Some things about 4.0 require some discussion, hence this thread.
As far as the WYSIYWG editor -- the task of translating a potentially infinite variety of HTML gunk into WSN Codes has proved unrealistic over the months, as all the complaints have indicated, so as of 4.0 I've given in and allowed it to be stored as HTML. This means the gunk is stuck in your database. If you want to keep your HTML validating, switch off WYSIWYG now or forever hold your peace. It also means that converting your data to another script will become very painful for you if you try it -- as I well know from trying to convert this forum from Invision's HTML gunk into WSN Forum. Another consequence is that switching from WYSI to text while composing something is useless. It would just show a bunch of gunk HTML, but in order to be a little friendlier I'm having it strip all formatting instead. Yet another point to keep in mind is that since HTML is being allowed this could open up security issues when using WYSIWYG.
Now, as for the modifications installer... my hope is that this will be used by people to simplify maintinence of little code hacks they make, and that it may lead to a few people distributing (or selling) hacks [legal note: mod files and files in the modifications directory should be considered owned by you, hence you can do as you like]. Please remember to use the modifications directory where possible, as explained in the manual, to have code auto-included in the script. There are some things you can't do from a generic insertion point though, hence the modifications installer.
As far as SQLite, please note that there isn't necessarily any reason to use it. The version bundled with PHP doesn't provide the ability to add fields, which means there would be uprgade problems using it, though I hope to get a workaround implimented if PHP won't update their version. Also, if anyone would like postgres or oracle contact me and perhaps we can speed that process a bit.
After upgrading an old version, it's a good idea to supply your FTP info in settings->system so that you don't have to worry about chmods anymore.
Those of you who are doing toplist side menus of categories should take note of the ability to use the sitemap now, it should easier and more server-friendly than using toplists.
Those of you using mod_rewrite should no longer edit .htaccess manually, let the script take care of it. If the way it autocreates it doesn't work for you, please report it so that workaround methods can be implimented.
When it comes to google pagerank, note that the pagerank is determined at submission time. The only way to update the pagrank is to regenerate links. This is mildly annoying, but remember that this is disallowed by google anyhow, and the more times you query their server the quicker they'll ban you.
With various features you will of course want to check their manual entries. Remind me of things I've forgotten to document.
Adequately tested: - FTP operations handled by WSN Links to simplify things - javascript used in places to simplify the display - conditionals now process items containing line breaks correctly - auction-style feedback system - registration invitations system - 'view original template' option in template editor - 'preview changes' button on 'edit link' page - option to put outgoing links in a frameset - required fields use .required style - load management via settings->system - bulk addition of links now allows specifying title and description - conditionals now work in {ADBANNER} - registration option for requiring both email and manual validation - submission rules auto-inserted on suggest link page - sitemap now works in any template - automatic .htaccess handling (rewrite_base calculation, etc) - easy way to rewrite specific URLs - google pagerank (sortable) - option on category edit to specify links per page - confirms email address change on profile edit when using email confirmation - google sitemap generation (limited to sites with < 25,000 links for now) - when the url is an RSS feed, feed fields are available within <!-- BEGIN FEED --> area as {FEEDFIELDNAME} - WYSIWYG overall switch that takes the option out of profile, registration and comments templates - WYSIWYG now stores as HTML so that all formatting works - custom template specification in javascript export static page - bulkedit.php now handles any field sent to it, not just the presets - email prefs option to add headers to outgoing email coming from the admin address (for reply-to or the like) - email prefs option to send all email from the administrative address - template conditionals now work in emails - future effective date for links - option to suggest a new category while submitting a link - a modification creator and installer - searches table that replaces searchlog.txt and makes toplists of searches possible - toplist option to sort by most common values of fields - guid in rss feeds - check that sites don't contain a list of banned phrases - a 'clear all suspects' option in link checker - SQLite database support - PAD file support - option to sort sponsored links differently from other links when they're separated - add fields option for a date field - pending, expired and hidden links in member home - custom accept members
Partially tested: - XML based link importer (need to test with 100+ over multiple pages) - customizable flatfile database importer (would benefit from testing under more varied circumstances with more data) - a server-cronable htmlcron.php (still need to test on a site with many pages) - option to check for duplicate recipurls (needs testing on large site)
Open issues: - option to require guests to validate the email they supply for their link (won't insert link into db with sqlite, does with mysql) - calendar system (editing the event time needs work) - PHP5's integrated version of SQLite can't add fields
Untested: - usergroup option for validation of sponsored links - option to make former-sponored links hidden - option to set a default days to expiration - option to have extra allowable reciprocating urls
joshberm - you can't eliminate the table, since that output comes from the classes/activecalendar.php plugin. As for RSS, not currently but I'll add that.
Would there be any way to construct a list (or toplist) of upcoming events and display it on the index page (or elsewhere outside of calendar.php)?
For example, a list of all the events in the next 7 days. I'm thinking of something as versatile as how links are displayed in the category pages - basically an anything-goes format...
Also, Members' and guests' event submissions do not go into the vaildation queue, they are approved immediately, even though the "Require Validation" is ON in "Manage Usergroups." Please disregard if you're already aware of this.
4.0.0 RC is now available. I've attached diff files showing template changes between the beta and release candidate.
Changes between beta and RC: - fixed up the calendar (validation, editing) - made toplists of calendar events possible - rss feeds of calendar events (see manual) - added pubdate to rss feeds - switch to autogenerate accounts when a person submits a link - {CATURL} now used to link to categories, and when the 'act as link' is set it no longer has to redirect. index.php links changed to {DIRURL} for consistentcy. - can now add fields with PHP5's SQLite - option for misc extras to put in htaccess - fixed bulk edit bug in both active series - fixed private messaging with wysiwyg - email log size restriction - conditionals now work in {MAINMETA} - calendar subscription - fixed htaccess issues - other minor fixes - more documentation, particularly of switches
Release candidate, meaning that if nothing comes up it'll be pretty much what the final looks like (not exactly though, as I just fixed an Opera WYSIWYG bug an hour ago).
1. I see in the manual that {EVENTSTARTDATE} and {EVENTENDDATE} have been set up as variables for events. However, when adding events, I don't see any way to specify whether it spans multiple days...
2. It might come in handy to allow changing the event date on Edit Event template. Would it work correctly if I just changed the hidden inputs to textboxes?
3. What happens to the events after their date has passed? Do they remain in the database table?
4. When I choose a month/year from the drop-down form field and click Go, it sends me to the wrong URL. My calendar is located at "http://www.gowesleychapel.com/directory/calendar.php" but it sends me to "http://www.gowesleychapel.com/directory//directory/calendar.php?monthID=11&yearID=2006"
As far as usergroup permissions, noted. The option to add event fields will wait until later. I'm not sure I see the point of calendar searching when the month view is pretty easy to read at a glance.
1) Hadn't noticed that before but I'll mark it down for the future and leave as-is for now. 2) Will fix. 3) They remain listed in the calendar, you can always browse backwards and I imagine it's often useful to do so to remember when something was. 4) You must have a bad directory url set or something of that sort.
RC 2 will be available in a few hours. I fixed an upgrade issue and redid the admin panel to make it easier to port between scripts along with a few small things (contact form wrong security image change, opera fix, calendar subscription fix). Non-admin templates are the same as RC1 outside of the contact form.
With {EVENTSTARTDATE} and {EVENTENDDATE}, would the events display correctly if I added these input fields to the template? Or does this have to be implemented deeper than the templates? I only ask b/c this feature is directly relevant to my calendar. It's a local events board so multi-day events such as festivals, workshops, plays, etc would be very common.
No such behavior on my sites, so it would have to be the directory url or file path, which when wrong often create such urls.
With {EVENTSTARTDATE} and {EVENTENDDATE}, would the events display correctly if I added these input fields to the template?
They aren't fields. It might work if you altered the actual fields, which are starttime and endtime unix timestamps, but I wouldn't bet on it since it's untested.
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Comments on 4.0 beta notes
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
Posted Sep 08, 2006 - 5:05 AM:
Some things about 4.0 require some discussion, hence this thread.
As far as the WYSIYWG editor -- the task of translating a potentially infinite variety of HTML gunk into WSN Codes has proved unrealistic over the months, as all the complaints have indicated, so as of 4.0 I've given in and allowed it to be stored as HTML. This means the gunk is stuck in your database. If you want to keep your HTML validating, switch off WYSIWYG now or forever hold your peace. It also means that converting your data to another script will become very painful for you if you try it -- as I well know from trying to convert this forum from Invision's HTML gunk into WSN Forum. Another consequence is that switching from WYSI to text while composing something is useless. It would just show a bunch of gunk HTML, but in order to be a little friendlier I'm having it strip all formatting instead. Yet another point to keep in mind is that since HTML is being allowed this could open up security issues when using WYSIWYG.
Now, as for the modifications installer... my hope is that this will be used by people to simplify maintinence of little code hacks they make, and that it may lead to a few people distributing (or selling) hacks [legal note: mod files and files in the modifications directory should be considered owned by you, hence you can do as you like]. Please remember to use the modifications directory where possible, as explained in the manual, to have code auto-included in the script. There are some things you can't do from a generic insertion point though, hence the modifications installer.
As far as SQLite, please note that there isn't necessarily any reason to use it. The version bundled with PHP doesn't provide the ability to add fields, which means there would be uprgade problems using it, though I hope to get a workaround implimented if PHP won't update their version. Also, if anyone would like postgres or oracle contact me and perhaps we can speed that process a bit.
After upgrading an old version, it's a good idea to supply your FTP info in settings->system so that you don't have to worry about chmods anymore.
Those of you who are doing toplist side menus of categories should take note of the ability to use the sitemap now, it should easier and more server-friendly than using toplists.
Those of you using mod_rewrite should no longer edit .htaccess manually, let the script take care of it. If the way it autocreates it doesn't work for you, please report it so that workaround methods can be implimented.
When it comes to google pagerank, note that the pagerank is determined at submission time. The only way to update the pagrank is to regenerate links. This is mildly annoying, but remember that this is disallowed by google anyhow, and the more times you query their server the quicker they'll ban you.
With various features you will of course want to check their manual entries. Remind me of things I've forgotten to document.
Adequately tested:
- FTP operations handled by WSN Links to simplify things
- javascript used in places to simplify the display
- conditionals now process items containing line breaks correctly
- auction-style feedback system
- registration invitations system
- 'view original template' option in template editor
- 'preview changes' button on 'edit link' page
- option to put outgoing links in a frameset
- required fields use .required style
- load management via settings->system
- bulk addition of links now allows specifying title and description
- conditionals now work in {ADBANNER}
- registration option for requiring both email and manual validation
- submission rules auto-inserted on suggest link page
- sitemap now works in any template
- automatic .htaccess handling (rewrite_base calculation, etc)
- easy way to rewrite specific URLs
- google pagerank (sortable)
- option on category edit to specify links per page
- confirms email address change on profile edit when using email confirmation
- google sitemap generation (limited to sites with < 25,000 links for now)
- when the url is an RSS feed, feed fields are available within <!-- BEGIN FEED --> area as {FEEDFIELDNAME}
- WYSIWYG overall switch that takes the option out of profile, registration and comments templates
- WYSIWYG now stores as HTML so that all formatting works
- custom template specification in javascript export static page
- bulkedit.php now handles any field sent to it, not just the presets
- email prefs option to add headers to outgoing email coming from the admin address (for reply-to or the like)
- email prefs option to send all email from the administrative address
- template conditionals now work in emails
- future effective date for links
- option to suggest a new category while submitting a link
- a modification creator and installer
- searches table that replaces searchlog.txt and makes toplists of searches possible
- toplist option to sort by most common values of fields
- guid in rss feeds
- check that sites don't contain a list of banned phrases
- a 'clear all suspects' option in link checker
- SQLite database support
- PAD file support
- option to sort sponsored links differently from other links when they're separated
- add fields option for a date field
- pending, expired and hidden links in member home
- custom accept members
Partially tested:
- XML based link importer (need to test with 100+ over multiple pages)
- customizable flatfile database importer (would benefit from testing under more varied circumstances with more data)
- a server-cronable htmlcron.php (still need to test on a site with many pages)
- option to check for duplicate recipurls (needs testing on large site)
Open issues:
- option to require guests to validate the email they supply for their link (won't insert link into db with sqlite, does with mysql)
- calendar system (editing the event time needs work)
- PHP5's integrated version of SQLite can't add fields
Untested:
- usergroup option for validation of sponsored links
- option to make former-sponored links hidden
- option to set a default days to expiration
- option to have extra allowable reciprocating urls
Nothing is impossible...
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Aug 07, 2006
Location: Tampa, Florida
Total Topics: 36
Total Comments: 91
I have a really dumb question, but....
Is the Calendar display customizable? I mean can it be formatted into a flat list rather than a calendar matrix?
Also, does it have the ability to output the events into an RSS feed?
Internet Evangelist
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Oct 19, 2003
Total Topics: 43
Total Comments: 103
BTW, when is the v4.0 scheduled to release?
Sometime very soon?
Thanks
Expert
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Aug 19, 2005
Location: England
Total Topics: 391
Total Comments: 1303
BTW, when is the v4.0 scheduled to release?
Sometime very soon?
Thanks
It's already released - go to the members' area and you will see it in the cat for experiments (or something like that)
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
joshberm - you can't eliminate the table, since that output comes from the classes/activecalendar.php plugin. As for RSS, not currently but I'll add that.
Nothing is impossible...
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Aug 07, 2006
Location: Tampa, Florida
Total Topics: 36
Total Comments: 91
Thanks Paul.
Would there be any way to construct a list (or toplist) of upcoming events and display it on the index page (or elsewhere outside of calendar.php)?
For example, a list of all the events in the next 7 days. I'm thinking of something as versatile as how links are displayed in the category pages - basically an anything-goes format...
Also,
Members' and guests' event submissions do not go into the vaildation queue, they are approved immediately, even though the "Require Validation" is ON in "Manage Usergroups." Please disregard if you're already aware of this.
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
I seem to have forgotten to add events to the toplist generator. Will do. Event validation doesn't seem implimented, will do that as well.
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
4.0.0 RC is now available. I've attached diff files showing template changes between the beta and release candidate.
Changes between beta and RC:
- fixed up the calendar (validation, editing)
- made toplists of calendar events possible
- rss feeds of calendar events (see manual)
- added pubdate to rss feeds
- switch to autogenerate accounts when a person submits a link
- {CATURL} now used to link to categories, and when the 'act as link' is set it no longer has to redirect. index.php links changed to {DIRURL} for consistentcy.
- can now add fields with PHP5's SQLite
- option for misc extras to put in htaccess
- fixed bulk edit bug in both active series
- fixed private messaging with wysiwyg
- email log size restriction
- conditionals now work in {MAINMETA}
- calendar subscription
- fixed htaccess issues
- other minor fixes
- more documentation, particularly of switches
Attached Files:
Expert
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Aug 19, 2005
Location: England
Total Topics: 391
Total Comments: 1303
4.0.0 RC is now available. I've attached diff files showing template changes between the beta and release candidate.
Just curious (and stupid!) but what does RC stand for?
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
Release candidate, meaning that if nothing comes up it'll be pretty much what the final looks like (not exactly though, as I just fixed an Opera WYSIWYG bug an hour ago).
Experienced
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Aug 27, 2005
Location: Czech Republic
Total Topics: 48
Total Comments: 82
Hallo Paul,
I tested calendar (btw. great idea :-) and here is several informations and questions:
1. I think default check of events for admin usergroup is better.
2. I did not found event field in Admin/add fields. Can I add new events field ?
3. Paul, did you plan searching for calendar?
Thank you.
Nothing is impossible...
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Aug 07, 2006
Location: Tampa, Florida
Total Topics: 36
Total Comments: 91
1. I see in the manual that {EVENTSTARTDATE} and {EVENTENDDATE} have been set up as variables for events. However, when adding events, I don't see any way to specify whether it spans multiple days...
2. It might come in handy to allow changing the event date on Edit Event template. Would it work correctly if I just changed the hidden inputs to textboxes?
3. What happens to the events after their date has passed? Do they remain in the database table?
4. When I choose a month/year from the drop-down form field and click Go, it sends me to the wrong URL. My calendar is located at "http://www.gowesleychapel.com/directory/calendar.php" but it sends me to "http://www.gowesleychapel.com/directory//directory/calendar.php?monthID=11&yearID=2006"
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
As far as usergroup permissions, noted. The option to add event fields will wait until later. I'm not sure I see the point of calendar searching when the month view is pretty easy to read at a glance.
1) Hadn't noticed that before but I'll mark it down for the future and leave as-is for now.
2) Will fix.
3) They remain listed in the calendar, you can always browse backwards and I imagine it's often useful to do so to remember when something was.
4) You must have a bad directory url set or something of that sort.
RC 2 will be available in a few hours. I fixed an upgrade issue and redid the admin panel to make it easier to port between scripts along with a few small things (contact form wrong security image change, opera fix, calendar subscription fix). Non-admin templates are the same as RC1 outside of the contact form.
Nothing is impossible...
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Aug 07, 2006
Location: Tampa, Florida
Total Topics: 36
Total Comments: 91
Thanks for the reply.
With {EVENTSTARTDATE} and {EVENTENDDATE}, would the events display correctly if I added these input fields to the template? Or does this have to be implemented deeper than the templates? I only ask b/c this feature is directly relevant to my calendar. It's a local events board so multi-day events such as festivals, workshops, plays, etc would be very common.
As for #4, everywhere else the links work in my directory. Even the << and >> links work on calendar.php.
Please have a look:
http://www.gowesleychapel.com/directory/calendar.php
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
No such behavior on my sites, so it would have to be the directory url or file path, which when wrong often create such urls.
With {EVENTSTARTDATE} and {EVENTENDDATE}, would the events display correctly if I added these input fields to the template?
They aren't fields. It might work if you altered the actual fields, which are starttime and endtime unix timestamps, but I wouldn't bet on it since it's untested.