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

[fabz]

I'm sorry to bother you The Geek...

I upgraded to 3.51
I created a directory according the forumid and chmoded to 0777.

If I upload images and images.... It shows well in the article header. But if I click the "image" button, I only get de default.jpg image. No images galery I already uploaded though they seem to be right uploaded in gas/images/[userid]

What's could be wrong ?

[ShawnV]

Quick Question: I have been digging though the style manager trying to find what CSS element the mod uses for the default bold black 1pix boarder color around the article images, does any one know which one it is?

[shiva]

Geek said he's away for a while, but I can answer a couple questions, though they are answered in the readme.html file as well.

Fabz, you have to create your folders in the gas/images/forums folder

so your ftp root should be /var/www/html/forums/gas/images/forums

create a new folder in there, and name it by the forum board ID
so if I want to display images for one board:

http://www.shivasite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=111

I name that folder 111. I then chmod it to 777, and then load in my images to that folder.

My ftp root is then /var/www/html/forums/gas/images/forums/111

Loading in a image in there will then display that image in the gallery so a member can select it as a image for his header.
A image named default.jpg in that folder will be the default image used by that board if there's no image assigned to that article. My example has two custom images, as well as 3 images using the default.

h**p://www.YOURSITE.com/gas/images/forums/111/default.jpg
is how the link should look if you have your forum in the root
or
h**p://www.YOURSITE.com/FOLDER/gas/images/forums/111/default.jpg
if you have your forum in a folder

ShawnV
No idea on the table border, mine is there because I put it there, but I would think the script uses the CSS defined in the theme. I didn't see any defined border code in the templates, but maybe that would be a better place to look

Razz
I have them as well. has to be a small error, harmless really, just one of those funny things.

[intrigue]

Warning: fopen(gas/changes/includes/functions_showthread.php): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /admincp/gas3_install.php on line 3143

Warning: fputs(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /admincp/gas3_install.php on line 3144

Warning: fclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /admincp/gas3_install.php on line 3145
Modifying file: admincp/index.php
   Completed step 400
Saving changes to gas/changes/admincp/index.php


Warning: fopen(gas/changes/admincp/index.php): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /admincp/gas3_install.php on line 3143

Warning: fputs(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /admincp/gas3_install.php on line 3144

Warning: fclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /admincp/gas3_install.php on line 3145
Modifying file: newthread.php
   Completed step 500

Hey there the errors can you tell me what file modifications i have to do manually?
thanks
.matt

[Lizard King]

matt did you chmod the necessary folders to 777 ?

[intrigue]

yeah didnt work but its ok i changed it manually and it seems to have worked
.matt

[intrigue]

aint being funny but how do i post new articles?
.matt

[Lizard King]

Admincp >> Geek Article System >> GAS settings >> Forums >> Put the forumid which you want to post articles under. After that save it and go to that forum and open a new thread be aware that if you have other threads in that forum already all of them will turn to articles.

[fabz]

Thank you Shiva for your help.

[shiva]

Got it to work? Cool
I could answer that one, because I asked the same question.

Lot of fun this one, but my members are just rolling their eyes at me as I like to make a meal out of things sometimes.