vbArticles v0.4 -- For your repository of Articles/Tutorials/FAQs etc.

UPDATES
version 0.4 is out

- Now allows for basic VBCODE input.
- Fixed somemore bugs.


Background
Required a section on my site to display articles/tutorials
No such hack in the Hacks Database
Decided to try my hand at it

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This hack uses a lot of code from Arunan Sridharan's vB Links Directory v2.0
I use that hack too and was inspired to code something around that
A big thank-you must go out to him for coding the Links Directory in the first place (I merely modified much of the code to suit my needs for this hack)

Appreciation also goes out to Kars10 for aiding me in this hack
He coded the portion in version 0.3 on number of articles count as well as article hits count
He also suggested several template changes which have been incoporated into version 0.3
A great big special shout out to TheComputerGuy, 97cobracpe, dontpanic for stamping out the bugs with your fixes. Thanks guys


WHATS IT DO ?
This hack allows you to have a database of articles/tutorials etc on your site/forums.

FEATURES

AdminCP
Installer script

Admin options

View Categories
Edit Categories
Add Categories ( category name, category icon, category order, category description )
Delete Categories
Add new article ( title, description, author, date, content )
Edit article
Delete article
View ALL articles in database
Option in vB options to turn validation of articles on/off
Fully template based as to how you wish to display the articles,categories and main article home page.
Addition of articles accepts basic VBcodes

Member options

View Categories
Browse Categories
View articles
Submit new article
Submission of articles accepts basic VBcodes


INSTALLATION & UPGRADING
This Hack should work on ALL 2.2.x versions and v2.3.0
Please read the install_readme.txt file in the package for fresh installation instructions
IMPT: If you installed a previous version pls read the upgrade_readme.txt file carefully for upgrade instructions

HACK DOWNLOAD

Version 0.4 of this hack can be downloaded here

ADD-ONS
i) Add-on for vbHome
ii) Add-on for ForumHome
iii) Add-on to enable only registered members to be able to view the article section


DEMO SITES
http://www.runaked.com/forums/articles.php ( running v0.4 ) - TheComputerGuy's site

http://www.mcseworld.com/forums/infocenter.php ( running v0.3 ) - dontpanic's site


Feel free to submit your sites if u installed this hack so it can be listed as another live demo site

SUPPORT
I cannot promise any support on this as i am pretty new to this but I will try my best.
If you are using this hack , pls click the INSTALL button
to be kept in the loop of any bug reports, add-ons and hack version updates.

Thanks everyone

[kaotic]

Sweet. Updated already. I'm glad I was too lazy to install it the first time.

[cinq]

UPDATES
version 0.2 is out

- Added category icon support
- Articles submission by registered members
- admin option of validation of submitted articles


Re-download the attached zip package and read the upgrade txt file carefully if upgrading from v0.1

For fresh installation , pls read the readme txt file contained in the zip package

[cinq]

ADD-ON 1


Was reading up at teckwizards.com with regards to integration this hack w vbHome as requested.

Came upon this thread.

If going by Arunan's instructions, the following instructions should give you similiar result for having articles display on your vbHome portal page.

This add-on assumes you have vbHome installed.

Installation

STEP 1
Open the index.php from the vBhome hack, and find:

PHP Code:

// latest threads
$threadbits = '';
$threadmaxnumber = '';
if ($threadmax!=0) {
  $threadmaxnumber = "LIMIT $threadmax";
} 


ABOVE that code ADD:

PHP Code:

// vbArticles
$ebg = $DB_site->query("SELECT * FROM vbArticles_cat ORDER BY catname");
if ($DB_site->num_rows($ebg)) {
  while ($myrow=$DB_site->fetch_array($ebg)) {
            $hasattach=1;
            $catid=$myrow["artcatid"];
            $catname=$myrow["catname"];
            $catdesc=$myrow["catdesc"];
      eval("\$catlistbit .= \"".gettemplate('home_articlecatbit')."\";");
  }
}
eval("\$vbhacats .= \"".gettemplate('home_articlemain')."\";"); 


Still in the index.php file find: (This will reduce your queries by 1 or 2)

PHP Code:

$templatesused = 'home,home_articlebits,home_footer,home_header,home_headinclude,home_thread,home_threadbits,home_welcomeguest'; 


and REPLACE with:

PHP Code:

$templatesused = 'home,home_articlebits,home_footer,home_header,home_headinclude,home_thread,home_threadbits,home_welcomeguest,home_articlemain,home_articlecatbit'; 


Save the index.php file

STEP 2

Create a new Template, and call it home_articlemain, put the following code in :

PHP Code:

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" bgcolor="#555576"  width="100%">
<tr>
<td>
<table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" border="0"  width="100%">
<tr id="cat">
          <td bgcolor="#606096"><smallfont><font color="#FFF788"><b>Articles</b></font></smallfont></td>
</tr>
$catlistbit
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<br> 


Create another template and call it home_articlecatbit and put in this code :

PHP Code:

<tr>
<td bgcolor="#13486D"><smallfont>
<b><a href="$bburl/articles.php?s=$session[sessionhash]&action=viewcat&catid=$catid">$catname</a></b><br>
$catdesc
</smallfont></td>
</tr> 


STEP 3

Now open the home template from the vBhome template group, and find:

PHP Code:

$advertisement 


below it ADD:

PHP Code:

$vbhacats 


Not tested on my end

- If you have this working on your vbHome site , pls let me know your site URL so i can add it as a demo for this add-on.

[Dean C]

Very nice hack

[Kars10]

There is a small bug in it. In the recent articles section the date and author are not displaying.

search for:

PHP Code:

eval("\$catlistbit .= \"".gettemplate('vbArticles_catbit')."\";");
  }
}
$asb = $DB_site->query("SELECT * FROM vbArticles_content WHERE valid='1' ORDER BY artid DESC LIMIT 5");
if ($DB_site->num_rows($asb)) {
  while ($myrow=$DB_site->fetch_array($asb)) {
            $artid=$myrow["artid"];
            $title=$myrow["title"];
            $byline=$myrow["byline"];
      eval("\$top5listbit .= \"".gettemplate('vbArticles_artbit')."\";");
  }
} 


replace it with:

PHP Code:

eval("\$catlistbit .= \"".gettemplate('vbArticles_catbit')."\";");
  }
}
$asb = $DB_site->query("SELECT * FROM vbArticles_content WHERE valid='1' ORDER BY artid DESC LIMIT 5");
if ($DB_site->num_rows($asb)) {
  while ($myrow=$DB_site->fetch_array($asb)) {
            $artid=$myrow["artid"];
            $title=$myrow["title"];
            $byline=$myrow["byline"];
            $author=$myrow["author"];
            $date=$myrow["date"];
      eval("\$top5listbit .= \"".gettemplate('vbArticles_artbit')."\";");
  }
} 


Thanks
Kars

[cinq]

Thanks for the report Kars, updated the zip file with the neccesary changes.

[Kars10]

No Problem cinq.

[Kars10]

Maybe someone is interessted in displaying a Articles count on Forumhome...

Just search for:

// get newest member

above it place:

PHP Code:

// Tutorials
$counttutorials = $DB_site->query_first("SELECT COUNT(*) AS artid FROM vbArticles_content WHERE valid='1'");
$totaltuts = number_format($counttutorials['artid']); 


Than open your forumhome template and place Total Articles: $totaltuts anywhere you like.

[Repec]

ive installed version 0.2 but when i try and add an article the submit button doesnt work.

You can click it and thats about it, doesnt do anything

[cinq]

Any ideas on how else to improve it ?

If now will push it to v1.0 status and move it to Full Release section and call it a day LOL