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

[Lore]

Also, what about the character limit for articles? Is there any chance to make it different from normal posts?

Ditto!

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by Mijae

I see nothing related the BREAK on page 12?

Also, what about the character limit for articles? Is there any chance to make it different from normal posts?

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=168 fixes the capitalization issue.

As to the other suggestion - I am sure there is! Ill look into it

[shiva]

Tried the importor, got a error straight away...

Database error in vBulletin 3.0.5:

Invalid SQL: 
INSERT INTO attachment
(userid,
dateline,
filename,
filedata,
filesize,
visible,
postid,
filehash,
posthash,
thumbnail,
thumbnail_dateline,
thumbnail_filesize,description)
VALUES
(1,
1086838377,
'starship_legend_01.jpg',

This is followed by a bunch of junk text (Guess it's the actual image) and then ended with this

 52080,
1,
8746,
 '',
	                                             '81cc9dd1f65998e37b82958f5d8b3e59',
'attachment[thumbnail]',
1086838377,
52080,
'')
	                                    
mysql error: Unknown column 'description' in 'field list'

mysql error number: 1054

Date: Thursday 03rd of March 2005 05:54:43 AM
Referer: http://www.***.com/GAS3fromV3.php?do=map

Appears to be a image left over from a deleted article. Any ideas how to fix this?

[The Geek]

Looks like you havent installed GAS3 yet. One of the changes GAS3 makes is adding a description column to your attachment table.
You can manually add it though

[shiva]

Ah, okay, thought you said it would work without GAS3, but you didn't say how. I'm actually waiting for the new version, as it's a bit pointless to close the site down to install etc and then have to do it again. Besides, like a nice clean install.

That's what I meant by instructions to the converter, detailing how to setup the converter without GAS3, like that table info.

[The Geek]

ahhh!

Cool. Will add. I actually thought I had trapped it for that anyway. Ill look into it when I get back in town.

BTW: Word has it there are only a couple of very minor and qucik to fix bugs with the new version so hopefully when I get back in town it should take under a week to get it out.

nJoy

[Sasq]

Looking very good.

I did a quick scan of the thread, so sorry if I missed it.
I have just *finally* upgraded my forum from vb2 to 3, so still getting my head around the changes.

One thing I really want to do, is be able to override the no html setting for the article itself.
I.E. allow html in the article, and block it in the user comments. It would allow me to import my static html article pages, and not comprimise security for my users as all articles will be moderated.

Just my idea anyway...

Dan

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by Sasq

Looking very good.

I did a quick scan of the thread, so sorry if I missed it.
I have just *finally* upgraded my forum from vb2 to 3, so still getting my head around the changes.

One thing I really want to do, is be able to override the no html setting for the article itself.
I.E. allow html in the article, and block it in the user comments. It would allow me to import my static html article pages, and not comprimise security for my users as all articles will be moderated.

Just my idea anyway...

Dan

you could do it easily with a slight edit to newthread and editpost. Just do a check to see if its an article, and if its the first post. If so, allow HTML. However you would have to look into this yourself as I am in middle of the next version so I am slightly out of sync with version 3 code. I could maybe put something in the next version though.

You could also turn on html to import and then turn it off again I suppose (but I doubt that would fix long term).

HTH's

[Sasq]

Actually it seems more to be in the construct_postbit function I would need to create an override...
that and tweak step 5.22 a little.
If I succed I will let you know.

I'm still playing with article systems on the test site, and still to make a choice.

[fabz]

Hello,
looks great.
I installed it but had too many problems... so I had to uninstall it and test it more before.
I'm running vb3.0.1 with all security patches
Everything seemed to work fine, except on long threads which don't show (show the database problem error message instead)
The posts order on long threads is wrong too (showing the last post instead of the first)

Well I may try it locally before, and check if I didn't made a mistake.
Did anyone get this problem ?