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

[rlamego]

Originally Posted by Blam Forumz

How about a seperate page system, where the user has the opportunity to edit every single page by itself? and maybe a bigger editor box?

I believe the new vB "increase/decrease size" links bellow the text area might do the trick for the editor box.

As for editing a single page by itself, I really don't see any advantages that make up for the break of usability, since an article is broke into several pages for readability.
Maybe you have a different user scenario where this makes sense. Can you share it with us? =)

[Black_Widow]

Hello everybody,
maybe I have a problem after installation of GAS3.
On my forum Home when I click on last post icon VB3 lead me to last page of thar thread but not to last post. The browser stays on fist post of last thread page. You can test it on m forum www.p2pforum.it/forum
Is this a GAS bug? Or I have made some mistakens in the installation?
Thanks

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by Black_Widow

Hello everybody,
maybe I have a problem after installation of GAS3.
On my forum Home when I click on last post icon VB3 lead me to last page of thar thread but not to last post. The browser stays on fist post of last thread page. You can test it on m forum www.p2pforum.it/forum
Is this a GAS bug? Or I have made some mistakens in the installation?
Thanks

I think what you are refering to is a bug that popped up yesterday which I am looking into. Can you provide a forumdisplay link? You have a lot of forums and my Italian sucks

[Black_Widow]

I think what you are refering to is a bug that popped up yesterday which I am looking into

Oh cool, so it has been already notified.

Can you provide a forumdisplay link? You have a lot of forums and my Italian sucks

Oh but it's really simple.
Go to my forum FORUMHOME here > http://www.p2pforum.it/forum/
Click on any 'last post' link (icon) . You'll be redirected to first post of last page for that thread. Normally Vbulletin 3 would redirect you to last post of last page.
If you need more infos please just ask.

Thank you :-)

PS: i have installer GAS for forum "P2P Articoli e Notizie"

[Breaker]

I have also noticed that to get to the proper article from forumhome takes a few extra steps because of only comments being show when showthread.php is called using ?p=2323 instead of ?t=123 - this is good in some cases, but gets annoying when trying to read new articles

[ge66]

Have been looking for a feature in any article system or other hack that would make it possible to set the date and time when you want an article posted.

If I have a lot of articles and want to spread them in time, without having to sit by a computer when I want them posted.

Like today I have an article that I want posted 5 am on Sunday or something.

It is ok for me if this is only for admins.

Thank you for all the work you have put into this already!

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by ge66

Have been looking for a feature in any article system or other hack that would make it possible to set the date and time when you want an article posted.

If I have a lot of articles and want to spread them in time, without having to sit by a computer when I want them posted.

Like today I have an article that I want posted 5 am on Sunday or something.

It is ok for me if this is only for admins.

Thank you for all the work you have put into this already!

Sorry, but I dont think I will be able to look into doing this for this hack.

You could always change the time after posting... but maybe some kind of hack that would run as a cron job and do a new thread at a specific time would be the ticket for you (wouldnt really be that hard to do).

Good luck!

[The Geek]

Just a quick note for those of you having problems with the page break code capitalizing similar words in your posts. I am in middle of finishing the next release and came across the problem (is obvious when you look at it!).

Though it will be fixed in the next release, if it bugs you feel free to make the following change:

open your includes/functions_geekarticles.php

Find:

PHP Code:

function prep_for_breaks($text){
 global $GAS_page_break_code;
    $strip_brackets=str_replace(array("[","]"),"",$GAS_page_break_code);
    $text=eregi_replace("$strip_brackets", "$strip_brackets", $text);
    return $text;
} 


replace with:

PHP Code:

function prep_for_breaks(&$text){
global $GAS_page_break_code;
    $strip_brackets=str_replace(array("[","]"),array("\[","\]"),$GAS_page_break_code);
    $text=eregi_replace("$strip_brackets", $GAS_page_break_code, $text);
    return $text;
} 


On a side note-Ill be looking for a handful of people to help test install the next version. Anyone game PM me.

nJoy

[Breaker]

thanks alot... it was bugging the hell outta me, trying to sign all my articles with "Breaker" never worked :P

any ETA on the next release?

[dookie]

Works perfectly on 3.0.6, *install*