Forum module

[krymmel]

Hi everyone,

I have needed a Forum module for a while so I have just made a very simple forum based on the news module.

It contains a main page listing the Forums and the topics grouped by Forums and a topic page with all the reply's (comments).
An administrator still have to start all topics.  from the admin section - pages.

For more information on the module see "info about module" in addons/modules when installed.

As I've only just finished it I'm sure there still may be bugs to be ironed out. Let me know if you find some.

Download latest version at: http://www.websitebakers.com/pages/modules/interaction/jk-forum.php

Have fun

Jan

Version 1.1A: added BBcode and smilies
Version 1.2A: added some more BBcode, registred users can now edit and delete their own posts, administrators can delete and edit all posts, added the posibility to quote a post when replying. Some improvements in the template.
Version 1.3.04B: Added full editor on replys with preview, The template editor has now buildt in editors with the used fields build in. Some bug fixes. Added Read/write access control for forums.
1.3.05B: Bug fix in the install .zip, added log in, log out link, logged in name and lik to profile editor at forum start page

PS: working on the posibility to register to the forum.

[erpe]

Hi krymmel,

for there is another module called forum I would think it will be fine, if you rename your module to make things clear (even the path), so one can install this one and the other

rgds

erpe

[aldus]

Hello

First problems found.
As where is also a "forum" developing going on here:
http://www.websitebaker2.org/forum/index.php/topic,11959.40.html

we've got name-collisions, as both are named "forum", so we can't run both.
even for testing/improvements ...

Please rename your forum as you like, e.g. "ky_forum" - what ever and use another folder.

Please take also a view to the naming of the tables you use to avoid conflicts in the db.

As for a first quick view i've no idea why the invisible chars at the start of the lines are nessesary,
also the double LF at the end ...
I've got also error-warnings in my editor that the uft-8 isn't correct and have to be handle within caution.

Edit
I also recoment to name the the zip file with the current version and optional state, here:
ky_forum_1.0.0._alp ha.zip and take a look at the AMASP Site
http://www.websitebakers.com/pages/general-view.php
to avoid future name-conflicts and/or joint developmener groups

Regards
Aldus

[krymmel]

I have changed the module name to JK Forum and the tabels to mod_jkforum and uploaded the new version (jkforum_v1.0A.zip).

The charcode is now in uft-8

[krymmel]

New Version 1.1A

Added some BBcode and smilies to replies.  as well as an editor.

[krymmel]

NEW Version 1.2A:
Added some more BBcode, (see picture)
Registred users can now edit and delete their own posts,
Administrators can delete and edit all posts, (see picture)
added the posibility to quote a post when replying.
Some improvements in the template.

[gila]

hi, wath great module! thank you!

i'm just tring it on a test wb installation, i wrote 2 topic and all work, now if i wrote  a new topic or i post a reply when i click to save it just goes to the home page and nothing is saved, have you some suggestion?

thanks

[krymmel]

Thanks.

Yes I think so, I have the some 'problem', Its the build in advanced spamprotection(in WB) thats stops you from replying more than one thime in a forum (making a new topic is the same) at one time.

You have to go out to the forum and go back to the forum/topic again if you want to reply two times at the same tread.

Jan

[Argos]

I just installed this module, and started working with it. I have found some things that are not as they should be:

- the little wysiwyg fields in the settings don't show all content when the fields are small (default). When you stretch the fields to make them bigger, more content appears.
- in the settings fields some widths are set in pixels, but because it's old style html, widths should be set without px.
- lots of English errors (also in code, hardcoded), like "replys" instead of "replies", "tread" instead of "thread", and "titel" instead of "title".
- illogical order of fields in the backend: not in hierarchical topdown order.
- in the backend field " Forum loop" the line

Code:

<a href="[BACK]?g=[GROUP_ID]"><h3>[GROUP_TITLE]</h3></a>

should be

Code:

<a href="forum.php?g=[GROUP_ID]"><h3>[GROUP_TITLE]</h3></a>

- in view.php there is a mysterious line that makes the name of every last poster into "Ukendt"??

[Argos]

@^&!#^(^3!
I give up, this module is still a long way from usable in a live site. I spent a day tweaking and polishing, but I ended up pulling my hair in despair gettign it right.

O man, why isn't there a good working forum bridge yet? All attempts are old, not working, incomplete, and stopped halfway.

[Hoco]

Dear WB-programmers,

Since 2007 I've got a website, running under the good, easy-to-use, easy-to-support Websiitebaker. Since that day, I'm looking for a easy-to-install and easy-to-support Forum-module.

I've found three attempts: JK-forum, WB-forum and a "vanilla-solotion".

http://www.websitebaker2.org/forum/index.php/topic,12307.0/topicseen.html
http://www.websitebaker2.org/forum/index.php/topic,15071.0.html
http://www.websitebaker2.org/forum/index.php/topic,7537.0.html

Please, can someone tell me, which is easy to install, stable to use and uses the identification of the backend ?

And if you can advise one, leave a link so I can check it out !

Hoco 

[daydreamer]

Does this work with 2.8?

[Argos]

Does this work with 2.8?

Does what work with WB2.8?

[daydreamer]

Jk-Forum module thought this was the module thread.

[Argos]

Jk-Forum module thought this was the module thread.

Yes, it was, but the last posts were drifting away from the subject a bit. I'm not sure, but I suspect it will work with WB 2.8 just like 2.7. But it's not a finished module, so be prepared for extra work.

[daydreamer]

thanks, WB needs a good forum module maybe one soon I guess

[Argos]

Somehow it seems to be very difficult to make or finish a decent module or bridge, that fully integrates WB and forum. All attempts stop somewhere along the way. I'm no coder, so I don't understand why. I guess it's more difficult than it seems when people start with it.

[Waldschwein]

Hello!

Let my perhaps explain a bit my view of the problem of a "real" forum bridge Forum <-> websitebaker. I have tried to program a bridge for phpBB3 some years ago (and I am no programmer...):

- The biggest problem are the users. WebsiteBaker is not thought acting as a community portal with thousands of people - the whole user / group thing for WB 2.x is only thought for sites where not many people are registered, and if there are many people registered, it's not easy to set options without working hours and hours if anything is newly introduced.
- The next problem is, that you have two completely standalone softwares. But when using a bridge it is essential that one of both acts major, and the other minor. Therefore WB has to act (because of the problem above) as minor, and the forum has to act major - because all well-known forum softwares are community-orientated and WB isn't really. But WB acting as a "module" of a forum has other problems - of course integrating LDAP (there was somewhere a core file replacement for it) could be a solution, but when dealing with new installed modules in WB (or worring about security and so on) such a bridge often gets both systems sooner as you think to point, where both don't work anymore trustable.
- When having a forum module, most people think "it is integrated in WB" - but it can't be. Therefore all the user/group settings of the forum have to be reworked - nobody wants to do that! Also template - automatic template for both is probably possible with some kind of module - but this is real hard work...

To summarize:
I once thought it can't be that difficult to bridge forum <-> WB. But it is. The biggest problem here is, that WB is really easy, but especcially when touching the user/login/group framework it soon gets to a point, where WB has to be rewritten. So when really having a working, trustable and - above of it all - easy and secure bridge there is no alternative for rewriting some (or more) of WB core code. And to be honest... I don't think anymore that's worth it. Get looking forum / WB template a bit the same, and if somebody want's to have access to WB homepage give him manually (as I do e.g. on the site in my signature).

Yours Michael

Edit: There was a discussion (German) about it: http://www.websitebaker2.org/forum/index.php/topic,8735.0.html

[Argos]

Thanks for the clear explanation Michael, that pretty much sums it up...

It would be nice though, to have a real WB forum module, even a small and simple one. The one discussed in this thread is promising, but it's not finished. I played around with it, but it has still too many flaws to be used in a live site. Bridging WB to an external forum is tricky, and you are right that trying to make the two softwares look the same is the best you can do. Actually I did that myself with http://www.vitiligo.nl and http://www.vitiligo.nl/forum/index.php. The same look&feel, but completely separate software and no shared accounts. It's not even an iframe.

However, it's hard to explain to clients that sharing accounts is not possible. users needing 2 accounts on the same site is a bad thing. But that is the current situation with WB. The whole account-related stuff should be really reworked, it's too awkward and primitive.

[Stefek]

Hello Jurgen.

It would be nice though, to have a real WB forum module, even a small and simple one. The one discussed in this thread is promising, but it's not finished. I played around with it, but it has still too many flaws to be used in a live site.

I agree with you.
Any Ideas on how we could set more attention on the development of this module?

It would be great to have a simple and easy to integrate WB Forum Module.
I think this one is a good starting point, but I am also mising to many (basic) features in it.

Regards,
Stefek

[Waldschwein]

Hello!

There is a small, but working forum module! http://www.websitebakers.com/pages/modules/interaction/wb-forum.php
Doesn't that fit?

Yours Michael

[Argos]

Let's hope the author of the module reads this and continues work on it. If not, we'll have to arrest him and throw him into the dungeons... 

[Stefek]

@Michael
What do you think we are talking about   

Let's hope the author of the module reads this and continues work on it. If not, we'll have to arrest him and throw him into the dungeons... 

Hmm.. 

If you have some ideas for Featrues, I will post them into the german thread.

My feature-wish-list is not that big at that moment:
- allow users to assign/reesign from notification of single threads
- asp instead of captcha for unregistred users.
- customization of the output via OPTIONS of the module itself
- additionals settings via OPTIONS

Did I miss something?

Regards,
Stefek

[Waldschwein]

Hello!

Well, it seems to be very easy - and the authors (BerndJM and Herr_rilke) are both active, as seen here: http://www.websitebaker2.org/forum/index.php/topic,15071.0.html .

Please make a list, what has to be done then, what should be implemented. There is subforum, Guest writing, captcha, admin panel and so on... Quite everything for the start.

Of course there are no PersonalMessages, there is no moderation control panel and a whole module API - and I think it won't be.   But it's an easy forum module that works, is developed specially for WB 2.8, and seems to be secure and quite bug free... As I can see on testing it.

Yours Michael

Edit: We are talking about two completly modules...
That's the problem.
 

[Stefek]

Edit: We are talking about two completly modules...
That's the problem.
 

Yes you're right (bin als quereinsteiger hier im thread... )

However.
I haven'ttest JK Forum right now.
But the BerndJM / Rilke Thing works fine so far.

I think it is better to combine the efforts to have ONE module insted of two of them.

Regards,
Stefek