Forum Display Enhancements - Alternate Last Post Display

Alternate Last Post Display
By: Idan B.

1. Description & Usage:
Alternate Last Post hack will allow the forum admin to make the "Last Post" column on forum look different (have another/better layout):
Hack will make it with user avatar picture & instead of showing post date, it will show "time diff" since the post (for example: 4 Hours, 5 Minutes ago") - See pictures in attachment for better understanding. :up:
This Hack can be enabled on both Forum Home & forum Display or Forum Display Only.
The hack was develop for request of Theater (request was made here: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=214212 )
I assumed this request might be "handy" to other users of community, so developed it to be a fully working modification.

2. Installation:
Please click Mark as Installed.
Installation is pretty easy - just download & install:

• Extract zip for product xml & no-avatar picture.
• Goto: AdminCP->Plugin System->Manage Products : Choose "Add/Import Product" and import this product xml (product-alt_last_post.xml)
• Upload the "anonymous_avatar.gif" file onto /images/avatars/ directory. If testing it on your develop board, be sure to upload there as well.

3. Upgrade From Older Version:
1. uninstall previous version
2. Download new version xml & install as instructed in previous section.

4. Configuration:
Once installed, the "Vbulletin Options" under admincp will have extra section:
Section name: "Alternate Last Post Display"

• Enabled ? - Yes/No (default YES)
• Enable on Forum Home ? - Yes/No (default NO)
• Enable on Forum Display ? - Yes/No (default YES)
• Use "Last Post" text as title ? - Yes/No (default YES)
• Show differential time ? - Yes/No (default YES)
• Align "Never" to LEFT ? - Yes/No (default YES)
• Use profile picture instead of avatar ? - Yes/No (default NO)
• Picture width - INT (default: 40)
• Picture height - INT (default: 40)
  

5. Known Bugs:

• Forum Tabbbed modification has known competability with this mod - result it is not showing on forumhome. Currently debugging this one to allow fix on next version.
• v1.1.4 released. Since v.1.1.0 code was re-writeen completely from "scratch" and now it should support multi-languages (other than english) ! Note: Cyrillic & Latin chars reported to have some issues, still under check)
• See changelog below for full description of stuff fixed.

6. TO-DO's LIST (Next Versions):

• Allow thread view option on admincp.
• Other mods (such as Forum Tabbed Modification) conflict fixes - under checking !.
• [S]Admincp option to set avatar width/height.[/S] added in v.1.1.4
• [S]Admincp option to select between profile and avatar picture.[/S] added in v.1.1.4

NOTE: Currently supported format chars for date/time (v1.1.4) are :
Date: "j","d", "m", "n", "F", "M", "Y", "y","S"
Time: "h", "H", "g", "G", "i", "s", "a", "A".
Any other chars will result with Post Time: N/A displayed !

NOTE: i've left v1.1.3 and added in addition the v1.1.4, just in case anyone has problem, he can download old version & rollback.

Enjoy hack & dont forget to click Mark as Installed

[ArnyVee]

Idan, great job on those quick fixes.

I'm going to try and do the debugging for the folks that have the Tabbed Forum Home mod and see if we can get that solved! :up:

[IdanB]

uploaded version 1.1.3
Awaiting feedback on other stuff that might not be working.

@goxy63 - i tried to test it best i can, some characters i couldnt get to display on my text window (only getting it as ?, probably missing encoding installed on my pc).
Eventually I've set the regexp to \x30-\xFF, to avoid it seelct "space", as this would "screw" algorithm inside.

@dancue - the m-d-Y was tested on english & found to be working, if latest version (1.1.3) still giving you problem, add me to msn, will try to make some live chat to better debug this one (possibly some mod conflict).

[IdanB]

Originally Posted by ArnyVee

Idan, great job on those quick fixes.

I'm going to try and do the debugging for the folks that have the Tabbed Forum Home mod and see if we can get that solved! :up:

Thanks for the help
When we find out whats missing i'll upload it as fix in v.1.1.4

[troll2]

Great work, left alignment works, selecting "YES" does not show time passed since last post (xxx ago). Selecting "NO" to set the default date & time as configured by admincp works. It still does not show on forum home, but I think I am experiencing the same problem as described above as I am using "Tabbed Forum Home"

[dancue]

Looks good, except "last post" is not appearing. And it would look a bit better and easier to understand if you added a "by" right before the user's name.

eg..."Last Post by xxx" or "Thread title by xxx"

[IdanB]

Originally Posted by troll2

Great work, left alignment works, selecting "YES" does not show time passed since last post (xxx ago). Selecting "NO" to set the default date & time as configured by admincp works. It still does not show on forum home, but I think I am experiencing the same problem as described above as I am using "Tabbed Forum Home"

Can you please post the time string you see on one of the forums under Last Post ?
(exact text as appears on your forum ##/##/## ##:##AM or any other pattern you have)

About the forum home, once we get this debbuged with this mod, i'll release fix for it.

[IdanB]

Originally Posted by dancue

Looks good, except "last post" is not appearing. And it would look a bit better and easier to understand if you added a "by" right before the user's name.

eg..."Last Post by xxx" or "Thread title by xxx"

It has "by" already, see the picture i've attached.
it's should be <link>Last Post</link> by <link>xxx</link>
Can you please provide screenshot so i may see what you mean, maybe i'm not following your exact intentions.

[dancue]

Originally Posted by IdanB

It has "by" already, see the picture i've attached.
it's should be <link>Last Post</link> by <link>xxx</link>
Can you please provide screenshot so i may see what you mean, maybe i'm not following your exact intentions.

That's how I want it to be, but it is not showing up that way.

hmm...I just checked it out on Safari and it's showing up.

Let me clear my cache.

[dancue]

Nope. Cleared my cache on FF and it still does not show.

[goxy63]

Well none of characters mentioned above are not working with latest version
šđčćž
as well
Б б, Г г, Д д, Ђ ђ, Ж ж, З з, И и, Л л, Љ љ, Њ њ, П п, Ћ ћ, У у, Ф ф, Ц ц, Ч ч, Џ џ, Ш ш

If you need acces to my test forums let me know, I would be glad to help in this way

Cheers