[ADDON] cinq's vbArticles Latest 3 Featured Articles CMPS Module

A small addon to show the latest 3 featured articles on your Portal page.
This add on CMPS module is for cinq's vbArticles Hack v2.0

Hack version 1.1

Install instructions
===========================================

1. Upload the cmps-articles.php file to your modules directory.

2. Create 2 new templates:

a. First template:

adv_portal_articlesbits

	<tr>
		<td class="$getbgrow" width="100%">
		<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="0" class="tborder" width="100%">
		<tr>
		<td width="20%" align="center">$articonimg</td>
		<td width="80%" align="left"><span class="smallfont"><b>Title: <a href=$vboptions[bburl]/articles.php?action=viewarticle&artid=$articleid>$title</a></b>
		<br>$summary</span></td>
		</tr>
		</table>
		</td>
	</tr>

b. Second template:

adv_portal_articles

<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" class="tborder" width="100%">
	<tr>
		<td class="tcat"><span class="smallfont"><strong>$vba_options[portal_blockbullet] Featured Articles</strong></span></td>
	</tr>
$articlesbits
</table>
<br />

3. Next, perform the following file edits.

a. In your global.php file

FIND

PHP Code:

$specialtemplates = array_merge($specialtemplates, 
        array(
            'adv_modules',
            'adv_portal_opts',
            'attachmentcache',
            'bbcodecache',
            'birthdaycache',
            'eventcache',
            'iconcache',
            'maxloggedin',
            'smiliecache',
            'userstats'
        )
    ); 


REPLACE WITH

PHP Code:

$specialtemplates = array_merge($specialtemplates, 
        array(
            'adv_modules',
            'adv_portal_opts',
            'attachmentcache',
            'bbcodecache',
            'birthdaycache',
            'eventcache',
            'iconcache',
            'maxloggedin',
            'smiliecache',
            'userstats',
            'vbart_options'
        )
    ); 


Save and upload global.php


b. In your includes/vba_cmps_include_top.php file

FIND

PHP Code:

$portalopts = unserialize($datastore['adv_portal_opts']); 


ADD ABOVE

PHP Code:

$vbart_options = unserialize($datastore['vbart_options']);
unset($datastore['vbart_options']); 


Save and upload includes/vba_cmps_include_top.php


4. Next, create the new module using the drop down menu, selecting "cmps-articles.php".
In the "templates used" field enter the following templates: 'adv_portal_articles, adv_portal_articlesbits'

5. Don't forget to update your index pages(s) to show the new module.

6. Done !

===========================================

Enjoy
- cinq

[Blam Forumz]

is it possible to make it look like how the features articles bit looks on the actual articles section?

[Blam Forumz]

Ok, i've done a bit of editing heres my templates:

adv_portal_articles

<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
<tr><td class="tcat" align="left">$vbphrase[vbart_featured]</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="alt2" align="left" valign="top">
<table cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="left">
<tr>$articlesbits</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>

and

adv_portal_articlesbits

<td valign="top" align="center" class="alt1" width="20%">
<a href="articles.php?action=viewarticle&artid=$featuredid">$articonimg</a><br>
<a href="articles.php?action=viewarticle&artid=$featuredid">
<span class="smallfont"><b>$title</b></span></a>
</td>

But look at my index:

www.blaminator.co.uk

the tables are touching, if i add a <br> it messes everything up :/

[synn]

Originally Posted by Blam Forumz

the tables are touching, if i add a <br> it messes everything up :/

At the end of "adv_portal_articles" add:

</table><br>

I like it displayed better this way. :up:

Thanks for the idea!

[jzewatsky]

Is there a way to change the display order of the featured articles so that the most recient article is on top?

[subnet_rx]

Originally Posted by ncangler

Cinq, I cannot thank you enough for all the great work you'd put into this Articles system. I love it and it has added so much potential to my site. Thank you!

I've got to agree. Great work, please keep it up.

[ncangler]

I've installed on my 3.0.7 and CMPS 1.0.1 site (www.triumphowners.org) and image shows up fine in the Articles page but not on the CMPS portal page. I installed the revised cmps_articles.php file but no good. CMPS portal page seems to load slower now too. Any help is most appreciated.

[Princeton]

Originally Posted by ncangler

I've installed on my 3.0.7 and CMPS 1.0.1 site (www.triumphowners.org) and image shows up fine in the Articles page but not on the CMPS portal page. I installed the revised cmps_articles.php file but no good. CMPS portal page seems to load slower now too. Any help is most appreciated.

I notice this is using the datastore ... make sure you upgrade your PHP to version 4.3.11. 4.3.10 has an unserialize() bug. You should see a noticable difference when you do.

[ncangler]

Thanks for the quick reply Princeton. What is the datastore? I assume I'd have to ask my server supplier to upgrade the PHP, but any concerns on affecting anything else if they do?
Randy

Originally Posted by princeton

I notice this is using the datastore ... make sure you upgrade your PHP to version 4.3.11. 4.3.10 has an unserialize() bug. You should see a noticable difference when you do.

[Princeton]

there shouldn't be any problems .. it's a simple upgrade

You do not need to do anything on your end.

[ncangler]

Thank you for the suggestion. I have already emailed them asking that this be done.

Originally Posted by princeton

there shouldn't be any problems .. it's a simple upgrade

You do not need to do anything on your end.