Forum Display Enhancements - Forum Rating

IMPORTANT NOTE - if you installed 1.0, please make sure you upgrade to 1.02. There was a bug in 1.0 which can cause the wrong forum to be rated.

This mod adds rating of forums. Works exactly like rating of threads. Fully phrased. No code edits. Adds one table, and two extra columns to 'forum' table. Uses datamanagers. Adds one db query.

Installation instructions are in the README.txt in the ZIP. Standard stuff - an 'upload' folder, some template edits, and a product XML install.

Simple "Top Rated Forums" CMPS modules (for versions 2 and 3) included, see README.txt for details.

Tested on vB 3.6.8 and 3.7b3, with CMPS 2.2.1 and 3.1rc2,

Don't forget to hit Install if you decide to run this. No, I'm not shooting for MoTM, I just want to be able to keep you informed about any bug fixes or new versions.

Revision History:

1) 1/27/2008 - 1.00 - initial release
2) 1/28/2008 - 1.01 - fixed tiny template edit issue to properly display tables when Forum Rating is disabled.
3) 1/28/2008 - 1.01 - added CMPS modules to ZIP.
4) 2/23/2008 - 1.02 - Added "Use Thread Rating" mode. Fixed small bug when viewing main category from anywhere other than forumdisplay.php (like index.php). Fixed "rating wrong forum" bug. Added "Sort by Rating" option. Re-organized plugin architecture.

Thanks to wtrk for the original idea.

-- hugh

[TCE Killa]

Yeah it's enabled, I'm going to go back through the template edits in a bit and see where I went wrong, thanks.

[Allan]

Yes, very good idea

[cheesegrits]

Originally Posted by TCE Killa

Yeah it's enabled, I'm going to go back through the template edits in a bit and see where I went wrong, thanks.

If you can't figure it out, and don't mind PM'ing me a temporary admin account, I'd be more than happy to check out your site and see what the problem is. I'd like to make sure this isn't some kind of booboo on my part.

I know this is pretty much an "is there gas in the tank?" kinda question, but are you sure you edited the right templates for the style you are using?

I can't offhand think of any other reason why absolutely nothing would show up if you've even vaguely got the right templates edited and that Enable Forum Rating option is set. I'd expect some kind of output, even if the table appearance was screwed up.

Even if you don't have "thread rating" enabled for any forums, it should at least show the "rating not allowed" image on FORUMHOME / FORUMDISPLAY.

-- hugh

[inciarco]

Great Idea, but has some Bugs in vB 3.6.7 PL1!!

1. When Rating a Forum the Rate appears Next to "Forum Tools", but when Leaving the Forum and Entering Again the Rate isn?t Displayed; when trying to Vote Again says that the User has Already Voted, so the Problem is in the Display.

2. When Seeing the Forum in the List of Forums, the Rating isn't Displayed, so I think should be because of the Same Problem of Display previously Exposed.

3. The CMPS has the same Problem, and don't Display the Rated Forums nor the Rating, perhaps is related with the Previously Explained.

For Now I'll only Use it in My Test Forum and Not in my Community!!

Would be Good to hear the Experience of other Forumers with vB 3.6.7 PL1, to Confirm those Bugs, or to Explain them with an Incompatibility with another Mod Installed in my Forums!!

My Best Regards!!

[cheesegrits]

inciarco - I don't have a 3.6.7pl1 server to test on right now. Could you do me a favor, look in your phpMyAdmin and see if the two columns "votenum" and "votetotal" got added to your "forum" table?

The only time I've seen this behaviour was early in testing when the installer didn't work properly for some reason, and the new "forumrating" table got created, but those two extra columns on "forum" didn't get added.

-- hugh

[ChurchMedia]

I love this idea! I'm having the same basic problems as inciarco. On my board, I rated my Video Production forum a 5, but the stars show up in my PowerPoint forum. If I try to rate the Video Production forum again, it tells me I've already voted. Something is crossed up somewhere.

I'll let you know if I find anything.

[cheesegrits]

ChurchMedia - I confirmed it on your site, am now trying to duplicate it on mine.

What version of vB is that?

EDIT - I've found some similar looking behavior when rating is enabled for guests. Were you logged in or not when you tried this?

I've haven't managed to duplicate placing the vote in the wrong forum, even on your site. But I found why it doesn't record in the db for guests, and why guests will get that "you have already voted" when it's not showing up. That's fixed, I'm testing the fix now and should have it uploaded ASAP.

I'll register on your site and see if I can duplicate the "wrong forum" thing.

-- hugh

[inciarco]

Now that you mention Permissions, I haven't seen any Options to Set which Usergroups can Use the Ratings!!

Would be Great to Set those Usergroups Permissions, perhaps Listed in a TextBox and Separated by Commas!!

I Tested the Ratings with my Admin User in my Test Forum!!

My Best Regards!!

[cheesegrits]

As per the README, in the Configuration section:

For forum and usergroup permissions, forum rating follows the existing "Allow thread rating" options. So if thread rating is enabled for a forum, the forum itself can be rated, subject to the usergroup settings. Usergroups who can't rate threads in a given forum won't be able to rate the forum itself either. Everyone can see current rating values for ratable forums.

And in the To Do section:

1) Add separate forum rating permissions, rather than inheriting thread rating permissions. The reason I didn't do this to start with is I'm still looking for an upgrade safe way of adding forum permissions.

-- hugh

[inciarco]

Originally Posted by cheesegrits

As per the README, in the Configuration section:


-- hugh

Great, Thanks for Clarifying that!! :up:

I think is better to Inherint the Permissions, so that the Admins can choose which Forum to Rate and which one Not!! :up:

Perhaps if an Additional Option could be set for each Forum, independent to the Rating of the Threads, would be Nice too, but as you say, perhaps for other Update of this Mod mor in the Future; for now you've made a great choice inheriting the Rating Permissions!!

My Best Regards!!