Add-on WidgetPortal

[simbolo]

Spinning off of discussions on the Portal/CMS thread I started development on a portal solution that uses [bd] Widget Framework for all widgets.

Purpose: The main point of the add on is to allow WF widgets in all portal locations (left sidebar, main content, right sidebar). With some added content functionality (portal in root, promote threads, etc).

ALPHA Release Download here


DEMO: http://verybestdesign.com

Requested features under consideration:
Portal

• Detect that Widget Framework is installed. Fail install if it doesn't exist.
• Detect if Route Changer is enabled and disable/enable portal in root option within Widget Portal option screen.
• Add Widgets to non-sidebar positions other than on the Portal page. IE forum-home, forums, thread list, threads.
• "Watch" the Article Forums (Alerted to threads in article forums - see xfrocks [bd] forum watch)[Low on the priority list - Would likely make a better addon to forum watch.]
• Article Sections (Since xenforo already uses categories, I'll use section. Threads within the Article forums should have the ability to add a section. There should be a section list page displaying all sections and section page displaying all threads within that section. ) [Low on the priority list. XenTag should meet the needs of categories.]

Landing Pages

• In short, an extension allowing multiple portals / landing pages. Request here and originally here.

Widgets
[Recent Threads Widget]

• Promote Threads (All threads would have a "promote" button pushing the thread to the front page. The sort order would be by promote date, not publish date.
• Promoted Threads gain Article Look and Feel. Suggested Here
• Promote Threads Summary Input (Thread summary, used on portal instead of thread text)
• Promote Threads Poll (If promoted thread has a poll display it)
• Add Prefix to Promoted Threads. Prefix specified in Admin. Suggested here.
• Add different display options for threads. Specified here.

[Replica of xenPorta's carousel]

• Reproduce the Look and Feel of xenPorta's carousel.

[Responsive Carousel Widget]

• Using http://flexslider.woothemes.com/ or http://unoslider.com/

[PostId Widget]

• Specify post ids to display the first post's content.

[XenTags Widget]

• Displays recent threads from specified tags.

 

[ragtek]

will there be another carousel(slider implemention) just like on xenporta?

 

[simbolo]

It'll be a carousel but I'm going to implement it slightly differently. I don't really want to depend on slider.jpg.

I plan on implementing it like this:
On homepage on the carousel there's an edit button.
[Overlay popup] Inputs for 5 thread ids. With input for order.
{Save} Automatically pulls first image from first post.
{Pop up closed}

To change the image click Edit
[Overlay Popup] Display listing of each current thread. Plus thumbnails for all attachments for the first post of each thread allowing you to choose the "featured" image.

 

[simbolo]

In regards to:

I, for one, would like to hear more about your "Article View for Specific Forums" plans.

It'll be implemented in the same fashion that XenPorta implemented it. You choose the forums that you wish to display in a "Article" view and those forum threads will be displayed with a different template that looks more like an article with first post and replies (comments) separated.

 

[yavuz]

In regards to:

It'll be implemented in the same fashion that XenPorta implemented it. You choose the forums that you wish to display in a "Article" view and those forum threads will be displayed with a different template that looks more like an article with first post and replies (comments) separated.

Sounds promising simbolo, still I would love to see the function where we could promote threads outside the designated forum for articles as well as the [prebreak][/prebreak] feature where we can cut & put selected & wrapped text to the frontpage.

 

[simbolo]

Sounds promising simbolo, still I would love to see the function where we could promote threads outside the designated forum for articles as well as the [prebreak][/prebreak] feature where we can cut & put selected & wrapped text to the frontpage.

I'd agree that would be a nice piece of functionality. First thing is first get the alpha out the door. Once that is solid I'll revisit added functionality like promoting threads.

 

[Kintaro]

there was also this request, I think is still valid:
http://xenforo.com/community/threads/paid-1500-2000-multisite-cms-addon-for-xenforo.24926/

 

[simbolo]

there was also this request, I think is still valid:
http://xenforo.com/community/threads/paid-1500-2000-multisite-cms-addon-for-xenforo.24926/

There's been several requests for a xenforo cms. While possible to do, it is beyond the scope of this project. The point of this addon is to make a portal using the [bd] Widget Framework.

 

[Andy.N]

If I understand this correctly, this will allow me to use Xenporta+Widget framework and add more functionality?

 

[Digital Doctor]

There's been several requests for a xenforo cms. While possible to do, it is beyond the scope of this project. The point of this addon is to make a portal using the [bd] Widget Framework.

CMS is an impossible to understand term as it really means different things to different people.
Forinstance, vB Suite had a "CMS" which was really just a bad portal.
I would encourage people to not use meaningless titles, but rather specific features they want or don't want.

 

[Digital Doctor]

If I understand this correctly, this will allow me to use Xenporta+Widget framework and add more functionality?

I think this is a replacement for XenPorta that is based on [bd] Widget Framework.

 

[simbolo]

If I understand this correctly, this will allow me to use Xenporta+Widget framework and add more functionality?

This will replace XenPorta. It will allow you use [bd] Widget Framework widgets to power the portal page. So instead of using multiple add-ons to control all the widgets on the site, all widgets will be powered by WF. Thus you don't have to figure out how to write widgets for porta and WF, only WF. The main point of the add on is to allow WF widgets in all portal locations (left sidebar, main content, right sidebar).

 

[Andy.N]

This will replace XenPorta. It will allow you use [bd] Widget Framework widgets to power the portal page. So instead of using multiple add-ons to control all the widgets on the site, all widgets will be powered by WF. Thus you don't have to figure out how to write widgets for porta and WF, only WF. The main point of the add on is to allow WF widgets in all portal locations (left sidebar, main content, right sidebar).

Sounds good.
I'm all for alternative to Xenporta that is actively supported and developed.
1) I install XenForo on root and Xenporta has an option to use router so that the forum will be at /forum/
Will your addon allow that?
2) I'm using WF to power all my sidebar widgets on the home, forum, etc. The only features I use often is a Recent News block and the Promote article to the homepage. How does your addon feature a thread to the homepage without a need for dedicated "News" category?

 

[Digital Doctor]

What about article categories like XenPorta ?
Example:
http://8wayrun.com/threads/mlg-scv-online-tournament-presented-by-playstation.14425/

Categories: Announcements, Major League Gaming, Soulcalibur V, Tournaments

 

[simbolo]

Sounds good.
I'm all for alternative to Xenporta that is actively supported and developed.
1) I install XenForo on root and Xenporta has an option to use router so that the forum will be at /forum/
Will your addon allow that?

Yes, see bullet #2

2) I'm using WF to power all my sidebar widgets on the home, forum, etc. The only features I use often is a Recent News block and the Promote article to the homepage. How does your addon feature a thread to the homepage without a need for dedicated "News" category?

See bullet #4. It will launch with Recent Threads widget which pulls from specified forums. Promote threads will likely come after Alpha is released and feedback is given. However, I'm deferring all future feature decisions until Alpha is released and is stable. One thing at a time.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Yes, see bullet #2

[Portal] Available as root node / .
change to:
[Portal] Available as root node / . (ie. you can run your portal from www.yoursite.com)

Q: will this be compatible with Nodes as Tabs ?

However, I'm deferring all future feature decisions until Alpha is released and is stable. One thing at a time.

Good idea.

 

[simbolo]

[Portal] Available as root node / .
change to:
[Portal] Available as root node / . (ie. you can run your portal from www.yoursite.com)

Good call, changed.

Q: will this be compatible with Nodes as Tabs ?
Good idea.

I'll look in to Nodes as Tabs for any incompatiblities/compatibilities.

 

[simbolo]

What about article categories like XenPorta ?
Example:
http://8wayrun.com/threads/mlg-scv-online-tournament-presented-by-playstation.14425/

Categories: Announcements, Major League Gaming, Soulcalibur V, Tournaments

I'll add it to the feature request list.

 

[yavuz]

Good call, changed.

I'll look in to Nodes as Tabs for any incompatiblities/compatibilities.

Since this has been brought up, It would also be nice to have it checked if it works with Jake's Route Changer addon. Exciting news, I was hoping sonemone would make such addon. I'd be happy to be a alpha tester when it's ready as soon as Ramadan has passed

 

[simbolo]

Since this has been brought up, It would also be nice to have it checked if it works with Jake's Route Changer addon. Exciting news, I was hoping sonemone would make such addon. I'd be happy to be a alpha tester when it's ready as soon as Ramadan has passed

Basically if you use Route Changer you should use that to do the remapping. If not, then use the included option. I'll see if there's an easy way to detect if Route Changer is enabled and disable/enable the option for Widget Portal.