Miscellaneous Hacks - vBISpy - AJAX real-time feed of new posts/threads

This is a port of vBISpy by MPDev to vBulletin4. MPDev has given me permission to port this modification, if any staff need to see it, I can forward the PM.


If you use this modification, please >> Mark As Installed, Nominate for MOTM, or Support Developer <<, thank you


What is this!?
vBISpy is an AJAX real-time feed of new posts/threads for your vBulletin 4.0 forum.

Please note that this is currently in Beta. The style is not perfect, but the mod should be fully functionial.


Current Version
2.0.4 - You can find the 3.6.x version, here.


Features flagged for future version(s):

• looking for suggestions

Will this work on x.x.x ??
Unless otherwise stated, this will work on all 4.0.x versions. This will not work on 3.x.


Sounds cool. How do I install?

1. Extract the zip, you should have the following directories/files:
   
   

   /
   |_ vaispy.php
   
   /clientscript/
   |_ va_effects.js
   |_ va_prototype.js
   |_ va_spy.js
   
   /images/
   	/misc/
   	|_ pause_down.gif
   	|_ pause_up.gif
   	|_ play_down.gif
   	|_ play_up.gif

2. Upload: (in the below instructions 'yourforum' would be where you have vBulletin installed)
   
   • vaispy.php to /yourforum/vaispy.php
     
   • /clientscript/*.js to /yourforum/clientscript/*.js
     
   • /images/misc/*.gif to /yourforum/images/misc/*.gif

Upgrading
Unless noted otherwise, just upload and overwrite 'vaispy.php'.


Customization
Virtually all the code to customize the page is in the vaispy.php script; there are no plugins, no templates and no phrases. You do not need to do anything further; this should work right out of the box.

If you'd like to block certain usergroups from viewing vBISpy; or certain forums from being displayed - edit vaispy.php

PHP Code:

/**
* Do not list these forums even if they have 
* permissions (test categories, etc)
*
* Enter them by ID, separated by commans (eg: 1,2,3)
*/
$blockforums = '';

/**
* Do not allow these groups.
*
* Enter them by ID, separated by commans (eg: 1,2,3)
*/
$blockgroups = ''; 


In your browser, open the URL:

http://www.yourforum.com/forum/vaispy.php

You can see examples of this at:

• Anyone wanting to list here as an example?

Note: Neither I nor MPDev claim ownership of this code except for the file vaispy.php - the rest of the files were using 'freely distributable' (although modified to suit vBISpy) sources. As such, you may use these files as you wish, but please do not remove the copyrights.


Changelog
2.0.4 - June 23, 2011
- Changed 'xml' to 'feed' when the script is requesting data via AJAX
- Updated code that checks for blocked groups and forums so that it works properly.
- Added version string (?v=) to script calls.
- Updated template html to include facebook data if enabled.
- Updated css link rendering to determine if templates are stored as files or not.

2.0.3 - March 25, 2010
- Updated alternate row colors to use stylevars.
- Added ability to block certain usergroups by editing vaispy.php.
- Fixed possible bug where in certain situations a database error would occur.

2.0.2 - January 23, 2010
- Hopefully the incorrect showthread link is now fixed.
- Added alternate row colors.
- Changed default xml delay in va_spy.js to 3000 from 7000.

2.0.1 - January 21, 2010
- Fixed issue with incorrect path to thread statusicon's
- Edits to clientscript/va_spy.js to hopefully fix issues with incorrect showthread link.
- Removed &nbsp;'s from the rows generated if displayed rows are less than 20

2.0.0 - January 21, 2010
- Ported to vBulletin4 with permission from MPDev



If you use this modification, please >> Mark As Installed, Nominate for MOTM, or Support Developer <<, thank you

[cbehan]

Looks very interesting...I'll test it out.

[akee]

Nice!
Thanks!
I try it now

-----edit--------

Installed, thanks

[Alien]

My members have been CRAVING to have this back.

I'll test it out and report back!

[Alien]

Apparently this is incompatible with Lynne's additional_css and additional_css2 templates made by her modification. I'd like to move to the built-in solution that vB has made but they broke it and don't call it from the usercp and other places which sucks.

I tried this with the default style though and it's killer, just needs a little style tweaking!

Thanks!

[SpongeBob71]

Works fine EXCEPT my "thread_dot.gif" is located in the correct path./

It assumes it is in the root of my website instead of the forum -->images path.

Just an FYI...

Great Job!

-Sponge

[TimberFloorAu]

We have installed. Very good.

Styling does need looking at tho Perhaps alternate backgrounds for each new post/thread and better definition for URL's

Excellent, thanks.

Ste

www.yobromofo.com/forum/vaispy.php

[TimberFloorAu]

Originally Posted by Alien

Apparently this is incompatible with Lynne's additional_css and additional_css2 templates made by her modification. I'd like to move to the built-in solution that vB has made but they broke it and don't call it from the usercp and other places which sucks.

I tried this with the default style though and it's killer, just needs a little style tweaking!

Thanks!

We use Lynnes CSS , no issues. What problem do you have ??

[Eric]

Yeah, the styling needs a lot of work - it's the one thing about vB4 that will take me some getting used to

The main issue with styling, at least for the tables, I think is how vB has implemented the YUI reset CSS.

I'll try to get it worked out though

[Alien]

Originally Posted by TimberFloorAu

We use Lynnes CSS , no issues. What problem do you have ??

Do you save CSS as files, or save CSS in the database?

If you save the CSS as files, external scripts like this and Photopost are unable to locate your custom css. They only know how to look in the default vBulletin locations as far as I can tell?