Embed Vanilla
Thanks to Mark's excellent documentation I was able to embed a test Vanilla Forum (VF) site in a test WordPress (WP) site. So, the Discussions page on the test WP site embeds the test VF site nicely.
However, i was wondering whether I could also create (say) a Menu item that (with an appropriate link, say to discussion category) displays the appropriate test VF page embedded in the test WP page.
This does not seem to be included "out of the box" (or I missed that in the documentation). If i missed it, could someone point out where this feature is discussed.
If this is not included "out of the box" - can it be done (again, a link would be much appreciated).
Thanks
Best Answers
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Domos123
New
I am unsure of what you mean by this. You mean a link on the wordpress site to the embedded forum, or a link in the wordpress site to a specific page within the forum?
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422
MVP
Wp is a cms. With built in user management systems, ppl generally opt for wp because they want those luxuries and they do not wish to get their hands dirty. In essence a all in a box one size fits all solution.
They then look to extend this with buddypress, vanilla etc as they yearn for more functionality.
Vanilla itself has a very strong user base system so if thats what you need , then why wrap a steak in bacon.
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x00
MVP
Bey I've tried to help you but you kind of got two threads on the go.
I should point out that ebbed vanilla uses iframes which it inserts with javascript. The whole rest of the plugin ties up the browsing experience.
You haven't really explained what you are using .NET for. There is big difference between writhing a standalone app, and using .NET for serving web content like ASP .NET.
If it is the latter, then you essencially need to include the remote.js embed code in you template. It doesn't not matter where you are using PHP or ASP, this is client code.
grep is your friend.
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x00
MVP
Nope it is a web app, you are using .NET to sever web pages.
An standalone app would be a client tool, that if it were to need to connect to the forum would have to use API calls, or have some sort of browsing object, or library that simulates a browser. You don't have to worry about this..
In your case you just insert the javascript client code in your templates.
.NET an PHP aren't comparable directly you see, that is why I was asking about your use case.
grep is your friend.
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Answers
I am unsure of what you mean by this. You mean a link on the wordpress site to the embedded forum, or a link in the wordpress site to a specific page within the forum?
I had no problem doing the first one (plain Vanilla embedding - pun intended - where clicking a page on wordpress site launches the Vanilla discussion site embedded).
As such what i am referring to is more like the second option you listed, namely, link in the wordpress site to a specific page within the forum.
I have no problem doing that (using Links) but the Vanilla site is shown in its own page, not embedded. Eventually, i would like to have some link on a (non-wordpress) site that is handled dynamically to display a specific discussion page (that changes dynamically according to the situation) in an embedded fashion.
I got the impression (possibly wrong one) that there is only one point of 'embedding'. Again, this may be wrong as i am barely a '5 hours expert' on wordpress :-)
perhaps this could be achieved with iframes?
Thanks.
One of the reasons for my question is that i hold myself as a total ignoramus when it comes to web site and web software development. So, can you believe it? I even need a dictionary of sorts to understand what iFrame means and how it is related to my question.
Basically, I have this project to explore - using Vanilla Forum as a discussion forum in an existing web site developed in .NET. I am neither a developer nor maven in .NET either and, after my involvement & exploration, someone else will have to integrate and embed the Forum site within the .NET site based on my experience and findings.
The more i explore this the more i get the feeling that it is much easier to do this embedding on a site developed in php and within the php domain, WordPress is one web site template where the a Proof of Concept exists and is working quite well. Just for my curiosity; are there any other php sites with Vanilla Forums embedding?
My interest right now is embedding Vanilla Forums in a .NET site.
99.9% of sites probs more use the php method.
I dont get it, wordpress isnt generally used on .net projects.
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Clarification...
I used wordpress just in order to go through the exercise of embedding Vanilla in some site. So I created a do-nothing site in wordpress with a discussion page (which demonstrated the embedding nicely) and a few links that demonstrated to me that my expectation of embedding Vanilla in a manner different than that discussion page is more challenging. FYI, I developed a plugin to zoom on a particular discussion from outside of Vanilla (so to speak, the embedding site) which should display a particular discussion in an embedded manner. The plugin works but not in an embedded manner - most likely because i am a total noob when it comes to wordpress, php and web development.
The point i was not so clear about, i guess, is that the intended final solution is a web site playing the role of the do-nothing wordpress site mentioned above. That web site is a .NET web site.
So, all of the embedding functionality and setup (the steps carried on the wordpress admin page, and on the Vanilla Admin page, etc.) will have to be replaced with their .NET equivalent. This could be done either as a custom project by Vanilla team or someone else (remains to be decided) - but on the .NET site. I don't think that i have enough knowledge to do the work but i hope (through this discussion) to understand what needs to be done, conceptually, at least so I can move the project forward.
I am also not clear whether Vanilla has a .NET embedding solution or how difficult it is to create one from scratch.
Does that make better sense?
Why go to all that trouble with wordpress?
Build your user and cms system off vanilla.
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Due to being a novice, i just wanted to get familiarized with the concept and process of embedding. WordPress seemed to be the easiest for a novice and is supported by all hosting companies.
I don't understand the second sentence and its relevance to my situations.
Wp is a cms. With built in user management systems, ppl generally opt for wp because they want those luxuries and they do not wish to get their hands dirty. In essence a all in a box one size fits all solution.
They then look to extend this with buddypress, vanilla etc as they yearn for more functionality.
Vanilla itself has a very strong user base system so if thats what you need , then why wrap a steak in bacon.
There was an error rendering this rich post.
Thanks.
The wp site is just for practice purposes - it will never be used on its own. I just wanted to familiarize myself with the embedding concept and process. As well, i am not looking for a cms (assuming you are referring to Content Mgmt System).
I am looking to embed Vanilla Forum in a general web application built with .NET. It is this application where i want to embed Vanilla. The purpose of the practice with wp is to understand what components must be in place in order to embed Vanilla.
This is why I am on the hunt for some web application built with .NET that have gone through the exercise of embedding Vanilla Forums.
BTW - love your expression wrap a steak in bacon. Would appreciate a similar one for a vegeterian :-)
Bey I've tried to help you but you kind of got two threads on the go.
I should point out that ebbed vanilla uses iframes which it inserts with javascript. The whole rest of the plugin ties up the browsing experience.
You haven't really explained what you are using .NET for. There is big difference between writhing a standalone app, and using .NET for serving web content like ASP .NET.
If it is the latter, then you essencially need to include the remote.js embed code in you template. It doesn't not matter where you are using PHP or ASP, this is client code.
grep is your friend.
You are right and all your help is appreciated.
I used two threads because, being a noob, i wanted first to understand embedding in general and after having done that with a do-nothing wp site, i am now looking for a solution to a particular embedding situation - namely, embedding Vanilla in a .NET web app. The .NET app is not a cms, it is a more general application to which i want to add a forum. So, if I am not mistaken, it fits the concept of 'standalone' app in your comment - to which i want to add a Forum and Vanilla seems to be the best choice.
So, all your help is appreciated. Please understand that i am new to all this but the pieces are getting to fit together better due to your (and others') help and patience.
So, what i get from your response is that the page of the .NET application where one wants to embed Vanilla have to 'load' / 'include' the remote.js file from Vanilla.
Nope it is a web app, you are using .NET to sever web pages.
An standalone app would be a client tool, that if it were to need to connect to the forum would have to use API calls, or have some sort of browsing object, or library that simulates a browser. You don't have to worry about this..
In your case you just insert the javascript client code in your templates.
.NET an PHP aren't comparable directly you see, that is why I was asking about your use case.
grep is your friend.
Thanks again.
So, at the end of the day (modulo time zone) - do you know of any .NET site that embeds Vanilla?
It seems like there aren't too many of those which (in my silly mind) begs the question whether there are any technical issues and other caveats related to this.
The fact that the site is .NET is pretty much irreverent. It is embedded through client code not server code.
grep is your friend.
This is with regard to the embed vanilla plugin. There are other ways of embedding vanilla but you are talking complex. Then you really will be up against it.
grep is your friend.
OK, so back to the original post... My question was about a couple of embedding scenarios that I assume would be equivalent for wp or the .NET site embedding Vanilla. The post relates to this (wp do-nothing) site:
swimbetternow.com/
The Vanilla Forum (just-testing) site has my plugin for zooming on a particular (category-bound) discussion which either zooms in on a particular existing discussion within acategory or creates a new one in the appropriate category.
Clicking the Discussion page on the right panel, embeds the discussions page of the Vanilla Forum nicely. The forum is on a different do-nothing, just-testing site.
As you will notice, there are a couple of links (Organization 12345 ME POC and Request 12345 ME POC). When you click on those, the Vanilla Forum page is displayed but not embedded in the wp site (need to be signed in (e.g. admin/admin) for it to work in the case where a new discussion should be created). This is not exactly, but sort of, what the .NET application will have to emulate BUT, display the zoomed-on Forum discussion page embedded in the .NET application.
Bottom line, i need to understand the mechanism of achieving the 'magic' of embedding a particular discussion page (in lieu of which the Create a New Discussion page) in the embedding application.
I hope this makes sense and i thank you for all your patience and help.
Are you Bill Gates in disguise @bey ? Lol
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No, though I would be happy to be mentioned on his will.
I am more handsome but this doesn't say much about my looks, does it?
Not really.
Anyhoo, are you messing with .net because its a corporate project, as they seem the only ppl who use .net or intranet.
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