vBindex v3.0.0 RC5

[high]vBindex v3.0.0 RC5[/high]

I happy to announce the fith release of vBindex for vBulletin 3 here at vBulletin.org and also the first Offical vB3 Hack here . This is the 9th release of vBindex for vB3 and there are few known problems currently. This release works with vB 3.0.0 Gamma, vB 3.0.0 RC1, vB 3.0.0 RC2, vB 3.0.0 RC3, vB 3.0.0 RC4 and vB 3.0.0.

[high]Features[/high]

The following are the features that are presently avalible in vBindex, those marked [high]*NEW*[/high] have been updated since vBindex 2.1 and those marked [high]*NEW*[/high] have been updated since Pre-RC2 was released and those marked [high]*NEW*[/high] have been added since RC2 and those marked [high]*NEW*[/high] have been added since RC3.

• News:
  • News (taken from a specified news forum), with vBcode, Smilies and optional news posters avatar;
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Improved avatar system for news posts;
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Option to have sticky threads in the news forum sticky on vBindex;
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Option to limit the number of characters in news posts;
• Side Blocks:
  • Easy Administration:
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] All side blocks can be moved from within the ACP, no template edits needed!;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Custom blocks, add unlimited custom side blocks and control them all from the ACP;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Support for right, left and dual side blocks;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Each side block can be expanded/contracted just like the forums, QRB, post rules etc on the forum;
      [high]*NEW*[/high] Dynamic side blocks via a special PHP Include type system (vbindex_customblock_php);
  • Latest Threads:
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] More functional and faster new threads and posts;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Link to first unread post if the user has not read the thread yet;
      [high]*NEW*[/high] Ability to have the latest threads under the news with more details;
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Online user list, with buddies and invisible users marked:
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Option to show users online in the past 24 hours;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Online users block can be switched off;
  • Integrated Welcome Panel:
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Option for detault avatar in the Welcome Box for members without an avatar and Guests;
  • Fully integrated Shoutbox:
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Scrolling shoutbox option;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Allow users to delete own shouts if option is turned on;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Select which usergroups can delete any users shouts;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] View all shouts, a full page shoutbox built it;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Option to show disabled postshout area to unregistred users;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Order shouts in either direction;
      [high]*NEW*[/high] Limit the length of shouts;
  • Poll, with the option to select a random poll from a given set of forums;
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Calendar:
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Links to events;
    • [high]*NEW*[/high] Option to show weekends and dynmically adjust the side bars to the correct size;
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Todays birthdays;
• Templates & Phrases:
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Fully phrased, both the vBindex Options and the front end are 100% phrased;
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] 100% Valid XHTML 1.0 Templates.
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Templates/Phrases installed during install/upgrade;
• General:
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Thread subscription icons for news and latest threads;
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Global and user specific ignore list throughout all items;
  • Will work 100% outside of your forums directory;
  • Fully integrated into the Admin CP, change all options there!
  • Very easy to customize, just edit/add templates;
  • Capable of operating a multi-paged site; (Extra Page Tutorial)
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Dynamic PHP Driven Extra Pages via Templates; (Extra Dynamic Page Tutorial)
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Optimised code;
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Use date/time option (Today/Yesterday and Detailed) specified in vB Options;
  • Only 5 queries with everything switched off, and still only 13 with all options turned on, thats 5 queries less than our nearest competitor!
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Improved install, easy onscreen instructions that even new hackers should be able to follow and have vBindex working quicky;
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Compatible with vBwar for vB3 when its released.
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Admin Help system, gives help with all the vBindex options in the ACP.
  • [high]*NEW*[/high] Uninstall/Re-Install System.

[high]Installation/Upgrade[/high]

See the README_1ST.htm file included in the zip for more detailed install instructions and details of where to upload the files. Then point your browser to http://www.mydomain.com/forums/admin/vbiupgrade.php.

Changes Since vBindex 3.0.0 RC4

vBindex 3.0.0 RC4 was released about a week ago, RC5 has just a few changes and is expected to be the last release before vBindex 3.0.0. Changes include fixing of an XHTML issue in the custom block templates; admin help system added; ability to restrict the length of shouts.

[high]Support[/high]

Support will be given here in this thread ONLY. [high]Support *WILL NOT* be given via PM/Email/IM.[/high]

[high]************************************************[/high]

vBindex is Copyright MMII - MMIV Winter Systems, you may not distribute in part or whole any portion of the source code (apart from in this thread) or any file included in the zip (Unless you are posting a language translation of vbindex_phrases.xml in this thread). Portions Copyright MM - MMIV Jelsoft Enterprises Limited. Both the Jelsoft vBulletin and the Winter Systems vBindex Copyright notice in the footer must stay in place for any page powered by vBindex.

[high]************************************************[/high]

[high]vBindex is *FREE*, please have the courtesy click install if you use this hack, thank you[/high]

RC3 Build 7: 719
RC3 Build 8: 377
RC3 Build 10: 486
RC4 Build 5: 107
RC5 Build 5: 87

[noonespecial]

I am having a problem:

Every 4th or so time the index news page is pulled up in an iframe on my main page, it just plain doesn't load. 404.

Is there a reason you can think it is doing this? I think I am using RC2 of vbindex, I may upgrade to rc3 tonight

www.absolutepunk.net

[Mr. HillBilly]

Hm, is there a way to add a "Forum" link to the portal page? Because theres NO way for a user to get to the forum index.

[???`S?LV?R???`]

Just add a custom block with links to your pages.

[???`S?LV?R???`]

By the way... great job on vBindex NTLDR, It works great. I was curious if you were gonna be adding a download page feature like vbportal did.

[NTLDR]

Originally Posted by noonespecial

Every 4th or so time the index news page is pulled up in an iframe on my main page, it just plain doesn't load. 404.

It seems to work fine for me. Are you giving it time to load? The how page seems a tad slow at loading for me.

Originally Posted by ???`S?LV?R???`

By the way... great job on vBindex NTLDR, It works great. I was curious if you were gonna be adding a download page feature like vbportal did.

I've not planned to so far but I will consider it. Its posible for you to create your own with the extra pages feature of vBindex.

[???`S?LV?R???`]

Didn't know about the extra pages feature, how would i go about doing that?

[NTLDR]

For non-dynamic pages add a template called vbindex_extra_PAGENAME and the visit it via vbindex.php?page=PAGENAME replacing PAGENAME with the name of the page. The template should only contain the content that you are replacing the news with.

[???`S?LV?R???`]

heh I'm sorta confused, could you write some more extensive instructions?

[NTLDR]

[high]How To Add Extra (Non-Dynamic) Pages With vBindex 3.0.0[/high]

Lets use the example of a copyright page. In the Style Manager create a template called vbindex_extra_copyright and add the following HTML too it:

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" class="tborder" width="100%">
	<tr>
		<td>
			<table cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%">
				<tr>
					<td class="tcat">
						<div>$vboptions[bbtitle] Copyright Statement</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td class="alt1">
						<div>
							Replace this with your copyright statement text.
						</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</table>
		</td>
	</tr>
</table>
<br />

Then visit vbindex.php?page=copyright and you should see you copyright statement you have justed added

[NTLDR]

[high]How To Add Extra (Non-Dynamic) Pages With vBindex 3.0.0 RC3 or above.[/high]

This feature that allows you to easily add your own PHP to the extra pages (not custom blocks at present).

Lets say you wanted a top ten posters page:

Add a template called vbindex_extra_top10 with the folloing HTML:

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" class="tborder" width="100%">
	<tr>
		<td>
			<table cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%">
				<tr>
					<td class="tcat">
						<div>Top 10 Core Forums Posters - PHP Driven vBindex Extra Pages Example</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td class="alt1">
						<div>
							$php_output
						</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</table>
		</td>
	</tr>
</table>
<br />

This is the main HTML for the content area on the page. Now create a template called vbindex_extra_php_top10 this will contain the raw PHP code, just as if it was a PHP file. (NOTE: Upon saving this template you WILL get an error, ignore it and press continue. RC4 will contain instructions to prevent this). Add the following code to it:

PHP Code:

$users = $DB_site->query("SELECT username, userid, posts FROM ".TABLE_PREFIX."user ORDER BY posts DESC LIMIT 10");

while($user = $DB_site->fetch_array($users)) {
    echo '<div><a href="'.$vboptions['bburl'].'/member.php?userid='.$user['userid'].'">'.$user['username'].'</a> ('.$user['posts'].')</div>';
} 


Note that you need to echo the content out.

Then visit vbindex.php?section=top10 and you should see a list of the top 10 posters on your forum. Take alook at our demo here: http://www.coreforums.net/index.core?section=top10