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

[Telkman]

Looks like your phrases didn't get updated... in the readme/installation it'll mention what to do (basically just opening one of that gas phrases and saving, but it'll explain in more detail).

[hpwilhelm]

Geek: Is there any posibility to integrate an editor like FCKeditor? Swaping it for the vbulletin one? Or as an option in a seperate articleedit file?

I need a good way to get my articles properly html-formated with paragraphs and headings. The vbulletin wysiwig only leaves a div with br tags in it. Not pretty code...

Propper Html formating would be usefull for SEO, and readers using speachbrowsers.

A way to only allow HTML for the article and not the comments would also be very handy.

Thanks for a great addition!

[venomx]

Originally Posted by hpwilhelm

Geek: Is there any posibility to integrate an editor like FCKeditor? Swaping it for the vbulletin one? Or as an option in a seperate articleedit file?

This has been asked a few times....

[trulylowcarb]

Originally Posted by The Geek

hmmm.

looks like I need to add a check to see if HTML is enabled. In the meantime - for those of you who have html enabled and have this problem, edit your forumdisplay.php file and search for:

PHP Code:

$thread['synopsis']=parse_bbcode2($thread['synopsis'], 0, 1, 1, 1); 


and change to

PHP Code:

$thread['synopsis']=parse_bbcode2($thread['synopsis'], $foruminfo['allowhtml'], 1, 1, 1); 


Just a note to let you know that when I tried this, my forum display went whacko... so I am going back to the dummy method: removing the html in the existing articles forum in favor of straight vb code...

THANKS again for sorting out all my other issues, Geek.

[The Geek]

if there are issues with html causing layout problems with the auto synopsis features - all you have to do is add the tags to the pre_for_broken_tags function in functions_geekarticles.php

I didnt add the extra HTML tags as I didnt think many used html in their threads.
Which brings us on to the FCKeditor question. I guess I can look into it - though I wouldnt hold out for it. The purpose of the system is to use as much vB3 as possible. Changing editors could prove to be a lot of work for this mod and possibly out of the scope of the project. If using the FCKeditor is a serious need for you - you may be better off checking out cinqs article hack as that is the editor he uses (if I remember right).
The best solution would most liekly be a hack that allowed you to use the FCKeditor instead of the VB editor regardless of if you were using this hack or not.

Glad to have helped Carb.

[She Unlimited]

Could you PM me trulylowcarb to visit your homesite? I am hoping someone would jump in and help me install the cinqs and journal system. I was not able to do it successfully...

[ninjaneo]

Hey,

function remove_all_breaks(&$text){
	global $GAS_setting;
    $text=str_replace($GAS_setting['page_break'],"",prep_for_breaks(&$text));
    return $text;

}

PHP5 complained about this, simple fix was removing the & from prep_for_breaks(&$text), caused some bizare errors. Elite installer btw.

[hpwilhelm]

Originally Posted by The Geek

I didnt add the extra HTML tags as I didnt think many used html in their threads.
Which brings us on to the FCKeditor question. I guess I can look into it - though I wouldnt hold out for it. The purpose of the system is to use as much vB3 as possible. Changing editors could prove to be a lot of work for this mod and possibly out of the scope of the project. If using the FCKeditor is a serious need for you - you may be better off checking out cinqs article hack as that is the editor he uses (if I remember right).
The best solution would most liekly be a hack that allowed you to use the FCKeditor instead of the VB editor regardless of if you were using this hack or not.

vBarticles is an option, but i would primarly want to use vb3 to handle my articles. And the vbulletin wysiwyg is nice for posts, but not articles - 'static' website content.

FCKeditor would be an addition for websiteowners to optimize content. I believe user submitted articles should be HTML free.

Whats really needed is to get the first post - the article - to parse HTML, and deny HTML for the comments.

Another thought: There is a thread category/prefix hack (here ), it would be nice to integrate that with this one, so when a thread is categorized as 'Article' or 'review' then it will be displayed as an article. Then articles could be spread througout the forums.

[The Geek]

Thats not really how the system works. It would be a nightmare to check each thread title for diaplay as an article.
The other problem is that it would be a serious incontinuity issue. I think users would be odded out by some threads coming up one way and others another. My personal opinion is to keep articles with articles, reviews with reviews and threads with threads.

THe HTML for first post only is easy. The FCKeditor - who knows yet. Ill look into it - I just have plenty more on my plate right now.

Thanks for the feedback

[Rich]

Hello,
I installed this, and also voted to have this as HOTM. I have one problem that I hope can be corrected. I get an error. This is the error:

A runtime error has occured.
Do you wish to debug?

Line:356
Error 'null' is null or is not an object

I get this error after I edit an Article or create a new one. It doesn't happen when I am reading the articles though. It is just when the page needs to refresh after something has been added. Any ideas? (Its not a major issue with me as I am the only one allowed to add articles.I am just curious if anyone else has this problem and knows the fix.At best, its annoying.)