Experienced extension developer assistance please? :=)

Mr Do

I just recently sorta finished my first extension (Dojo Files) and it went pretty smooth. I even used very little or no hacks in the end. I love coding for vanilla. Its so good set up. However for my next project, I got something much more complex planned, and I think I need someone to explain a few things (or maybe its just one used in a few ways) to me to get me started. I suspect it has everything to do with these call delegate("prerender") methods. I sorta almost understand, but not quite there.

Let me explain a part of what I need to do to get this ball rolling. First part I need a category that works in a very special way:

1. It will not show up on the discussions page Done. Use Wallpapers Category Hider
2. Unless its in the form of the first comment as a whisper. So that whispered users will not miss it.
3. Noone (unless probably admins) may start discussion in this category. Everyone may comment CategoryRoles Works, but would like it implemented inside sextension
4. The first two posts in this category will be system generated.
5. The first post will be a whisper to one user, it will be generated by the system, but will have another user (a challanger) as author
6. The whisperer will not see the post at this point
7. The user whispered to will not be able to post a comment, but submit a reply in a special way I will either use extension.php?PostBackAction for or preferably replace the post form with.
8. The Second post will also be system generated, it will either say that the user that was whispered to declined or if accepted the result of the challange.
9. At this point (the discussion has 2 posts) it will be no longer whisper, but be made public for all to see and comment on (but as said above, not in the discussions page as to clutter it up.

If you have any suggestions about how to do any of these things, that would be appreciated

MySchizoBuddy

In Vanilla Park , Mark has created these detour signs all over the place like crazy. I'm a business man, I look at one of the detours that takes me deep in the jungle and I decide, u know what this is perfect for a Rabbit hunting area. Sure enough I create a hunting area along that detour. You come along with ur dojo friends, hit the detour and decide to do some rabbit hunting (animal hater you) delegates are just that, detours to other places, where cool things happen. You can even open up a strip joint along one of the detours. Mark won't mind, as long as u give him a free pass :) If you decide u want to do something cool at a place but there is no detour road around, u can ask Mark to make some for you does that explain it.

Mr Do

Strange, my reply is lost.. Ill try again.

I get that far on my own Schizo. I understand why use delegates, not quite clear on how. I have a plan in my head for how to build this, but its just a bit out of focus. A little explenation or code example or something might be just the push I need

Dinoboff

I think an extension from MAX_B do something like that. Have you looked at it?

Mr Do

no, whats it called?

Dinoboff

http://lussumo.com/addons/?PostBackAction=AddOn&AddOnID=230

MySchizoBuddy

where is Wallphones category hider? Its not on the addon site

Mr Do

i dont know, we allready had this discussion over at http://lussumo.com/community/discussion/6085/sqlbuilder-tutorial/#Item_8

WallPhone

It will be there whenever I get around to writing an admin interface for it.

WallPhone

/me tries to get topic back on track Mr Do: Instead of making one of the first posts a whisper, try setting the Comment->Active setting--this is what indicates deletedcomments in the core. Also, its a little hard to follow the rules layed out... mabe describe how this (game?) works to help us follow what you are trying to accomplish.

Mr Do

I am still hesitant to tell you about how I plan on using this. But I will give you a for instance simplified example of a workflow. On my forum, I have 2 users, Alek and Oni. One of my categories are called "Game". Alek and Oni are members. They are not able to post in this category, but may comment on discussions already active. Alek wants to challenge Oni to a game of dice. He goes to Oni's account page (either through search or a comment made by Oni). There in the panel is an option to "Challenge this user". Alek clicks this and is taken to a new page (that isnt in the vanilla core). On this page he selects a die and writes a small boast: "If we cant settle this as grown ups, lets roll for it" and submits it. This will generate a discussion for their battle. The first comment is Alek's challenge, in the form of a whisper to Oni. Even though the game category is blocked from the front page, this should appear there so Oni dont miss it. It will state that Alek has challanged "you", his boast and a question if "you" (being Oni) accepts. If Oni accepts, he is taken to a similar page as Alek went to, where he can choose his die, write his boast answer and submit. This will automatically generate a reply comment to Alek, where it will state to him that "Oni has accepted your challage" and his answer. Then either in that post or in a third that is also generated at this time, the results will be displayed and the winner will be pronounced. At this point, the discussion is made public and all members of the forum can see the battle and its results, and the combatants and the audience can have a as long a chat about it as they want. Ta da.. Seems simple enough..

I have so far used an edited version of your hider with my own admin settings code made the hide from front category. I have also made the "challenge this user" on account page link. The new pages I think i can manage using the extension.php as I have done before, probably..