[Extension]DiscussionExcerpt 1.0.2, iBox and BoxOver

jimw

I just uploaded these three extensions. The DiscussionExcerpt version 1.0.2 now uses the iBox or BoxOver javascript in these extensions. You can see an example of the iBox popup display on my forum.

I chose these scripts because they were the easiest to get to work to display the post information. I'm sure there are other ways to do this and can be implemented if you tell me about them.

There are some options in the default.php file that can be changed to help you obtain the display you want.

$Context->Dictionary['ExLength'] = 180;
$Context->Dictionary['WhichStyle'] = 2; // 1=iBox; 2=Boxover
$Context->Dictionary['BoxHeight'] = 400; // for iBox
$Context->Dictionary['BoxWidth'] = 600; // for iBox
$Context->Dictionary['ClickMe'] = "(click me to see entire post)";
$Context->Dictionary['MouseOver'] = "(mouse over to see entire post)";

Change the ExLength to adjust the number of characters to display in the discussion grid.
Change the WhichStyle to "1" to use iBox and "2" to use BoxOver.
Change the BoxHeight and BoxWidth to adjust the iBox window size.
Change the ClickMe description for the prompt you want to see for iBox.
Change the MouseOver description for the prompt you want to see for BoxOver.

I am working on an admin for adjusting the above items.

y2kbg

are you using EasySettings Extension for the admin?

EasySettings

Disscusion with Screenshot

jimw

I will be trying that.

yesahasureok

hello jimw.

the demo files lookin promising ... well probably its a tad to late for me here but ... how can i let this work on vanilla? or with other words: tell me the trick of the "how" please.

thanks a lot mang.

Wanderer

Hey jimw, BoxOver does not work for me, the link to boxover.js and style.css never actually get inserted into the page.

I tried the code with a test page of my own and it worked.

Posted: Monday, 5 February 2007 at 4:48PM (AEDT)

Later: Fixed it, inserted slash before extensions...

$Configuration["BOXOVER_PATH"] = '/extensions/BoxOver/';
Also added 'comments.php','post.php' to this array...
if (in_array($Context->SelfUrl, array('index.php','comments.php','post.php')))
So now it works when people are reading comments as well as in preview mode when editing.

Posted: Monday, 5 February 2007 at 5:18PM (AEDT)

jimw

@Wanderer: That you for catching that. I just uploaded a new zip file with those fixes for both the iBox and BoxOver extensions.

@fery: That should fix your problem.

yesahasureok

like this here for example? ...
<?php /* Extension Name: BoxOver Extension Url: http://lussumo.com/addons/ Description: Adds boxover stuff from script by the author at http://boxover.swazz.org Version: 1.0.0 Author: Jim Wurster Author Url: http://www.jwurster.us/ */ $Configuration["BOXOVER_PATH"] = '/extensions/BoxOver/'; $Context->Dictionary["BOXOVER"] = 'Box Over'; // Set the version number. AddConfigurationSetting($Context, 'BOXOVER_VERSION', '1.0.0'); if (in_array($Context->SelfUrl, array('index.php','comments.php','post.php'))) { $Head->AddScript($Context->Configuration["BOXOVER_PATH"].'boxover.js'); $Head->AddStyleSheet($Context->Configuration["BOXOVER_PATH"].'style.css'); } ?>

if yes .. it wont work

jimw

I guess I wasn't clear in my explanation. Let me try again. The iBox and BoxOver extensions do nothing by themselves. They only provide a capablity to use the javascript that each one contains. The DiscussionExcerpt extension is the only extension now that uses their functions to display a post in either a mouseover window or a pop-up window.

These 2 extensions are like the JThickBox extension. You have to use it's capabilities in another extension.

Sorry for the confusion.

yesahasureok

ah okay, conclusion:

i have to do some custom css / php work to get those popups (for example) work in vanilla right?

jimw

@fery: If you do not use the DiscussionExcerpt extension, then you will have to do custom php / css work to use the iBox and BoxOver functionality. I would recommend you visit those author's site for information on how to use them.

Stash

Just out of interest, but what does BoxOver do better than ThickBox? Only it doesn't scroll as nicely and the closing options are more limited, so I was wondering what the pluses on it were. Do you have a link to the homepage? I am genuinely interested, thanks

jimw

The links are iBox and BoxOver.

I was looking for something to display text. Can ThickBox do this? If so, then perhaps I did a lot of work for nothing. There is a site (if I can remember it) that has information about all of these scripts (LightBox, ThickBox, GreyBox, etc.) and links to them. Maybe we need a comparison chart.

yesahasureok

just to save the philosophy of plug and play and the easyness of an extension ...

wouldnt it be better to ghet this extension working as extension without extra editing and extra extra extra extra extra .... i hope you understand what i mean.

jimw

@fery: What would you envision as "get this extension working"? I suppose iBox tags could be added to the comment/dicsussion page. Is that what you were thinking?

y2kbg

there is no need to edit anything, just install iBox and BoxOver and discussion excerpt at the same time.

yesahasureok

@ jimw .. i think i missed the part that d.excerpt is neccesary to get a first result... so sorry def. my fault.

just as an idea and to speed up vanilla ... what is about the idea to create download packages to increase the speed of vanilla like : puting all those ibox, boxover and d.ex in one extension.
because you have then only one css and lesser php files to load.

Stash

ThickBox can display text, yes, but I guess it depends on how you generate it. I've read a little bit on the site (thanks) but didn't spend long enough to really discover the differences, maybe tonight.

Fery, the idea behind making things like ThickBox and iBox separate extensions is that then they only have to be updated once and multiple other extensions can use them from one updatable source, rather than having to update 5 versions of ThickBox say, if a security issue or show stopper bug is found.

Stash

Equally, I understand your frustration with things being so bitty. What we need ideally is to have a system in place that automatically gets and enables required extensions. That's the real solution to these issues.

yesahasureok

yeah i mean, ... ten extensions .. ten css files and lets say 30 php files ..loaded at once for only one vanilla session.

this is def. a huge limitation in comparison to other forums.

but i know this is anyways a core problem of vanilla and not a failture of the extensions or their creators.

Stash

Ideally we could use an "optimiser" extension, that runs only when you change your extensions config. When it runs, it grabs everything that is needed and crunches it all into two files:

1. vanilla.js
2. vanilla.css

yesahasureok

this sounds very advanced and for me as graphicdesigner a different and strange world