Flash UserMap add-on

Flash UserMap for Vbulletin 2.x.x - version 2.0
Author: PineappleClock (pineappleclock@clockcrew.cc)
-------------------------------------

Overview
The Flash Usermap is a SWF (Shockwave Flash) program that will work with Vbulletin
to display a zoomable world map, with 'pins' representing the location of your users - so users can find other users local to them and organize meets, etc.
Each user can place his or her pin at their desire. The map is searchable.

Synopsis
This hack consists of a Flash 6 SWF file (your users will require flash player 6 to view this map)
which loads and sends data through a file maphandler.php, which in turn sets and retrieves information
from a custom profile field in Vbulletin. To see a demonstration of this software, go here:

http://www.clockcrew.cc/clockmap.html

Note: The clockmap running on clockcrew.cc is a specialized version of the Flash UserMap.


file Listing
install.txt -- the installation howto
maphandler.php -- the file that the SWF recieves and transmits data to.
usermap.swf -- the flash 6 user map application.
(not included) usermap.fla -- the source code for usermap.swf
Note: see install.txt for downloading instrunctions, the file is too big to include in the zip (1.4mb)
usermap.html -- a HTML file for displaying usermap.swf


Requirements
------------
Macromedia Flash MX - optional, for altering the source file 'usermap.fla'
Macromedia Flash player 6 - required for each user, a free plugin available at www.macromedia.com
vbulletin 2.x.x - required

Notes
This is a slightly generalized version of the usermap thats running on my site - it's been running for a while with no problems, but there will always be bugs. Please post if you find any, hope you find this useful

[Vivi Ornitier]

screens? look interesting

[traekwon]

here's a screenshot, the pin i'm hovering over with my mouse (the mouse cursor isn't in the screenshot) would go to the users Vbulletin profile once clicked:



all the references to clocks are omitted in the generalized version available for download here

[Funkie]

Installed it,mainly to see what it was all about
Nice lill hack works fine,just wont rlly have a use for it.

Nice work still the same.

[mtha]

it'd be great if we can add more maps

[NuclioN]

That's why i prefer flash 5 above MX, it sucks bigtime. If you want to change the name of choosable maps you must first study a month before you find a way to do that. Anyone an idea how to change those names?

[zajako]

well written, though this points most dialup users to their isp boxes and not their homes.

[traekwon]

heres some instructions on changing the maps, it's flash MX so it's a little hairy, but here goes:

changing a map:

1. grab an image that you'd like to use for your map - i used screen caps from a shareware program called 'amiglobe'
2. open usermap.fla
3. File > import to library... select your pic
4. CTRL+L brings up the library, find the map that you just imported, and select it (it should have the same name of the file you just imported)
5. rename it if you want.
6. locate the MovieClip of the map you want to replace, it will look like map###, where ### is a number.
7. double click the icon of the movieclip listing in the library to edit it
8. zoom out if you need to see the whole graphic
9. select the graphic so its selected, and right-click it, then click Swap Bitmap...
10. locate the graphic you imported and select it, and then click OK
11. click on "Scene 1" to exit movieclip editing mode

changing a map name:

with usermap.fla open:
1. put the playhead in frame 2
2. click to select the 'worldmap' list box component on the upper right
3. in the properties window (Ctrl+f3 to see it) on the 'parameters' tab, double click the list cooresponding to the 'labels' entry,
4. click on the entry you'd like to change, the numbers for the entries coorespond to the map### movie clips in the library.
5. on the top left, there are four small black squares. One of them is named 'getTG', it's the 4th from the left - click to select it, and then right click, and then click on 'actions'
6. find the code that looks like this:

_root.worldlist.replaceItemAt(0,"World ("+(worldcount[0] - 1)+")",0);

(assuming that you're renaming map 0, "world"; change "world" to coorespond to the name you changed in the list box.

to add a new map:

1. import a graphic for your map (i.e. Baghdad)
2. CTRL+L opens the library, look at the list of maps and find a free number (i.e. map13)
2. select the graphic, and then Insert > convert to symbol
3. make it a movieclip and name it that free number (i.e. map13)
4. click to select the 'worldmap' list box component on the upper right
5. double click to edit the 'labels' data - and add the map name for your new map in a new row at the end. (i.e. Baghdad)
6. double click the Data list to edit it, and add a numeric entry to coorespond to your new map at the end of the rows. (13)
7. on the top left, there are four small black squares. One of them is named 'getTG', it's the 4th from the left - click to select it, and then right click, and then click on 'actions' to view the code.
8. find the code that looks like this:

worldcount = [0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]

and add another 0 to the end of the list:

worldcount = [0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]

at the end of the code, there are lines that look like this:

_root.worldlist.replaceItemAt(12,"Netherlands ("+worldcount[12]+")",12);

add another entry, and change the numbers and names to coorespond. Using our example:

_root.worldlist.replaceItemAt(12,"Netherlands ("+worldcount[12]+")",12);
_root.worldlist.replaceItemAt(13,"Baghdad ("+worldcount[13]+")",13);

thats it, it should work - if you edit your maps, the coorseponding data on the server side will be wrong for that map.

Sorry for the complicated procedure, but it's Flash MX..
I've started work on a 2.1 version that will load pictures dynamically from images on the server and a configuration file

[Erwin]

Very cool hack. Well done.

[auz1111]

cool hack - installed!