vbArticles v0.4 -- For your repository of Articles/Tutorials/FAQs etc.

UPDATES
version 0.4 is out

- Now allows for basic VBCODE input.
- Fixed somemore bugs.


Background
Required a section on my site to display articles/tutorials
No such hack in the Hacks Database
Decided to try my hand at it

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This hack uses a lot of code from Arunan Sridharan's vB Links Directory v2.0
I use that hack too and was inspired to code something around that
A big thank-you must go out to him for coding the Links Directory in the first place (I merely modified much of the code to suit my needs for this hack)

Appreciation also goes out to Kars10 for aiding me in this hack
He coded the portion in version 0.3 on number of articles count as well as article hits count
He also suggested several template changes which have been incoporated into version 0.3
A great big special shout out to TheComputerGuy, 97cobracpe, dontpanic for stamping out the bugs with your fixes. Thanks guys


WHATS IT DO ?
This hack allows you to have a database of articles/tutorials etc on your site/forums.

FEATURES

AdminCP
Installer script

Admin options

View Categories
Edit Categories
Add Categories ( category name, category icon, category order, category description )
Delete Categories
Add new article ( title, description, author, date, content )
Edit article
Delete article
View ALL articles in database
Option in vB options to turn validation of articles on/off
Fully template based as to how you wish to display the articles,categories and main article home page.
Addition of articles accepts basic VBcodes

Member options

View Categories
Browse Categories
View articles
Submit new article
Submission of articles accepts basic VBcodes


INSTALLATION & UPGRADING
This Hack should work on ALL 2.2.x versions and v2.3.0
Please read the install_readme.txt file in the package for fresh installation instructions
IMPT: If you installed a previous version pls read the upgrade_readme.txt file carefully for upgrade instructions

HACK DOWNLOAD

Version 0.4 of this hack can be downloaded here

ADD-ONS
i) Add-on for vbHome
ii) Add-on for ForumHome
iii) Add-on to enable only registered members to be able to view the article section


DEMO SITES
http://www.runaked.com/forums/articles.php ( running v0.4 ) - TheComputerGuy's site

http://www.mcseworld.com/forums/infocenter.php ( running v0.3 ) - dontpanic's site


Feel free to submit your sites if u installed this hack so it can be listed as another live demo site

SUPPORT
I cannot promise any support on this as i am pretty new to this but I will try my best.
If you are using this hack , pls click the INSTALL button
to be kept in the loop of any bug reports, add-ons and hack version updates.

Thanks everyone

[cinq]

Yep , the field is now a timestamp
I think I am going to have nightmares with the upgrade script ...... lol

[dontpanic]

OK, I think I might manually update the applicable code in the meantime then.

Thanks again and looking forward to the next version!

[cnczone]

Please tell me your going to make this hack work for VB3.

[cinq]

cnczone, I'll see how it goes, my main priority now is to push out the full version for v2.x.x

[cinq]

A look at the article validation portion.
Nothing is fixed at this point, just posting updates as I go along and also to draw ideas for suggestions to improve on

[D|ver]

yeah that would be so great, if this hack would be also available for vb3

[chrisvonc]

I too am eager to give the new version for vB2.3.x a try as I didnt get a chance to try the original. Something like this may be perfect for all the articles that get submited to my site! I will have to watch the thread closely now.


Chris

[Okiewan]

ditto

[Drile]

Originally Posted by D|ver

yeah that would be so great, if this hack would be also available for vb3

Huge, huge, huge thumbs up.

[obsidian]

Originally Posted by cinq

... just posting updates as I go along and also to draw ideas for suggestions to improve on

It would be nice to have thumbnail images on the articles themselves. I have been using this for reviews and having a graphical image of the item reviewed would be great. It could even be done like the main category where you have to specify the thumb yourself.