Detailed Latest Posts - Version 2

I finally got around to addressing some issues with the 'Detailed Latest Posts' hack I posted last year. This version uses a cron file to generate and cache the required data, saving your index from having to do all the work. This should also reduce the cpu load on large boards since the timing of the update is now controlled by the cron task. This has been tested and is live on my own board. Full instructions for installation are included in the download. For a demo please visit my board via the homepage listed in my profile.

All comments, suggestions, and other related discussion are welcome. Please inform me immediately upon discovering an error, either with the hack or the documentation.

[BigIke]

thanks so much, I visited your site a couple days ago and looked all around for that hack because I thought it existed somewhere else, but I couldn't find anything. Thanks for the hack

[Albus]

Originally Posted by bringindaruckus

thanks so much, I visited your site a couple days ago and looked all around for that hack because I thought it existed somewhere else, but I couldn't find anything. Thanks for the hack

Let me know if you need any assistance in setting it up, or need questions answered.

hum.. interesting technique.. would be good to apply this to a block or two in vBadvanced...

[Albus]

Thought I'd take a minute to post an 'overview' for those not familiar with vbulletin crons.

When you schedule a task in vbulletin, the time you set for execution is not an interval, but a specific time. For example, if you create a single task and set m=5, leaving the rest of the timing options alone, the task will run 5 minutes after every hour, not every five minutes.

Therefore, you will need to create as many tasks for this as you need. For example, if you want it updated every fifteen minutes, you need four tasks, setting m=0/15/30/45. This is how it breaks down:

For a five minute interval: 12 tasks where m=0/5/10/15/20/25/30/35/40/45/50/55.
For a ten minute interval: 6 tasks where m=0/10/20/30/40/50.
For a fifteen minute interval: 4 tasks where m=0/15/30/45.
For a thirty minute interval: 2 tasks where m=0/30.

This is much more preferable to running the queries on the index because adding a few more row to the tasks table is negligible in comparison.

Hope this answers some questions before they are asked.

[BigIke]

So does this work as a module for vBAdvanced? Specifically as a module on the left or right side? I'm thinking it would look weird..

[Albus]

Originally Posted by bringindaruckus

So does this work as a module for vBAdvanced? Specifically as a module on the left or right side? I'm thinking it would look weird..

I honestly have no clue. I do not use vBAdvanced. You can try asking a user who has both installed perhaps?

My initial though is this:

Alter the templates included at your discretion, and change the target for the modifications section from index.php to whatever vbadvanced uses. This includes the additions to $specialtemplates, $globaltemplates and the hack code.
Theoretically it should still work. There's nothing tricky going on here. It's all built using stock vB functions and tables/fields. Nothing is altered or added.

Let me know if you get it working in vba, so I can post a compliancy note.

[BigIke]

I think I'm going to install it as a module at the top, not left or right. It makes more sense on my site on top in the center.

[The Realist]

Can you explain how to install the phrases please.

[Albus]

Originally Posted by The Realist

Can you explain how to install the phrases please.

AdminCP -> Language & Phrases -> Phrase Manager

Click 'Search in Phrases' to see what's already there and 'Add New Phrase' to create a new one. Each presents a dialog with options and explanations.

This is a stock vB function. Hope that helps.