vBulletin Forum Sideblocks - Forum Sideblock - Recent Posts (with BBCodes parsed)

Overview:

This product, upon installation, creates a new forum block that will display the most recent posts (the entire content in a scrollable block) with BBCodes parsed, and gives you settings to control several aspects of this new forum block. The settings are divided into 3 main groups:

Forum Block Settings:

Maximum Height Of Forum Block: This allows you to set a maximum height for the total inner block content containing all of the posts. A vertical scrollbars is added as needed. The default value is 450.

Block Title: This allows you to set the displayed title of the forum block, without having to edit the forum block itself. It is recommended that you do not edit the title of the forum block in the Forum Block Manager because the uninstall code depends on the title being its original value in order to remove it. You may include the number of posts shown and the value of a defined phrase to be in the block title. For example, if I want the title of the block to be "MHB's 5 Most Recent Posts" (and I have chosen to display all of the most recent posts) then I would enter in this setting:

MHB's [POSTS] [PHRASE]

where "[POSTS]" will be replaced by the number of posts being displayed, and [PHRASE] will be replaced by either $vbphrase['markfl_recentposts_title'], which is set to "Most Recent Posts" or $vbphrase['markfl_recentpostsperthread_title'], which is set to "Most Recent Posts/Thread".

The default is "[POSTS] [PHRASE]".

Block Title CSS: This setting allows you to apply additional CSS to the forum block title. For example, if you wish for the title to be 25% larger and in red, you would enter:

font-size: 125%; color red

The default is blank.

If you wish to change any other aspect of the forum block (other than the title), then use the "Forum Block Manager" to do so.

Posts Settings:

Posts To Display: This setting allows you to decide whether all of the most recent posts (the number of which you set) will be displayed, or only the most recent post per thread. The default is "Only Most Recent Post Per Thread". If you change this setting once you have the product running, then I recommend you clear the system cache each time you change it.

Number Of Posts To Display: This allows you to decide how many posts will be displayed in the forum block, chosen as per the setting above. The default is 5 posts.

Maximum Height Of Posts: This allows you to set the maximum height (in px) of the post content block before a vertical scrollbar is introduced. The default is 120 px.

Thread Title Settings:

Maximum Thread Title Length: This allows you to set the maximum number of characters from the thread title that will be displayed.

Display Thread Icons?: Allows you to set whether thread icons will be displayed.

Display Thread Prefixes?: Allows you to set whether thread prefixes will be displayed.

Thread Title CSS: Allows you to apply additional CSS to the thread titles.

Each post consists of a header containing the post author's avatar on the left (links to their profile), and a link to the post within its thread (with a tooltip stating which forum the thread is in) with the date/time of the post beneath the link. Both the tooltip and the timestamp use phrasing. Below this header is the block containing the entire post content, with BBCodes parsed.

Updates:

Version 1.01:

• Attempt to address reported db error.

Version 1.02:

• Fixed error where height of block was hard-coded.

Version 1.1:

• Combined queries.
• Custom templates used to render output.
• All CSS stored in template.
• Fixed error causing block not to be removed upon uninstall.

Note: To update to version 1.1, please uninstall any previous versions first and remove any forum blocks left behind, and then install version 1.1.

Version 1.2:

• All templates cached.

Version 1.3:

• Block PHP restored.

Compatibility:

Tested and working on VB 4.2.x and may work on all 4.x versions of vBulletin.

Backup/Warning:

This product does not alter your database, however it is always good practice to make regular backups and you should make a backup before installing ANY new mod.

As always, products are USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. I will provide support and do my best to help but no absolute guarantee is offered.

To Install:

• Download and extract the attached .zip file.
• Follow AdminCP -> Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product.
• Click on "Choose File" and browse to the product .xml file that was packaged in the .zip file.
• Click "Import."
• Configure the settings to your liking. Each setting has a detailed explanation of its use.

Support for this product can be found here:

• MHB - Forum Sideblock - Recent Posts (with BBCodes parsed)
• TAZ - Forum Sideblock - Recent Posts (with BBCodes parsed)

[MarkFL]

Update - Version 1.2:

• All templates now cached.

[Rhodium]

1.2 don't work for me, even in a clean installation :/

[MarkFL]

Version 1.3:

• Block PHP restored.

Originally Posted by Rhodium

1.2 don't work for me, even in a clean installation :/

Uninstall version 1.2, and then install version 1.3...somehow the block's PHP code was dropped, but it's now restored.

[Snowhog]

Read the entire thread. Interesting. I'm going to wait until others report full success in installing and running this MOD before I download/install.

Don't give up on it MarkFL!

[MarkFL]

Originally Posted by Snowhog

Read the entire thread. Interesting. I'm going to wait until others report full success in installing and running this MOD before I download/install.

Don't give up on it MarkFL!

It should be good to go now.

[Snowhog]

I'm already using the vBulletin default (?) Recent Forum Posts sideblock. I think I am. The sideblock is titled Forum Threads. Other than allowing one to read recent posts within the sideblock, is there really that much different with this MOD?

[MarkFL]

Originally Posted by Snowhog

I'm already using the vBulletin default (?) Recent Forum Posts sideblock. Other than allowing one to read recent posts within the sideblock, is there really that much different with this MOD?

The major difference is this allows you to see the entire post content with the BBCodes parsed. For example, on a math help forum, where TikZ images and LaTeX might be used, this can be useful:

[Snowhog]

Thank you.

So, as I said, we are using Forum Threads (AdminCP > Forums & Moderators > Forums Block Manager) sideblock. It's sufficient for what it does. I'm going to think on this MOD for a bit.

[MarkFL]

Originally Posted by Snowhog

Thank you.

So, as I said, we are using Forum Threads (AdminCP > Forums & Moderators > Forums Block Manager) sideblock. It's sufficient for what it does. I'm going to think on this MOD for a bit.

Yes, if the intrinsic forum blocks are sufficient for your specific needs, then you don't want to increase your overhead by installing this mod. It's always a good idea to consider first with any product offered whether it will really benefit you and your community or not.