How do I create an add-on that allows a user to click a link and call php code?

[AndyB]

Excellent suggestions, Marcus.



Post.php

<?php

class Andy_ChangeDate_ControllerPublic_Post extends XFCP_Andy_ChangeDate_ControllerPublic_Post
{
   public function actionChangedate()
   {
     // if you are not a super admin, return
     if (!XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->isSuperAdmin())
     {
       return;
     }
         
     // get post_id from route
     $postId = $this->_input->filterSingle('post_id', XenForo_Input::UINT);
     
     // get all post data
     $post = $this->getModelFromCache('XenForo_Model_Post')->getPostById($postId);
     
     $viewParams = array('post' => $post);
     
     // display andy_changedate template overlay
     return $this->responseView('Andy_DateChange_ViewPublic_Post','andy_changedate',$viewParams);
   }
   
   public function actionChangedatesave()
   {
     // make sure data comes from $_POST
     $this->_assertPostOnly();
     
     // if you are not a super admin, you will get an error
     if (!XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->isSuperAdmin())
     {
       return;
     }
     
     $post['post_id'] = $this->_input->filterSingle('post_id', XenForo_Input::UINT);
     
     // get new post date from input text      
     $newPostDate = $this->_input->filterSingle('new_post_date', XenForo_Input::STRING);
     
     // convert to unix timestamp
     $dateline = strtotime($newPostDate ) - XenForo_Locale::getTimeZoneOffset();     
     
     if (!$dateline)
     {
       return $this->responseError(new XenForo_Phrase('incorrect_date_format_entered'));
     }
     
     //########################################
     // start database operations
     //########################################
     
     // update the xf_post.post_date
     $dw = XenForo_DataWriter::create('XenForo_DataWriter_DiscussionMessage_Post');
     $dw->setExistingData($post['post_id']);
     $dw->set('post_date', $dateline);
     $dw->save();
     
     // update the xf_post.position for each post in the thread
     // also updates other tables with first post and last post information
     $threadId = $dw->get('thread_id');
     $dw = XenForo_DataWriter::create('XenForo_DataWriter_Discussion_Thread');
     $dw->setExistingData($threadId);
     $dw->rebuildDiscussion();
     $dw->save();
     
     //########################################
     // return with response redirect
     //########################################
         
     return $this->responseRedirect(
     XenForo_ControllerResponse_Redirect::SUCCESS,
     XenForo_Link::buildPublicLink('posts', $post),'Post Date Changed');       
   }
}

?>

 

[Marcus]

I would include the post creation time in the dialog with $post['formatted_date'] = date('d/m/y g:i a', $post['post_date']);:

  public function actionChangedate()
{
// if you are not a super admin, return
if (!XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->isSuperAdmin())
{
return;
}
// get post_id from route
$postId = $this->_input->filterSingle('post_id', XenForo_Input::UINT);
// get all post data
$post = $this->getModelFromCache('XenForo_Model_Post')->getPostById($postId);
$post['formatted_date'] = date('d/m/y g:ia', $post['post_date']);
$viewParams = array('post' => $post);
// display andy_changedate template overlayreturn
$this->responseView('Andy_DateChange_ViewPublic_Post','andy_changedate',$viewParams);
}

... with <input type=.... value="{$post.formated_date}" />

 

[AndyB]

Thank you, Marcus. All these changes are wonderful.

 

[AndyB]

Post.php

<?php

class Andy_ChangeDate_ControllerPublic_Post extends XFCP_Andy_ChangeDate_ControllerPublic_Post
{
   public function actionChangedate()
   {
     // if you are not a super admin, return
     if (!XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->isSuperAdmin())
     {
       return;
     }
         
     // get post_id from route
     $postId = $this->_input->filterSingle('post_id', XenForo_Input::UINT);
     
     // get all post data
     $post = $this->getModelFromCache('XenForo_Model_Post')->getPostById($postId);
     
     // created formatted date for template
     $post['formatted_date'] = date('m/d/y g:ia', $post['post_date'] + XenForo_Locale::getTimeZoneOffset());
     
     $viewParams = array('post' => $post);
     
     // display andy_changedate template
     return $this->responseView('Andy_DateChange_ViewPublic_Post','andy_changedate',$viewParams);
   }
   
   public function actionChangedatesave()
   {
     // make sure data comes from $_POST
     $this->_assertPostOnly();
     
     // if you are not a super admin, you will get an error
     if (!XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->isSuperAdmin())
     {
       return;
     }
     
     $post['post_id'] = $this->_input->filterSingle('post_id', XenForo_Input::UINT);
     
     // get new post date from input text      
     $newPostDate = $this->_input->filterSingle('new_post_date', XenForo_Input::STRING);
     
     // convert to unix timestamp
     $dateline = strtotime($newPostDate ) - XenForo_Locale::getTimeZoneOffset();     
     
     if (!$dateline)
     {
       return $this->responseError(new XenForo_Phrase('incorrect_date_format_entered'));
     }
     
     //########################################
     // start database operations
     //########################################
     
     // update the xf_post.post_date
     $dw = XenForo_DataWriter::create('XenForo_DataWriter_DiscussionMessage_Post');
     $dw->setExistingData($post['post_id']);
     $dw->set('post_date', $dateline);
     $dw->save();
     
     // update the xf_post.position for each post in the thread
     // also updates other tables with first post and last post information
     $threadId = $dw->get('thread_id');
     $dw = XenForo_DataWriter::create('XenForo_DataWriter_Discussion_Thread');
     $dw->setExistingData($threadId);
     $dw->rebuildDiscussion();
     $dw->save();
     
     //########################################
     // return with response redirect
     //########################################
         
     return $this->responseRedirect(
     XenForo_ControllerResponse_Redirect::SUCCESS,
     XenForo_Link::buildPublicLink('posts', $post),'Post Date Changed');       
   }
}

?>

 

[Marcus]

This addon is perfect.

You can also use the admin's display time preferences. Each XenForo language can have a specific way to display time different, like 12/20/13 3:00pm or 20.12.2013 15:00. The time format is accessible in library/XenForo/Locale.php

You would just have to change these two lines and replace PHP functions date() and strototime() with the XenForo ones:

$post['formatted_date'] = date('m/d/y g:ia', $post['post_date'] + XenForo_Locale::getTimeZoneOffset());

and

$dateline = strtotime($newPostDate ) - XenForo_Locale::getTimeZoneOffset();

But I do not know how these XenForo_Locale functions work.

 

[Marcus]

Maybe $post['formatted_date'] = XenForo_Locale::dateTime($post['post_date']);

I have not found a function in XenForo_Locale that returns a UNIX Timestamp.

 

[AndyB]

I just checked to see what would happen if I use 13:00 instead of 1:00pm and it makes no difference, both work fine. So it appears only the date format needs to be addressed.

 

[Marcus]

This is with the PHP function date():

You could look at the XenForo_Visitor object to get the user's language and their date display format?

$visitor = XenForo_Visitor::getInstance();
$language = $visitor->getLanguage();

$closeDate = date($language['date_format'], $poll.close_date);

could be rewritten as

$language = XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->getLanguage();
date = date($language['date_format'], $post['post_date');

 

[Marcus]

You could use that, which only uses the date and time format from XenForo_Visitor with the PHP functions:

// accesses database table xf_language
$userLanguage = XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->getLanguage();

// accesses database fields date_format and time_format
$timeFormat = $userLanguage['date_format'] . ' ' . $userLanguage['time_format'];

$post['formatted_date'] = date($timeFormat, $post['post_date'] + XenForo_Locale::getTimeZoneOffset());

It's better to just use a XenForo function instead of the PHP function date() as it would be easier to access the data. But this code here should work.

 

[Marcus]

I just checked to see what would happen if I use 13:00 instead of 1:00pm and it makes no difference, both work fine. So it appears only the date format needs to be addressed.

It looks like strtotime() can handle lots of different ways how one writes down a date and time: http://de2.php.net/datetime.formats

 

[Marcus]

In your first function you add the local time zone, in the second function you substract it. Maybe it's right to do so, I just noticed it.

 

[AndyB]

I found this on the php.net website:

http://php.net/manual/en/function.strtotime.php

Dates in the m/d/y or d-m-y formats are disambiguated by looking at the separator between the various components: if the separator is a slash (/), then the American m/d/y is assumed; whereas if the separator is a dash (-) or a dot (.), then the European d-m-y format is assumed.

 

[Marcus]

 public function actionChangedate()
{
// if you are not a super admin, return
if (!XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->isSuperAdmin())
{
return;
}
// get post_id from route
$postId = $this->_input->filterSingle('post_id', XenForo_Input::UINT);
// get all post data
$post = $this->getModelFromCache('XenForo_Model_Post')->getPostById($postId);
// created formatted date for template
$userLanguage = XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->getLanguage();
$timeFormat = $userLanguage['date_format'] . ' ' . $userLanguage['time_format'];
$post['formatted_date'] = date($timeFormat, $post['post_date'] + XenForo_Locale::getTimeZoneOffset());
$viewParams = array('post' => $post);
// display andy_changedate template
return $this->responseView('Andy_DateChange_ViewPublic_Post','andy_changedate',$viewParams);
}

 

[AndyB]

Hi Marcus,

I added the code and it works great!



When I change my date or time settings, the template displays accordingly.

Admin CP -> Appearance -> Language -> English

 

[AndyB]

Post.php

<?php

class Andy_ChangeDate_ControllerPublic_Post extends XFCP_Andy_ChangeDate_ControllerPublic_Post
{
   public function actionChangedate()
   {
     // if you are not a super admin, return
     if (!XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->isSuperAdmin())
     {
       return;
     }
         
     // get post_id from route
     $postId = $this->_input->filterSingle('post_id', XenForo_Input::UINT);
     
     // get all post data
     $post = $this->getModelFromCache('XenForo_Model_Post')->getPostById($postId);
     
     // format date and time for use in template     
     $userLanguage = XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->getLanguage();
     $timeFormat = $userLanguage['date_format'] . ' ' . $userLanguage['time_format'];
     $post['formatted_date'] = date($timeFormat, $post['post_date'] + XenForo_Locale::getTimeZoneOffset());
     
     $viewParams = array('post' => $post);
     
     // display andy_changedate template
     return $this->responseView('Andy_DateChange_ViewPublic_Post','andy_changedate',$viewParams);
   }
   
   public function actionChangedatesave()
   {
     // make sure data comes from $_POST
     $this->_assertPostOnly();
     
     // if you are not a super admin, you will get an error
     if (!XenForo_Visitor::getInstance()->isSuperAdmin())
     {
       return;
     }
     
     $post['post_id'] = $this->_input->filterSingle('post_id', XenForo_Input::UINT);
     
     // get new post date from input text      
     $newPostDate = $this->_input->filterSingle('new_post_date', XenForo_Input::STRING);
     
     // convert to unix timestamp
     $dateline = strtotime($newPostDate ) - XenForo_Locale::getTimeZoneOffset();     
     
     if (!$dateline)
     {
       return $this->responseError(new XenForo_Phrase('incorrect_date_format_entered'));
     }
     
     //########################################
     // start database operations
     //########################################
     
     // update the xf_post.post_date
     $dw = XenForo_DataWriter::create('XenForo_DataWriter_DiscussionMessage_Post');
     $dw->setExistingData($post['post_id']);
     $dw->set('post_date', $dateline);
     $dw->save();
     
     // update the xf_post.position for each post in the thread
     // also updates other tables with first post and last post information
     $threadId = $dw->get('thread_id');
     $dw = XenForo_DataWriter::create('XenForo_DataWriter_Discussion_Thread');
     $dw->setExistingData($threadId);
     $dw->rebuildDiscussion();
     $dw->save();
     
     //########################################
     // return with response redirect
     //########################################
         
     return $this->responseRedirect(
     XenForo_ControllerResponse_Redirect::SUCCESS,
     XenForo_Link::buildPublicLink('posts', $post),'Post Date Changed');       
   }
}

?>

 

[Marcus]

Amazing! Congratulations!

 

[Marcus]

As an explanation, $userLanguage = XenForo_Visitor::getInstance():

In this file: library/XenForo/Visitor.php the function getInstance() is executed.
You could also do XenForo_Visitor::getUserId() to execute the function getUserId() there.

Or XenForo_Locale::getTimeZoneOffset() is executing the function getTimeZoneOffset() from library/XenForo/Locale.php

 

[AndyB]

Your programming skills and knowledge of Xenforo code is amazing, Marcus.

Thank you so much for teaching me how to get started making my own add-ons. I think this one is finished for now.

 

[Amaury]

Congratulations on your first resource, Andy!

 

[AndyB]

Congratulations on your first resource, Andy!

Thank you, Amaury.

I'll put the Change Date add-on in the Resource area in a few days. I will also will create a new thread with step by step instructions on how to create such an add-on so that what I learned can hopefully help others.