[XB] Guide Threads: Structured How-To Guides & Tutorials 1.0.4

Create step-by-step how-to guides, tutorials, instructions, and knowledge base content as native XenForo threads.

Guide Threads adds a dedicated guide forum and structured guide thread type where authors can organize instructions into sections and steps, list required tools and supplies, estimate time and cost, and present tutorials using multiple layouts. Readers can follow their progress step by step and rate guides when ratings are enabled.

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Features:​

Guide Creation​

• Structured Guide Editor: Create guides through dedicated overview, requirements, and steps stages with a main image and optional table of contents.
• Main Image Uploads: Upload a guide image from a file, or optionally allow image uploads from a URL in the add-on settings. URL uploads are disabled by default.
• Per-Forum Guide Controls: Require a main image and choose whether to show group time and cost in each guide forum.
• Step-by-Step Instructions: Organize instructions into ordered groups containing individual steps.
• Time & Cost Estimates: Set estimated time and cost independently for each step group.
• Tools & Supplies: List the tools, equipment, materials, or supplies readers need before starting a guide.
• Rich Step Content: Add BB code descriptions, attachments, and highlighted tips to individual steps.
• Drag-and-Drop Ordering: Reorder step groups and individual instructions while editing.
• Step Duplication: Duplicate step text without copying its attachments.
• Move Steps Between Groups: Move existing steps to adjacent groups while retaining their attachments.
• Collapsible Editor: Collapse groups and steps to make large tutorials easier to manage.

Reading & Presentation​

• Article-Style Guide Forums: Display guides using standard, preview, or expanded XenForo article-style thread lists.
• Article First Posts: Present the first post using a standard or article layout, with the article layout enabled by default.
• Multiple Step Layouts: Display instructions using Timeline, Card, or Compact Checklist layouts.
• Per-Forum Layout Controls: Configure which guide layouts authors can select in each guide forum.
• Style Properties: Customize the timeline, cards, and checklist layouts, plus guide images, sections, progress, tips, and ratings through XenForo styles.
• Image Fit: Choose whether a guide's main image is cropped to fill its frame or shown in full.
• Timeline Sizing: Adjust the timeline marker size and line width through style properties.
• Table of Contents: Optionally provide navigation through structured guide sections and steps.
• Guide List Ratings: Show guide ratings in thread lists and display step counts and ratings in article previews.
• Step Completion Tracking: Let readers mark individual guide steps as completed.
• Resume Guide: Continue from the first unfinished step when returning to a guide.
• Next Step Navigation: Move directly to the next instruction while following a tutorial.
• Step Links: Copy direct links to individual guide steps.
• Reset Progress: Clear completed steps and start a guide again.
• Member Progress Sync: Store signed-in members' guide progress with sync status and retry support when saving fails.
• Guest Progress: Preserve progress for visitors without accounts using browser storage.
• HowTo Structured Data: Add Schema.org HowTo metadata containing guide sections, steps, tools, supplies, time, and available cost information.
• Structured Cost Data: Include total guide cost when all configured group costs use the same currency.

Ratings​

• Guide Ratings: Allow members with permission to rate guides from one to five stars.
• Change Ratings: Let members update their existing guide rating.
• Rating Statistics: Display the average guide rating and total number of votes.
• Aggregate Rating Metadata: Include aggregate rating information in HowTo structured data when a guide has ratings.
• Flexible Rating Controls: Disable ratings entirely or choose between direct star rating and a rating dialog.

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Requirements:​

• XenForo 2.3.0+

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Useful for:​

• How-To Guides: Publish detailed step-by-step instructions for practical tasks.
• Tutorials: Create structured tutorials that are easier to follow than standard discussion threads.
• Knowledge Bases: Build community documentation while retaining XenForo threads, replies, moderation, and forum organization.
• DIY Guides: Document projects with required tools, materials, costs, and ordered steps.
• Technical Guides: Publish installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and setup instructions.
• Self-Paced Learning: Let readers complete instructions individually and resume unfinished guides later.
• Article Tutorials: Combine structured instructions with XenForo's article-style forum presentation.
• Search-Friendly Guides: Provide HowTo structured data for search engines while keeping guide content inside your community.

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FAQ:​

• Can visitors follow a guide without an account? Yes. Guests can mark steps as completed and retain their progress in the browser. Signed-in members have progress associated with their account.
• Can a guide contain multiple sections or groups of steps? Yes. Authors can organize instructions into ordered groups and place multiple steps inside each group.
• Can guides include required tools and supplies? Yes. Authors can list the tools and supplies readers need before beginning the guide.
• Can different guides use different step layouts? Yes. Authors can choose Timeline, Card, or Compact Checklist layouts from those enabled for the guide forum.
• Can different guide forums offer different layouts? Yes. Administrators can independently control which step layouts are available in each guide forum.
• Can authors upload a guide image from a URL? Yes, if an administrator enables URL image uploads in the add-on settings. This option is off by default; file uploads remain available.
• Can guide ratings be disabled? Yes. Guide ratings can be disabled entirely. Direct star rating can also be disabled separately when a rating dialog is preferred.
• Does the add-on include HowTo structured data? Yes. Guide pages include Schema.org HowTo data for steps, sections, tools, supplies, time, available cost information, and aggregate ratings when applicable.

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Screenshots:​

Guide pages​

Guide forums​

Guide editor​

Admin interface​