Geek Article System 2.0 (lite)

This hack is a simple and effective (but lighter) version of the very popular Geek Article System 3.0 .
This is actually the first Geek Article System which I still support as it offers people who dont need all the whistles and bells of the larger version (multipage, sidebar, bylines) in a far simpler nutshell.

The key reason for me crating GAS was that I wanted my articles (I also use them as tutorials) to be searchable and reside within the Froums. So I made this simple hack. It may not be all singing and dancing, but I think it can moonwalk with the best of them.

Difficulty to install: A cinch
Time to install: ~5 minutes (if that)
Installer: yup

UPDATE v.2c (17/01/2004)
Fixed rouge phrase that didnt install right.

UPDATE v.2 (04/01/2004)
Removed some left over html in geek_postbit_article that was for my style. The extra HTML that was in there may wack out your layout a touch.
Added a missing phrase (geek_articles_rate_this_article)
Installs either English or French phrases (thanks to cclaerhout)

UPDATE V. 2 (03/01/2004)
Added 2 more templates: showthread and forumdisplay variants (though these are much more subtle... mostly phrase changes
Added a couple of buttons (comments and new article)
Grouped phrases into their own lot

UPDATE V. 1.5 (14/12/2004)
Creted a Zip file with installer and ReadMe
Phrased the postbit.
Thats about it.


nJoy

[nathanaus]

Originally Posted by rlamego

Nathanaus: I had exactly the same issue as yourself and it was solved after a second uninstall -> install.

Nail Geek, I was looking at the files and reviewing the install and it just occurred to me that maybe the installation procedure depends on the changes made to the 2 php files. If so, that would explain why I need to do a second install to get it to display properly.

Yep that fixed it. Uninstall then re-install. I'm thinking the mod's need to be done to the files before running the installer. Thanks very much rlamego for the tip

So I think if people are planning on adding this great hack, they should do step 2 then step 1 of the insturctions.

Great hack *clicks install*

[The Geek]

I think TCB had a similar install problem however I cant see for the life of me how the PHP files would do have anything to do with the installation of phrases.
I think it has more to do with the creation of the phrasetype. Ill review the install file... maybe during installation the language isnt rebuilt, but during the uninstall it is.

Anyway... Im glad everyone digs it.

memobug: Yea, I was eyeing the printthread template with a little disdain. I think that will be the next job to tackle.
As far as multipages... that is a little harder. I have managed to work out additional code to do the pagination to keep the articles seperated from the comments (harder than you would think) but it also requires more showthread modifications, a new table added, and some newreply modifications to enter data into that table.
Im away next week and when I get back I will look at cleaning up the pagination routine and look at adding the newreply modifications. Hopefully I may have something in a few weeks.

[memobug]

Oops I had to retype this.

I had two comments and a possible bug for you. Everything installed okay with just these notes

1. It would probably help a lot to number the instruction steps in each of the php script mods. Since you need to switch screens to cut & paste to install this, it is easy to lose track. I think it was some 5 in the first file and 3 in the second

2. As usual, when I installed this one the language changes didn't "take" right away. I had to go into the language admin and pretend to alter one of the terms to give it the kickstart it needed to go. I just searched on GEEK and "edited" the Article Ratings term by clicking OK, then all the terms snapped in. Happens all the time and most probably has nothing to do with you, but worth mentioning in case someone else has a similar problem. (I see now that two posters above did have that behavior!)

3. The bug (I think it is a bug) is related to missing Author icon on relocated articles. I understand that this template is designed to show the Author's avatar in the first post and subsequent posts don't have it, and are treated as comments, right? That is how it behaved when I created a new article. But when using the Thread Move tool, I move old articles that people have written months ago into my new "articles" forum, these articles shows up without any Author avatar and no spiffy Article title or byline next to it. (I tried moving a couple of articles with the same result) When the articles are moved back to their origins, the post title and avatar return.

I tried editing and saving the first post too, but that didn't help. I moved three articles with the same result. All had good avatars and titles. One was my own.

Any ideas?

AN IDEA ABOUT HTML:

This article thing has me really going, and I would like to be able to have HTML in the article posts so I can run the articles in two columns (tried it and it looks cool) and embed images inline, but not have the server risks of enabling HTML in the comments. What do you think about making it so the first post could display HTML but it would strip HTML in subsequent posts?

Regards,

Matt

[The Geek]

Great feedback and suggestions.

Originally Posted by memobug

1. It would probably help a lot to number the instruction steps in each of the php script mods. Since you need to switch screens to cut & paste to install this, it is easy to lose track. I think it was some 5 in the first file and 3 in the second

I agree and will try to re-sort this for my next release. Nice suggestion

2. As usual, when I installed this one the language changes didn't "take" right away. I had to go into the language admin and pretend to alter one of the terms to give it the kickstart it needed to go. I just searched on GEEK and "edited" the Article Ratings term by clicking OK, then all the terms snapped in. Happens all the time and most probably has nothing to do with you, but worth mentioning in case someone else has a similar problem. (I see now that two posters above did have that behavior!)

Hmm... I am now almost 100% positive that this has something to do with inserting a new phrasetype. I will have to investigate why the language isnt rebuilt correctly after it is added.

3. The bug (I think it is a bug) is related to missing Author icon on relocated articles. I understand that this template is designed to show the Author's avatar in the first post and subsequent posts don't have it, and are treated as comments, right? That is how it behaved when I created a new article. But when using the Thread Move tool, I move old articles that people have written months ago into my new "articles" forum, these articles shows up without any Author avatar and no spiffy Article title or byline next to it. (I tried moving a couple of articles with the same result) When the articles are moved back to their origins, the post title and avatar return.

This one is really odd. Are you saying that after the move the threads look just like normal ones? Can you send me a link with a moved article so I can take a peek?

AN IDEA ABOUT HTML:

This article thing has me really going, and I would like to be able to have HTML in the article posts so I can run the articles in two columns (tried it and it looks cool) and embed images inline, but not have the server risks of enabling HTML in the comments. What do you think about making it so the first post could display HTML but it would strip HTML in subsequent posts?

Couldnt some bbcode be done to signal a new column?

[column]blahblahblah[/column]
[column]asdfsdfasd[/column]

make the BBcode translations simply add <td>blahblah</td>

I am just speaking off the cuff here so cut me some slack

[memobug]

Hi TNG, here you go

link to an article created in the articles Forum
link to an article moved to the Articles Forum
Link to a two column article for fun (also moved to this forum)

Yes I think you could make some table tags. I saw a posts recently for creating some table tags using special BBCODE. I am thinking of doing all sorts of things in the articles. Everything from including graphics and recommend-it and probably including just a brief intro blurb and IFRAMING content from another Content Management System I have that does multipage stuff, print format and the like. Links to articles by the same author, on a related subject, etc, etc.

Regards,

Matt

P.S. Get some plants in that nailshop to deal with the free radicals and nasty solvents. Dracaena is supposed to be very good. We need you around for future upgrades to this hack

Another effective and relatively inexpensive method receiving increasing attention is the use of plants. Plants have two mechanisms for cleaning indoor air. Their leaves absorb toxins, which are transmitted to the roots. The plant then uses them as food. Plants also emit water vapors which act like a pump to pull dirty air toward the roots where it can again be converted into food. Plants can help reduce molds and mildews, too. However, since the soil can release these allergens, it is recommended that gravel be placed over the soil to promote quick drying and minimal airborne particles. Research has shown that filling a room with plants can cut airborne mold and bacteria by 50% to 60%. Some plants are general air purifiers, while other specialize (by reducing formaldehyde in the air, for example).
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Bro...ects/wats4198/

[The Geek]

hmmm... Have you done any modifications to the template? (just checking )
Can you put this in the first line of your GEEK_POSTBIT_ARTICLE template:
<-- the firstpostid: $thread[firstpostid] -->
(just above <!-- post #$post[postid] --> )

It is failing that test on the articles you have linked to and hence the reson why it thinks its a comment instead of the article. I have moved some articles about on my site and havent had a problem.
Are any of these threads split by chance?

[offtopic]
Thanks for your concern regading the solvents
However, the amount of harmful vapour in a busy salonis about 100-200 times below safety thresholds meaning you are in a much more dangerous arena driving to the plant store to get a new one
Sadly, some solvents simply smell really strong in very low (and very safe) concentrations. However I may just go and get a new plant anyway
[/offtopic]

nJoy

[Nick0r]

Great update, someone should made a mod for this to work with daniweb (cscgal)'s SEO hack, so that we can have just for the forum of the articles...

article<ID>-title-title.html instead of post<id>-title-title.html

[memobug]

Originally Posted by the nail geek

hmmm... Have you done any modifications to the template? (just checking )
Can you put this in the first line of your GEEK_POSTBIT_ARTICLE template:
<-- the firstpostid: $thread[firstpostid] -->
(just above <!-- post #$post[postid] --> )

It is failing that test on the articles you have linked to and hence the reson why it thinks its a comment instead of the article. I have moved some articles about on my site and havent had a problem.
Are any of these threads split by chance?

Hi, TNG,

1. I made the template change requested.
2. I also tried a simple test of creating, splitting, and moving posts into the article forums and both split pieces behaved correctly as you designed with avatars on the first post.
3. To answer your question, I am not sure if the problem threads were split threads. That was a common way of creating articles on our forum. Someone posts a question and someone else answers with a long, "article-like" reply, so I split it out and they flesh it out a bit more into an article.

However, I am thinking that the problem seems to be with older posts. I believe both the ones I moved with problems were created under vbulletin 2.3.5. The tattler comment you asked me to insert reveals that those problem threads have a firstpost=0... So maybe that firstpost thing is new for 3.0.3?
4. Would I have to change each firstpost field in the database to make it correct, or is there some other way of rebuilding them?


Another topic:

Article ownership:

It seems like it might be necessary in practice for the moderator/admin to be able to attribute an article to someone else. Quite often people send me stuff and I format, edit and post it for them. It would be great if there were a way to go back and make it appear to be theirs.

Regards,

Matt

[peterska2]

@The Nail Geek: Any chance of those vBa CMPS add'ons being done for vBIndex?

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by memobug

However, I am thinking that the problem seems to be with older posts. I believe both the ones I moved with problems were created under vbulletin 2.3.5. The tattler comment you asked me to insert reveals that those problem threads have a firstpost=0... So maybe that firstpost thing is new for 3.0.3?
4. Would I have to change each firstpost field in the database to make it correct, or is there some other way of rebuilding them?

Why not just make a script that selects all threads with a firstpostid=0 and update them? I guess it just depends on your quantity of threads that have this situation that you may want to put in as an article.
I guess you could always test the firstpostid in showthread.php and if it is 0, do a quick select to get the first one.

Anyhooo... those are a couple of things that may help you work around the issue.

Article ownership:

It seems like it might be necessary in practice for the moderator/admin to be able to attribute an article to someone else. Quite often people send me stuff and I format, edit and post it for them. It would be great if there were a way to go back and make it appear to be theirs.

This is a feature that was requested several pages back. It is dooable, but a little difficult.
In the design I am working on, I am storing any 'extra' article info in a seperate table (hate changes to existing vb tables) that is pulled when a user is browsing an article.
I was going to store an extra 'author' line there, however that causes problems with the forumdisplay pages. You would really want this extra field to be displayed next to the title in forumdisplay. However, what if its not even a member name? Just display the name? No link or anything? Blech. I hate trying to get my head around these things. Guess Ill have to do the later.

BTW: Not sure if its off topic or not... but the pagination did my head in and I am still not sure if I like the way that it looks. Any feedback guys? (personally Im gunning for it all on 1 line)