Add-On Releases - vBISpy - AJAX real-time feed of new posts/threads

After seeing the http://www.digg.com/spy application; I wondered if this could be done for vBulletin as well. I came across this webpage which had a "how to" on how they built a similiar application to do the same thing. Taking a page from their book (i.e. the code), I modified it for use with vBulletin.

During development, I also came across this post here on vBulletin.Org where the very subject had already been discussed.

So I put this together; a simple ZIP file with a single PHP script, three javascript files and 4 images.

Installation

. UNZIP the file into your forums directory
. That's it!

Virtually all the code to customize the page is in the vaispy.php script; there are no plugins, no templates and no phrases. You do not need to do anything further; this should work right out of the box.

In your browser, open the URL:

http://www.yourforum.com/forum/vaispy.php

You can see examples of this at:

http://www.viperalley.com/forum/vaispy.php
http://www.extremefitness.com/forum/vaispy.php

Note: I claim no ownership of this code except for the file vaispy.php - the rest of the files were using 'freely distributable' sources. As such, you may use these files as you wish, but please do not remove the copyrights.

This modification is for vBulletin 3.6 only, if you are running vBulletin 3.5 you will need to see this thread.

JOIN THE vBIspy Network!
Once you have this mod installed, you can join the vBIspy network to have your threads appear on this site; the vBIspy Network is a great way for people to see what's going on in various vBulletin communities and for forum owners to promote their sites and generate new traffic.

Optional add-ons

Who's Online mod for this: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=126209

vBAdvanced Module: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=126421

UPDATES
1.0.4
Added buro9's code from here

1.0.5 - 9.9.06
Modified some JavaScript in va_spy.js to remove split strings

1.0.6 - 9.10.06
Added date cuffoff code from here and changed init() to spyinit() - changed vaispy.php and va_spy.js files.

1.0.7 - 9.12.06
va_spy.js: Added a forum url variable to allow for integration with portals or other products outside the forum directory
va_spy.js: Added xmldelay variable at top of script for easier configuration or repolling
Updated files: vaispy.php, vb_spy.js

1.0.8 - 9.13.06
vaispy.php - changed code for checking for forum permissions to include password protected forums, added javascript tag for script code

1.0.9 - 9.16.06
vaispy.php
va_spy.js
va_effects.js
- modified to allow for proper display in Opera browsers and moved more html into vaispy.php to allow for stylevars, trimmed va_effects.js to remove unused code (ForumDog's suggestions, except not using templates yet), changed way threads are parsed (removes html as well)

1.0.10 - 9.17.06
va_prototype.js - removed 20kb of unused code

1.1.11 - 9.25.2006
vaispy.php
va_spy.js
- added SirAdrian's mods for thread status icons and alternating row colors
- added code to prepopulate the first 10 rows with existing threads allowing for 5 new ones to be added in scrolling mode (versus scrolling starting from the first thread).
- added option to display subscribed threads only

1.1.12 - 9.26.2006
vaispy.php
- added code to add empty rows if initial pull has less than 20 rows.

[Phooey]

Just installed it and it works great, thanks!

I've got it installed here: http://www.digitallywise.com/forums/vaispy.php

Also, it seems to be working fine with vBSEO. It points to the original URLs (not the mod_rewrite ones), but if you have vBSEO configured correctly, that should take you right to the correct "new" url.

[croportal]

it redirect to vbseo, but the urls not SEO


my doesnt work www.croportal.net/forum/vaispy.php ????

[MPDev]

Originally Posted by Phooey

Just installed it and it works great, thanks!

I've got it installed here: http://www.digitallywise.com/forums/vaispy.php

Also, it seems to be working fine with vBSEO. It points to the original URLs (not the mod_rewrite ones), but if you have vBSEO configured correctly, that should take you right to the correct "new" url.

Looks great! Check out http://www.vbispy.com and consider adding your site to the feed...

[croportal]

mpdev?????

can u answer me

[aquariumpros]

Why would this just stop working locally from time to time? Tested in FF and MSIE - multiple people on different systems, areas, networks, etc. all experience the problems @ the same time...

This is the 5th or 6th time this has happened - been out for the last 5 hours now...

http://www.aquariumpros.ca/forums/vaispy.php

[arossphoto]

Is there anyway to restrict use of this feature to certain member groups? I'm thinking it would be a nice thing to offer those members who have purchased a paid subscription.

I was looking through the php file, but I didn't see anything in there.

Thanks.

[arossphoto]

Originally Posted by arossphoto

Is there anyway to restrict use of this feature to certain member groups? I'm thinking it would be a nice thing to offer those members who have purchased a paid subscription.

I couldn't find the answer by searching this thread, but I just read through some of the posts and found the reply below that answers my question:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....1&postcount=49

ps: i have it only for selected usergroups. For those who want permissions can simply do this

add this below
require_once('global.php') line in viaspy.php

//set up usergroup permissions for view

if (!is_member_of($vbulletin->userinfo , #usergroups to check#))
{
print_no_permission();
}

It seems to be working okay. I guess now I just have to remember how to provide a link that is only visible to the same usergroups.

Cheers.

[Niber]

I've noticed that the post bot likes to add random spaces is there any fix for that?

For instance, make a post with..

"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa a aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

When it appears on the post bot it'll have an extra 4-5 spaces between the a's. Nothing major, but it causes problems with long htmls. (I believe it adds a space for continuous strings at every 21 characters.)

[croportal]

uninstall not supported

[MPDev]

Originally Posted by Niber

I've noticed that the post bot likes to add random spaces is there any fix for that?

For instance, make a post with..

"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa a aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

When it appears on the post bot it'll have an extra 4-5 spaces between the a's. Nothing major, but it causes problems with long htmls. (I believe it adds a space for continuous strings at every 21 characters.)

It adds spaces to keep from blowing out the page.