Portal Software - vBISpy module - live AJAX feed of new threads - for vBAdvanced CMPS

This is my first module for vBAdvanced, but its a simple one, so I don't expect any installation problems.

You can see an example of this working on:

ViperAlley.Com

You must already have a working copy of the vBIspy client v1.0.7 or better in place. (vB 3.5 users need v1.06 or better)

INSTALLATION

Add the vbispyblock.module to your vBAdvance portal - keep in mind the size of the block when you choose it's placement - if you use three columns, then really only the center column will work.

To install you should have a working copy of the VBIspy client already working on your system. Once you have one of the clients working adding vBIspy blocks to other pages becomes easier.

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################################################## ################################

STEP 1

Because vBAdvanced CMPM usually resides outside of the forum directory, you will need to make one change to the clientscript/va_spy.js script that comes with vBIspy.

In va_spy.js, find:

var vburl = '';

and change this to read:

var vburl = '/forum/';

using the name of the directory your forums are in in place of "forum". This is important as otherwise the links from the vBIspy block will not resolve to the forum directory.

################################################## ################################
################################################## ################################

STEP 2

You will need to modify the 'adv_portal' template to add a few lines:

################################################## ################################

Find:

$headinclude

Add after:

<script language="javascript" src="{$vbulletin->options['bburl']}/clientscript/va_prototype.js"></script>
<script language="javascript" src="{$vbulletin->options['bburl']}/clientscript/va_effects.js"></script>
<script language="javascript" src="{$vbulletin->options['bburl']}/clientscript/va_spy.js"></script>
<script language="javascript">
    spymax = 10;
    highestid = 0;
</script>

################################################## ################################

Find:

$footer

Add after:

<script language="javascript">
    spyinit();
</script>

################################################## ################################

You are done. Activate the module and you should start seeing a live feed of threads on your portal page.

If you do not see an updating list of threads:

1) Double check that your vBIspy.php script is working properly!
2) Make sure you followed the above instructions.
3) If all else fails, open the JavaScript Console in Firefox and see what errors you might be getting.

1.0.1 - 9.28.06
Modified template for module to support 1.0.12 release of vBIspy (you can modify your template manually from this post; but you also need to note the changes to the spymax and addition of the highestid variable to be changed in your adv_portal template).

[MPDev]

I will try to take a look; I wasn't aware there was an update.

[Red Blaze]

I'm getting this error when I try to upload the module:

Database error in vBulletin 3.6.7:

Invalid SQL:

### INSERT QUERY GENERATED BY fetch_query_sql() ###
INSERT INTO forumadv_modules
(`0`, `active`, `userperms`)
VALUES
('', '1', '4,6,7,2,9,5,1,3');

MySQL Error : Unknown column '0' in 'field list'
Error Number : 1054
Date : Wednesday, May 23rd 2007 @ 10:33:14 PM
Script : http://www.***********.net/admincp/v...o=uploadmodule
Referrer : http://www..***********.net/admincp/...hp?do=download
IP Address : **.***.**.***
Username : Red Blaze
Classname : vb_database

This is what I'm gettin. Stud did point out that this would need to be updated. I would love this. I'm using vBadvanced CMPS v3.0 RC1.

EDIT: Welp, I got it to work manually. Opened the module file in a txt file and just copy pasted the template code. Good stuff. Thanks. ^_^

[voter]

Originally Posted by Red Blaze

I'm getting this error when I try to upload the module:



This is what I'm gettin. Stud did point out that this would need to be updated. I would love this. I'm using vBadvanced CMPS v3.0 RC1.

EDIT: Welp, I got it to work manually. Opened the module file in a txt file and just copy pasted the template code. Good stuff. Thanks. ^_^

Same by me

Database error in vBulletin 3.6.4:

Invalid SQL:

### INSERT QUERY GENERATED BY fetch_query_sql() ###
INSERT INTO vbadv_modules
(`0`, `active`, `userperms`)
VALUES
('', '1', '4,6,7,5,1,3,2,13,15,18,17,14,16,19');

MySQL Error : Unknown column '0' in 'field list'
Error Number : 1054

[stud]

Originally Posted by MPDev

I will try to take a look; I wasn't aware there was an update.

Thanks MPDev... sorry that we all seem so impatient.. as I've indicated before, this could easily be one of the single most popular and important mods for a website running CMPS - as it's FAR superior to the "Recent Threads" Module.

If you are going to go into development to update the functionality of this module, may I re-list a few suggestions people here have made that I don't think ever made it into this version?

a. The ability update without duplication? Currently, if someone makes two posts in a single thread, it will list that thread topic twice rather then just represent the most recent thread. Similar to how the "Recent Threads" module bolds and brings to the top of the list, if the vBIspy module had a way of preventing duplicates, it would be AMAZING.

b. On that same notion, to bold and unbold topics as their status changes from Unread to Read.

c. the ability to minimize it using the #top feature that many other modules use. (this may have been added since the request, it hasen't worked for me since I upgraded to 3.6 so i'm not sure)



Thanks again for your attention on this MPDev.

[BozzaJos]

Well, the new added module file did work and I've got it on my forum now. One thing tho, is it possible to add a scrollbar to the box so that it only shows the first 5 or so and to see the other 15 you'll have to scroll. I would like to have a scrollbar coz now it makes my forum twice the size as that it is at the moment.

Can you please help me with this? Many thanks in advance.

[MPDev]

No, there is not a scrollbar feature available with how this updates HTML tables (not that I know of anyways).

[Pirate45]

Does this not work with vbAdvanced 3.0?

[davidw]

Originally Posted by MPDev

Sorry guys, I've tried to be as helpful as I can not knowing vBadvanced that well. I had it working on my site and exported the module, but that was the extent of my ability to make it work. The code itself should work just fine, I just dont know how to wrap it up as a module for it to be imported.

I did another export of the file from my current setup which you can try; it works on my current setup with 3.6.4 and vBadvanced. You may need to change the path in the file if you don't use "/forum/vaispy.php"; otherwise the instructions in the original post apply.

I have the module [quoted in this post] working with an exception - I had to add

<script language="javascript" src="clientscript/va_prototype.js"></script>
<script language="javascript" src="clientscript/va_effects.js"></script>
<script language="javascript" src="clientscript/va_spy.js"></script>
<script language="javascript">
    spymax = 10;
    highestid = 0;
</script>

to the top of the template in order for anything to display. Once done, it worked as described

Secondly, there is a missing tag in the first half of the template

<table class="tborder" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" align="center" id="spy_table">
<tr><td colspan="4" class="tcat smallfont" align="left"  style="height:25px;"><strong>&raquo; <a href="/forum/vaispy.php">Live Forum Updates</a></strong></td></tr>
<tr><td width="20" class="tcat" nowrap="nowrap" style="height:25px;">&nbsp;</td>
<td class="tcat" width="190" nowrap="nowrap" style="height:20px;">By</td>
<td class="tcat" width="80%" style="height:20px;">Thread/Post</td>
<td class="tcat" width="200" nowrap="nowrap" style="height:20px;">Forum
</tr>
...

after Forum there is no closing </td> tag. I don't use Opera, so I don't know if it actually hurts anything or not, but I thought I would add that.

[stud]

interesting... thanks for the update David... i'm going to give your suggestions a go tomorrow when i get a minute

[MPDev]

Isn't the head code part of Step 2?