Portal Software - A Better News Module Fix for vBadvanced CMPS 2.2.1

vBadvanced has released CMPS 2.2.1 with a substandard fix to the News module bug that has plagued many vBulletin forums for months.

Volconvo.com and developer Sillysoft are offering a free and better fix.


BACKGROUND

In version 2.2.0, the problem occurred when when the maximum characters variable was set at such a number that it precluded the display of closing BBCode tags. (thumb: news_verybad.png)

Version 2.2.1 "resolved" the issue by ending quoted material prematurely, effectively ignoring the actual maximum character value. (thumb: news_bad.png)

Volconvo.com and developer Sillysoft have partnered to offer the following better fix for vBadvanced CMPS that respects your personal settings. (thumb: news_good.png)


INSTALLATION

1. Find this line in [forumdirectory]/modules/news.php:
   PHP Code:

    $news['message'] = substr($news['message'], 0, strrpos(substr($news['message'], 0, $mod_options['portal_news_maxchars']), ' ')); 

   Replace with the following code:
   PHP Code:

   // START BUG FIX
// Provided by Volconvo.com and Sillysoft
// http://www.volconvo.com/cmps.php?page=newsmodulefix
// Original code:
// $news['message'] = substr($news['message'], 0, strrpos(substr($news['message'], 0, $mod_options['portal_news_maxchars']), ' '));

                    $rawdata = $news['pagetext'];
                    $newspart1 = substr($rawdata,0,$mod_options['portal_news_maxchars']);
                    $newsposition = strrpos($newspart1,' ');
                    $newspart1 = substr($newspart1,0,$newsposition);
                    
                    $rawdata = $rawdata .'.';
                    $newspart2 = substr($rawdata,$newsposition,-1);
                    
                    preg_match_all('#(\[(.*?)\])?.*?(\[\/(.*?)\])?#',$newspart2,$newspart2tags); 
                    $numtags = count($newspart2tags[0]);
                    $tags = '';
                    
                    for($i = 0; $i < $numtags; $i++)
                    { 
                        
                        $tags .= $newspart2tags[1][$i] . $newspart2tags[3][$i];
                             
                    }
                    
                    $shownews = $newspart1 .'...';
                    $news['message'] = $bbcode_parser->do_parse($shownews, $mod_options['portal_news_enablehtml'], $news['allowsmilie'], $mod_options['portal_news_enablevbcode'], $mod_options['portal_news_enablevbimage']);

// END BUG FIX 

2. Click INSTALL.

CHANGE LOG

11/6/06: Update to better handle images as provided here.

CREDITS

This fix was developed by Sillysoft in partnership with Volconvo.

You may contact Sillysoft at liquidchaoss (at) yahoo.com or via AIM at "Sillysoft".
The Volconvo administrator may be contacted here.

[kall]

Just a note, vBACMPS is, and has always been, free.

[voteforbird]

Right. I never said it wasn't… I didn't mean to imply that it wasn't by saying this was free, as well.

[magnus]

I'm curious as to why you would have people modify the powered_by_vbulletin phrase when the fix in question affects vBadvanced. Such an edit would be displayed and viewable on all vBulletin powered pages.

As a side note, for those installing this -- I would recommend adding a rel="nofollow" tag to the links within the branding text, to prevent search engine crawling of those links.

eg.

+ the <a href="http://www.volconvo.com" rel="nofollow">Volconvo</a><a href="http://www.volconvo.com/cmps.php?page=newsmodulefix" rel="nofollow"> news module fix</a>

[voteforbird]

Originally Posted by magnus

I'm curious as to why you would have people modify the powered_by_vbulletin phrase when the fix in question affects vBadvanced. Such an edit would be displayed and viewable on all vBulletin powered pages.

I didn't know there was a better place to add it. In my powered_by_vbulletin phrase, there's a vBadvanced notice there, as well. Is that one not global?

Why are you being so rude?

[magnus]

Originally Posted by voteforbird

I didn't know there was a better place to add it. In my powered_by_vbulletin phrase, there's a vBadvanced notice there, as well. Is that one not global?

vBadvanced in no way modifies the powered_by_vbulletin phrase. It utilizes it's own independant phrase, powered_by_vbadvanced_cmps, which is displayed on all pages generated by vBadvanced. If you have to modify any phrase, this would be the one.

Originally Posted by voteforbird

Why are you being so rude?

I wasn't aware I was being rude. Would you care to elaborate?

[cheesegrits]

There shouldn't be any updating of powered phrases, period. Asking for a "powered by" credit for one patch to one module in CMPS is ridiculous. That's like "third spear bearer on left" asking for equal credits with the lead actors in a movie.

Just my $0.02, your mileage may vary, one persons opinion, etc etc.

-- hugh

[voteforbird]

Originally Posted by magnus

I wasn't aware I was being rude. Would you care to elaborate?

Your "I'm curious" comment and suggestion to add nofollow attributes insinuates that you think I'm trying to improve my search engine rankings. This is not the case.

Originally Posted by cheesegrits

There shouldn't be any updating of powered phrases, period. Asking for a "powered by" credit for one patch to one module in CMPS is ridiculous. That's like "third spear bearer on left" asking for equal credits with the lead actors in a movie.

Just my $0.02, your mileage may vary, one persons opinion, etc etc.

-- hugh

Point taken. The instructions have been modified accordingly and the link is no longer required.

[cheesegrits]

Originally Posted by voteforbird

Point taken. The instructions have been modified accordingly and the link is no longer required.

You have regained my respect.

Thanks for the fix. I'll use it now.

-- hugh

[magnus]

Originally Posted by voteforbird

Your "I'm curious" comment and suggestion to add nofollow attributes insinuates that you think I'm trying to improve my search engine rankings. This is not the case.

My post was made to be informative and factual. Which it was. I didn't interject my opinion on the subject.

But since you opened the door:

As for the nofollow tags -- they should've been added to begin with as a common courtesy. What your actual intentions were is irrelevant. Adding such links is unethical and I simply provided the needed code to correct this 'oversight'. Nevermind the fact that the entire branding addition is completely unwarranted and obtrusive.

I'm also baffled how cheesegrits' post was met with enthusiasm while mine was met with tooth and nail.