vBulletin Forum Sideblocks - Forum Sideblock - Recent Posts (with BBCodes parsed)

Overview:

This product, upon installation, creates a new forum block that will display the most recent posts (the entire content in a scrollable block) with BBCodes parsed, and gives you settings to control several aspects of this new forum block. The settings are divided into 3 main groups:

Forum Block Settings:

Maximum Height Of Forum Block: This allows you to set a maximum height for the total inner block content containing all of the posts. A vertical scrollbars is added as needed. The default value is 450.

Block Title: This allows you to set the displayed title of the forum block, without having to edit the forum block itself. It is recommended that you do not edit the title of the forum block in the Forum Block Manager because the uninstall code depends on the title being its original value in order to remove it. You may include the number of posts shown and the value of a defined phrase to be in the block title. For example, if I want the title of the block to be "MHB's 5 Most Recent Posts" (and I have chosen to display all of the most recent posts) then I would enter in this setting:

MHB's [POSTS] [PHRASE]

where "[POSTS]" will be replaced by the number of posts being displayed, and [PHRASE] will be replaced by either $vbphrase['markfl_recentposts_title'], which is set to "Most Recent Posts" or $vbphrase['markfl_recentpostsperthread_title'], which is set to "Most Recent Posts/Thread".

The default is "[POSTS] [PHRASE]".

Block Title CSS: This setting allows you to apply additional CSS to the forum block title. For example, if you wish for the title to be 25% larger and in red, you would enter:

font-size: 125%; color red

The default is blank.

If you wish to change any other aspect of the forum block (other than the title), then use the "Forum Block Manager" to do so.

Posts Settings:

Posts To Display: This setting allows you to decide whether all of the most recent posts (the number of which you set) will be displayed, or only the most recent post per thread. The default is "Only Most Recent Post Per Thread". If you change this setting once you have the product running, then I recommend you clear the system cache each time you change it.

Number Of Posts To Display: This allows you to decide how many posts will be displayed in the forum block, chosen as per the setting above. The default is 5 posts.

Maximum Height Of Posts: This allows you to set the maximum height (in px) of the post content block before a vertical scrollbar is introduced. The default is 120 px.

Thread Title Settings:

Maximum Thread Title Length: This allows you to set the maximum number of characters from the thread title that will be displayed.

Display Thread Icons?: Allows you to set whether thread icons will be displayed.

Display Thread Prefixes?: Allows you to set whether thread prefixes will be displayed.

Thread Title CSS: Allows you to apply additional CSS to the thread titles.

Each post consists of a header containing the post author's avatar on the left (links to their profile), and a link to the post within its thread (with a tooltip stating which forum the thread is in) with the date/time of the post beneath the link. Both the tooltip and the timestamp use phrasing. Below this header is the block containing the entire post content, with BBCodes parsed.

Updates:

Version 1.01:

• Attempt to address reported db error.

Version 1.02:

• Fixed error where height of block was hard-coded.

Version 1.1:

• Combined queries.
• Custom templates used to render output.
• All CSS stored in template.
• Fixed error causing block not to be removed upon uninstall.

Note: To update to version 1.1, please uninstall any previous versions first and remove any forum blocks left behind, and then install version 1.1.

Version 1.2:

• All templates cached.

Version 1.3:

• Block PHP restored.

Compatibility:

Tested and working on VB 4.2.x and may work on all 4.x versions of vBulletin.

Backup/Warning:

This product does not alter your database, however it is always good practice to make regular backups and you should make a backup before installing ANY new mod.

As always, products are USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. I will provide support and do my best to help but no absolute guarantee is offered.

To Install:

• Download and extract the attached .zip file.
• Follow AdminCP -> Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product.
• Click on "Choose File" and browse to the product .xml file that was packaged in the .zip file.
• Click "Import."
• Configure the settings to your liking. Each setting has a detailed explanation of its use.

Support for this product can be found here:

• MHB - Forum Sideblock - Recent Posts (with BBCodes parsed)
• TAZ - Forum Sideblock - Recent Posts (with BBCodes parsed)

[MarkFL]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

Okay to just upload the XML to overwrite?

The steps I recommend using to upgrade to version 1.1 are as follows:

1. Uninstall old version.
2. Delete any remaining forum blocks associated with this product that were left behind.
3. Install new version.
4. Reset your settings for this product.

[Max Taxable]

I did the uninstall, and got this:

Fatal error: Cannot use object of type mysqli_result as array in /home/content/html/admincp/plugin.php(1558) : eval()'d code on line 5

[MarkFL]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

I did the uninstall, and got this:

Fatal error: Cannot use object of type mysqli_result as array in /home/content/html/admincp/plugin.php(1558) : eval()'d code on line 5

Edit the product to remove the uninstall code, then uninstall, then remove any blocks this product left behind. Then install the new version. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[Max Taxable]

Annnnnd..... No forum sidebar block was created on new install.

[MarkFL]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

Annnnnd..... No forum sidebar block was created on new install.

I re-uploaded the product files to make sure I didn't make an error there...the install/uninstall works perfectly for me on both of my test sites.

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by MarkFL

I re-uploaded the product files to make sure I didn't make an error there...the install/uninstall works perfectly for me on both of my test sites.

THAAAAAAT worked. Successful uninstall and successful re-install.

BUT...

As mentioned by someone else earlier, the mean old lag is still there - only on first load with the default 60 min. cache setting. But every time when it's not cached. I have set it at zero so you can see.

Also, no more vertical scrollbars? And a change to the CSS of the thread titles?

I have it live at previous link for your perusal.

[MarkFL]

The vertical scrollbars are still there...at least they are on my 2 test sites. Have you changed the script name for your forum home? I have the CSS only being rendered when the script name is "index".

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by MarkFL

The vertical scrollbars are still there...at least they are on my 2 test sites. Have you changed the script name for your forum home? I have the CSS only being rendered when the script name is "index".

Nothing's changed on my site since the last version scrollbars worked.

EDIT: It's weird - I get the scrollbars in my custom mobile style, (styleID=63) but not in vB default style or any other of the desktop styles.

[MarkFL]

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

Nothing's changed on my site since the last version scrollbars worked.

In the previous versions, the CSS was inline, but now it's in a template, which is only added when the script name is "index" since that's the only place the sidebar displays (unless you are using a product that displays it elsewhere).

[Max Taxable]

I've had to disable the block again, the lag is just murder.