Major Additions - GRPS: Groups Commune 2.0.x

Welcome ladies and gentleman, this is the release thread for GRPS, an interactive groups commune. I hope you enjoy this release and i sincerely hope it provides everything to your community in which you're looking for.

What is it?
It's a groups commune. The original idea is that forums with lots and lots of forums on the front-page suck, as a result i thought most of the conversation was rather obscure in regards to what the forums were trying to achieve, so it'd be nice to have that all going on elsewhere, not detracting away from the content and stopping your front-page from looking like a car crash.

Features?

• Groups Home
  
  • Groups Activity List
    
    • Newest Groups
      
    • Most Popular Groups
      
    • Largest Groups
      
  • Category List
    
  • Group Search by Title
    
  • Group Sort by Alphabetical Title, Categories, Member Count
    
    
  • Users can create groups
    
  • Admin switch to moderate groups or not
    
    • Admin CP access to moderation panel
      
• Groups Page
  
  • Posts since last visit notification
    
  • Group Info
    
    • Group Leader shown with avatar
      
    • Category
      
    • Type
      
      • Groups can be listed as public, private or hidden
        
    • Start Date
      
    • Member count
      
    • Post count
      
  • Group Desciption
    
    • Shows group title
      
    • Shows random image
      
    • Shows group information set by group leader
      
  • Groups Thread List (Forum)
    
    • Status Icon
      
    • Title
      
      • Threads use postbit as per the forums
        
    • Thread Author with avatar and time that the thread was started
      
    • Last reply with avatar, username and time that the last reply was posted
      
    • Post New Thread Button
      
      • Groups Members can create threads
        
  • Newest Members
    
    • Shows five newest members
      
    • Link to view all members
      
      • Shows all members of the group
        
  • Group Options
    
    • Users can join/leave groups
      
      • PM Notification for group leaders upon join requests (when moderation enabled).
        
      • PM Notification for of acceptance or refusal.
        
    • Users can send invites to other users via PM
      
• Groups Thread
  
  • Groups Info Box (see above for more info)
    
  • Group Description box (see above for more info)
    
  • Newest Members List (see above for more info)
    
  • List of groups posts using forums postbit
    
  • Pagination using native vBulletin pagination
    
  • Group Leader/Moderation Options
    
    • Open/Close Thread
      
    • Stick Thread
      
    • Delete Thread
      
  • Users have the ability to report posts
    
  • Moderators have the ability to view IP and host.
    
• Group Leader Options
  
  • Groups Management
    
    • WYSIWYG Editor
      
    • Reason for editing box
      
    • Group Options
      
      • Private Posts
        
      • Only group leader can make threads
        
      • Moderate Members
        
      • Show group text edit details
        
      • Hide group image on group pages
        
      • Hidden Group
        
        • This option is only available to admins
          
  • Group Members Moderation
    
    • Ability to accept or deny new members
      
• Postbit Integration
  
  • View Users Groups
    
• User Control Panel (Integration)
  
  • List of groups appears in usercp in order of the last post
    
• Administrator Options
  
  • vBulletin Options
    
    • Turn groups on or off
      
    • Groups Limit Per User
      
    • Posts Per Page (threads)
      
    • Check Forum Activity Posts
      
    • Check Forum Activity Time
      
    • Number of Random Images
      
    • Turn email notification of new groups on/off
      
  • Usergroup Options
    
    • Can view groups
      
    • Can create groups
      
    • Can join groups
      
    • Can post messages in groups
      
    • Can edit messages in groups
      
    • Can delete messages posted in groups
      
    • Numbers of groups usergroup can join limited
      
    • Can moderate groups
      
      • See above for more info
        
    • Can view IP Addresses
      
  • Category Editor
    
    • Edit
      
      • Edit cat id (please not this can ef up your show)
        
      • Edit cat title
        
      • Edit cat description
        
    • Add
      
      • New Cat Title And Description
        
  • Groups Editor
    
    • Search for group by id
      
      • Edit
        
        • Title
          
        • Desciption
          
        • Categoryid
          
        • Group leader id
          
        • Private Posts
          
        • Moderate Members
          
        • Hidden group
          

Special Thanks to harry1951, without his help testing and his recommendations, this would've never ended up the way it did.

Honestly, i can't think of anything else, if you appreciate the work gone into this mod, please donate (in GBP) (right click open in new window)

Hopefully you all appreciate that i just relaunched my site and rather than soak up the atmosphere there or go out drinking i came to release this tonight.

Screens below, rest to your right

Please note this mod does work with 3.5.x

PLEASE DO NOT JOIN MY SITE IN A BID TO PLAY WITH IT OR HAVE A LOOK AT IT FURTHER, MY SITE IS SOMETHING I VALUE FOR BEING SOMEWHERE I CAN CHILL AT, IT'S NOT A TEST SUITE OR DEMO!

Bug Fixes

• Groups v2.0.0 RC1b.zip: fix regarding incorrect table prefixes in index.php and editpost.php
• Groups v2.0.0 RC2.zip: fix regarding incorrect table prefixes in functions_grps.php and class_grps.php. also fix regarding installation instructions.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC3.zip: fix regarding inability to get to create groups page. updated simplified instructions, sadly still not cool html ones and also added ability to delete groups, delete categories and of course the menu options to get to these.
  • Groups v2.0.0 RC3b.zip: fix regarding joining and leaving group depreciated function error added uninstaller to the zip at http://www.yoursite.com/groups/tools...p?do=uninstall
  • Groups v2.0.0 RC3c.zip: fix regarding edit being stated as 70's on group stages, requires re-installtion of the plugin only.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC4.zip: various bug fixes and new general setting, please reupload all files and then reinstall the product.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC5.zip: bug fixes regarding fixing links to forums being broken and forcing redirects for create group outcomes.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC6.zip: various bug fixes including table prefixes in admincp, invitations system now features in-line erroneous username fall-back and clean up regarding broken images in viewthread.php
• Groups v2.0.0 RC7.zip: bug fixes including missing phrases and missing 'noavatar.gif for group leader on groups info.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC8.zip: various bug fixes including missing phrases, smilies not working. new function to turn of new group moderation. form now working on print_no_permission page (thanks Adrian) and something else i forgot.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC9.zip: fixes two spelling mistakes, moves viewthread.php string_replacements to admincp and simplifies the installer experience. (yeah i thought there'd be more to it too).
  • Groups v2.0.0 RC9b.zip: re-fixes two spelling mistakes, fixes a viewthread.php string_replacement via the admincp and turns the default random image count down to that of which is provided.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC10.zip: optimises some of the code, cuts down on queries in exchange for additional joins and now forces compatibility in groups/viewthread.php with vBulletin options. also adds new option in admincp in order to make usercp listing work better out of the box.
• Groups v2.0.0 RC11.zip: fixes a problem with avatars not displaying correctly in thread listing and also optimises the code in membership.php
• Groups v2.0.0.zip: adds and array_merge to the code and smilie popup fixed. now features hooks for plug-in 'easability'. uCS integration moved to external plugin too.
• Groups v2.0.1.zip: removes one hook, fixes problem with membership.php, fixes problem editgroup.php not remembering options and fixes avatar problem.
• Groups v2.0.2.zip: various bug fixes (like missing pagenavs, more elegant removal of reputation button and infraction button and php notices), one or two new features (like intuitive page titles) and now fully phrased.
• Groups v2.0.3.zip: bug fix regarding now being able to select categories. includes a new feature which is basically pagination for the thread listings.
• Groups v2.0.4.zip: bug fix regarding not being able to moderate group memberships.
• Groups v2.0.5.zip: bug fix regarding those introduced via 2.0.4, new features such as double post prevention disable, admins can override privacy settings, usergroup permission text more intuitive and end-user usability increased with modification to threadbit on groups.php. group leaders can now kick users from there groups.
• Groups v2.0.6.zip: bug fix including report, missing edit button and other misc small bugs, new features such as disable hidden groups, allow mods to see private groups, and resign from group handing off to another user.
• Groups v2.0.7.zip: bug fix including fixing post counts, thread goto's and fatal php errors.
• Groups v2.0.8.zip: bug fix regarding inability to delete posts, problem with editing posts and other misc errors.
• Groups v2.0.9.zip: various bug fixes including wywiwyg error, admin cp error and redirect/goto errors.
  • Groups v2.0.9b.zip: fixes problem with upgrade4.php
• Groups v2.0.10.zip: various bug fixes including acknowledging renamed modcp and admincp dir's also adds option regarding removing of posts at group exit/kick.
• Groups v2.0.11.zip: various bug fixes including security/privacy fixes.
• Groups v2.0.12.zip: permission bug fixed.
• Groups v2.0.13.zip: various bug fixes including ability to ignore members in groups and newreply bug.

[bada_bing]

sabret00the's

You mention that the new version fixes the post count? Does this mean that post counts are now intergrated with VB's post count?

[sabret00the]

Originally Posted by bada_bing

sabret00the's

You mention that the new version fixes the post count? Does this mean that post counts are now intergrated with VB's post count?

it does not, i was referencing the postcount from the group info box.

[Trana]

Originally Posted by sabret00the

Sorry i took some time in getting back to you on this post, in all honesty i didn't feel it warranted a reply in view of the earlier conversation we had regarding your requests/demands.

The level of integration you're requesting is nice and dandy but more work than i'm willing to dedicate. in fact it's so much work it's actually unheard of in terms of vBulletin integration even amongst paid products. it would appear like some others, you're looking for assimilation as opposed to integration and theirs a huge difference.

OK, just to be clear, I'm not demanding anything. I appreciate ANY hacks that people put time into even if I can't use them on my sites. I am merely making an observation that I think is relevant to the people who are evaluating this.

I understand what you are saying, but the lack of a means to search the groups means that all this wonderful group specific content is not indexed and most members won't even know it exists. Now I tried this hack out with my moderators and they seemed to enjoy it, but it doesn't seem like it is going to scale without searches, indexing, and subscriptions. A lot of hacks are a flash in the pan, great idea, poor execution and eventually they get removed. I don't see an easy way to convince my members to check their groups for new messages every time they visit the site.

I hope you're not taking this personally. I would love it for this hack to work because I can see that it would be very valuable, but IMO it is not going to scale enough to be used on any large sites.

BTW, there are a few hacks that do amazing things within the well defined VB datamanagers, DB layout, and hooks system.

[Merriweather]

As a site that has used groups (just as forum threads until now) for over three years now, I have to disagree with your observations, Trana. On my site, groups are just friends posting together over a common bond, but also just personal chit chat. If the community needs general info, they search and post in the forums, there's no need to search a group. Unless you're a member of the group, what goes on in the group really isn't the concern of the other members. My site is considerably large and just has no need for searching the content of the groups.

As for subscribing to threads in groups, sure, it's desirable, but the front page of the group tells you if there's been new posts, so it's not a huge deal (IMO) that you don't get an email.

[abramelin]

are there any major bugs now? i want to install this hack :/

[sabret00the]

Originally Posted by Trana

OK, just to be clear, I'm not demanding anything. I appreciate ANY hacks that people put time into even if I can't use them on my sites. I am merely making an observation that I think is relevant to the people who are evaluating this.

I understand what you are saying, but the lack of a means to search the groups means that all this wonderful group specific content is not indexed and most members won't even know it exists. Now I tried this hack out with my moderators and they seemed to enjoy it, but it doesn't seem like it is going to scale without searches, indexing, and subscriptions. A lot of hacks are a flash in the pan, great idea, poor execution and eventually they get removed. I don't see an easy way to convince my members to check their groups for new messages every time they visit the site.

I hope you're not taking this personally. I would love it for this hack to work because I can see that it would be very valuable, but IMO it is not going to scale enough to be used on any large sites.

BTW, there are a few hacks that do amazing things within the well defined VB datamanagers, DB layout, and hooks system.

Have you any examples of search integration? i mean? tags, pictures (vBGallery, Photopost vB gallery, Photopost), anything at all?

In regards to major additions to vBulletin, aren't most being sold via your nearest coder through their newly acquired LLC?

And in regards to things like subscriptions, i'm pretty sure i made a post in which i said i had planned said feature along with others and wanted to start working on the next major version of this hack but instead of that i fixed bugs and added more features to this version to the point i don't even have a sketch of on a piece of paper of what i want the new layout to be like or even have anything written down in terms of what features i want other than a post here i made in giddy excitement. i haven't even managed to code the opening PHP bracket in a file.

Anyway all that aside, Trana have you considered this mod to achieve your desires: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=92201

[sabret00the]

Originally Posted by abramelin

are there any major bugs now? i want to install this hack :/

any bugs that have been reported have been fixed.

[MetalLord]

just a small note on vbseo compatibility. as far as i tested all that has to be changed to make the mod compatible is to change all relative URLs to absolute ones (eg. index.php to /groups/index.php). vbseo maps all relative URLs to the root forum. so a relative link to index.php in the /groups folder would map to forum index instead of the group index.

[Peter_Rosado]

When I try to make a thread the buttons (images) of the form don't appear, just the text How can I fix that?

[Exitilus]

What is feed.php ..... I think I missed something ... *wataf*