Geek Articles - Codename: Shorthorn

HowdA All,

I thought I would start a new thread here instead of watering down the current release of Geek Articles 2.0

Basically, I released Geek Articles as a cheap and cheerful way to give explicit forums an 'Article system' feel without all the hullabaloo with adding a major addition and hacking your vB code within an inch of its life.

I was aslo desperate for an Article System that actually integrated with vB in the sense that it would be searchable (with the other threads), use vBs user permissions, Attachment system, wysiwyg, etc...

Well, Geek Articles 2.0 does that. However I quickly learned that as soon as you release a hack, about 502.3 people start asking it to do things it wasnt designed to do (anyone know what I mean?).
I dont mean that to sound like a drag as I thought most of the ideas were actually quite good - however they were out of the scope for Geek Articles 2.0

In to your life walks Geek Articles codename: Shorthorn.

This is a project aimed at merging the best of Geek Articles 2.0 (the simplicity, searching, permissions, etc...) with a heavier duty article system (adding a byline option, multiple pages, etc...).

I have my first milestone in beta and has the following features:

• Everything Geek Articles 2.0 has
• Byline addition
• Multiple page support

Once I have finalised these features (I want to give them a test over the next few days on my site) I will then release it for private Beata testing and then finally on this thread for open beta testing.

What I would like to do is to get feedback on the direction that it is taking. Does it look sucky? Is the functionality crappy? Are you really just after a really neat Hangman system for vB?

Here is a live version of a multi page article

So please, come one, come all and let me know if I am wasting my freaking time.

Toodles

[rlamego]

NG, Safari displays the page fine. Eva must have seen a work-in-progress page.

As for the rest, I believe you are entering the "reinvent the wheel" realm again =)
If you make it too much complicated to create a custom text "next page" link, then most people won't probably use it and worse than that, is more prone to problems.
Can you imagine this?
[BREAK][FORWARD="Yup, a link with more "quotes""][/BREAK]
I can =)

Let's return to basics again. What about a nice plain $nextpage var?
We could still use the vB pagination thingy and provide the writer a simple way of making a eye-catching link to the next page, using just a simple link.

Then, you could work some magic for version 2.0 =)

[The Geek]

I agree. Problem is, I could store 1 $nextpage var, but what about multiple pages? Use the same text? On that note, what about going backward?
Doesnt seem overly intuitive.

I agree about the next/back bb code... it was just an inspired moment of pure oddity - however it could work IF a decent regexp was thrown out.

Saying that though... I think ill have to pass no that one until I get a stable first release at least.

I am currently working on the thumbnailing... however it is going to require a bit more work to make it prettier and more functional (as well as substituting the avatar with the first thumbnail).

Sadly, I am supposed to be preparing for the weekend so I doubt I will get much more done until next week at which time I think I should have a private beta ready

[rlamego]

In my simple non-coder way of seeing things, I was thinking about $nextpage = $currentpage +1 and $previouspage = $currentpage - 1.
The writer could just type [ url=$nextpage ] my witty next page link [ /url ], no?
I don't know how the thing is built right now so maybe I'm just suggesting something that means a total rewrite =)

What about this:
- The writer knows how many pages his article has because he is the one with the finger on the button, right? (Haven't seen it but I'm guessing from your earlier comments that you are breaking pages using bbcode so everything is written on the same textarea, right?)
- If he knows, then the thing doesn't need to be so automatic than we have been discussing, it just needs to be simple, right?
- So why not going bbcode all the way and create a new one like [ page=x ] [ /page ] that will link to the article URL location + "&page=x"?
This way he could make links back and forth without effort and without messing with complicated code.

Anyway, I think this question is secondary. Please do concentrate on the important things you want for this release and leave this to another date. Maybe in the meanwhile some genius stroke hit you =)

[Guy G]

When is this expected to come out...? any date aprox.?

[TCB]

Originally Posted by rlamego

In my simple non-coder way of seeing things, I was thinking about $nextpage = $currentpage +1 and $previouspage = $currentpage - 1.
The writer could just type [ url=$nextpage ] my witty next page link [ /url ], no?

For a noncoder like me it seems like something like that could work. That way you can easily make your own contentlist on the top (or bottom) of the page. Great thinking

[rlamego]

TCB, for linear navigation the $nextpage/$previouspage is great, although it needs some safeguards like if $currentpage = 1 then there isn't a $previouspage.

For non-linear navigation, like a content list, it doesn't work because you can't jump from page 1 to page 3.
My second suggestion ( [ page=x ] [ /page ] ) is way much better for that and it also works fine for linear navigation, not to mention that it must be 10x easier to implement.

[H2k]

Originally Posted by rlamego

TCB, for linear navigation the $nextpage/$previouspage is great, although it needs some safeguards like if $currentpage = 1 then there isn't a $previouspage.

For non-linear navigation, like a content list, it doesn't work because you can't jump from page 1 to page 3.
My second suggestion ( [ page=x ] [ /page ] ) is way much better for that and it also works fine for linear navigation, not to mention that it must be 10x easier to implement.

Hello

This is really nice MOd and i like to have it .. when i t going to be Released.

Thankyou

[The Geek]

Hey Guys...

Just got back in and have been doing some cleaning up.

I have the first thumbnail working as a substitute for the avatar as seen here-> http://www.thenailgeek.com/showthread.php?t=11287

If a thumbnail is included as an attachment - the very first one uploaded is used as the pic. Otherwise, the posters avatar is used (though maybe this should be toggle-able)

Fixed Jump to new post and go to last post (I think)

I tweaked the header and comments slightly

I had to take the pagenav out of the bottom of the post in order to accomidate attachments (sorry TCB)

I put in the basic code to show your thread rating - though this isnt finished yet as it doesnt pull guest ratings and it only pulls member ratings if the article was done (or edited) with the new system. Should have this sorted tonight.

The pagination issue: I can look into turning it off (like with smilies). That would POSSIBLY enable you to do custom BB code - though this is harder to do than you might think. Personally, I like the way it is now so I think I will initially run with it.

Stuff to do:
Finish up the rating stuff
Finalize newthread/editpost
Clean up some code
Set up the private beta test

Stuff I will do later
finish phrasing templates (there are only a couple hard coded ones)
Complete installer (dont expect one of my ass kicking installers - well - at least not a new one for beta testing )
Look into integrating forumdisplay so it can reflect article pages in the pagination.

Think thats about it for now. If all goes well... I could have something for private testers tonight or tomorrow at the latest.

nJoy

[The Geek]

Mkay kiddies -

The Private Corpral Beta Test Program is now open for the first few people that PM me their email address (So I can email the package to you). I have finalised things as much as I am going to at this stage and I am pretty sure the install package should be pretty OK.

Remember that its a Beta, please do not PM me to participate if you do not know diddly squat about PHP as you may be required to do a little (though in honesty... I doubt you really will do).

Thanks all... Im heading to bed in a minute so I may not get it to you until tomorrow.

Couple of examples: http://www.thenailgeek.com/showthread.php?t=11287
http://www.thenailgeek.com/showthread.php?t=8801

Known issues:
Tweak the rating a touch (want to include overall rating as well)
Complete phrasing (though most are done)
Integrate forumdisplay a little better
integrate printthread.

[hockyfan]

Sorry, I might have missed the answer for this one, but will there be an option to turn on/off having the "comment" button and the comments visable on the first page?

h