Locked Flash Avatar + Modified User Menu (Legacy) 1.3

Brief Description:
Flash enabled avatars using a Custom Profile Field. It may work in other vB versions (untested) though this mod is created for 3.5.3. A simple mod (for "Legacy" view).

Thank you(s) to: Luggruff (early beta user); masterross (for transparent value)

Support: I'll try to support it the best I can.



Browsers Tested:
Internet Explorer (5 - 6); Firefox (1.0.4 - latest)

**Remember to Disable users from uploading their own Flash avatars. Allow only the Flash avatars from people you can trust...Never by strangers. Flash may contain codes that can harm your site/forum so be cautious.



Templates Modified:
postbit_legacy

Installation Instructions (6 easy steps):
In Admin CP:

1. Create new User Profile Field by going to User Profile Fields --> Add New User Profile Field and create a Single-Line Text Box. In the Title add "CUSTOM AVATAR (FLASH)". Conditions:

"Field Required": No
"Field Editable by User": No (IMPORTANT!)
"Private Field": No
"Field Searchable on Members List": No
"Show on Members List": No
"Which page displays this option?": Options: Other

*For security reasons set to no "Field Editable by User" so that only the CP Admin(s) can upload the .swf files.

*Remember the Field number you've just created. You may need to change the "20". For this mod I used "field20".

2. Press "Save".

3. Then go to Styles & Templates --> Style Manager --> All Style Options --> Edit Templates --> Postbit Templates --> postbit_legacy and look for this code:

            <if condition="$show['avatar']">
                <div class="smallfont">
                    &nbsp;<br /><a href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$post[userid]"><img src="$post[avatarurl]" alt="<phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[xs_avatar]</phrase>" border="0" /></a>
                </div>
            </if>

and replace it with:

<!-- _______ CUSTOM AVATAR (FLASH) _______ -->
            <if condition="$post['field20']">
<!-- Flash Avatar -->
<if condition="$post['field20']">
<div>
<br />
<object width="128px" height="128px">
<param name="movie" value="$post[field20]"> <param name="quality" value="high"> <param name="wmode" value="transparent">
<embed src="$post[field20]" width="128px" height="128px" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" menu="false" quality="high" wmode="transparent" scale="default">
</embed>
</object>
</div></if>
<!-- End -->
                        <else />
<!-- vB Avatar -->
            <if condition="$show['avatar']">
                <div class="smallfont">
                    <br /><img src="$post[avatarurl]" width="128px" height="128px" alt="<phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[xs_avatar]</phrase>" border="0" />
                </div>
            </if>
<!-- End -->
                        </if>
<!-- _______ END _______ -->

*Change the "width" and "height" variables in the "embed" tag to the size you want the Flash avatar displayed. Again, change "field20" to the number of the new field you've just created. *If you want to remove "width" and "height" of vB's default avatar (NOT the Flash avatar), go ahead.

4. Press "Save".

*The "object" and "embed" codes are the minimal to play Flash in the browser. If you have the plugin it should work. Tested in Internet Explorer (5 - 6) and FireFox (1.0.4 to latest).

5. Now go to the User's Profile you want to add the Flash avatar and enter the .swf file URL in the "CUSTOM AVATAR (FLASH)" text area. It should be in the "User Profile Fields" section.

*It is recommended that you upload the avatar to your server to prevent users from editing it.

6. Press "Save" and Done!

*To use non-.swf avatars use vB's default Avatar option "Change Avatar".

*You will need to have Flash enabled in your browser.

**Remember to Disable users from uploading their own Flash avatars. Allow only the Flash avatars from people you can trust...Never by strangers. Flash may contain codes that can harm your site/forum so be cautious.


7. Click if you use it. Thanks!


****************************************


********************
********************
OPTIONAL code to display the popup menu horizontally with Flash Avatars:

Conditional: 1. If you're using vB's default avatar this code will display the default "post $post[postid] popup menu". 2. If you're using a Flash Avatar the modified popup menu will override the default's, whether or not you've entered both avatar types.

Code below:
********************
********************

Installation Instructions (2 steps):
In Admin CP:

1. Then go to Styles & Templates --> Style Manager --> All Style Options --> Edit Templates --> Postbit Templates --> postbit_legacy and look for this code:

<!-- post $post[postid] popup menu -->
<div class="vbmenu_popup" id="postmenu_$post[postid]_menu" style="display:none">
    <table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" border="0">
    <tr>
        <td class="thead">$post[username]</td>
    </tr>
    <if condition="$show['profile']">
        <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$post[userid]">$vbphrase[view_public_profile]</a></td></tr>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['pmlink']">
        <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="private.php?$session[sessionurl]do=newpm&amp;u=$post[userid]" rel="nofollow"><phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[send_private_message_to_x]</phrase></a></td></tr>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['emaillink']">
        <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="sendmessage.php?$session[sessionurl]do=mailmember&amp;u=$post[userid]" rel="nofollow"><phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[send_email_to_x]</phrase></a></td></tr>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['homepage']">
        <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="$post[homepage]"><phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[visit_xs_homepage]</phrase></a></td></tr>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['search']">
        <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=finduser&amp;u=$post[userid]" rel="nofollow"><phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[find_more_posts_by_x]</phrase></a></td></tr>
    </if>
    <if condition="$post['userid'] AND $show['member']">
    <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="profile.php?$session[sessionurl]do=addlist&amp;userlist=buddy&amp;u=$post[userid]"><phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[add_x_to_buddy_list]</phrase></a></td></tr>
    </if>
    </table>
</div>
<!-- / post $post[postid] popup menu -->

And Replace it with:

<!-- _______ Popup Menu Modified _______ -->
            <if condition="$post['field20']">
<!-- Flash Avatar DHTML Popup Menu -->
<div class="vbmenu_popup" id="postmenu_$post[postid]_menu" style="display:none;margin-top:-39px">
    <table cellpadding="4 cellspacing="1" border="0">
              <tr>
              <td class="thead">$post[username]
              </td>
    <if condition="$show['profile']">
        <td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$post[userid]">$vbphrase[view_public_profile]</a>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['pmlink']"><td class="vbmenu_option">
        <a href="private.php?$session[sessionurl]do=newpm&amp;u=$post[userid]" rel="nofollow"><phrase 1="$post[username]">Send PM</phrase></a></td>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['emaillink']"><td class="vbmenu_option"> 
        <a href="sendmessage.php?$session[sessionurl]do=mailmember&amp;u=$post[userid]" rel="nofollow"><phrase 1="$post[username]">Send E-Mail</phrase></a></td>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['homepage']"><td class="vbmenu_option">
        <a href="$post[homepage]"><phrase 1="$post[username]">Visit Homepage</phrase></a>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['search']"><td class="vbmenu_option">
        <a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=finduser&amp;u=$post[userid]" rel="nofollow"><phrase 1="$post[username]">Find More Posts</phrase></a></td>
    </if>
    <if condition="$post['userid'] AND $show['member']"><td class="vbmenu_option">
    <a href="profile.php?$session[sessionurl]do=addlist&amp;userlist=buddy&amp;u=$post[userid]"><phrase 1="$post[username]">Add To Buddy List</phrase></a></td>
    </if>
        </td></tr>
    </table>
</div>
<!-- End -->
                        <else />
<!-- post $post[postid] popup menu -->
<div class="vbmenu_popup" id="postmenu_$post[postid]_menu" style="display:none">
    <table cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" border="0">
    <tr>
        <td class="thead">$post[username]</td>
    </tr>
    <if condition="$show['profile']">
        <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$post[userid]">$vbphrase[view_public_profile]</a></td></tr>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['pmlink']">
        <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="private.php?$session[sessionurl]do=newpm&amp;u=$post[userid]" rel="nofollow"><phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[send_private_message_to_x]</phrase></a></td></tr>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['emaillink']">
        <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="sendmessage.php?$session[sessionurl]do=mailmember&amp;u=$post[userid]" rel="nofollow"><phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[send_email_to_x]</phrase></a></td></tr>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['homepage']">
        <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="$post[homepage]"><phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[visit_xs_homepage]</phrase></a></td></tr>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['search']">
        <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=finduser&amp;u=$post[userid]" rel="nofollow"><phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[find_more_posts_by_x]</phrase></a></td></tr>
    </if>
    <if condition="$post['userid'] AND $show['member']">
    <tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="profile.php?$session[sessionurl]do=addlist&amp;userlist=buddy&amp;u=$post[userid]"><phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[add_x_to_buddy_list]</phrase></a></td></tr>
    </if>
    </table>
</div>
<!-- / post $post[postid] popup menu -->
                        </if>
<!-- _______ End _______ -->

2. Press "Save" and You're Done.

3. Click if you use it. Thanks!

*Now the username drop down menu will display horizontally with the Flash avatar. View image attachment below for an example:

********************
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*If you've installed this hack please click the "Install" button.

[Freesteyelz]

Update

I've made a few additional instructions and comments to the original post. The link to a working demo has also been included.

[Freesteyelz]

Updated:

Resolved Username drop down menu displaying in the background of the Flash avatar. View image attachment for the results.

[hiiped]

Originally Posted by Freesteyelz

Updated:

Resolved Username drop down menu displaying in the background of the Flash avatar. View image attachment for the results.

good work


< clicks invisible thank you button >

[Luggruff]

so why did you set regular avartars to 128x128?
Hmm, now somethings happened with my db too, works like 30% of the pageloades.. and I can't change the template anymore -_-

Did exactly as you wrote.

[Freesteyelz]

The modifications doesn't touch vB's database. The Flash codes are client side and should be safe. Forcing the graphics to 128x128px should not slow down your forum in any way since the file sizes remain the same.

*You can change the dimensions to any size you want (as specified in the instructions) or simply remove the "width" and "height" for vB's default avatar from the code. I've always preferred avatars at 128x128px.

[Luggruff]

Originally Posted by Freesteyelz

The modifications doesn't touch vB's database. The Flash codes are client side and should be safe. Forcing the graphics to 128x128px should not slow down your forum in any way since the file sizes remain the same.

*You can change the dimensions to any size you want (as specified in the instructions) or simply remove the "width" and "height" for vB's default avatar from the code. I've always preferred avatars at 128x128px.

Ok thanks !
And ..Strange ..as the postbit_legacy is the only template I can't edit now.. o_0

Fatal error: Maximum execution time of 30 seconds exceeded in /home/virtual/hlforum.net/public_html/includes/functions_misc.php on line 411

EDIT: Hmm.. seemed to fix itself. Clicks install !

[Freesteyelz]

Assuming that the codes were properly placed, it may be that you need to extend the timeout behavior in PHP's server configuration. Check the code entries once more just in case.

[Freesteyelz]

Originally Posted by Luggruff

Ok thanks !

EDIT: Hmm.. seemed to fix itself. Clicks install !

It may have been a server issue. I'm glad you got it to work. Enjoy!

[Luggruff]

Hmm, about the workaround with the usergroup dropdown menu..

Isn't it possible to like.. force your menu to activate itself.. ONLY when flash avvie is showing??

Even if you use a flash avvie AND a regular one??

[Freesteyelz]

Yes!

I've updated the instructions to version 1.2. If you've installed a previous version make sure to update it.

*Changes made (version 1.2):

1. Conditionals are set in which if you're using a Flash Avatar it will override the default; else it will use vB's default avatar.

2. Conditionals are set in which if you're using a Flash Avatar the User popup menu will display horizontally; else it will use vB's default vertical menu.