CTA Featured Threads & Portal [Paid] 2.17.0

[Paul B]

No, there is no caching implemented as that would potentially result in incorrect viewing permissions if the parent forums/threads changed.

As it checks viewing permissions for all threads and respects the original permissions of the forums/threads, it's expected that it will take some time to render the page with over 10,000 threads archived.

The archive was created for that reason - so the main home page can be kept to a smaller subset of featured threads, avoiding the extended rendering time.

 

[bibitbunga]

Check that the template modification is being applied.

View attachment 133350

It's likely that the edits you have made to the navigation template are preventing it from being applied (correctly).

You can add the links manually using this code:

<xen:if is="{$canViewFeaturedThreads} AND {$xenOptions.ctaFtFeaturedThreadsArchive.enabled} AND @ctaFtEnableForumsTabArchiveLink">
    <li><a href="{xen:link 'threads/featured-archive'}">{xen:phrase cta_ft_featured_threads_archive}</a></li>
</xen:if>

<xen:if is="{$canViewFeaturedThreads} AND {$xenOptions.ctaFtFeaturedThreadsPage.enabled} AND @ctaFtEnableForumsTabPageLink">
    <li><a href="{xen:link 'threads/featured'}">{xen:phrase cta_ft_featured_threads}</a></li>
</xen:if>

Thank you for the details Brogan, however I have just restored the navigation template and it all goes back, there is featured threads page and featured threads archive page.

Then the new problem appears. I have checked the option where "featured threads dedicated page" shows as a home, and I have updated the index page route to 'threads/featured' and it works, but the sidebar does not appear even if I had them all checked (screenshot below).



And even after it worked out, the sidebar for home, will be there no sign up button to show? How to add one button?

Thank you.

 

[Paul B]

Ensure the corresponding Style Properties are also enabled.

 

[bibitbunga]

Ensure the corresponding Style Properties are also enabled.

Dont understand. How to ensure?

 

[Paul B]

Style Properties -> CTA Featured Threads Page

 

[bibitbunga]

Style Properties -> CTA Featured Threads Page

But they are already enabled. And still cant do sidebar thing in home.

 

[Paul B]

You have it just set up as a page.

The sidebar is only available when setting it up as a home page.

I suspect you haven't followed the instructions correctly: http://support.cliptheapex.com/threads/configure-the-home-portal-page.345/

 

[m1ne]

A feature suggestion if I may..

If a thread is unfeatured manually, it should not be allowed to be automatically featured again.

 

[Paul B]

That isn't something which is tracked so it wouldn't be possible.

Unchecking 'Include Expired' will prevent any previously featured threads from being featured again.

 

[sami simo]

No, there is no caching implemented as that would potentially result in incorrect viewing permissions if the parent forums/threads changed.

As it checks viewing permissions for all threads and respects the original permissions of the forums/threads, it's expected that it will take some time to render the page with over 10,000 threads archived.

The archive was created for that reason - so the main home page can be kept to a smaller subset of featured threads, avoiding the extended rendering time.

Forgive my ignorance Brogan, but if a forum is allowing all usergroup to see Featured threads with their forums without restrictions, wouldn't be possible to have an option to bypass this check to make things faster?
Sorry if this sound ridiculous, as I said I'm a total ignorant in coding.

 

[Paul B]

No, it's not as simple as that as the permission check still needs to be done.

 

[RobaFresca]

In my forum the slider doesn't slide at all....
I did all shown below....but the only thing that is sliding is my nervous sweatting ass on the chair bcs i don't get it to work....
What did i wrong or forgot to set ?

 

[RobaFresca]

Ok found it out myself. I was expectig the block would slide if i set to single....that would be a nice feature for people with less space or don't want a portal site like me.
So i MUST upload an image to get it into the slider...at least if in the first post of the featured thread is no image available.

Some things i don't like about it.
Slider doesn't respect aspect ratio of the pics and shows the pics badly distorted. The only way to change it seems to be to set the max height to the same value as width...
Would be nice to have an option to center and/or cut the used image to fit the presets just to prevent such ugly results:



But the greatest thing would be anyway if i could set this block/box to slide instead of an image slider...maybe you consider that as a feature to set.

 

[Paul B]

Slider doesn't respect aspect ratio of the pics and shows the pics badly distorted. The only way to change it seems to be to set the max height to the same value as width...

That's how background cover CSS works.
The alternative is to have large black bars at either side of the image, which would look equally as bad.
You should aim to use images with a similar ratio to that of the slider container and ensure the slider settings in the ACP match the available width.

But the greatest thing would be anyway if i could set this block/box to slide instead of an image slider...maybe you consider that as a feature to set.

The slider was created for that purpose.
It's not something I plan to introduce.

 

[RobaFresca]

The alternative is to have large black bars at either side of the image, which would look equally as bad.

Well...it is possible to solve it another way, which shows a cover addon i have installed. It lays just a frame above the image and lets you reposition it behind by holding the left mouse button. (and it has a slider integrated) Of course i am not a developer and it might be too fatiguing to implement....which i cannot measure.

I mean, to edit first an image to fit it into a slider for a "featuring act" seems a bit converse to me as a promotion to "featured" should be a quick and easy action. Just like that cover addon shows it (responsive also). To set the general allowed image format to fit the slider is also not useful as most images are shot today in 4:3 or 3:2 and maximum image size is set to 1024px in most forums to save server power and disk space.

The slider feature is a great thing and i guess the users would love it if it would look like this





And well...the "sliding blocks" would be a nice feature anyway for those who don't want to have any confusing portal covering their forum but use a "featured thread" feature....like me...

 

[Paul B]

I mean, to edit first an image to fit it into a slider for a "featuring act" seems a bit converse to me

You don't have to edit it - the code handles cropping and resizing automatically.

What you do need to do is ensure the settings you have for the slider are correct, based on the container size where the slider displays.


It seems to me those values are not correct, which is why the images are being stretched and distorted.

 

[RobaFresca]

Ok, that would work and i tried it...but well...it just crops "somehow" and the motive of the image might be cutted or not visible....therefore a "reposition feature" would be a nice to have.

But please don't get me wrong, it's one of the greatest addons i ever bought and used for my board and i know it takes time to get familar with all the functions.

Just another suggestion. The greatest thing would be to have an option in the user settings to let users chose wether they want the forum/node view or the featured portal page as initial page.

I read already your "BroGuide" "Using Custom User Fields" and have the idea to do something like that, i just have no idea how to integrate to switch that option:

This would really be a nice feature....even a hint what to do to realize it my own...

 

[bibitbunga]

You have it just set up as a page.

The sidebar is only available when setting it up as a home page.

I suspect you haven't followed the instructions correctly: http://support.cliptheapex.com/threads/configure-the-home-portal-page.345/

I did have done all of the required steps, but restored back the settings before you seen it because I think it does not look right for our members. So when you peek kebunpedia.com I have set things back and it appears that I have not implemented the steps but I sure already did but it did not work. But it's ok, I decide not to have the dedicated featured threads page into homepage because it is not Widget Framework supported right? Or may I have widget framework used if I use the dedicated page for homepage? Because I really need that Widget Framework

Second question, I just featured a poll, and it shows in our homepage (http://www.kebunpedia.com). But in upcoming events we obviously will feature other threads. How to make that poll one stick there and not going anywhere, not replaced by the fresh ones?

Thank you for your elaboration..

 

[bibitbunga]

Also, @Brogan, I do not check 'latest' in my CTA option, but it appears that the 2 featured threads on the forum list appear not random at all. They appear as 'latest' even though I leave the 'latest' unchecked. How to fix if I want them to be randomly ordered again as they should? Thanks..

 

[Martok]

I decide not to have the dedicated featured threads page into homepage because it is not Widget Framework supported right? Or may I have widget framework used if I use the dedicated page for homepage?

Yes, you can use Widget Framework with it. See the question "Is this add-on compatible with the [bd] Widget Framework add-on?" and answer in the FAQ tab at the top of this page.