CTA Featured Threads & Portal [Paid] 2.17.0

[HenrikHansen]

Slight update to the share stuff.

I added SPs for custom services, so you can add your own to the custom share templates - separate ones for the blocks and page.

The number of shares shown in the featured block, will it be the total shares of the thread (thread view + featured block), or only the number of shares from this block?

 

[Paul B]

It uses the canonical URL so the count should be the same, i.e. the total number of shares.

 

[Brent W]

Not sure how hard this would be but being able to sort the featured thread page by date instead of by when they were featured would be nice. That way we'd be one step closer to a more traditional blog type feel, along with the thread_view template modifications, if you decide to do those.

 

[Paul B]

Sorting options have been suggested and are on the list for consideration.

The easiest solution would be an option in the ACP.

The 'blog' template changes are also still on the list.

 

[Paul B]

That way we'd be one step closer to a more traditional blog type feel, along with the thread_view template modifications, if you decide to do those.

While I'm updating my notes, can you clarify exactly what a "blog type" featured thread should look like?

What about those with no permission to view featured threads?
Should they still see the "blog type" layout?
Currently they see no indication when a thread is featured.

 

[Paul B]

Not sure how hard this would be but being able to sort the featured thread page by date

Like this?



Feature number 5 for 2.8.

 

[eberkund]

Question: Is there an intended way of setting the featured duration? I noticed on your site @Brogan (CTA) that you don't seem to have any expired threads. Is this because you just set any threads to be featured indefinitely and then unfeature them manually when you want to remove them?

 

[Martok]

Question: Is there an intended way of setting the featured duration? I noticed on your site @Brogan (CTA) that you don't seem to have any expired threads. Is this because you just set any threads to be featured indefinitely and then unfeature them manually when you want to remove them?

You can specify the duration for featuring threads in hours, days, weeks, months or indefinitely. The default setting is 2 weeks and this can be easily changed when featuring or updating a thread.

You'll see on my site that I always use timed featuring, the length of which I decide on depending on the content of the thread.

 

[Paul B]

Yes, exactly as Martok said.
I use the default setting of 2 weeks after which time they are automatically unfeatured.

The duration can be set when featuring or changed when updating an existing featured thread.

 

[Paul B]

Changed the approach:



Doing it this way makes it easy to add other sort options in the future (not that I can really think of any useful ones).

 

[Paul B]

Had to do a big reorganisation of the SPs.



Horribly mundane task but it needed doing as the page was getting way too long and the left hand menus were breaking out of the bottom.

 

[Paul B]

I'm not sure who asked for this, but it has been added for 2.8.
A link to the (featured) thread's forum.



Controlled via SPs as usual.

 

[Paul B]

Version 2.8 has been released to the beta testers.

It's also running here: http://cliptheapex.com/

All being well it will be ready for general release within a few days.

 

[FredC]

Hmm 2.8 might just be the release that convinces me to make this my official home page.

 

[Paul B]

DO IT!!!

 

[Paul B]

Your're welcome to beta test if you wish @FredC?

 

[FredC]

I noticed if you remove the <li at the very beginning of the cta_featuredthreads_list_item template that the page horizontally aligns with the other blocks.. If i revert the template it drops the block a line.. So i guess my question is it ok (or is there another better way) to remove the <li to achieve this effect? (Vertically aligning the blocks.)

 

[Paul B]

Use the Style Property CTA Featured Threads Page -> List and set the margin top to -10px, or whatever value you need.

Edit: If it's not for the page, use CTA Featured Threads Blocks -> Block and remove the top margin.

 

[FredC]

Well that was easy enough.. you have a SP for just about everything, not used to that in most plugins..

 

[Paul B]

It's a pain adding and updating them but one thing I know from experience is that people want the ability to customise every single thing.

So in the long run it just makes it easier.