Forum Display Enhancements - Threaded Forum Views (Version 3.0)

Threaded Forum Views (Version 3.0)

This Modification is based on Threaded Forum Views (Version 1.8) for vBulletin 3.0 & Threaded Forum Views (v2.0) for vBulletin 3.5

Version 3.0 should function the same as the previous version. If you notice any quirks or problems please post them here. I took a couple different approaches in outlining the Modifications from the original as well.

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Threaded Forum Views will allow the user to display an individual forum or search results in a fully threaded manner. To enable this support the user selects Enable from the new Threaded Forum Views section within Edit Options in the User CP. In addition to the Enable/Disable setting the user may also select Compact or Expanded modes as well as the number of characters to be displayed in the thread/post titles.

Features:
Functionality controlled via the Users CP.
Supports 2 display modes. Single line or Dual line.
Supports variable title lengths.
Works with the display of forums and search results.
Indicates which posts have been read and which are new.
Indicates which posts have attachments.
Handles Sticky posts - limits the thread to the opening post.
Displayed results may be sorted using the existing tools provided by forumdisplay.php
Tested with vBulletin 3.6.0

Caveats:
Some of the Administrator functions (such as thread maintenance on deleted threads) are not available while in this mode. While doing administrative tasks the Admin should disable Threaded Forum Views.

Feedback & Support:
If you have any problems or questions please post them here.

Miscellaneous:

Line numbers have been added, which correspond 'approximatly' to where an item can be found. Line Numbers are based upon previous modifications, so the line number listed in step 2, will be based upon the idea that step 1 has already been compleeted. Do Note these are approximate line numbers to help find certaion locations within the code, don't blindly use them for insertions as exact numbers vary considerably based on how you perform the changes.

To update existing users it is necessary to manually run an UPDATE query. I used

UPDATE userfield SET field5='Enable',field6='Compact',field7='30' where field5='';

to set the default values.

Also, a new field has been added to the search parameters. Because of this it is neccessary to erase the existing cached searches. This can be done using the following query

delete from search;

Instructions for making the necessary modifications to the files and templates are attached as are the 5 new graphics in the ZIP file.

Items to Work on:

- Quirkyness with 'Thread/Forum Read Marking Type' defaults to something akin to "Inactivity/Cookie Based" need to check into "Database (no automatic forum marking)" and "Database (automatic forum marking)"
- Should Verify SEO works well (Limit: Webserver with mod_redirect)

Possible Future Optional Additions:
- Collapsability / Javascript
- View Toggle from Main Forum View Tree
- Option to disable User Selectable Title Length

[gct13]

Kaitlyn are you around? I sent you a PM.

I tried the modification with 3.7.2, it didn't work. The FORUMHOME worked, but the FORUMDISPLAY and even SHOWTHREAD(?) rendered blank pages. Gotta be something up with one of the file modifications.

I'm not ruling out that I made a mistake somewhere down the the line ....I'd be interested to hear if someone else gave it a try!

Feature request - the ability to specify this mod to specific forums.

[vol_freak]

Anyone get this to work with 3.7 or know of a similar mod that will work?

[seax19]

I got it working on a test forum running vb ver 3.7.3 pl1 but it was a pain in the *** getting there...

There are a lot of little errors here and there that all have to be chased down one by one (I cannot list/explain them, I am not a coder, I only got it to work by chasing down problems through trial and error til it finally did, and I didn't document the procedure).

Anyway it IS "possible"... The problem then becomes, once people get going then you have some users viewing in threaded forum views and others in normal vb view which can cause additional confusion (I don't think you'll ever have to say "UserCP>EditOptions" and "Threaded thread view" to users more in your life than with this thing...) I am glad it worked but it is a big tradeoff/double edged sword in actual use.

Also, in the future it is going to present additional problems most every time you have to upgrade you'll have to re-do the affected portions of the hack process if any of those modded files/functions change (good luck having upgrades that don't impact this somehow)...

Still, all in, it is for sure one of the most unique hacks out there for vb... Gotta give props to its creators

[Kaitlyn]

Hijas!

Yea I didn't do an update for 3.7, by the time I had the time to look at it 3.8 was in beta, so.. since 3.8 is out now I'll be taking a look at seeing if I can't provide an update for vB 3.8. Or possibly die trying *Grins*

~K

[gct13]

Hi Kaitlyn, the threaded mod looks great on your site.

I hope you get the chance to update the mod for 3.8.

I'd be nice to have the admin (not users) choose which forums are threaded, plus a modification to showthread where the entire message tree is below the post (and out of that clunky scrolling box).

Thanks

[ibautocommunity]

Originally Posted by gct13

Hi Kaitlyn, the threaded mod looks great on your site.

I hope you get the chance to update the mod for 3.8.

I'd be nice to have the admin (not users) choose which forums are threaded, plus a modification to showthread where the entire message tree is below the post (and out of that clunky scrolling box).

Thanks

I am not trying to hijack this thread, however we just launched a 3.7/3.8 compatible plugin for vB that does threaded forum view and has the ability to move the message tree below the post

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=209541

[Kaitlyn]

<a href="https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=210265" target="_blank">Updated for vBulletin 3.8.2</a> (finally? yay!)

~K