Yet Another GARS and vBA CMPS thread...

[tgreer]

Sorry, but all of the other threads on the topic seem to just wander off into never-never land.

What I'd really like is a true, complete CMPS module for GARS.

The issue with all of the "just copy the news module" is that the news module is copyrighted code, and cannot be redistributed.

There are some modifcations to news, but then, you're displaying GARS articles *instead of* news.

Same with "Recent Threads".

What is really needed is a complete, GARS-specific, configurable CMPS add-on module. It should have its own templates, with different templates used based on position in CMPS. For example, left/right should be simple table-of-contents style listings of article titles, while center position should be closer to the way the news module looks.

I know this has been discussed, but never resolved.

Is it planned?

[trana]

The issue with all of the "just copy the news module" is that the news module is copyrighted code, and cannot be redistributed.


I don't understand this. When they say "copy" they mean just make a copy of the module, not the whole software package. This is definately allowed and recommended on the VBA site.

Also, a few people have gotten Goddard's module to work with GARS, it looks pretty nice once it works.

[tgreer]

I understand what "copy" means. However, any module based on these modules cannot be redistributed. So, you wouldn't find them on vbulletin.org or vbhackers.com, or even here.

Also, such hacks don't provide the full scope of features that a true GARS module should have, in my opinion.

[GavinZac]

no, you dont get it, tgreer. you can make a double version of the "news module" in your vBA settings. you never touch any code and essentially its just using the same code, twice.

[tgreer]

I understand that perfectly. For an explanation of what I'm talking about, please re-read my posts in this thread.

[GavinZac]

I understand that perfectly. For an explanation of what I'm talking about, please re-read my posts in this thread.
no, you dont seem to. you dont need to download any module from vb.org or otherwise, you just need to:

1. Log into your Admin Control panel
2. Click vbA CPMS
3. Click Edit Modules
4. Click your default news Module
5. In actions, select Copy.
6. you now have a second news module. edit this and select the forum (ie, GARS category) you wish to be displayed as a news module.
7. what you now need is a "simple table-of-contents style listings of article titles". is this static? if it is, its pretty simple to create one. if its dynamic, based on hits or last post or something. step 7 is to decide, do you want to have set articles in this list of contents? or do you want a dynamic one? there are downloadable add-ons from the vBa site that will allow you to select any forum and have its articles displayed like this, dynamically
8. create or install this module. for a static list, it is nothing more than a few lines of html links. for a dynamic module, download one from vBa's site and configure it to show articles from the specified forum(s) (category(s) as vBa calls them)
9. Do you want these on your home page? if so, configure it to show both these modules; however, im guessing you want these on a seperate vBa page. click Add Page from your vBa CMPS menu
10. Click Module
11. Configure your new page, with things like its name. You should also see check boxes for selecting which modules will appear on the page. tick the boxes for your second "news module" and your table of contents/articles module.
12. Save this, and create a link to your new page. Voila! a vBa GARS page, as requested!

[tgreer]

Yes, as I've stated (repeatedly), I understand that. The point is, I don't want a GARS module that is a copy of the news module, or a copy of the Recent Threads module: re-re-read my original posts in this thread.

Morever, any such module could not be re-distributed, so cannot be the basis of a distributable GARS module. Seems very clear to me, I don't understand the continued mis-communication.

So let me re-state the question: is a real GARS CMPS module planned? Part of the 2.0 release, perhaps?

[GavinZac]

Yes, as I've stated (repeatedly), I understand that. The point is, I don't want a GARS module that is a copy of the news module, or a copy of the Recent Threads module: re-re-read my original posts in this thread.

Morever, any such module could not be re-distributed, so cannot be the basis of a distributable GARS module. Seems very clear to me, I don't understand the continued mis-communication.

So let me re-state the question: is a real GARS CMPS module planned? Part of the 2.0 release, perhaps?
what exactly do you want? :confused: i thought i had shown you how to do both of the things you asked for, specifically a page with 2 modules. also, when something is so easily created, why would it be released as a module or modules? pretty much anything is possible using creatation of pages/modules, and this page youre requesting would have to be a lot more complicated than simply showing recent articles and a table of contents for anyone to justify going to the bother of completely re-writing the News Module so that it can be re-distributed for people too lazy to write a few lines of html

[tgreer]

Ok, yet another go at saying the same thing one more time:

I'd like to know if an official, robust, configurable GARS module for CMPS is planned, and if so, when it is scheduled to be released, and at what price.

That's the question in its entirety. Now, some background:

Any such module would be, by definition, distributable. That being the case, any such module could not be based upon a copy of the News or Recent Threads modules, since they are copyrighted and cannot be re-distributed.

Still with me? Then let's continue:

Also, any such "News-based" module doesn't really provide the full scope of features a truly GARS-integrated module would provide.

THEREFORE:

Descriptions of "How-to" use a copy of the news module, or descriptions of how you "got it to work" on your forum, are off-topic. The fact that you've done so is commendable, but doesn't 1) answer my question or 2) prove somehow that I'm "lazy".

If you still are confused about what I want, that's ok. I'll trust that someone else who does understand will eventually come along.

[gothic]

The nearest to an answer to date can be found HERE (http://www.thevbgeek.com/showpost.php?p=7564&postcount=46)

[The Geek]

In a nutshell: No. There isn't any plan to write code for another product right now. Hence the reason I have been offering cash over the last 6 months for someone to do it - no one has yet to come up to the bat.

I can write it. Its not a big deal - it just takes time away from coding for my projects and my customers. vBaCMPS is not my product. A GARS module would be an add-on for that product and require that product in order to run.
99% of users can happily get what they want with Gavins approach. The only thing that can't really be done is automatically getting the header image (which isn't needed for recent articles).

I stated I would look into creating an easy API for this type of use, but my focus is on creating code for my products, not others products :D

Thanks for understanding.

[tgreer]

I appreciate the answer. If I decide to have a go at it, I'll let you know.

(Have to mention, though: GARS can't run without vBulletin, so a module that requires CMPS isn't any different; just another market for you to explore!)

[GavinZac]

Ok, yet another go at saying the same thing one more time:

I'd like to know if an official, robust, configurable GARS module for CMPS is planned, and if so, when it is scheduled to be released, and at what price.

That's the question in its entirety. Now, some background:

Any such module would be, by definition, distributable. That being the case, any such module could not be based upon a copy of the News or Recent Threads modules, since they are copyrighted and cannot be re-distributed.

Still with me? Then let's continue:

Also, any such "News-based" module doesn't really provide the full scope of features a truly GARS-integrated module would provide.

THEREFORE:

Descriptions of "How-to" use a copy of the news module, or descriptions of how you "got it to work" on your forum, are off-topic. The fact that you've done so is commendable, but doesn't 1) answer my question or 2) prove somehow that I'm "lazy".

If you still are confused about what I want, that's ok. I'll trust that someone else who does understand will eventually come along.

if you want similar functionality to a normal GARS page except within vBa CMPS, you could always just "wrap" the existing GARS forums into it. this would require very little coding and there are many guides on how to achieve it. most ive seen only display a normal forum inside the left/right modules, but im sure it would actually be simpler to include GARS and its own left/right modules.

thats about as much inter-cms integration as you can get! but while "the geek" is obviously very busy at the moment, if you outline exactly what functionality you require, he could do it or commision someone else to do it "officially".

[tgreer]

I know you mean well, Gavin, so I'll just say "thanks", for the effort you've put into this thread. I'm a professional developer, so I'm not here seeking coding advice. I'm familiar with all the techniques you've described. I just wanted to know if there was going to be an official module written/released, before I coded my own. Since the answer is "no", I consider the thread "closed".

[jsa]

I appreciate the answer. If I decide to have a go at it, I'll let you know.

(Have to mention, though: GARS can't run without vBulletin, so a module that requires CMPS isn't any different; just another market for you to explore!)

Seems like a good market, too.

Vba users seem even more dedicated than the average vb user, and more importantly, more apt to pay. They seem to seek out paid modules much more than the vb.org user does.

[The Geek]

but trying to get someone to actually do a module for you is impossible.

[gothic]

but trying to get someone to actually do a module for you is impossible.
Hmmmm! I watched that plea play out...... A small dribble of interest in the first couple of days then totally dried up :eek:
I just wish I could code, but my brain is so old and withered, and my memory so... now what was I saying oops..... where am I
:eek: :eek:

[MrGeeK]

but trying to get someone to actually do a module for you is impossible.

No it's not....

No promises, and I'm not an expert php coder, and I'm really busy, but if people want to list exactly what functionality they want then maybe some magic might happen.

[defcon420]

i'd like to be able to select a specific gars forum (article/review) to be viewed in my vba 2.1. I'd also like to be able to have more than 1 block showing in my vba... possibly even 1 block for each gars forum that can display:
Picture
Title
Members Name
Read Count

ummm anything extra is a bonus :D

[MrGeeK]

Go see the other thread, posted a couple of lines that allow you to do that single forum stuff.

http://www.thevbgeek.com/showthread.php?p=7661#post7661

[tgreer]

A robust GARS module for CMPS would be highly configurable, in fact, I see a "set" of modules/templates:

Featured Article

A left/right column module that would show article title, byline, and synopsis. It would feature a SINGLE article/review/tutorial, selectable by the admin, or allowed to be random.

Articles Directory

A complete, dynamic list of all Articles. The module would show a set number, scroll down to see them all. Article Title, Byline, Synopsis. Unlike News, where each news item gets its own panel, this would be a single panel. Or, there could be a panel per article type...

Most Popular Articles

A left/right module, listing X number of the top-rated articles.

Article Search

Of course, site search will work too, but a specific search that could offer search by Category or Author would be nice.

Featured Author

This would be a new article type: INTERVIEW, which would work like "Featured Article", but would feature an "interview" with one of the site's popular article/review/tut authors. (To be clear, I'm suggesting both a new Article TYPE, the INTERVIEW, in the core GARS product, and a corresponding CMPS module to feature a particular interview.)

The nice thing is that all of these could be collected together on a unique CMPS page, to really focus attention on the Article side of your site/forum.

I would expect this to all be controlled by a single PHP program, and to have its own complete set of templates.