Geek Article System 3.52

IMPORTANT:
Please note that I can no longer support this project. Primarily as it is designed for vb3.0.x and I no longer use that version (im obviously on vb3.5x ). There is a version for vb3.5 however its a commercial script. This project is left here for the community.
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HowdA All.

The GAS3 system is a comprehensive article system that completely integrates into vB3.

News:

• Updated 3/08/05 to version 3.53 for compatability with vb3.08
• Updated 13/05/05 to version 3.52!!! Posts for 3.52 to integrate with GAL4.0 start here

History

Originally, I looked into other article systems to integrate with my forums but just got irritated over and over again as I found the other offering out there very limiting for my needs. I wanted to use my members usergroup permissions, the search facility (so when someone did a search for 'bob' both articles AND threads appeared on one page), I also wanted wysiwyg editing and vBs attachment system. Well, I accomplished 99% of my needs with the Geek Article System 2.0
Why 3.0? While the 2.0 was fine for my needs, many users began asking for a far more complex system that took the beauty of 2.0 and added popular features in the other article systems.

Here are the features in a nutshell:

• Integrates 100% into vB. No importing forums or creating special groups. Simply mark forum as an 'Article' forum and instantly all threads become articles. Dont like it anymore? Simply remove the ID and the therads and forums go back to normal.
• Whatever you can do in a thread or post, you can do with the GAS3 system (uploading attachments, smiles, BBcode, various editors, yadayadayada)
• Adding on the above point: all the differing vB editors (wysiwyg, etc..), usergroup permissions (heck - anything you can set for a forum you can set in this - AND MORE!) why> because it is totally integrated!
• Create multiple pages in your post by simply putting [BREAK] anywhere in your post.
• The first thumbnail in an article substitutes the posters avatar (switchable via admincp)
• Upload header images and have them auto resize
• Choose header images from a global (or forum specific) gallery
• Integrated article byline.
• Synopsis - allows users to give a summary that appears on the new forumdisplay
• New forumdisplay shows article header image and synopsis (if no synopsis then the first X amount of characters from the article is used)
• Synopisis allows BBCode
• Integrates with the Geek AutoLink system (optional)
• Allows you to post as other users
• Article sidebar that shows the article rating, your rating, the rating form, article tools, and article attachments (all toggable via admincp)
• An auto installer/upgrader/uninstaller that makes all file edits for you!
• A whole host of other tiddlybits that I wont bore you with

Special thanks goes to rlamego, peterska2, Snow, Gldtn, and Magic Spark for private Beta testing this for me. Couldnt of happened without them!

Change log
13.05.05 - updated to 3.52
All this does is update GAS for the GAL4.0 integration.
To update, simply replace your existing functions_geekarticles.php with the one in the latest package.

18.3.05 - updated to 3.51
This really just fixes a couple of mega minor bugs.
Added new default icon per forum functionality (see readme)
Wrote a real README.
Wrote a seperate 3.5x upgrade script. Users of 3.5x should run admincp/gas3_upgrade.php

16.3.05 - updated to 3.50
Loads of new features and a new installer that makes the file changes for you.
New forumdisplay
Uploading of images for your header
Synopsis box
yadayadayda

10.2.05 - updated to 3.02
Fixed typo in readme (step 2.6 referenced $articlebyline instead of $GAS_byline). This bug fixes the disappearing byline when editing an article.
To upgrade - edit your editpost template and search for $articlebyline then replace it with $GAS_byline

Importers
I have made an importer for v3articles. Technically speaking, you dont have to strictly have GAS3 installed to use the importer (though it is ideal). What it does is essentailly import v3articles, comments, ratings, and attachments into existing forums as new threads, replies, threadratings, and post attachments. The idea is that you install GAS3, create the forums to house your articles, and then import your existing v3articles into them (but as I said, you can simply import v3articles into normal forums without having GAS3 installed).
There is also a rollback feature in case you change your mind or experience a problem with the import. Your v3articles installation isnt touched. In fact, no v3articles are harmed in the process

Known issues:

• none that I am aware of.

Demos: (note that I have a custom skin, so your results will be ever so slightly different)
http://www.thenailgeek.com/showthread.php?t=11287
http://www.thenailgeek.com/showthread.php?t=8801 - pages with comments (click View Comments to see comments only)


Difficulty - EASY
Time - about 5 minutes
File modifications? a few but now all done automatically for you

Change log:

Updated to 3.01 Feb 7th
Fixed a couple template errors and minor readme instructions


Instructions

Click install. I have busted my butt over the past few weeks to do this and all I ask is that you click install if you use it

• Download the package and unzip.
• Follow the README!
• Ther installer does all the work for you
• When done, go into your admncp, and adjust your settings

Troubleshooting:

• No phrases after install? This happens a lot with many installers for some bizzare reason. All you have to do is do a phrase search for GAS_ , edit the phrase (dont change it), then save it. Bingo - all your phrases appear.

Also:

I would therefore backup your DB, your styles, and any of the files the README asks you to change.

nJoy

[Rob Locke]

I wonder if you can help me...

I want to add a small gap between the article comments and change the 'posted by (username) on (postdate, time) to a 'posted by (username) - (postdate, time).

I made a couple of simple edits to the GAS_comments_pb template - basically typing a '-' in place of the word 'on' and I added a <br/> at the end of the table to create the gap.

This works fine for the comments on their own, but the comments following an article display their default settings. Am I missing something? Is there another template or file that controls the look of the comments when they follow an article, which also show an extra horizontal line and the user signature, where the comments on their own do not.

What should I do to make them both look the same and is there a better way to add a gap which matches the spaces between regular forum posts?

I hope this makes sense and I look forward to finding out the answers, as I've been racking my brains all day.

Many thanks,

Rob.

[KTBleeding]

Rob:

Edit the GAS_article_pb template.

It may be really confusing unless you can understand the if conditionals.

[GamerzWorld]

Originally Posted by The Geek

er - maybe I pissed someone off by suggesting that hacks/mods be suggested macks from now on.


Actually - it looks like you tried to send to thegeek instead of the geek

Obviously so :P Thanks for pming me, i replied :ermm:

[The Geek]

yea - KTB is right.

If the comments are on the same page as the article - they use the GAS_article_pb
If they are on the page by themselves (no article) then they use the GAS_comments_pb

Kind of stupid in retrospect - however I did it at the time for some definate reason that escapes me now

[Rob Locke]

Thanks KTB and Geek. I'll check it out. Two last questions:

1) What is the best way to created the space between comments? Would you suggest <br/> or some other method. Does <div style="padding:$stylevar[formspacer]px"> do the same thing?

2) On the sidebar, there are spaces between all the tables except the ratings tables and the article tools which are squashed together top-to-bottom. What can I do to remedy this, so all the sidebar tables are evenly space apart?

3) On the sidebar, the first part is...

<!-- start sidebar-->
        <td valign="top" class="alt1" width="175px">

				<table class="tborder" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%">

However, changing the 175px width does nothing to the width of the column. What is this for...is it necessary...if not, what does control the width of the sidebar column?

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Thanks for all your help, I am just newly getting to grips with the GAS, which is FAB!!! I just want to make a few style adjustments to get it looking like the rest of my site.

Thanks again and I'm sure I'll be back with a few more questions later.

Best,

Rob.

[psico]

Originally Posted by Rob Locke

Thanks KTB and Geek. I'll check it out. Two last questions:

1) What is the best way to created the space between comments? Would you suggest <br/> or some other method. Does <div style="padding:$stylevar[formspacer]px"> do the same thing?

2) On the sidebar, there are spaces between all the tables except the ratings tables and the article tools which are squashed together top-to-bottom. What can I do to remedy this, so all the sidebar tables are evenly space apart?

3) On the sidebar, the first part is...

<!-- start sidebar-->
        <td valign="top" class="alt1" width="175px">

				<table class="tborder" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%">

However, changing the 175px width does nothing to the width of the column. What is this for...is it necessary...if not, what does control the width of the sidebar column?

----------

Thanks for all your help, I am just newly getting to grips with the GAS, which is FAB!!! I just want to make a few style adjustments to get it looking like the rest of my site.

Thanks again and I'm sure I'll be back with a few more questions later.

Best,

Rob.

I want to change the style of the comments to be more like the postbit, anyone can help me with this?

[Rob Locke]

Originally Posted by psico

I want to change the style of the comments to be more like the postbit, anyone can help me with this?

That is pretty much the same for me. I have been experienting a lot over the last week. Here is what I have found...

You can change the look of the comments on the 'comments only' page, as it calls a dedicated template called GAS_comments_pb. I would suggest that you just need to copy the regular forum postbit into this template to make the comments look the same.

As for the 'article page' comments, this is a stumbling block. The problem is the whole page is, in essence, a thread. That is why the comments which follow the article always begin at #2. You can't change the look of the comments without affecting the article layout and vice versa. That's why the 'article page' comments have a horizontal line above the 'edit', 'quote' and 'quick reply' buttons. Also, user signatures do not appear, no matter what you do, unless you are the writer of the article and have included your signature. This is then the only one that appears in the 'article page' comments. I imagine this is why Geek removed the signatures from the 'comments only' template, as an attempt to make them match more.

Unless I can find a way around this, I am going to completely remove the comments from the article page, as I too am frustrated that they do not look the same as the comments only page, and do not start at #1. Also most users seem to consider their signatures important (usually their avatar too). I think not having the ability to display them is a shame.

Geek, is there any way to make the comments on the 'article page' call the GAS_comments_pb template?

Here are my requests for future versions:

1) The ability in admin to completely 'turn off' comments on the 'article page' (currently, if you set the number of comments to '0' you still get the 'viewing first x comments out of y' message with blank space in between). Maybe add an additional 'view comments' link between the 'previous article' and 'next article' links if the comments are turned off.

2) The ability in admin to choose between the 'compact' comments (as they are on the 'comments only' page curently, but add back the signatures), and 'full' comments - which are essentially calling on the standard postbit template (which gives back the choice to display avatars).

3) The comments on the 'article page' to be called from the GAS_comments_template, so that they start at #1 and look the same as the 'comments only' page. This will also mean, if you want to customize, you only have to edit this one template and all comments will match.

3) The ability in admin to chose between 'comment previews' on the 'article page' and expanded comments (which will match the 'comments only' page, based on whether you chose 'compact' or 'full' in the other suggested admin addition). The 'comment preview' should look similar to the GAS_threadbit, but without the thumbnail image. This means the user clicks 'Read More' to view the whole comment, which redirects them to the 'comments only' page and the appropriate comment.

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In my honest opinion, GAS is superlative. If the above changes (which hopefully would be fairly easy to implement) are added, I think it will make GAS the definitive articles system.

I hope that my requests can be implemented and soon, as I am going to be running a largely article oriented web site and need this additional functionality.

Thanks for all the hard work Geek and please help!

Rob.

[KTBleeding]

Getting the comments to look default is very easy. I haven't done it to use the Legacy style postbit, but the default vB3 one works fine.

http://www.keepthembleeding.net/foru...hread.php?t=41

I'd post a "HOW TO:" thing, but I don't have the default GAS_article_pb / GAS_comments_pb templates so I can't really tell you what to change/replace?

[RCSwap]

I just finished installing this package. Wow so many frekin' changes that need to be done. I tried to do the auto install, but half of them didn't work for some reason. Anyways I made all the changes and uploaded the files. Now when I go into my Admin Control Panel, there's is no text for any of the options. Like where there usually is a question, I only see the radio buttons or text field. How can I fix this? Or can someone just send me a picture of the questions it's asking?

[KTBleeding]

Originally Posted by RCSwap

I just finished installing this package. Wow so many frekin' changes that need to be done. I tried to do the auto install, but half of them didn't work for some reason. Anyways I made all the changes and uploaded the files. Now when I go into my Admin Control Panel, there's is no text for any of the options. Like where there usually is a question, I only see the radio buttons or text field. How can I fix this? Or can someone just send me a picture of the questions it's asking?

Go into your admincp, Languages & Phrases, Phrase Manager:
Click "Edit" on any random phrase and click save. It should be updated and fixed after that.

If not, re-run the installer file and install the phrases only.