Geeklog addon's by Blaine Lang 

Email: blaine@portalparts.com

Version: Sept 22, 2007

Chatterblock 3.1

1.0 Overview

2.0 Licence

3.0 New Installation

4.0 Upgrade from previous version

5.0  List of Plugin Files with Descriptions

 

 

1.0  Overview

Version 3.1:

Features include:

·         Language file for translation support and easy personalization of the block and plugin interface

·         Extensive online configuration control - It can easily be tuned down for basic look and feel

·         Chatterlog to view all the chatter history - includes ability to change the way messages are ordered/sorted using by clicking on the display header Date and User titles

·         Site admin can use Chatterlog to archive, edit or delete messages. Includes the ability to select all messages on the page for bulk archive or delete. Site admins can now also see all private messages - organized into a separate view

·         Block supports three display modes:

o        Static: the original look with a fixed number of posts

o        Smooth Scroller: View messages with a scroller to easily display more messages. Number of messages determined by the number of hours of history set.

o        iframe - auto refresh mode: Major new feature that allows the block to operate independent and refresh automatically without requiring a main page refresh. Users can set the refresh interval and amount of history to show. Users will see a highlighted message at top of the Message window to indicate number of private messages.

 

·         Site admins can enable user preferences. Then all registered users will have a User Block menu item "Chatterblock Settings" to set their own preferences for Chatterblock mode, amount of history etc ...

·         If Site admin later disables user preferences, the site defaults will override any existing user settings

·         Support for smilies - both as public and private messages

·         Users can enable a pop-up alert when frame mode is used. This way, you can have the site in the background or minimized but it's still refreshing and checking for new messages in the background

·         Chatterblock window uses icons for 1) Message posted time, 2) IP address of user, 3) Send a private message to user. Hovering over the Time and IP icon will show the related details. This method reduces the screen clutter and leaves more room for just the message. Clicking on the PM icon will use Javascript to enter the "/tell username," text into the Message input field.

·         Using CSS styles, the messages will use alternating backgrounds to make it easier to separate messages. I now use tables expensively inside the Chatterblock display frame to format the message display

·         Users can delete their last post or access the Chatterlog to edit their post. Only active if last stored message is their post.

·         Site admin can easily change what gets name displayed for anonymous users - "guest" is the default

·         Site admin can enable anonymous users to enter their name so it appears instead of "guest"

·         Site admins can disable the display of IP address information. If disabled, it also will not be displayed in the Chatterlog view

·         Site admins can disable "Delete last post" feature

·         Site admins can disable access to Chatterlog

·         Site search will also return the total number of Chatterblock entries on file

 

 

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2.0  License

This Geeklog Plug-in, like Geeklog is released under the GNU General Public License. It is a bona fide Open Source / Free Software project.

Like all good open source projects, Geeklog and this Plug-in both depend on the community. Thanks for your continued support, and let us know what we can do to make Geeklog and the Plug-in even better.

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3.0  New Installation

Note: You need to manually create the plugin program directories and copy the program files into their appropriate directories

Step 0.        Database backup

Make a backup of your current geeklog database using the built-in admin feature. Verify your backup feature is configured correctly and backup file is not 0 bytes (This is worth a check)

Step 1.        Copy plugin files into their required directories

Uncompress the archive files into your <geeklog_dir>/plugins directory. It will create a chatterblock directory and associated subdirectories for the files. You will need to move the files in the admin and public subdirectories to their appropriate directory as indicated below.

1.1        public_html/           - Main program files

The files in the public directory under your new plugins/chatterblock folder need to be moved to <geeklog_dir>/public_html/chatterblock directory

You will need to first create the:

<geeklog_dir>/public_html/chatterblock directory

1.2        admin/                 - Plugin Install and Main admin program files

The three files in the admin directory under your new plugins/chatterblock folder need to be moved to <geeklog_dir>/public_html/admin/plugins/chatterblock directory.

You will need to first create the:

<geeklog_dir>/public_html/admin/plugins/chatterblock directory

 

1.3      Directory and File Permissions 

Directory and File owner should be same as webserver

All the files and directories should have Read permissions and directories need execute. Setting all plugin files and directories to have read + execute should not be a security issue but PHP files only need read access to execute. The directories need execute rights in order for them to be searched or accessed

The only plugin Directory or File that needs write access is the <geeklog_dir>/public_html/chatterblock/cache directory and the cb_config file. This file contains the block defaults and is written to via the Plugin admin program

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Step 2.        Run the install program

2.1  Logged in as admin and access the plugin editor -   admin->plugins

Note: The installer is designed to back out any database changes if there should be an error. You can monitor the installer by viewing the error.log, file <geeklog_dir>/logs/error.log

2.2  Verify successful operation

o        Did you get a successful completion message that your database tables have been created

o        The Chatterblock should now be active and displayed as the top right block.

o        As admin, you should see the "Chatterblock Admin" menu item in the "Admin Block"

 

2.3    Check the install logging in the <geeklog_dir>/logs/error.log file

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Step 3.        Set Chatterblock Admin Options


You should now review the Chatterblock defined defaults using the Admin menu link.

The block has many Site Options and User options - be sure to check them all out. You can disable many of the features if you only want the basic functionality

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Step 4.        Update Template Files

Each of your sites templates or themes will need to have their CSS style definition files updated. The template files are located under the public_html/layout directory. The styles to add are contained in the cb_style.css file  

FILE: /path/to/geeklog/plugins/chatterblock/cb_style.css

Customize the fonts and colors to please.
 

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Step 5.        Create the staticpage help file

 

5.1  Create a new staticpage which will be used for the Chatterblock users help

5.2  Copy and paste the HTML code from the included /plugins/chatterblock/helpfile.html file

5.3  You will use the URL to this staticpage as the URL for the Block helpfile

 

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Step 6.        Final Install Notes

6.1  Modify the alert.html file - to display your site information if you enable pop-up alerts

6.2  The block was automatically created during the install. You may want to edit the Title, location or access rights

6.3  Enter the URL for the Block help file to point to the staticpage created in step 5

6.4  All Block related titles and text is can easily be changed to personalize the block. Refer the the plugin language file

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4.0  Upgrade from previous version

As of Geeklog 1.3.10, there is now a way for plugins to call an update function. Version 3.1 does not contain any database updates. You can still call the update function so that your site installed version as see in the plugin editor is updated.

You will need to copy over the updated files for version 3.1

1.  Restore the plugin archive and update the following files:

2.  Using the plugin editor  (admin->plugins)

chatterblock   3.0 / 3.1     1.3.9    yes

chatterblock   3.1 / 3.1     1.4.1   yes

 

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5.0  List of Plugin Files with Descriptions

Core Plugin Files – The <geeklog_dir>/plugins/chatterblock directory

1.    FILE: /path/to/geeklog/plugins/chatterblock/config.php
DESCRIPTION: The plugin database configuration file

2.    FILE: /path/to/geeklog/plugins/chatterblock/functions.inc
DESCRIPTION: Implements the Geeklog Plugin-API functions

3.    FILE: /path/to/geeklog/plugins/chatterblock/cb_style.css
DESCRIPTION:
Plugin CSS styles to be appended to your theme style.css files

4. FILE: /path/to/geeklog/plugins/chatterblock/helpfile.html
DESCRIPTION: HTML help file to be used for block help file

5.    FILE: /path/to/geeklog/plugins/chatterblock/language/english.php
DESCRIPTION: plugin language definitions
with the english file provided

6.    FILE: /path/to/geeklog/plugins/chatterblock/templates
DESCRIPTION: plugin Install/De-Install
display template files
 

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Plugin Admin Files – The geeklog_dir>/public_html/admin/plugins/chatterblock directory

7.    FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/admin/plugins/chatterblock/install.php
DESCRIPTION: Chatterblock plugin install and De-Install utility

8.    FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/admin/plugins/chatterblock/index.php
DESCRIPTION: Main code for the plugin admin functions

9.    FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/admin/plugins/chatterblock/upgrade_v2.php
DESCRIPTION: Program used only to upgrade database tables from v
2.2 to v2.3
 

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Plugin Public Files - The <geeklog_dir>/public_html/chatterblock directory

10.FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/chatterblock/cb_main.php
DESCRIPTION:
Plugin main library file - functions

11.FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/chatterblock/cb_chatlog.php
DESCRIPTION:
Chatterlog main program

12. FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/chatterblock/cb_userprefs.php
DESCRIPTION:
Program used to display and modify user settings

13. FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/chatterblock/cb_iframedisplay.php
DESCRIPTION:
Program called as the iframe source when this mode is active

14.FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/chatterblock/help.html
DESCRIPTION:
Chatterblock formatted HTML file to display help file for smilies

15.FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/chatterblock/alert.html
DESCRIPTION:
Formatted HTML displayed in the alert popup

16.FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/chatterblock/cache/cb_config.php
DESCRIPTION:
Chatterblock default settings config file

17.FILE: /path/to/geeklog/public_html/chatterblock/images/
DESCRIPTION:
Directory contains all required image files

18.FILE: /path/to/geeklog/plugins/chatterblock/includes/cb_function.php
DESCRIPTION:
Plugin miscellaneous functions

19.FILE: /path/to/geeklog/plugins/chatterblock/includes/cb_redirect.php
DESCRIPTION:
Plugin function that is included to handle redirect message

20.FILE: /path/to/geeklog/plugins/chatterblock/includes/popupbasic.js
DESCRIPTION:
Plugin Javascript that includes the chatAlert()function to display the popup

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