Geeklog Forum plugin - version 2.9.0

Summary of features

This plugin provides a full featured discussion forum with integrated Geeklog features for your community website. The initial version of this plugin was released in 2002.

• Integrated Geeklog group security to create restricted forums
• Support for Read-only Forums
• Support for RSS Feeds - now with enhanced formatting and rich content
• Advanced Moderation features like splitting topics, moving, making sticky
• Integrated BBcode supports using text mode and bbcode tags to format content
• Able to now safely just use text mode for posting and still use bbocode and advanced formatting features
• Enhanced Code Formatting using the Geshi library
• Automatic notification support for complete forums or topics. Able subscribe to a forum but then selectively un-subscribe to topics
• Member listing page - able to view all members or just those with forum activity
• Centerblock for site frontpage or sideblock for users to monitor new posts
• Support for autotags in topic content and can reference other forum topics using an autotag [forum: topicid]
• Integrated SPAMX and content filtering
• Integrated support for Captcha 2.0
• Integration opion with glMessenger for member private messaging and online smilie admin
• Easy online administration and member control
• Supports MySql 5

If you've enjoyed this plugin, please consider supporting Geeklog and the Geeklog Forum plugin. These projects require considerable time and effort to create and any help we get is appreciated. You do not have to be a programmer to help out either, we can always use help in testing, graphics, themes and writing documentation. If you are interested in helping out, please drop by our Google Group and post a message letting us know what you want to do.

Changelog

The changelog for this version is available here.

How to Install

Geeklog 1.6.0+ supports plugin autoinstall, so the installation is now really simple

Step 0 - Backup your Database

• 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. It is worth the time to verify that your backup is not corrupted.

Step 1 - Navigate to the plugin administration page in Geeklog

• Login as Admin into Geeklog
• From the "Admins only" leftblock, choose "Plugins"

Step 2 - Upload the archive

• At the bottom of the page find the "Upload a Plugin", select the compressed archive from your computer and click "Upload"

Step 3 - Setup your forums and review Admin Settings

• Create atleast one category which will contain one or more forums
• Create a forum within this category. A forum will then contain many topics which are created by your community of users. The forums are created and so named to organize your topics.
• The forums can be setup to be restricted to site-members only or public access as well other options can be set to control the access to the forums
• Review the optional plugin config.php settings

If you are new to installing a geeklog plugin and the automatic install is not working for you, we recommend that you review the background documentation on how to manually install a plugin here

Upgrading

1. Upgrading from 2.8.x
2. Upgrading from 2.7.x
3. Upgrading from 2.6
4. Upgrading from 2.5RC3
5. Upgrading from 2.3.x
6. Plugin Installation Overview Reference

How to update from version 2.8.x

The update process will update your forum to version 2.9.0 in one step if version 2.8.x is detected. The forum blocks will be removed, new config options added, plus the version number stored is changed.

Step 0 - Backup your Database.

• Make a backup of your current geeklog database using the built-in admin feature.

Step 1 - Disable the forum plugin (optional)

• From the Plugin Editor Admin > plugins, disable the forum plugin so any current site users will not be accessing the forum during the update. This is an optional step and not required.

Step 2 - Restore the plugin Archive

Note: Make a copy of your plugins config.php and compare to the new one if you have made changes. Additionally, do the same for your forum theme files if you have made changes that you don't want to loose.

• Uncompress the archive files into your <geeklog_dir>/plugins directory. You will need to replace all the files and some directories and files are no longer needed.
• Update all your sites main public_html/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update all your sites main public_html/admin/plugins/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update all your sites main public_html/layout/{theme}/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update the system/lib-portalparts.php - new version is located in the system folder of the archive

Step 3 - Run the plugin update

• Access the plugin update from the Plugin Editor. The plugin listing will show version 2.7.x is installed and that an update is recommended. Using the Edit link by the plugin record, access the edit screen where there will now be an update button. Pressing [Update] will execute the needed database changes

Step 4 - Update your theme

• The forum now is able to appear with leftblocks only (default), noblocks, rightblocks only or both left and right blocks. Setting to noblocks allows the forum to appear the full-width of your theme. Additionally, you can show the usermenu as a horizontal navbar which is necessary if you are not showing left or right blocks. These new settings are expected to be in your themes functions.php file so the layout can be theme specific. Refer to the default professional theme version of functions.php that is in the plugin archive themefiles directory for more details.

Step 5 - Review Admin Settings

• Review the admin settings
• Review the optional plugin config.php settings

Congratulations - you should now have your forum updated to version 2.9.0

How to update from version 2.7.x

The update process will update your forum to version 2.8.0 in one step if version 2.7 is detected. One database table is altered plus the version number stored is changed.

Step 0 - Backup your Database.

• Make a backup of your current geeklog database using the built-in admin feature.

Step 1 - Disable the forum plugin (optional)

• From the Plugin Editor Admin > plugins, disable the forum plugin so any current site users will not be accessing the forum during the update. This is an optional step and not required.

Step 2 - Restore the plugin Archive

Note: Make a copy of your plugins config.php and compare to the new one if you have made changes. Additionally, do the same for your forum theme files if you have made changes that you don't want to loose.

• Uncompress the archive files into your <geeklog_dir>/plugins directory. You will need to replace all the files and some directories and files are no longer needed.
• Update all your sites main public_html/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update all your sites main public_html/admin/plugins/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update all your sites main public_html/layout/{theme}/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update the system/lib-portalparts.php - new version is located in the system folder of the archive

Step 3 - Run the plugin update

• Access the plugin update from the Plugin Editor. The plugin listing will show version 2.6 is installed and that an update is recommended. Using the Edit link by the plugin record, access the edit screen where there will now be an update button. Pressing [Update] will execute the needed database changes

Step 4 - Update your theme

• The forum now is able to appear with leftblocks only (default), noblocks, rightblocks only or both left and right blocks. Setting to noblocks allows the forum to appear the full-width of your theme. Additionally, you can show the usermenu as a horizontal navbar which is necessary if you are not showing left or right blocks. These new settings are expected to be in your themes functions.php file so the layout can be theme specific. Refer to the default professional theme version of functions.php that is in the plugin archive themefiles directory for more details.

Step 5 - Review Admin Settings

• Review the admin settings
• Review the optional plugin config.php settings

Congratulations - you should now have your forum updated to version 2.8.0

How to update from version 2.6

The update process will update your forum to version 2.8.0 in one step if version 2.6 detected. No database updates are made other then changing the version displayed.

Step 0 - Backup your Database.

• Make a backup of your current geeklog database using the built-in admin feature.

Step 1 - Disable the forum plugin (optional)

• From the Plugin Editor Admin > plugins, disable the forum plugin so any current site users will not be accessing the forum during the update. This is an optional step and not required.

Step 2 - Restore the plugin Archive

Note: Make a copy of your plugins config.php and compare to the new one if you have made changes. Additionally, do the same for your forum theme files if you have made changes that you don't want to loose.

• Uncompress the archive files into your <geeklog_dir>/plugins directory. You will need to replace all the files and some directories and files are no longer needed.
• Update all your sites main public_html/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update all your sites main public_html/admin/plugins/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update all your sites main public_html/layout/{theme}/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update the system/lib-portalparts.php - new version is located in the system folder of the archive

Step 3 - Run the plugin update

• Access the plugin update from the Plugin Editor. The plugin listing will show version 2.6 is installed and that an update is recommended. Using the Edit link by the plugin record, access the edit screen where there will now be an update button. Pressing [Update] will execute the needed database changes

Step 4 - Update your theme

• The forum now is able to appear with leftblocks only (default), noblocks, rightblocks only or both left and right blocks. Setting to noblocks allows the forum to appear the full-width of your theme. Additionally, you can show the usermenu as a horizontal navbar which is necessary if you are not showing left or right blocks. These new settings are expected to be in your themes functions.php file so the layout can be theme specific. Refer to the default professional theme version of functions.php that is in the plugin archive themefiles directory for more details.

Step 5 - Review Admin Settings

• Review the admin settings
• Review the optional plugin config.php settings

Congratulations - you should now have your forum updated to version 2.8.0

How to update from version 2.5RC3

Step 0 - Backup your Database.

• 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.
  The backup is strongly recommended. The update will need to modify your database. Additionally, incase there are any formatting issues with your forum content after the update, you may want to have the option of going back

Step 1 - Disable the forum plugin (optional)

• From the Plugin Editor Admin > plugins, disable the forum plugin so any current site users will not be accessing the forum during the update. This is an optional step and not required.

Step 2 - Restore the plugin Archive

• Uncompress the archive files into your <geeklog_dir>/plugins directory. You will need to replace all the files and some directories and files are no longer needed.
• Update all your sites main public_html/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update all your sites main public_html/admin/plugins/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update all your sites main public_html/layout/{theme}/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files

Step 3 - Run the plugin update

Note: If the forum was still enabled, the centerblock and sideblock will be disabled once you copy over the new code until you complete the plugin update

• Access the plugin update from the Plugin Editor. The plugin listing will show version 2.5RCx is installed and that an update is recommended. Using the Edit link by the plugin record, access the edit screen where there will now be an update button. Pressing [Update] will execute the needed database changes
• Run the Forum Re-Sync admin feature to complete the update of the new forum fields. From the Admim->Forum screen, access the admin section for forums. You will see that you can Re-Sync each forum or all forums for a category.
  This is a manual task because initial testing on large forums found that an automated update on a site with a large number of forums and possiby thousands of posts per forum could exceed the max-execution time allowed on your webserver

Step 4 - Update your theme and theme css - style.css file

• The forum is using the plugin CSS that is distributed with the GL 1.4.1 professional theme. If you are running a GL 1.4.1 site and using the stock professional theme or a 1.4.1 certified theme, you will only need to add a few new CSS styles declarations for the codeblock and quote formatting feature.
• If you have a GL 1.4 site or using a beta release of GL 1.4.1, then update style.css file using the pre1.4.1_forum.css file in the archive under the themefiles folder. Backup your current style.css file for reference and for many sites, they can just replace all the plugin like CSS declarations. They should all be grouped together in your style.css file.
• Pre 1.4.1 themes will also need to add missing navbar images. Add the images found in archives themefiles/navbar/images folder to the same folder under your site's theme.
  Add the CSS declarations from the forum.css file in the archive under the themefiles folder.
  
• If you have a GL 1.4.1 final site, then you will only need to add the few additional CSS styles for the codeblock and quote formatting.
  Add the CSS declarations from the forum.css file in the archive under the themefiles folder.
  
• The forum now is able to appear with leftblocks only (default), noblocks, rightblocks only or both left and right blocks. Setting to noblocks allows the forum to appear the full-width of your theme. Additionally, you can show the usermenu as a horizontal navbar which is necessary if you are not showing left or right blocks. These new settings are expected to be in your themes functions.php file so the layout can be theme specific. Refer to the default professional theme version of functions.php that is in the plugin archive themefiles directory for more details.

Step 5 - Review Admin Settings

• Review the admin settings
• Review the optional plugin config.php settings

Congratulations - you should now have your forum updated to version 2.8.0

How to update from version 2.3.x

The update process will update your forum to version 2.8.0 in one step if version 2.3.x detected

Step 0 - Backup your Database.

• 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. The backup is strongly recommended. The update will need to modify your database. Additionally, incase there are any formatting issues with your forum content after the update, you may want to have the option of going back

Step 1 - Disable the forum plugin (optional)

• From the Plugin Editor Admin > plugins, disable the forum plugin so any current site users will not be accessing the forum during the update. This is an optional step and not required.

Step 2 - Restore the plugin Archive

• Uncompress the archive files into your <geeklog_dir>/plugins directory. You will need to replace all the files and some directories and files are no longer needed.
• Update all your sites main public_html/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update all your sites main public_html/admin/plugins/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files
• Update all your sites main public_html/layout/{theme}/forum files. Suggest you delete current files and copy over the new files

Step 3 - Run the plugin update

Note: If the forum was still enabled, the centerblock and sideblock will be disabled once you copy over the new code until you complete the plugin update

• Access the plugin update from the Plugin Editor. The plugin listing will show version 2.5RCx is installed and that an update is recommended. Using the Edit link by the plugin record, access the edit screen where there will now be an update button. Pressing [Update] will execute the needed database changes
• Run the Forum Re-Sync admin feature to complete the update of the new forum fields. From the Admim->Forum screen, access the admin section for forums. You will see that you can Re-Sync each forum or all forums for a category.
  This is a manual task because initial testing on large forums found that an automated update on a site with a large number of forums and possiby thousands of posts per forum could exceed the max-execution time allowed on your webserver

Step 4 - Update your theme files and theme css - style.css file

• The forum is using the plugin CSS that is distributed with the GL 1.4.1 professional theme. If you are running a GL 1.4.1 site and using the stock professional theme or a 1.4.1 certified theme, you will only need to add a few new CSS styles declarations for the codeblock and quote formatting feature.
• If you have a GL 1.4 site or using a beta release of GL 1.4.1, then update style.css file using the pre1.4.1_forum.css file in the archive under the themefiles folder. Backup your current style.css file for reference and for many sites, they can just replace all the plugin like CSS declarations. They should all be grouped together in your style.css file.
• Pre 1.4.1 themes will also need to add missing navbar images. Add the images found in archives themefiles/navbar/images folder to the same folder under your site's theme.
  Add the CSS declarations from the forum.css file in the archive under the themefiles folder.
  
• If you have a GL 1.4.1 final site, then you will only need to add the few additional CSS styles for the codeblock and quote formatting.
  Add the CSS declarations from the forum.css file in the archive under the themefiles folder.
  
• The forum now is able to appear with leftblocks only (default), noblocks, rightblocks only or both left and right blocks. Setting to noblocks allows the forum to appear the full-width of your theme. Additionally, you can show the usermenu as a horizontal navbar which is necessary if you are not showing left or right blocks. These new settings are expected to be in your themes functions.php file so the layout can be theme specific. Refer to the default professional theme version of functions.php that is in the plugin archive themefiles directory for more details.

Step 5 - Review Admin Settings

• Review the admin settings
• Review the optional plugin config.php settings

Congratulations - you should now have your forum updated to version 2.8.0

Configuration

Please read the forum documentation accessible online from your site at http://www.yoursite.com/forum/docs/english/forum.html

Profile Integration

The forum plugin is capable of integrating some additional profile fields with Geeklog, but due to a bug in Geeklog core this is not automatic and you must add these fields manually to some template files in Geeklog.

There is a sample implementation available in ./example/layout/professional/preferences/profile.thtml and ./example/layout/professional/users/profile.thtml.

In the example files linked above, the parts that must be added to the templates of your theme are enclosed by the following HTML comments:
<!-- Forum ****************************************** --> and <!-- ****************************************** -->