XenHome: The Multi-Purpose Portal/Front End/Blog/Article System

Ruven

Well-known member
XenHome would be a front page portal that would be extended by the use an updated Pages system to create a quasi CMS system for XenForo. It would not be a full CMS system of course, but it would be enough for the large majority of users.

  • Developers would need to create a simple tabbed page that would be shell for our content. It would have a simple set of controls and options within the XenForo admin panel used to define what content goes in some of the basic blocks available.
  • These blocks would contain simple things like latest posts, threads, sitestream, ads, news, new members, etc. And a main block for your article/blog content.
  • Something similar was created for vBulletin called Pro vB. Its a paid mod that costs 40 bucks, i used it with my 3.8 install and it worked decently well.
  • Here are some sites that use it... reptile canada, expang, turbobuick. Im sure the guys here could make that look much much better using the design skills shown with XenForo so far.
  • Now about the content. A thread is created in the same way as always. Admins/mods click on the "Publish" button, similarly to how it works in vB.
  • The post is then transformed into its own Article Page and published into the main content area.
  • Article Pages would basically be a post that has had all of its forum looking attributes stripped. The formatting would automatically rearrange itself into an article mode (with maybe the option of having multiple display modes for other uses).
  • Replies to the article would be done with a minimalist interface that would load in an overlay once the reader scrolled, hovered or clicked in the comments area.
  • Forum users who want to reply would be redirected to the Article Page to reply there automatically. All replies would occur inside the Article Page and would then automatically merge with the original thread after an admin specified period of time.
  • Image attachments within the post would also automatically know where to position themselves for optimal aesthetic value.
  • The same coder that made Pro vB also made a script called Advanced Forums that does some of this. This is how one of his Article Pages looks, here is another example done differently, and this is how his Articles List looks.
  • You tie the whole thing up by having some sort of Article Scroller integrated into the whole thing.
  • FPSS works with vB, Wordpress, Joomla, and a number of other scripts. Its pretty good, but there are plenty of other similar solutions to this.
  • Once a post was published and transformed into an Article Page, admins or mods would then have the ability to click on an "Add To Slideshow" button.
  • The article would then be added to the slideshow at the top of XenHome, it would take the previously uploaded picture and re-purpose it to use there. Pro vB actually comes with a rudimentary non animated article slide show btw.
So i havent come up with anything new here, ive just pointed to 3 different paid scripts that combined would create a Front Page for XenForo that would come very close to fulfilling the needs of the majority of users. The rest is just my thoughts on how integrating this kind of functionality to the already established Pages, Attachment, and other XenForo features would create something more compelling than anything the competitors are offering.
You might end up with something at least as nice as this without a lot of headaches.
The sky's the limit with how you could then upgrade the entire thing into a more fully fledged CMS... but for now it would be a very nice article server, blog platform, or front page portal.
 
Upvote 70
I would not mind some sort of front page (home page) to the community.

Me neither. And it should also come with personalization functionality. I have been requesting this for a long time now for vBulletin : http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?283084-A-personalized-vB-entrance-page. I hope that in the soon to arrive future XF can give us something like this.

See also:
http://xenforo.com/community/threads/suggestion-replace-members-page-with.2773/page-2#post-42931
 
No because I've seen many similar blocky type layout vba, vbpro, *nuke, etc..

To me xenforo itself is moving ahead and to have one more of that type is just not something I prefer.

That's just my opinion.
 
Nor me! Maybe we should call it XenCasa (if my spanish is correct) :cool:
That was my first instinct too, XenCasa... to keep with the Foro/Foto theme.
But since i broke it with XenPages... might as well move back to english here too.
I should have kept it rhyming though, using spanish words that start with F and end with O.

XenForo: Forum
XenFoto: Pictures
XenFolio: Pages
XenForro: Book cover, as in a splash page for the site?
XenFoso: Moat, as in an advanced permission and protection system.
XenFono: Sounds, as in a podcast delivery system.
XenFoco: Focus, as in a personalized landing page like Grover wants.
XenFrodo: Lord of the Rings inspired forum game :)



No because I've seen many similar blocky type layout vba, vbpro, *nuke, etc..

To me xenforo itself is moving ahead and to have one more of that type is just not something I prefer.

That's just my opinion.
The block look of those portals is limited due to vBulletin and its rudimentary styling options.
All CMS/Portal systems are made up of blocks... its how you arrange and display the blocks that matters.

Me neither. And it should also come with personalization functionality. I have been requesting this for a long time now for vBulletin : http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?283084-A-personalized-vB-entrance-page. I hope that in the soon to arrive future XF can give us something like this.

See also:
http://xenforo.com/community/threads/suggestion-replace-members-page-with.2773/page-2#post-42931
So you want a personal landing page, like a sitestream geared just for you.
A page that says "Welcome Grover, you have 2 Messages, 4 likes by these individuals, have been quoted 5 times here and here, these are 7 new members that have joined today, and here is a list of new threads/posts since you last logged in?

Most of that is kinda already taken care of with the stuff up top.
Maybe you want it more in your face?
Have an overlay pop up with all that info as soon as you log in?
Its probably overkill, but i can understand how some would enjoy that.

Im sure a mod somewhere could code that up since it uses already existing data.
It doesnt have to be a physical page on the site, but something presented as a splash screen type overlay/popup.
 
I like provb e this suggestion, but on waiting a cms we need a xf advanced (i like also the provb products).
 
I believe this must be something that is very much on M&K's radar and would expect to be as surprised by their take on it as much as by what they have done with the forum.
 
I would not mind some sort of front page (home page) to the community.
Just a simple modifiable portal page would do for a start.

Is this already possible ?
I think just having a "Pages" Page as the "HomePage" would be a first step, and hopefully quite easy.
The example "Pages" Page is http://xenforo.com/community/pages/example-page/
Since "Pages" can be any HTML, with a little bit of knowledge, a solid HomePage could be created, non ?
 
Okay... you guys probably don't know me... but I'm the creator of the Media Library on vB. I plan on going FULL FORCE into XenForo... thats how bad vB has been since Kier and Mike left it. All of the mods I've created for vB I use myself; I only write them because no one else has written anything that suits my own needs. Since there won't be any sort of Portal software for XenForo; I'm going to be writing my own for myself.

If you guys would be willing to post some ideas you want for a portal; I would be willing to implement them in my own release. I need a name too. I like XenFolio or XenCasa, but it looks like thats been taken.
 
Okay... you guys probably don't know me... but I'm the creator of the Media Library on vB. I plan on going FULL FORCE into XenForo... thats how bad vB has been since Kier and Mike left it. All of the mods I've created for vB I use myself; I only write them because no one else has written anything that suits my own needs. Since there won't be any sort of Portal software for XenForo; I'm going to be writing my own for myself.

If you guys would be willing to post some ideas you want for a portal; I would be willing to implement them in my own release. I need a name too. I like XenFolio or XenCasa, but it looks like thats been taken.
I relinquish my dibs on XenFolio, XenCasa, and XenHome if you want to use them to build a portal.
As well as on XenFoto for your Gallery. XenVideo, XenMedia, XenRPG too :D

Ive never used your mods for vB, but have always been a fan. Ive wanted to try your RCS so i could adapt it to my old ancient history based pen n paper game... but then vB4 came out and i think you kind of abandoned it.

Your other stuff is good too though, Media Library, your Wiki integration, Video Directory... all great stuff that folks in XenForo would really appreciate.

There are tons of suggestions already in these forums man, you wont have problems with that.
Check out my signature for starters :D
Good luck.
Cant wait to see what you turn out.
 
I've decided to stick with the Xen"Spanish" format for naming... already come up with a few for my major projects.
 
I've decided to stick with the Xen"Spanish" format for naming... already come up with a few for my major projects.
Just an FYI... the Foro in XenForo isnt really supposed to be Spanish.
More like a phonetic spelling of 4.O

Hmmm, Foro is the word for The Forum in Latin as well.
Maybe we spin XenForo as being XenLatin ?
Makes more sense. A meeting of the east and west... Xen/Zen is the East, and Foro is Europe/West.
 
Top Bottom