vBaCMPS Featured/Random Geek Articles

Hack: vBadvanced CMPS Featured/Random Geek Articles
Version: 1.2
Author: Me

Instructions:
upload modules/featuredgeekarticles.php into modules folder
upload admincp/featuredgeekarticles_install.php into admincp folder
run above fileFollow the file modification in the README

File modifications: 1
Template modifications: 0
Installer: Yup. A very cool one.
Phrased: Yup

In a nutshell, this module is based upon the vBa news module, but is instead set up to pull a pre specified 'Featured Article' or even a 'Random Article'. This is really designed for those using The Geek Article System. If you don't have The Geek Article System, you are most likely very lonely anyway.

version 1.2 uploaded 02/02/05
Updated Readme to work with latest vBaCMPS

version 1.2 uploaded 07/01/05
Fixed 'Excluded Forums' bug that appeared to have been bitten by Zombie.
It came back to haunt one user so I had to take drastic action and update it.
It now WORKS with your 'excluded forums' setting. That is to say, you can exclude your acticle forums from 'Latest topics' but they will still happily appear as a featured article.
Please note that this means there is now a file edit. Please read the README.

Check out the Readme that comes in the package.

note:if you dig this module, you may be interested in the Latest articles one too.

PS: Your template will be a tad different from my screen shot as this is for my style.

nJoy

[Lizard King]

Is this and the other one working with cmps 1.0.1 and geek articles 3.51 ? because this one didn't work for me and the other one's instructions cannot be completed because the file change we need to make cannot be made.

[misuse]

Two things:

1) Even though I have it set to "Show the thread/article icon", nothing shows. The poster avatar will show when enabled however.

2)In the URL to default image section it keeps adding the slash before the UNC, as follows:
/http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/gas/images/default.jpg

[KTBleeding]

Originally Posted by misuse

Two things:

1) Even though I have it set to "Show the thread/article icon", nothing shows. The poster avatar will show when enabled however.

2)In the URL to default image section it keeps adding the slash before the UNC, as follows:
/http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/gas/images/default.jpg

Same here, I even hardcoded the icon in (removed the conditional statements) and it still won't show up.

[The Geek]

Thats becasue this is designed for GAS2.0

I havent had time to develop one for 3.0 yet. This will work - but it will not use GAS3x header image or byline. It will only show first x amount of chars from the article.

I have a rough version on my site for 3.0 but havent had time to rework it properly though. If anyone wants to finish it up - I am more than happy to help by providing the code.

[misuse]

Anyword on what's happening with getting this set up to work with 3.5 yet?

[The Geek]

I sent tpr some prototype stuff I use on my site and he tweaked it some so its now working for him. He said he would post it when he gets a minute.

HTH's

[Lionel]

I made a module to display categories, should I post?

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by Lionel

I made a module to display categories, should I post?

hell ya. Is it like the one for last x articles? If its different - post a new add on. I am sure many would benefit.

[Lionel]

here you go. I grouped all articles as subforums under one category in forums named articles.
then I made a module named geekcategories.php (replace parentid=xx with the main category number)

PHP Code:

<?
$result_articlescategories = $DB_site->query("
SELECT * FROM forum WHERE parentid=XX ORDER BY displayorder
 
"); 
 
 
 
while ($artcatego = $DB_site->fetch_Array($result_articlescategories)) {
 
$artid = $artcatego[forumid];
 
$arttitle = $artcatego[title];
 
$artdescription = $artcatego[description];
 
$artthreadcount = $artcatego[threadcount];
 
eval('$categobits .= "' . fetch_template('adv_portal_artcategobits') . '";'); 
 
}
 
$DB_site->free_result($result_articlescategories);
 
 
 
eval('$home[$mods[\'modid\']][\'content\'] .= "' . fetch_template('adv_portal_artcatego') . '";');
 
 
 
unset($artcatego,$artid,$arttitle,$artdescription,$artthtreadcount);
 
?>

then I created the templates.
adv_portal_artcatego

<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" class="tborder" width="100%">
<tr>
<td class="tcat"><span class="smallfont"><strong>$vba_options[portal_blockbullet] Categories</strong></span></td>
</tr>
$categobits
</table>
<br />

adv_portal_artcategobits (replace forums with yours)

<tr class="alt1"><td><table width="100%" cellpacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr class="alt1"><td><span class="smallfont"><strong><a href="/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=$artid" title="$artdescription">$arttitle</a></strong></span></td><td align="right"><span class="smallfont"><font size="1" color="#666666"> ($artthreadcount)</font></span></td></tr></table></td></tr>

[Troy McClure]

Like a couple of others I am having trouble with the module displaying. If I make it a "featured" article and specify the article number, the module shows up fine but if I go with the random method nothing shows at all on my front page.

Anyone figure out a fix?

Thanks,

Troy