Add-On Releases - AJAX Tabs Content Script v2

AJAX Tabs Content Script - Version 2.0

Note: Altho this "How To" is written for implementation within vbadvanced CMPS, this can also be easily implemented anywhere within vB , ie on custom vB pages or within current vB pages.

Description/Whats changed within this release?: This new version (based on the AJAX Tabs Content Script (v 2.0) written by Dynamic Drive - http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamici...tent/index.htm) is a versatile Ajax script that lets you display content pulled from external files inside a DIV and organized via CSS tabs. A fully unobtrusive, CSS and HTML based script, it supports practical features such as persistence of the active tab (ie: when page is reloaded), an "IFRAME" mode, a "slideshow" mode, ability to expand/contract arbitrary DIVs on the page at the same time, nested tabs, and much more. Below lists the features of this script that together make it highly adaptable in the real world:

Here's a quick outline of the script features:

• Fetch and display an external page (from the same domain) inside a container when a tab is clicked on via Ajax.
• (v 2.0) Apart from Ajax, an external page can also be fetched and displayed via the IFRAME element instead. This is useful for external pages that either contain JavaScript/ CSS code that doesn't run properly when fetched via Ajax, or the page is from an outside domain.
• Add a "default" content inside the container to either be shown while no tabs are selected, or to be associated with a specific tab. The default content is added inline on the page and not fetched via Ajax, to avoid unnecessary fetching of external pages.
• Supports session only persistence, so the last tab user clicked on is remembered if he/she returns to the page within the same browser session.
• (v 2.0) Supports auto "slideshow" mode, in which script automatically cycles through and selects each tab periodically until a tab is explicitly selected.
• (v 2.0) Ability to also expand/contract arbitrary DIVs on the page as the tabbed content is expanded/ contracted.
• (v 2.0) Ability to dynamically select a tab either based on its position within its peers, or its ID attribute.
• (v 2.0) Ability to directly load a different external page into the content container, either via Ajax or IFRAME.
• (v 2.0) Ability to set where the CSS class "selected" get assigned when a tab is clicked on- either on the tab link itself (its "a" element), or its parent instead (ie: "li" element). This makes the script adaptable to both CSS Tabs that are styled at the "A" level itself, or its parent container instead.
• (v 2.0) Supports nested Ajax Tabs! In other words, you can have an external page fetched via Ajax contain in itself Ajax Tabs that show their own contents when clicked on as well. This is made possible using the "onajaxpageload" custom event handler (see documentation).
• Supports multiple Ajax Tabs Contents on the same page.
• Fully unobtrusive, search engine friendly design. For search engines or browsers with JavaScript disabled, the external contents will just load as actual pages (instead of via Ajax).

Reminder: Due to security limitations, the external pages loaded via each tab using Ajax must reside on the same domain as the script itself. This limitation doesn't apply if you use the "IFRAME" option to fetch and show the external page instead.

This is what I've done so far to implement AJAX Tabs functionality for my websites and others. I hope that its easy to follow along, answers your questions and meets your needs. If you are reading this and wondering what a tabbed content is, check out the screen shots for a visual.

CMPS Version Note: Coded for CMPS v3.0. Modifications can be made to the php files (Require Back-End) to work with CMPS v2.x

CMPS Module Type: TEMPLATE w/Alternative Module Wrapper Template
Templates: adv_portal_Tab_Block_Main, adv_portal_alt_module_wrapper (optional)
Files: ajaxtabs.js, ajaxtabs.css, Sample Content Files, images

Note: I've included sample files in the attached Zip File to use with the step by step how to.

Step 1. Upload the ajaxtabs directory (located in the attached Zip File) to the FORUMS Root.
This directory contains the ajaxtabs.js file & the ajaxtabs.css file
path example: /www/forums/ajaxtabs/ajaxtabs.js


Step 2. Modify CSS file.
Use Attached Sample CSS file - Sample name: ajaxtabs.css
Change paths to images to reflect your domain and forum root (2 lines)...

Note: Additional Modifications to this file can be made once you get the initial sample system up and running.


Step 3. Create, Name and Upload Multiple "Content" files.
Use attached Sample PHP "Content" file - Sample name: tabexternal.php (I've included working samples in the attached Zip File).

NOTE: Please read the Instructions TXT File for the edits that need to be made in order for them to work on your site.

The location I chose for these was the FORUMS root.
path example: /www/forums
You can name these files anything you want. For example, I chose a naming convention - tabexternal.htm, tabexternal2.php, tabrecentnews.php, tabvbookie.php, ..etc etc

Note: Further Modifications to these files can be made once you get the initial system up and running.


Step 4. (optional) Create an Alternative Module Wrapper Template.
Use attached Sample Alternative Module Wrapper Template - Sample name: adv_portal_alt_module_wrapper

I chose to do this, because I didn't want to use the standard Module Wrapper that comes default with vBadvanced.

NOTE: Use the default wrapper if you choose not to create your own custom one.


Step 5. Create a new Template.
Use attached sample Custom Template Sample name: adv_portal_Tab_Block_Main

This template will be the one that you include with the module that you will create in Step 6. I've included the code for the sample template in the attached file, HOWEVER, there are some edits that you will need to make to the code based upon steps 1-3 above.

EDITS NEEDED TO THE ATTACHED SAMPLE TEMPLATE:

EDIT 1 - Path location of the ajaxtabs.css file created in step 2. Simply edit this line in the template to the correct path.

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/forums/ajaxtabs/ajaxtabs.css" />

EDIT 2 - Path location of the ajaxtabs.js file in step 1. Simply edit this line in the template to the correct path where you uploaded the ajaxtabs.js file.

<script type="text/javascript" src="/forums/ajaxtabs/ajaxtabs.js">

EDIT 3 - Path location of the "Content" file(s) created in step 3. Simply edit the line(s) in the template to the correct path where you uploaded the PHP file(s).

<li class="selected"><a href="http://www.domain.com/forums/tabexternal.php" rel="ajaxcontentarea">Tab 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.domain.com/forums/tabexternal2.php" rel="ajaxcontentarea">Tab 2</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.domain.com/forums/tabexternal3.php" rel="ajaxcontentarea">Tab 3</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.domain.com/forums/tabexternal4.php" rel="ajaxcontentarea">Tab 4</a></li>

Step 6. Create a new CMPS TEMPLATE Module.
Name it what ever you like. Include the template that you created in Step 5 above. Make sure that you either use the Module Wrapper Template OR the Alternative Module Wrapper Template that you created in optional Step 4 above. Give permission(s) to the user groups that you want to be able to view this.


Step 7. Add the Module to a CMPS page.
Add the module created in Step 6 above to any CMPS page (make a test page if you want to)...


Step 8. Load the CMPS page that you added the module to.
If you performed the above steps correctly, the result will be a tabbed block module with 4 tabs named Tab 1, Tab 2, Tab 3, Tab 4. The content for Tab 1 will say "Congrats USERNAME! You have successfully added AJAX Tab Content to your Site."


CUSTOMIZATION

Style: Modify CSS File in Step 2 to match the Style of your site. The Sample CSS Files comes with 3 different styles of Tab Layouts. Choose the one that best suits your needs and further modify the CSS to match your sites Style(s)....

Tab Names: Modify Template created in Step 5 to change the NAME of the tabs themselves - ie.. from Tab 1 to Announcements (see below)

<li><a href="http://www.domain.com/forums/tabexternal.php" rel="ajaxcontentarea">Announcements</a></li>

Content: Modify "Content" File(s) created in Step 3 to generate content. You can add static content or Dynamic Content. Below is a very very basic sample of what can be done.

Sample mix of static and dynamic content

PHP Code:

<?php

echo '<table cellspacing="2" cellpadding="0" width=100%><tr> <td class="alt2"><span class="smallfont">Welcome Back To YOURSITENAMEHERE&nbsp;<b>' . $vbulletin->userinfo['username'] . '!</b><br><br>Hope you are enjoying the off season so far.<br><br> The Draft, Mini Camps & Hall of Fame Weekend Events are complete, Train Camps are in full swing and Preseason Games have started to kick off!<br><br>
Im sure these next few weeks will be fun to follow and make the upcoming season even more exciting. <br><br>Good luck with your team&nbsp;<b>' .  $vbulletin->userinfo['username'] . '.</b></span></td></tr>';

?>

NOTE: You can get as creative as you want to with content (Both static and Dynamic). For example, I took code from the recentthreads.php file, modified it and included that as tabbed content to display recent threads within a tab on my site (as seen in the screen shots attached in Post 1 of this thread). (I've included samples with instructions of this within the zip file. Side Note: use/modify these samples at your own risk)


Turning on "slideshow" mode

You can have the tabs within your Ajax Tabs Content automatically rotate every x seconds until a user explicitly clicks on a tab. To enable "slideshow" mode on your Tab Content, just pass in an integer when calling instance.init() to initialize your script: This is located at the bottom of the Template you created in step 5

<script type="text/javascript">
var mytabs=new ddajaxtabs("maintab", "ajaxcontentarea")
mytabs.setpersist(true)
mytabs.setselectedClassTarget("link") //"link" or "linkparent"
mytabs.init(15000)
</script>
</body>
</td></tr>

Notice the integer in red, which is in units of milliseconds. With one defined, the script will rotate through the tabs every x milliseconds (so 15000=15 seconds).


ADDING MORE TABS

To add more tabs, you will need to modify the template created in Step 5 and create a new "content" file for each new tab (as explained in Step 3).

Step 1. Add the following line of code to the Template that you created in Step 5 for each new Tab that you want to appear. Its a good idea when you add the lines that you keep them in order with the other lines currently in the file.

<li><a href="http://www.domain.com/forums/CONTENT FILE" rel="ajaxcontentarea">TAB NAME</a></li>

Example:

<li><a href="http://www.domain.com/forums/tabcontent5.php" rel="ajaxcontentarea">Sports News</a></li>

Step 2. Upload the newly created "Content" file (as explained in Step 3) to your FORUMS root.


Additional Enhancements

Please see post 2 of this thread for additional enhancements.

If you want to read up on AJAX Tabs, check out the Ajax Tabs Content script over at Dynamic Drive (http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamici...tent/index.htm)

....thats it in a nutshell.... I do hope that I explained things well enough to at least get a head start on AJAX Tabbed Content. Let me know if you have any problems or need further explanation on anything...

Thanks and enjoy Bobster

Screen Shots Explained:

The 1st is an example of "Slideshow" Mode
The 2nd is an example of some dynamic content based on the user.
The 3rd is an example of modified recentthreads.php used within a tab.
The 4th is an example of using modified vbarticles within a tab.
The 5th is an examples of custom dynamic content within a tab.

[D|ver]

Really awesome mod
I am also really not familiar with php and have a question:
Is it possible to use the php files within the modules folder of vba cmps without modification?
Or does every cmps module need a customisation for using it?

Sorry for this beginner question.

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by D|ver

Really awesome mod
I am also really not familiar with php and have a question:
Is it possible to use the php files within the modules folder of vba cmps without modification?
Or does every cmps module need a customisation for using it?

Sorry for this beginner question.

No, you can not simply point to one of the php files in the modules folder. You can copy those files and the modify them tho. If you are not familiar with php tho, it could be somewhat of a challenge. Hopefully, members of the community will share their Custom Content files with everyone I will have a few more custom content files for use soon.

[DragonMasterNYC]

This is the thread I've been looking for. Thanks for the mod and the help.

Dragon

[cygy2k]

Any news on when to expect the recent threads enhancement? Thanks for the most amazing mod!

[cygy2k]

Problem:

I have vbSEO installed and I'm getting the archive page numbers on the bottom of the tabs content module (along with at the normal bottom of page location).

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by cygy2k

Any news on when to expect the recent threads enhancement? Thanks for the most amazing mod!

Sometime today....

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by cygy2k

Problem:

I have vbSEO installed and I'm getting the archive page numbers on the bottom of the tabs content module (along with at the normal bottom of page location).

hmmmmm I don't have or use vbSEO, so I don't know why it would be doing that. I'll take a look and see if there is something in the content file that isn't needed and strip it out.

[cygy2k]

Thank you so much, this is such a fantastic mod!

[bobster65]

Originally Posted by cygy2k

Any news on when to expect the recent threads enhancement? Thanks for the most amazing mod!

Download the attachment within this post and see if its more along the lines of what you are looking for. You will need to make some simple edits to the file before you can use it tho...

Line 81. This is where you put the forumID's that you wish to pull recent threads from. In this example, I have it set to pull from 5 seperate forums. Just change the ID numbers to match the forums on your site that you wish to pull from. If you want less than 5, remove one of the or statements.. if you wish to pull from more, add another or statement.

Line 83. This is where you set the limit on the amount of threads to show. Its set at 15, change this to what ever you like.

Line 210. This is the visual output. Simply change all the paths in this block to match your site. The defaults in the example are all www.domain.com/forum

NOTE: This will produce an output similar to the 3rd screen shot.

[cygy2k]

That is great! Is there a way to have it still show bold for unread threads, a down arrow to go to most recent unread post, etc? Sorry for sounding like a pest

Also - when I try to just add text to your example tabexternal.php file where the echo part is at the bottom, I always get an error message saying that a ' or ; was expected on line 46. I must not be following some sort of coding pattern I guess.