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

[Christos Teriakis]

Originally Posted by Acido

Hello Chris. New version still works with vb 4.1.12? Or it's for vb 4.2 Only ?

Thank you !

No, it does not!!. All new updates from now on, are for vB4.2.0+. If you try to install it on earlier version, you'll get a warning message.

Chris

[Chadi]

Originally Posted by Chadi

Hey, nice mod!

Just installed, but my interface looks far different from yours.

edit: I confirm same issue with default VB skin

Still having same problem after upgrade.

[Christos Teriakis]

Originally Posted by Chadi

Still having same problem after upgrade.

My installation is at: http://www.christeris.net/vb42/discuss.php
If you're seeing something different, then something is wrong with your styles. In any case you can change the discuss.css to see if something changes. Also clear your browser's cache.

Chris

[Athena1984]

It looks great! Thanks a lot.

[Chadi]

Originally Posted by ChrisTERiS

My installation is at: http://www.christeris.net/vb42/discuss.php
If you're seeing something different, then something is wrong with your styles. In any case you can change the discuss.css to see if something changes. Also clear your browser's cache.

Chris

Nothing wrong with my styles. I confirmed with you same issue with default vb style. I cleared my cache, did a hard refresh, flushed system cache too.

Hope we can figure this out together as I'd love to use your mod my friend

[Christos Teriakis]

Originally Posted by Chadi

I confirmed with you same issue with default vb style.

What do you mean? That my installation has problem? What exactly? As I seen in your screenshot, the difference is on the Ask block, the tabs below and the sidebar. Am I right?
Also I need you url to check it.

[Chadi]

Not your installation, but something on my end is not working the right way. I'm running 4.2.0 VB (release not beta). I just noticed that the vb style does work right on my end now after clearing system cache. The custom style doesn't though. Frustrating a bit.

My site is in maintenance mode, but what info can I give you to check this please?

[Christos Teriakis]

Originally Posted by Chadi

Not your installation, but something on my end is not working the right way. I'm running 4.2.0 VB (release not beta). I just noticed that the vb style does work right on my end now after clearing system cache. The custom style doesn't though. Frustrating a bit.

My site is in maintenance mode, but what info can I give you to check this please?

Just the URL is enought. I have a thought that you're using something incompatible. eg prototype.js in most cases conflists with jquery used by vB and my mod.

[Chadi]

I searched for prototype.js and all I got was a few results from search templates

<input type="submit" class="button" name="doprefs" value="{vb:rawphrase go}" tabindex="1" id="save_searchprefs" onclick="vB_AJAX_SearchPrefs.prototype.form_click"/>

Any other idea? I heard VSA plugins cause conflicts too.

Then again, its not conflicting in the default vb style.

[Christos Teriakis]

Originally Posted by Chadi

I searched for prototype.js and all I got was a few results from search templates

Any other idea? I heard VSA plugins cause conflicts too.

Then again, its not conflicting in the default vb style.

The last that I can suggest you is to copy the content fo discuss.css to vbulletin.css in case that vB does not loads it.
As for the default style. vB uses a minimalist version of juqery just for lightbox, while I'm using the normal version.

Chris