title.

Probably will install at July

[@ngel]

Originally Posted by @ngel

How can it be defaulted to the last post?

Any ideas on this?

[magnus]

Originally Posted by Michelle

It's a pity that such a nice mod has such a lame thread title.

Probably will install at July

I try to be descriptive. Would you rather it be called: ExpanjaX! v1.0 Beta 9 Release [Special Edition] ?

[magnus]

It might be nice to see that as an individual user preference, too (set within the UserCP.)

That's the eventual plan.

Also, it might be nice to have separate preferences for threads in UserCP vs. threads in forumhome. Because personally for threads in ForumHome I'd rather see "first post" and for threads in UserCP I'd like to see "first unread."

Noted.

I have just applied the update and now, going to UserCP on my forum resulted in an error:


I presume this has something to do with this new feature:


Perhaps my UserCP_Shell template wasn't properly modified by the product? Is that Javascript something I can try manually inserting?

A previous person had this problem and resolved it here. Let me know if that works for you, too.