Implemented Forum Home sidebar block and node list modules

[Bob]

Per paid request and further donated back to the community (donor wishes to remain anonymous). You can thank the Donor by liking this post or replying back thanking them.

Sidebar Block: This is a similar tabbed block as I've done for xenPorta and [bd] widget framework, cept it is specifically for the Forum Home sidebar for those of you that don't use xenPorta or BDWF. It has its own options settings (showcase options). You chose which tabs to display (Top Rated, Most Popular, Featured and Most Recent) and set the amount of items to display. You can enable/disable via options. Default is disabled. (see images below)

Node List Module: This is simply a simulated Node (not an actual node) that you can display above or below the Forum Home Nodes List. It contains Links to showcase, displays some stats like the number of items and comments, has a drop down for Categories (similar to Sub Forums drop down) and displays the latest comment made to any of the items. Options are simple.. you enable it and chose above or below. Thats it, nothing more, nothing less. For those of you familiar with Sportsbook, this is the same thing I've done with it (see images below).

Node List Item Module: This is a much more powerful Module than the first one as it displays actual content. It has many different configuration options to give you many different uses. You can use it to simply display images or you can configure it to look like the modules on the showcase landing page. Options are: Chose the Item type to display (Most Recent, Top Rated, Most Popular or Featured). Select Extra Data to display: Show Title, Show Description and Show Rating/Views. Then set the amount of Items to display in the module. You can also set a Module Title which will then enable the Title Bar to display as well (see images below).

NOTE: Each of these has their own template and related CSS file so that you can customize these without effecting other similar modules/blocks.

This first image shows all 3 new features enabled and configured. The Node Items Module is configured to display 4 Top Rated Items with Rating/Views. The Sidebar block is configured to display 4 Featured, 4 Top Rated and 4 Most Popular. The Node list Module is configured to display above the Forum List.



This next image shows a slightly different configuration for the Node Items Module. The first thing that is different is that the Module Title is enabled (which links to the showcase home page). The 2nd is that it is images only as all the "extra's" are disabled. Its also set to 8 items instead of 4.



This next image shows the configuration that is used on the showcase landing page for the various modules. This one is set to "Most Popular", Show Title, Show Description, Show Rating, 4 items, and Module Title.



This one is just the item image with no extra data and no module title, 12 items.



This shows you all the configuration settings in the Showcase Options.

 

[ibenick]

Love it! Thank you anonymous!

 

[ArnyVee]

Great work

Question: Because I have a custom size of the forum home, it won't allow four items to display using the node list items module. And, by setting it to three, I have a lot of space to the right of the three items. Can this be centered? Or, better yet, how can we adjust the width of the items being displayed in the node list items module?

 

[Bob]

It has its own CSS. You can tweak the 25% setting to 33% for 3 items per instead of 4..

nflj_showcase_node_list_items.css is the CSS file for specifically for only that block. Do NOT use extra.css to do this as showcase uses that class elsewhere (which is why you need to edit the CSS files directly).

.showcaseItem {
    float: left;
    width: 25%;
    min-width: 170px;   
}

 

[ArnyVee]

Thanks Bob

 

[C.Birch]

How can you move the Node List Items Module to show at the bottom of the forums listing and not at the top?

 

[Bob]

it depends. Are you also using the simulated node? and if so, are you having the simulated node at the top or bottom.

 

[C.Birch]

Nope, just the Node List Items Module

 

[Bob]

that makes it easier to deal with lol

edit the file: /library/NFLJ/Showcase/Listener/Template.php

scroll down to the last case statement: case 'forum_list_nodes':

need to modify the 2nd chunk of code in that case statement, so find the 2nd if statement that deals with Node List Items: if ($options->scNodeListItems['enabled'])

Find this line of code:

$contents = $template->create('nflj_showcase_node_list_items', $viewParams) . $contents;

replace with this:

$contents .= $template->create('nflj_showcase_node_list_items', $viewParams);

 

[C.Birch]

Many thanks, that worked.

 

[fatih]

Can we make this category by category. For example I want to select to shown categories on this? is it possible.

 

[Bob]

Can we make this category by category. For example I want to select to shown categories on this? is it possible.

not sure I understand what you want. Show me visually?

 

[fatih]

for example I have 10 categories. But ı want to show only 4 categories on this module. is it possible?

 

[Bob]

I think I understand what you are trying to say now. You are asking if you can display items from one or more categories instead of displaying from ALL Categories. If that is what you are asking, then yes, the architecture is now in place to be able to do that, but I've not had time to implement it. It has been requested tho and I've already accepted it for development in the future.

 

[fatih]

Yes Bob. You understood right. I hope you can make it future..

thanks..

 

[Bob]

Yes Bob. You understood right. I hope you can make it future..

thanks..

Yes, it will happen, cause I need and want it for my own use

 

[C.Birch]

that makes it easier to deal with lol

edit the file: /library/NFLJ/Showcase/CodeEventListener/TemplateHook.php

scroll down to the last case statement: case 'forum_list_nodes':

need to modify the 2nd chunk of code in that case statement, so find the 2nd if statement that deals with Node List Items: if ($options->scNodeListItems['enabled'])

Find this line of code:

$contents = $template->create('nflj_showcase_node_list_items', $viewParams) . $contents;

replace with this:

$contents .= $template->create('nflj_showcase_node_list_items', $viewParams);

Hi @Bob B How is this same edit done on 1.3 now? because 1.3 now longer as this file?

 

[Bob]

Hi @Bob B How is this same edit done on 1.3 now? because 1.3 now longer as this file?

same, just different file. I renamed it to just Template.php vs TemplateHook.php (you can actually remove TemplateHook.php now).

 

[Bob]

actually, its now /library/NFLJ/Showcase/Listener/Template.php

 

[Bob]

I should probably mention to everyone to remove the old showcase directories before uploading the new ones as so much has changed lol