Integration with vBulletin - vbulletin-xml-rpc-server for instant Desktop Notification

Let's take a look at following screen-shots first.









Yeah.. these look like Gmail Notifer application which is actually vbulletin-desktop-notifier application. As a forum admin, you might want to offer such application to your members.



== Video tutorials ==
Editing
Uploading
Installation

You can use vBulletin Desktop Notifier as dekstop client or free to build your own following API-DOC .



== Demo watch video ==
I'm offering demo in my forum. Here're the steps.

Download vbulletin-desktop-notifier and install in your machine.

Run vbulletin-desktop-notifier and login using
username: priti
password: 123456

Create a new thread at Demo vbulletin-xml-rpc-server threads or reply to existing thread.

You'll see notification in your desktop within few seconds.

Request: Please do not change password for user Priti. If somehow the login does not work you can try by creating a temporary user.



== Coming up next ?.. ==
Based on feedback I'm listing few of the enhancements that will be part of upcoming releases.

• [S]Server Compatibility check script[/S]
• [S]Options to select forum ids in User CP[/S]
• Display avatar of the person who made post in the notification window
• [S]Unread private message notification[/S]
• [S]Support for PHP4[/S]

Alfa1 came up with these ideas which hopefully will be integrated sooner or later in future releases:

- friends coming online

Which of the following events does this notifier alert to:
Member notifications:
- profile messages awaiting approval
- requests to join your social groups
- invitations to join social groups
- unread picture comments
- picture comments awaiting approval
- group messages awaiting approval

Moderator notifications:
- post awaiting approval
- threads awaiting approval
- events awaiting approval
- attachments awaiting approval
- members awaiting approval
- blogs awaiting approval
- blog comments awaiting approval
- profile comments awaiting approval
- group comments awaiting approval
- pictures awaiting approval
- picture comments awaiting approval

== Ongoing Discussions ?.. ==
discussions on release-02 starts here

== HOT FIX [release 2.0]?.. ==
Rename all files in system/application/models directory into lowercases. i.e:
Forum.php => forum.php
Settings.php => settings.php
Token.php => token.php
User.php => user.php

[benstillman]

Took me forever to read through the posts fixing each little thing, but I've got it working now. Pretty cool. I'm going to play around with making my own client.

For users just installing:
- make sure you change the file names in ./vbulletin-xml-rpc-server/system/application/models so they're all lowercase
- if using Vista, after installing the client, right click on the c:/program files/vbdn/config.cnf file, click on security, and change your permissions so you can edit it
- edit ./vbulletin-xml-rpc-server/system/application/models/forums.php line 35 to use your db prefix. default for vBulletin is vbb_. in the file it's set to vb_.
- be sure to do this to keep from getting the token errors

[benstillman]

My question is how secure is this?

[sf.nsuers]

@benstillman cool! can't wait to see how your client talks :-D
what security issues you are concerned of?

[memomemo]

Hello


A Database Error Occurred

Unable to connect to your database server using the provided settings.

http://www.maxbilisim.com/forum/vbul...ml-rpc-server/ :S

Please help

[DangerousDale]

Hi,

When I go to the test page I get this error:

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: parse_url(http://) [function.parse-url]: Unable to parse URL

Filename: libraries/Xmlrpc.php

Line Number: 160

Any idea's?

[DangerousDale]

Forget the above... was being a complete idiot... fixed it now

[flup]

Originally Posted by sf.nsuers

Windows client is not compatible with Vista at this moment. I myself is not a big fan of vista for many reasons. but.. I'll keep it in mind to provide a solution for Vista users.

Must be kiddin me I love this mod but I'm running Vista..

[flup]

I got it working Here's what to do (thanks to Benstillman aswel!):

FILE MODIFICATION / UPLOADS

Step 1) Download this attachment, it has all changes in filenames etc set already, extract the contents to a folder

Step 2) Open 'upload\vbulletin-xml-rpc-server\cd.php', you need to make a change here, I made it a little bit easier for most users, change this part:

$forum_folder = ''; // WITH ending slash, example: forums/

To fit your forums, if your forum is in the root of your hosting, leave it blank, otherwise it will be forum/ or forums/

Step 3) Open 'upload\vbulletin-xml-rpc-server\system\application\models\config.php' and change this:

$config['base_url']	= "http://www.yourlinkto.com/vbulletin-xml-rpc-server/";

To the full URL of the vbulletin-xml-rpc-server url, including the ending slash.

Step 4) Upload all files from the upload directory to your forumroot.


Product Import

Step 1) Go to your admin panel and scroll down to Plugins & Products, choose 'Manage Products' and on the bottom of that page click [Add/Import Product]

Step 2) Select the 'product-vbxrs.xml' file which was extracted from the zipfile and import the product.

Forum Settings

Step 1) In your browser go to the 'vbxrs_preference.php' file (example: http://www.yourforum.com/vbxrs_preference.php)

Step 2) Select the forums you want to receive updates from.

The Client

Step 1) Download the client over at code.google.com: http://code.google.com/p/vbulletin-d...downloads/list

Step 2) Install the client to your PC, if you are using another system than Vista, go to step 6. Vista users also follow Step 3, 4 and 5!

Step 3) Open your explorer and browse to the directory you installed the client in, by default this is: C:\Program Files\vbdn

Step 4) Right click the file: config.cfn and select properties, click the tab 'Security' and click the button Edit.

Step 5) Click on your username and after that click the checkbox 'Full Control' (all checkboxes will be checked). Now click OK, followed by Apply+Ok.

Step 6) Run the client and edit the settings, both the Forum URL and VBXRS Url must have the ending slashes!

Step 7) Apply changes and restart the client, now add your user information in the login box and your vB Notifier is working.

Credits
Credits of course go to sf.nsuers for this great idea, which hopefully will be expanded soon! and to benstillman who got to explain alot of it already in the previous post.

I just packed it all together and perhaps made it a little bit easier for everyone to get this thing up and running!

[flup]

Some suggestions:

auto-login & auto-start (when windows starts)

[qberty]

I would Like to Code a NEW and more Improved GUI looking Applications. If sf.nusers Could help me Ill release it Here with Updates, I have enough time to invest into making the application work with This. Since its XML-RPC, All i need is Direct Contact with sf.nusers to Be able to code a whole new app with the same function and mabye more. How shall i contact him?