Credit goes to Maria (MicroHellas) as this module has developed 100% from her. I just did some corrections according to vBulletin prototype for security.
1.- What's this?
vbFEngize is a polymorphic module. The package contains the engine which is a set of functions and templates, and thanks to the power of the organized in fieldsets custom fields, you can produce any type of module which is base in database records.
2.- Examples
By setting the correct custom fields, you can produce Module for:
Profiles
Articles
Receipts
Photos
Videos
Catalogs
Links
Classifieds
Profiles
Collections
and anything else related to database records
3.- Standard Fields
Category
Userid
Title
Description (using vbEditor)
Main Photo
Photo Gallery for each record
4.- Including in Lite version Features (functions)
Categories
RSS for each category
Sponsored Records
Premium Records
Top Records
Editor Choice records
Newest Records
Popular Records
Top Users
Search by Category, Username, Keywords
Bookmarks
vbSeo friendly
Ability to setup different template in your module
Ability to setup different template per category
(1) Records means: Profiles, Articles, Receipts, Items etc
5.- Extra fields
Extra fields are reusable (and here is the real power). Eg if you want to use a field "Age" multiple times in a form, you don't need to create it twice. You create it once and then you can assign it to as many fieldsets you want in the same form.
Group fields (or fieldsets). No more ungly listing. You can organize the custom fields in fieldgroups, and then assign each field group in one, multi, or all available categories.
6.- Extra field types
Text
Radio button
Checkboxes
Textarea
Drop list (single select)
Drop list (multiple select)
7.- Installation
Upload all files and directories including at "vbulletin" directory to the directory where vBulletin is installed.
CMOD the following directories to 777
/photos (inside vbfengine directory)
/tmp (inside vbfengine/photos directory)
/thumbs (inside vbfengine/photos directory)
For security reasons backup your database AND turn your board off
Check at your AdminCP->vBulletin Options->Plugin/Hook System that Plugin system is enabled.
From your AdminCP->Plugin System->Manage Products choose Add/Import Product and import the product: product_vbfengine.xml
If you want to add a link to your nav bar then you must edit the NAVBAR template:
By default none usergroup has permissions to use vbfengine, so you need to give permissions to any group. Goto AdminCP->Usergroups->Usergroup Manager and edit any usergroup you like to give permissions.
*** IMPORTANT *** If you don't give to Guest at least "can use" permissions, then they must NOT be able to see the links (Tell a Friend function).
If you've installed vbSEO, Login into vbSEO Control Panel, click "Custom Rewrite Rules", insert rewrite rules (attached in vbseo-rules.txt to not lose formatting) and save settings.
8.- First steps in use
Set the various options at vbFEngine->Options
Setup the categories
Setup (if you need them) Custom fields. Please note that fields are reusable, so in case that for example you want to use twice the field "Age" you don't need to create it 2 times. One is enought.
Setup Custom fields groups. You can add as many fields as you want to a group, and then to assign this group to one or more, or all categories. Please pay attention for unique display order of the groups.
9.- Authorization for reuse and redistribute (but please read carefully!!)
For Personal use: You can modify the code as you want by adding or removing features and/or templates, but in this case you can't share these modifications with other usres/members
For Coders:
You've the permission to:
Rename the files (so you can produce different modules).
You can setup the extra fields as you want and then to modify the file: products-vbfengine.xml to auto insert the field's values in database.
You can post the final product (including my files) for FREE only and only in vBulletin.org. Nowhere else, except if it's a vBulletin community operating by you.
You don't have permission to:
Modify the code
To add more functions (features)
To add more extra field types
To remove my copyright. But you can add yours, one line over mine.
And for sure you don't have permission to sell the module.
Seems cool but can you give more examples on uses for this?
Really unlimited. See the screenshoots. By adding some extra fields related to job seeking I did a module for job seeking. In the other screenshoot, by adding some fields (questions) about dating I did a dating module. This way, you can easily create a module for Business directory, for Receipts, for Articles etc etc.
Let's say that you did a module for Receipts. The included standard functions, can show:
Is this compatible with 3.6.2 (I haven't been able to upgrade yet) - I am getting database errors for accessing the main page and when trying to add New Extra Fields Group. (Exact database error can be found here - http://www.steadiforum.com/vbfengine.php)
Is this able to pull existing data from the tables, ie - username, date of birth etc ... ?
This is exactly what I have been looking for for a number of years, I hope this works!!
Is this compatible with 3.6.2 (I haven't been able to upgrade yet) - I am getting database errors for accessing the main page and when trying to add New Extra Fields Group. (Exact database error can be found here - http://www.steadiforum.com/vbfengine.php)
Is this able to pull existing data from the tables, ie - username, date of birth etc ... ?
This is exactly what I have been looking for for a number of years, I hope this works!!
TIA
Jason
Hello Jason,
Please give permissions to Guest, at least "Can use" to be able to enter. What I can imagine for database errors is that you haven't setup categories yet.
Sorry to reply to myself - it would appear the table vbfengine_subcategories is missing from the database, I've just checked and it hasn't been set up by the install.
My apologies I totally forgot about that - it's done, you should be able to access it now.
I have set one category up - and one extra field - so there is something populated in those tables.
Thanks for your help,
Jason
I found the problem, but don't know if I can resolve it right now as I'm connect from my appartment. Olympic removed the subcategories table from the product-vbengine.xml file. This causes the database error
I'll try to see if I've in my laptop any FTP client to connect to the server, to get the code. Otherwise tomorrow morning. I apologize for troubles.
No problems, glad it's something minor, I really want to be able to add this to my community and feel relieved that it's not just a backwards compatible issue!
Will keep an eye on the thread over the next 24 hours, thanks once again for your help.
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DB Changes 
Is in Beta Stage 
01-09-2008, 05:27 PM
