[SurreyForum] XenKingDir: Link / Business Directory (Directory)

[Divinum Fiat]

Not currently, you would have to create your own work flow for this, revenue is something I will need pay more attention to in later builds. (another possible enhancement)

Would it be possible to make the directory restrictive to certain user groups?

 

[tenants]

It's driven by the directory forum and the directory listings act as threads, so in theory yes.

Restrict the "Directory Forum" to certain groups only, that in theory could control submission for payment workflows (I havent tried this myself, so it will need some testing)

 

[erich37]

instead of "<Anonymous>" , probably change this text to "Claim Link" and make it clickable..... ?

http://www.surreyforum.co.uk/directory/new

 

[ibaker]

I'm not quite sure what you mean

Is it a Fix Liquid Fixed look you are going for (it's currently Liquid Liquid Liquid, since I just wrap the child divs in divs with % widths)
if so have a quick look at this: http://www.pagecolumn.com/liquidfixed/3_col_fix-liquid-fix.htm

Thanks Tenants...actually I am trying to have:
| fluid | fluid | fixed |

 

[Divinum Fiat]

It's driven by the directory forum and the directory listings act as threads, so in theory yes.

Restrict the "Directory Forum" to certain groups only, that in theory could control submission for payment workflows (I havent tried this myself, so it will need some testing)

I would love it if you or someone could test it and report back. This might be the answer to charging people a fee for advertising.

 

[erich37]

Can you explain what you mean, I've clicked it and followed through to the listing

------------------------



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[erich37]

3) Make reviews look different to normal threads (make people want to review directory listings)

I would not do this. The Forum is the best solution for reviews.

 

[tenants]

Thanks for the snapshots, it makes it much easier to see what you expect to happen

1) Clickable link for the Title
=> This would redirect you to the same page you are already on?
the "Pub Food in Surrey" is a title for all of the subcategories...
if there were subcategories for "Pub Food in Surrey" all of the subcategories are click-able, see: Eating Out in Surrey
Since there are no subcategories for "Pub Food in Surrey", there are no click-able links

What I think the problem is here, is that there is a "subcategory title" displayed when there are no sub categories.
=> This can be fixed / made optional in the ACP (the ACP is becoming quite overloaded with options for this plugin)


2) Show Subcategories in the left
Well, for the exmaple you've used, this would display "blank", since there are no subcategories.
however, there is already an Enhancement on the to-do list:
See (14) Options to show the subcategories on the left hand side for the category that is selected. (instead of always showing the parent nodes)
>> My personal preferences for this one, would be to leave the parent links in the Left Hand column (since child categories can be selected from the top, once again see Eating Out in Surrey). I'll still do this enhancement since it's been mentioned by more that 1 user

3) Pending / active "should be only visible for Admin"
=> I think this is and Administrators preferance
(It's useful for user to know how many links have been sent to the pending list, giving some idea of how well managed the directory is)
=> This one I will make optional (so you can untick it in the ACP if you don't like the pending / active stats visible to users)
Added to the to-do list

4) Same stuff twice => True(ish), this can easily be removed from the template (and the 2nd title is useful when you have many subcategories)
=> Do nothing, since the form admin can remove from the template sfdirectory_sub_index (and this is really a duplicate as the first item you mentioned)

 

[tenants]

3) Make reviews look different to normal threads (make people want to review directory listings)

I would not do this. The Forum is the best solution for reviews.

=> Then it will be optional, once again in the ACP
I think people can really benefit from a styled review area, for example: "be the first to leave a review" << gives users more of an idea what the review area can be used for

If forum admins like the "forum post layout" they can select an an option to keep this

review style:
* "Basic forum post style"
* "review style1"
(etc, and more if I add different styles, which is likely since some people want a right hand column)

 

[erich37]

IMHO, it is all about the ability to submit Links into a Directory as an Admin. Then having the possibility for the company to claim the Link and submit their first Forum-post.
All other stuff can be already created by using Prefixes and the default XenForo-system.

Your ideas are great, but I think all of this could be done with a much cleaner interface just by using Prefixes for Categories.
Literally having Prefixes as being your Main Categories.

 

[tenants]

All other stuff can be already created by using Prefixes and the default XenForo-system.

I'm just trying to see how far I could get with this,
Multiple categories might be hard to do with prefixes, I don't currently know of a way of adding multiple prefixes
(Multiple categories is one of the enhancements I still need to add for the directory)

Making all the categories as prefixes would be quite a change, what advantages it would have? (I'm keeping an open mind on this one)

* You wouldn't have a default catorgiry list (Unless I pushed data into XF tables, which I dont like doing, I try to keep everything separate for easy installation / unistallation / not introducing bugs into the XF product!)
* Possibly no "multiple category option"
* You wouldn't have parent / child nodes, just a big list of prefixes (imagine selecting through 200 prefixes)
* Backwards compatibly is going to be an issue, anyone who upgrades is going to have to start from scratch

I can see lots of arguments to not use prefixes as "categories". However, I can see advantages of enabling support for prefixes with in the directory (this is different).

Since I'm currently using it on my own site, it would be nice if I could use prefixes to select the "location" of the business. So I will support prefixes, but not as categories (but anything that the Admin wishes).

 

[ibaker]

I have been trying to fix the size of the Video and Logo to 240px x 180px without jeopardising the code too much so it is manageable for updates but I just can't get it right. It is ok on 1024 but wider screens like mine which is 1680 I can't get the Google map to fill across 100% of the center column.

This is what it looks like on 1024:


This is 1680:


This is my sfdirectory_map_view:

<xen:require css="sfdirectory_map_view.css" />
<div style="width: 100%;height:470px;overflow:hidden;">
 
        <div class="subHeading" style="overflow:hidden;height:12px;">
            {$thread.title}
        </div>
 
    <div  class="leftrvw" >
 
        <div class="secondaryContent" style="height: 100%;">
   
<NO CHANGES BETWEEN THE ABOVE AND BELOW>
   
    <div class="centerrvw">
        <xen:if is="{$directorylisting.address_line_1} OR {$directorylisting.address_line_2} OR {$directorylisting.postcode} OR {$directorylisting.town_city}">
            <xen:if is="{$allowGoogleMap}">
                <div class="reviewattach">
                    <span class="reviewimg" style="height:405px;">       
                        <iframe  frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0"
                            width="100%" height="405px" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?q={$listingaddress}&output=embed">
                        </iframe>
                    </span>
 
                <div style="margin-top: 5px;text-align: right;">
                    <a href="{xen:link reviews}{$thread.url}/map-directions/">
                        {xen:phrase view_larger_map_directions}
                    </a>
                </div>
   
                </div>   
            <xen:else />
                <iframe  frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" width="100%" height="430px" src=""> </iframe>   
            </xen:if>
        <xen:else />
            <iframe  frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" width="100%" height="430px" src=""> </iframe>   
        </xen:if>   
    </div>   
 
    <div class="rightrvw">
        <xen:if is="{$youtube}">
            <xen:if is="{$allowYoutube}">
                <div class="reviewattach">
                    <span class="reviewimg">
                        <iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html"
                            width="240px" height="180px" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/{$youtube}?wmode=opaque"
                            frameborder="0" allowFullScreen>
                        </iframe>
                    </span>
                </div>
            </xen:if>
        </xen:if>
        <xen:if is="{$directorylisting.logo_image_url}">
            <xen:if is="{$allowLogo}">
                <div class="reiewattachwrap">
                    <div class="reviewattach">
                        <span class="reviewimg">
                            <img src="{$directorylisting.logo_image_url}" width="240px" height="180px" />
                        </span>
                    </div>
                </div>
            </xen:if>
        </xen:if>
    </div>
 
</div>

This is my sfdirectory_map_view.css:

.fullleft{
    float: left;
    margin: 5px 0 10px;
    width: 100%;
}
.halfleft{
    float: left;
    width: 50%;
}
 
.userin{
    margin-right: 10px;
}
 
div.reviewattach {
    height:100%;
    margin-bottom: 5px;   
    background-color: #F0F7FC;   
    border-radius: 4px 4px 4px 4px; 
    border: 1px solid #D7EDFC;
    padding: 5px;
}
 
.reviewimg {
    background-position: 2px 2px;
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    display: block;
    overflow: hidden;
    white-space: nowrap;
    word-wrap: normal;
    background-color: #FCFCFF;
    border: 1px solid #A5CAE4;
    border-radius: 4px 4px 4px 4px;
    padding: 2px;
height:180px;
}
 
.centerrvw{
    float: left;
    margin: 0 auto;
 
    width: 43%;
    overflow: hidden;
}
 
.leftrvw{
    float: left;
    padding: 0 5px 0 0;
    width: 28%;
    height: 415px;
    overflow: hidden;
    height: 100%;
}
 
.rightrvw{
    float: right;
    padding: 0;
 
    width: 20%;
    overflow: hidden;
width:258px;
}

I can do it by starting the whole thing from scratch using margins and negatives but I am trying to keep as much as possible to Tenants code. Can anyone offer assistance?

 

[tenants]

A quick note for people that want to change the lay out for review (it doesnt answer the above, but answers a question from conversations)

If you want to change the layout of the map / videos / log / company information


This would be a template change, look at the template:
sfdirectory_map_view

If you don't use the map, or the videos or the logos you can turn them off using the options, and update that template.
But to change the layout, you will need to make changes to the templates.

Essentially, there are three divs in the sfdirectory_map_view template :

<div class="leftrvw"> /*contains the left hand column with the users business data */ </div>
<div class=centerrvw"> /*contains map*/ </div>
<div class=rightrvw"> /*contains youtube and logo*/ </div>

if you look at the template sfdirectory_map_view.css,
you can see how they are laid out:


.centerrvw{
float: left; margin: 0 auto;
padding: 5px; overflow: hidden;
width: 48%;
}

.leftrvw{
float: left; padding: 0 5px 0 0;
height: 415px; overflow: hidden;
width: 28%;
}

.rightrvw{
float: right; padding: 0;
margin-right: 15px; overflow: hidden;
width: 20%;
}

So if you want to change the width of the left colum, change width: 28%; to something approriate (and update the other widths for centerrvw and rightrvw)

 

[Divinum Fiat]

Forgive me if this is a 'silly' question. But where exactly do I go to change the directory headings/categories? Can't seem to find the most clear way and am hoping I won't have to touch the 'templates.'

 

[Dodgeboard]

This is an awesome mod. Looks like it wouldn't take much work to mold this into a classifieds ad mod.

 

[tenants]

Forgive me if this is a 'silly' question. But where exactly do I go to change the directory headings/categories? Can't seem to find the most clear way and am hoping I won't have to touch the 'templates.'

The categories are customisable as nodes (like forum nodes)
Just go to: youforum.com/admin.php?directory/

Or login to the Admin Control Panel and go to Applications >> Link Directory

 

[Divinum Fiat]

The categories are customisable as nodes (like forum nodes)
Just go to: youforum.com/admin.php?directory/

Or login to the Admin Control Panel and go to Applications >> Link Directory

I promise I'm a natural brunette... I would never have looked there, thank you so much!

 

[Divinum Fiat]

'tenants', thanks for your help. I went ahead and created a test listing (http://www.corefreedom.com/reviews/cha-zays-dowsing-services.194), directory is at www.corefreedom.com/directory, and am having trouble with the top part of the listing. During the initial sign up it asked for a url for the logo. That totally threw me (no clue what that means) and I just used a link to one of my photos on Facebook. But now the picture isn't showing and I can't seem to get in there and get it out.

I think people will run into the same issue. How does one update the logo once the listing is complete?

Also, I offer a service that I can do remotely, long distance and so my territory served (as will most of my directory people be) is world wide. Most of the people in my directory work from home and will not want to use their home address in the directory. Does this mean that the Google map won't show and the top part of the listing is always going to be blank? I turned Google map off but it's still showing blank at the top.

The other issue I have is that many people will not want to show their forum signature or the picture of their current forum membership in the actual directory link. Rather than having them create two forum accounts, is there a way to change this and remove or alter the signature completely? Is it possible to add a different picture to the listing like we can do when we promote a post (choose an alternate picture)?

What is a claimable listing?

 

[tenants]

The logo link would be a link to the actual images, for instance:
http://www.corefreedom.com/styles/flexile/Bp4Love/Logo.png
or
http://www.corefreedom.com/attachments/dowsing-gif.147/


The YouTube Link would look something like this

http://youtu.be/LGBJtkGQExM

(but it also accepts this)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGBJtkGQExM

(I've toyed with the idea of putting an example of both types of links on the update / list creation page)

Once the list is complete, you can always go back and update the listing by clicking the "Edit Listing Details" link (on the review page, just below where the map is)

A claimable listing is one that someone can claim.
For instance, the admin might create a Business Listing for "bobs Business", but the admin does not own "bobs Business", then bob comes along and wants to update the listing and be the point of contact for the review page... If this is the case, the admin can set the listing to claimable and bob can claim the listing "bobs Business" (it also makes Bob the thread owner)

When you set a review listing to claimable, the post 1st becomes anonymous (no signature, no avatar), when some one claims the listing, their signature and avatar are then used.

If you want to remove the signature and avatar for the 1st post of a review listing for all cases, this would be fairly easy to do, just update the following template:

sfdir_message
remove this section:

    <xen:if is="(({$is_claimable} == 0) || {$claimableAnonymous} != 1) || ({$post.position} != 0)">
        <xen:include template="message_user_info">
            <xen:map from="$message" to="$user" />
        </xen:include>
    </xen:if>

and remove this section:

            <xen:if is="{$visitor.content_show_signature} && {$message.signature}">
                <div class="baseHtml signature ugc{xen:if $message.isIgnored, ' ignored'}"><aside>{xen:raw $message.signatureHtml}</aside></div>
            </xen:if>

 

[Divinum Fiat]

Thanks for explaining this, really appreciate it. I had no idea what the url is for my logo hadn't you told me. The challenge with the way XF is currently set up (in allowing url images but not direct uploads from computers), that 90%+ of my clients won't have a clue (like me) how to upload a logo or picture (which means they'll come back and ask me).

Is there any way to make it so people can upload directly from their computer?