Forum Display Enhancements - Alternate Last Post Display

Alternate Last Post Display
By: Idan B.

1. Description & Usage:
Alternate Last Post hack will allow the forum admin to make the "Last Post" column on forum look different (have another/better layout):
Hack will make it with user avatar picture & instead of showing post date, it will show "time diff" since the post (for example: 4 Hours, 5 Minutes ago") - See pictures in attachment for better understanding. :up:
This Hack can be enabled on both Forum Home & forum Display or Forum Display Only.
The hack was develop for request of Theater (request was made here: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=214212 )
I assumed this request might be "handy" to other users of community, so developed it to be a fully working modification.

2. Installation:
Please click Mark as Installed.
Installation is pretty easy - just download & install:

• Extract zip for product xml & no-avatar picture.
• Goto: AdminCP->Plugin System->Manage Products : Choose "Add/Import Product" and import this product xml (product-alt_last_post.xml)
• Upload the "anonymous_avatar.gif" file onto /images/avatars/ directory. If testing it on your develop board, be sure to upload there as well.

3. Upgrade From Older Version:
1. uninstall previous version
2. Download new version xml & install as instructed in previous section.

4. Configuration:
Once installed, the "Vbulletin Options" under admincp will have extra section:
Section name: "Alternate Last Post Display"

• Enabled ? - Yes/No (default YES)
• Enable on Forum Home ? - Yes/No (default NO)
• Enable on Forum Display ? - Yes/No (default YES)
• Use "Last Post" text as title ? - Yes/No (default YES)
• Show differential time ? - Yes/No (default YES)
• Align "Never" to LEFT ? - Yes/No (default YES)
• Use profile picture instead of avatar ? - Yes/No (default NO)
• Picture width - INT (default: 40)
• Picture height - INT (default: 40)
  

5. Known Bugs:

• Forum Tabbbed modification has known competability with this mod - result it is not showing on forumhome. Currently debugging this one to allow fix on next version.
• v1.1.4 released. Since v.1.1.0 code was re-writeen completely from "scratch" and now it should support multi-languages (other than english) ! Note: Cyrillic & Latin chars reported to have some issues, still under check)
• See changelog below for full description of stuff fixed.

6. TO-DO's LIST (Next Versions):

• Allow thread view option on admincp.
• Other mods (such as Forum Tabbed Modification) conflict fixes - under checking !.
• [S]Admincp option to set avatar width/height.[/S] added in v.1.1.4
• [S]Admincp option to select between profile and avatar picture.[/S] added in v.1.1.4

NOTE: Currently supported format chars for date/time (v1.1.4) are :
Date: "j","d", "m", "n", "F", "M", "Y", "y","S"
Time: "h", "H", "g", "G", "i", "s", "a", "A".
Any other chars will result with Post Time: N/A displayed !

NOTE: i've left v1.1.3 and added in addition the v1.1.4, just in case anyone has problem, he can download old version & rollback.

Enjoy hack & dont forget to click Mark as Installed

[troll2]

It does not show "broken image", most likely a conflict, but I have not been able to inentify which mod yet

[IdanB]

Originally Posted by troll2

It does not show "broken image", most likely a conflict, but I have not been able to inentify which mod yet

lemme change var names to unique, v1.1.1 will be uploaded in few minutes, lets just see if this solves it...

[IdanB]

uploaded v1.1.1 - changed:
1. check for user id if not available.
2. renamed template vars to be unique.

Will check your reply later on.

[troll2]

Installed v1.1.1. Shows on forum display http://hmsplan.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18 but not at forum home and Post Time reads N/A. ACP is correct set.

[IdanB]

Originally Posted by troll2

Installed v1.1.1. Shows on forum display http://hmsplan.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18 but not at forum home. ACP is correct set.

Please pay attention the fact the "default settings" on admincp is set to show plugin on forumdisplay only.
If needs to show on forumhome, go into admincp, vbulletin options -> vbulletin options, scroll down to "Alternate Last Post Display" click "Edit Settings" & on options screen make sure "Enable on Forum Home ?" is set to YES.

If above is set to YES & still not showing, can you please mention if this shows any errors ? And if indeed errors, please provide more information about it.

EDIT: About post time showing as N/A, can you please post your date/time strings used under admincp.

[troll2]

Thanks for your support! :-) Enable on Forum Home is set to "YES" in ACP and no errors are showing at board. No picture is showing at forum home. date/time strings ?? not sure where to locate it. (F jS, Y) Also, please notice the left alignment when forum name is longer and "Use "Last Post" text as title ?" in ACP is set to "NO". http://hmsplan.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18 It would be great if your mod support / show on thread list too.

[BlueNinjaGo]

Compatible with 3.7.x?

[IdanB]

Originally Posted by troll2

No picture is showing at forum home. date/time strings ?? not sure where to locate it. (F jS, Y) Also, please notice the left alignment when forum name is longer and "Use "Last Post" text as title ?" in ACP is set to "NO". http://hmsplan.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18 It would be great if this show on thread list too.

About date/time, i'm working right now on a fix that will better handle date locale in case of non-english months names. perhaps i didnt handle it as well as i thought.

About left align, Last i tested it it worked fine.
please provide some screenshot if you can, so i may better understand the problem you reffering to.

As a reminer note i'll mention the template generated by this plugin is using NOBR tag inside the TD table element. (This was added so it wont get "tiny & long" for people without proper minimum width hadle on their skin). Guess this is tradeoff as when need to support majority of people need to provide something that works best to all. But what's "hides" behind prevent statement means know how to handle your forum width. If not enough width available, then use the "Last Post" text option with YES, to save extra pixerls there. The "Last Post" block will NOT be resized due to NOBR tag.

About Thread List, i'll consider it as an option for future versions, at the moment trying to get this stable as possible before attempting to further add features.

[IdanB]

Originally Posted by BlueNinjaGo

Compatible with 3.7.x?

As far as i'm aware i didnt used any 3.8.x var that isnt available on 3.7.x, so i believe it should be compatible with 3.7.x or lower as well.
Since this mod doesnt perform any DB structure changes, you can safely install it without worrying about any "damage" being made. at worst case it just wont work & you can simply uninstall it from admincp.
I would appreciate if you could confirm compatibility for me.

[troll2]

Thanks for adding thread list to your future dev list, l have attached a screenshot do display the left allignment issue