Compose External Javascript

vB Compose External v. 1.0.3 (Updated)

This hack provides an easy way to generate JS-Code for the Javascript syndication system on vB 3. It has been tested with VB 3.0.0 RC 1 and higher.

Features:

• Complete control of the HTML-code before, after and in between the links to the threads
• Possibility to enter a maximum-value for the count of threads to be displayed by the administrator
• Users can choose more than one forum to be displayed
• Users can choose how many threads to be displayed
• Users can choose how many characters in the thread title should appear (new in version 1.0.1)
• Users can choose from three pre-made styles (new in version 1.0.3)
• Integration into forumdisplay and navbar-templates (new in version 1.0.4)
• Complete integration in the look and feel of vB 3
• Phrase-compatibility

Plans for future versions:

• Option to choose the forums from a pulldown-men?
• Option to add it to the forum-tools (in order to be able to have the JS-Script created for this specific forum)
• Options for creating the URLs for XML- and RSS-feeds
• Adding new features when external.php will be updated with new features

These are the instructions how to install it:

• New templates: 1
• Templates to be changed: 2
• PHP-files to be added: 1
• Phrases to be added: 23

Step 1:
Insert the phrases using the XML-files. There are phrases for some languages. You can of course translate them to other languages using the phrase-system. If you do so, please send me the XML-files for these translations. I will add them to this ZIP. Right now there are:

• German
• English

Please be sure to save the language in the phrase system BEFORE you do so!

Step 2:
Upload the file composeexternal.php in the root of your forum.
Upload the files in the folder /images/composeexternal/ on the server.


Step 3:
Add a new template with the name "composeexternal" and add the content of composeexternal_template.txt (in this zip) to it.

Step 4:
Search for the following code on template forumdisplay:

 
 	    	<div><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/subscribe.gif" alt="$vbphrase[view_parent_forum]" vspace="1" /> <a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$foruminfo[parentid]">$vbphrase[view_parent_forum]</a></div>
 		</div>
 	</td>
 	<!-- / forum tools -->

Replace with the following code:

 
 	    	<div><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/subscribe.gif" alt="$vbphrase[view_parent_forum]" vspace="1" /> <a href="forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$foruminfo[parentid]">$vbphrase[view_parent_forum]</a></div>
 		</div>
 		    <div><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/subscribe.gif" alt="$vbphrase[composeexternal_categorystrip]" vspace="1" /> <a href="composeexternal.php?$session[sessionurl]do=composecode&amp;f=$foruminfo[forumid]">$vbphrase[composeexternal_categorystrip]</a></div>
 
 	</td>
 	<!-- / forum tools -->

Search for:

 
 	<if condition="$show['adminoptions']">

Add above:

 
 	<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="composeexternal.php?$session[sessionurl]do=composecode&amp;f=$foruminfo[forumid]">$vbphrase[composeexternal_categorystrip]</a></td></tr>

Step 5:

Search for the following code on template navbar:

   		<if condition="$show['wollink']"><tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="online.php?$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[whos_online]</a></td></tr></if>

Add below:

 		<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="composeexternal.php?$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[composeexternal_categorystrip]</a></td></tr>

Credits go to Ypsfanpage.de - a user of our forum. He coded the initial php-file. I ported it to the VB-system and created the php-file and the template.

See the screen-shots below, how it works, or visit our testsite.

Version-History
v. 1.0.0 - Initial release
v. 1.0.1 - Added character-limitation
v. 1.0.2 - Got rid of a small bug, occuring in MSIE, happened when there where too less threads, genereal optimization of the code
v. 1.0.3 - Added three pre-made templates
v. 1.0.4 - Added support for forumdisplay-template and navbar-template

Please click on install, when you choose to use this hack

[johng]

Originally Posted by wacnstac

The whole process in general on how to add phrases. I only see a menu option to upload/download a whole language in the control panel.

Can anyone answer this question? It probably seems self evident to most of you, but for the life of me I can't figure this out either.

How do you get the provided XML file into the phrase manager?

[eva2000]

Originally Posted by Bernd Glasstett

Not yet - but it runs on Gold perfectly. We use it on our production-board

Confirm the code still works for me on vB 3.0.0

[YLP1]

Hi all, I installed this mod but I am not getting to work. Nothing shows for the preview.
http://www.yourlincolnpark.com/lpsfo...seexternal.php
I went through to make sure that I installed correctly but I still get no preview. Any help is greatly appreicated

PS: I be a noobe....and one other question.... I can use this generated code to put in a non VB/PHP webpage correct?

[trackpads]

Yes you can put thin in a non-vb page. You need to run it from the Navbar link or from the Tools dropdown in the Forum Display, not call it directly.

-Jason

[YLP1]

Hi Jason,
Thanks for the response but I don't understand when you say I need to run it from the navbar link or tools dropdown....There is a link to create external JS but when clicked, it doesn't provide the code (it's blank).

I have attached a graphic so that you can see that it's generated the JS but the code shows no preview nor does it appear when added to a page:

[YLP1]

Ok I finally figured out what the problem was..... the composeexternal.php wasn't pulling my full path to the forums..... It's working now.....

But no matter what changes like reduction in title characters, specific forums that I choose.... the max 15 show for all forums. Any ideas how I can fix this?

Also, is there a way to use this to pull members that are online?

[youthgas]

Hi folks,

Sorry if this is a silly question, but where and how exactly do I insert the phrases (step 1).

Thanks,
Richard...

[GetGamer.com]

Is there any way to include n characters from the description (the thread content)? With that addition, this could be a great way to put news feeds on non-VB pages with not only the Subject but a few sentences or so to hook people in.

[Neobud]

Hello. Fantastic product!

I have just installed and re-checked my installation. All works great expect that I have to manually input the forum ID(s) seperated by a comma in the text box on the 'composeexternal.php' page. The text box will not populate with my forums as I expect it should do (assumed becasue your text reads "Hold Ctrl to select"). I wondered if this was a common problem. I have no idea.

Running 3.0.7.

Any help would be appreciation thank you.

[Bernd Glasstett]

Sorry for answering late, but I had many things to do.

Originally Posted by Neobud

All works great expect that I have to manually input the forum ID(s) seperated by a comma in the text box on the 'composeexternal.php' page. The text box will not populate with my forums as I expect it should do (assumed becasue your text reads "Hold Ctrl to select"). I wondered if this was a common problem. I have no idea.

The script never populated the forumids. So this is quite right

Originally Posted by GetGamer.com

Is there any way to include n characters from the description (the thread content)?

I am afraid that vbulletin itself doesn't give this possibility on the external.php. Would be some feature that could be provided with a hack of external.php.