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

[RCSwap]

Well I found out it messed up the rest of my forum, so I uninstalled it and installed the simple version of this. I was wondering, what do I change or how can I change the layout of the simple version of this to include the images along the side of the article and the ability of the creator to set a rating on article/product being reviewed.

[KTBleeding]

How did it mess up your forum?

Originally Posted by RCSwap

I was wondering, what do I change or how can I change the layout of the simple version of this to include the images along the side of the article and the ability of the creator to set a rating on article/product being reviewed.

Those features are not available on the Lite version, unless I'm mistaken.

[RCSwap]

Problem solved for now.

[The Geek]

The preview comments template HTML HAD to be folded into the article template HTML - the reason esacpes me now - but none the less it isnt overly difficult to alter the template to get what you want.

The compressed comment style was done by design and hence why most article/review systems utilize a similar look.
To get your comments to look the same as postbits - just copy your postbit template into your GAS_comments_pb. To get the preview comments to look the same - copy over the signature elements of the postbit into GAS_article_pb and copy the header info (ie avatar etc...) into it as well - however that part is housed in a conditional.
It isnt overly hard - all it takes is to look at the template.

There are no plans to be reworking GAS for now. I am in middle of some other hacks and the impending release of vb3.5 means that most of my development is on hold awaiting its release.
From there I will have to look at porting all my hacks over. Most should be a snap - but I have a feeling this hack is going to be a serious ball buster to port over. Saying that - I will be doing it simply becuase there are hundreds that have it installed (me included). I have a few ideas re: functionality that I will most likely stick in - and I will see about sticking in an option of comment versions but I seriosuly doubt I will be changing the numbering sequence nor do I see a major reasons as to why to do it.

The key areas of new functionality will be:
Forum level inherited settings (as opposed to global). This is to allow each article forum to be article, review or whatever (instead of all articles). I am also hoping to put in an author rating essentially allowing the author to 'rate' a product/review whatever.

[Rob Locke]

Originally Posted by The Geek

To get your comments to look the same as postbits - just copy your postbit template into your GAS_comments_pb. To get the preview comments to look the same - copy over the signature elements of the postbit into GAS_article_pb and copy the header info (ie avatar etc...) into it as well - however that part is housed in a conditional.

Thank you Geek. I really appreciate all your hard work, as do soooo many.

I have managed to make the comments on the article page look as I want them, EXCEPT the user signature. The code is there and the signature shows up fine on the article but not on the comments, no matter what I do. I have pasted the signature conditional on every conceivable part of the GAS_article _pb and still nothing. I know the code is right as it showed up in the article fine. Is the signature in comments disabled in the php somewhere? Please can you tell me how to solve this?

Lastly, please, pretty please can you tell me the best way to space the article and comments. In the regualar postbit and showthread templates it's $spaceropen and $spaceclose I believe. These are missing in the GAS templates and when I pasted the postbit into the GAS_comments_pb as you suggested, the page was all over the place. How can I fix this, so I get the space between posts, but no space at the end of the last post on the page (as I am adding a 'tcat' table and want it to join flush to the bottom of the last post on the page's table). I need to correct this for the article page and the comments page.

Once I get these two little things sorted, I'll be over the moon. Thank you for your help and patience. If there is somewhere I can donate towards all your hacks, I certainly will. Do you do any custom work?

Best wishes and I wait in anticipation of an answer to my two last inquiries.

Rob.

[XFSImperial]

Just installed. Looks nice. That was one of the best installers I have ever seen!

[FD929]

Geek - is this system going to be converted for vB 3.5 when it is released? This system is an absolute must have on one of the boards I work on. So much that I won't update to 3.5 until this hack works with it.

[altsounds]

I can't edit any articles. When I go to do so only the subject line is there, the actual article info doesn't show up .

Can anyone help?

[Telkman]

<a href="https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=75916&page=74&pp=15" target="_blank">https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showt...&page=74&pp=15</a>

[altsounds]

Thanks Telkman twice for looking out for me. Sorry for posting the same thing twice. I thought I'd asked this question b4 but couldn't for the life of me find it. Thanks for helping me!!