[Ozzmodz] News Tickers [Paid] 2.2.1

[sbj]

Okay, I think I will put faith in the addon and see where it goes. I don't need the refund.

My wishlist for the addon would be 2 things:

A) Make use of the native XF feeder system (or any other way) so we are not limited by a 3rd party site for plain simple rss feeds (not special sites).

B) Let us connect each single feed with a widget_key, so we can use multiple widgets for multiple feeds (if we want). That way I could place a BBC feed above nodes, a youtube feed on sidebar, another site below the nodes, etc.

So, a few more questions.

1. I couldn't make the twitter feed work using the demo example (envato) or another example. Can you confirm that it works? It says we need a php server, which we do, maybe it requires a special PHP extension for the server?

2. Can you check if the library also can use stuff from Spotify?

3. How can we achieve a similar stripe-shaped news ticker like on here: https://xenforo.com/community/resources/ha-news-ticker.5095/updates?page=3#resource-update-18822 ?

4. How can we replace "Xenforo" with sth. else or delete it? Is that a xf phrase? Which one?

 

[Dadparvar]

1. I couldn't make the twitter feed work using the demo example (envato) or another example. Can you confirm that it works? It says we need a php server, which we do, maybe it requires a special PHP extension for the server?

That's weird. It should work with no issue. If you check xen-pro's demo right now, I changed it to Twitter now. and is perfectly working.

Local is also working fine.

4.

How can we replace "Xenforo" with sth. else or delete it? Is that a xf phrase? Which one?

When you put a piece of code in the field in option, here is where that word is being controlled:

As you see you can fully customize it too.

3. How can we achieve a similar stripe-shaped news ticker like on here: https://xenforo.com/community/resources/ha-news-ticker.5095/updates?page=3#resource-update-18822 ?

I put all the controlls as options, so you can achieve almost anything. options are a lot. what I suggest is to play with them and see what result each option brings. then you will find what you like. I can say I put any option you might think of. just needs a little bit of time to be spent to play and learn.

2. Can you check if the library also can use stuff from Spotify?

Spotify is not included yet. But I'll the developer of the library and see what is their plan. If they add it, I'll add it right away as well.

 

[sbj]

That's weird. It should work with no issue. If you check xen-pro's demo right now, I changed it to Twitter now. and is perfectly working.

Are you sure, it is not working on my end visiting your site.

When you put a piece of code in the field in option, here is where that word is being controlled:

Ah, that is the "author", now I get it, thanks.

I put all the controlls as options, so you can achieve almost anything. options are a lot. what I suggest is to play with them and see what result each option brings. then you will find what you like. I can say I put any option you might think of. just needs a little bit of time to be spent to play and learn.

Yeah, it has a lot of options. I just wanted to save the time and ask what you would recommend. Well, I'll keep playing with it then.

Spotify is not included yet. But I'll the developer of the library and see what is their plan. If they add it, I'll add it right away as well.

Ok, thanks.

 

[Dadparvar]

, it is not working on my end visiting your site.

are you sure you don't have any issue with your internet?
it is even working on my phone:

Yeah, it has a lot of options. I just wanted to save the time and ask what you would recommend. Well, I'll keep playing with it then.

TBH I can't say it as a memorized thing what options to set to get what exactly. otherwise I would tell you. If I now want to say it, I have to sit down and play with options to find what you exactly like. (so I made it easy and instead of hard coding the options, I made options to make it easy for everyone to find and set what they like)

 

[sbj]

are you sure you don't have any issue with your internet?
it is even working on my phone:

No issues here.
FYI, your demo only works for logged in users only, if you log out, the whole boxes disappear completely. If logged in, I just see black boxes.
Maybe adblocker issue? Let me check.

TBH I can't say it as a memorized thing what options to set to get what exactly. otherwise I would tell you. If I now want to say it, I have to sit down and play with options to find what you exactly like. (so I made it easy and instead of hard coding the options, I made options to make it easy for everyone to find and set what they like)

No problem. It would be nice to have some saved presets for quick setups, but it is okay, I'll find sth. fitting for myself.

 

[Dadparvar]

your demo only works for logged in users

now guests can see too.

Maybe adblocker issue?

Maybe. I don't use adblocker. Please let me know the result.

 

[sbj]

Maybe. I don't use adblocker. Please let me know the result.

Not sure. It works on Chrome, so it is either a Firefox problem or uBlock Origin on FF.

Also seeing now the ticker for Twitter only grabs images, no tweets. That makes it actually useless to be blunt.

I think the library you are using has a lot of problems. Maybe you should consider using another one.

 

[Dadparvar]

Also seeing now the ticker for Twitter only grabs images, no tweets. That makes it actually useless to be blunt.

I think the library you are using has a lot of problems. Maybe you should consider using another one.

It gets the content as well. You can play with the options and see.
In my demo, you also click on + icon in the bottom right corner and see that it gets everything.

I checked +40 large libraries and scripts, and when I say I checked, I mean I REALLY CHECKED THEM LINE BY LINE AND OPTION BY OPTION before I decide and finally I found this as the best option FOR NOW.
I think you really need to spend enough time on and before getting pissed or saying it is not good or has issue or bugs, check and see if it really is like how you feel or it just as simple as you not being careful about the options and features or browser issues and ...

I'm always happy to help customers when they need. But literally its a few hours that I'm just coming and saying things that either exists and you think they don't, or it is client side issue (your browser) and you think is server side issue (my site and my codes), or is not checking the options and you think is lack of feature issues.

Sit down, relax, breath deep and imagine (for only 30 mins) that the add-on is as it must, and then test everything. If it was as garbage as you feel already, then remove it and I'm sorry about it. But if it was good and you liked it, then damn buddy go smash that like button and give those freaking stars

Just kidding. Let me know if you needed any help.

 

[Sperber]

Dadparvar,

I had set up the ticker with rss2json from the start, but to be honest, I stepped in the same trap of that misunderstanding where sbj was caught in. From the description I was assuming too, that your ticker is designed to work with both - native RSS-feeds and those over rss2json. I understood the requirement rss2json as "if you want to take advantage of the full potential and want to feed websites that don´t use own RSS feeds, you can optional use the rss2json part". I guess sbj thought the same way and that´s why he started going berserk - last but not least, even because I had understand the ticker and the description that way and told sbj - falsly as I have to acknowledge now -the same thing. May be it would be a bonus, to add a line to the description saying "For the ticker to work, you MUST get a rss2json key since every feed will be processed over that service." - That leaves no questions or room for misunderstandings, even when I now see, that it´s been written in the FAQ. But honestly, who reads a manual - we are men

First: I can live with it, that it´s a hard requirement and not an optional one, that you have to get and use the rss2json key. I just can guess, but I suppose it´s the data structure of the rss2json, why you have choosen to use it. Since most users will use native RSS-feeds, coming directly from a website, I would like to encourage you to think about to add a "direct source" option. Else I am afraid, that this fine tool will become a niche product instead a wide spread one, since the majority won´t be limited to 25 feeds and at the same time don´t want to pay the next 3rd party extra on a monthly basis for feeds, which are normally a free of charge service by the websites.

P.S.: Really impressed, that you´ve remained that calm, dude..

 

[sbj]

Well, I am more calm today and it is not like I am going to give any bad reviews to this addon, I will not. Because kindly enough I was offered to get a refund, so that is all what one could ask for. But I opted to not go that route as I want to give this addon a chance.

I was just pissed off if I may say so that from the start I understood everything perfectly and was treated like I don't understand English. Like treating me like a baby was not the best choice to do so, but I am over it and will go further with a fresh mind to this. Thanks.

 

[sbj]

Okay, I have been testing the addon for the last 2 days.

1) Since I enabled this addon, my secure connection changed from this to this .
I believe it has to do with proxying images and it doesn't do it? Is this expected?

2) The twitter feed problem is not due to an ad blocker, it is a general problem with the Firefox browser... I think the 3rd party site or Twitter uses user tracking stuff, and Firefox automatically blocks it.

3) I think there is a bug with the sliders. If both sliders (RSS and Social) are enabled on "above nodes" for example, then only one of them automatically scrolls, the other doesn't. Sometimes both do, but I couldn't figure out what causes it.

 

[Agentos]

T-Marquee Features: Is this option in this add-on?

 

[sbj]

Also I think the feeds need a heavy optimizing. My page had an optimal page size under 1MB, right now it is 8 MB.

 

[tommydamic68]

Would you happen to know if Instagram would work?

 

[Dadparvar]

Would you happen to know if Instagram would work?

Instagram is in my plan to add support for (it was asked a lot before). (but if you still didn't buy the add-on, don't buy it assuming that I promised to bring Instagram very soon. I may bring it soon, and I may bring it a bit late. What I'm sure of is that I'll bring it finally. But I don't want it to sound like a promise that can affect your decision of buying)

Also I think the feeds need a heavy optimizing. My page had an optimal page size under 1MB, right now it is 8 MB.

My add-on is not downloading the content. It is getting the data from the feed and only showing it. If it was downloading and storing the data in your server, then we could make a feature to compress the images. But when it is only showing content from a feed, how can you compress it? (I'm not an expert. so I admit I don't know how to do it atm. if you have the knowledge, I would appreciate to let me know, and I'll try my best to implement)

But if you see I'm right and it's not possible, then I can suggest 1 thing. Try googlepagespeed and see if it can help you? Actually, if you see the server side of it properly, it can completely improve your site's speed by showing the resized version of all images based on their displaying size, and that is a huge improvement. (do your researches on how to set it up, as it is something completely unrelated to my add-on)

T-Marquee Features: Is this option in this add-on?

Not yet. I don't plan on bringing a lot of tickers freely. I only will bring new tickers if there be enough requests and a little investment.

2) The twitter feed problem is not due to an ad blocker, it is a general problem with the Firefox browser... I think the 3rd party site or Twitter uses user tracking stuff, and Firefox automatically blocks it.

Sometimes intiviruses also can affect. It happened to one of my own websites a few days ago and it was also as you mentioned, related to tracking. I had facebook pixel and google tag manager and I had issues in my site. I was sure I'm not using adblocker, but then I saw my bitdefender extension was blocking some stuff. I allowed the website in the extension and everything worked.

3) I think there is a bug with the sliders. If both sliders (RSS and Social) are enabled on "above nodes" for example, then only one of them automatically scrolls, the other doesn't. Sometimes both do, but I couldn't figure out what causes it.

I don't think such bug exists. I enabled 3 sliders to check, and all worked.
There is an option for the tickers for pausing the slider on hover. (another option to pause after expanding closed) Maybe sometimes your mouse is on the slider that is not moving?
Do your tests with these 2 options and see if its ok? (I tested multiple times and all the times worked. but anyways if we see there is bug surely I'll try to fix it)

1) Since I enabled this addon, my secure connection changed from this

to this

.
I believe it has to do with proxying images and it doesn't do it? Is this expected?

Depending on the source of the content (images included) that may happen. and it is totally out of our control. Either you want to show those stuff, or not. If you show, it may come from a source that ssl may be sensitive about, or it may come from somewhere that is OK. But yeah it is normal and I don't think I can do anything for it, as again, we are not downloading the content. We are just reading it
(Yes technically we can create a system to download everything. sort of like a crawler. but for a lot of reason we shouldn't do that, 1 of which is legal issues)

@sbj please update me about the stuff we discussed to see what is our next step.

 

[sbj]

I am going on holidays tomorrow and won't be back for a month. So I had limited time to test and have no time to test further. When I am back, I can give another feedback.

Yes, the user tracking stuff is based on the browser.

Yes, the images need optimization somehow. They are not downloaded on the server, but they are shown to the user, which is worse, because having to download multiple megabytes as a user to see the homepage is bad user experience and SEO.

And the secure connection stuff is actually a problem of your addon I believe. Include a http based image here on XF and see if the same problem occurs. https://xenforo.com/community/threads/http-test.169147/#post-1370336
It doesn't, so somehow the addon avoids the image proxy setting of the site.

The bug of the sliders are not because I am hovering on the image. I am not sure why this happens, but one of the slider doesn't scroll automatically.

I believe with some optimization to the addon it can be very useful for sites to make the site more active and engaging. Considering one can just import content from popular social media sites is very huge. All website owners could feed from accounts/pages their niche is in and offer a platform to showcase themselves.

Good luck and thanks.

 

[Sperber]

And the secure connection stuff is actually a problem of your addon I believe. Include a http based image here on XF and see if the same problem occurs. https://xenforo.com/community/threads/http-test.169147/#post-1370336
It doesn't, so somehow the addon avoids the image proxy setting of the site.

This isn´t within the scope of the add-on and to do different, would endanger customers legally. You need to understand the mechanics of the ticker, since he is just reading the rss-feeds - not storing and not processing over the XF engine. That´s the reason why content from a feed source, delivered via a non-ssl connection, can´t be processed over the https image poxy.

Even when RSS feeds are free (of charge), that doesn´t mean, they are copyleft material. As soon as you would start processing and displaying that content, this would be crossing the red line between copyright violation and a proper use within the copyright license agreement of the website providing the feed. Storing & processing the feed content has the legal requirement, that you own a seperate license for that, since you would now offer (not only showing) copyright protected content as your sites own content, that doesn´t belong to you. Especially, when it comes down to images, since - in newspapers and mags - they mostly are not obtained by the newspaper and are just licensed images by the external photographer, which is in possession of the copyright. Hope that is making clear, why storing the content wouldn´t be a best practice for unaware webmasters.

You might ask, why XF is offering RSS feed capabilities to forums out of the box. The point is, that XF can´t deal with the legal requirements for storing rss feeds - they just provide the functionality and it´s up to every webmaster, to take care and educate themselfes about the legal issues in their country and, if required, to settle a license agreement with the feed provider.

 

[Agentos]

@Dadparvar I want to see a demo of all the options of this add-on before I buy

 

[Dadparvar]

@Dadparvar I want to see a demo of all the options of this add-on before I buy

You can see all the options in the screenshot. (Every options is clearly saying what they are doing)

But I don't have a demo of admin side for you to check unfortunately. (But a simple demo of front-end is on xen-pro)

 

[sbj]

@Sperber

I do understand your point of view, but I believe you are forgetting 2 things.
One, I didn't say that one should store the stuff one gets from the feed. Since I am not posting that stuff as threads or posts, it should be clear that there is no intention in storing that stuff indefinitely, hence why I use the news ticker instead of using the default XF feeder.
Two, if what all you say is true, then why is the XF engine allowed to process the image and send it through the proxy, when the image is linked normally? Right now I can go to the source of the feed, take the image in the feed, and post it here on XF and it gets processed.
If what you say is true, then every single XF board is violating copyright laws right now every second.
And even if we do violate it, every feed provider can send a copyright notice and we can take it down, no problem.

Also the security of your users should be more important, so not to endanger them, one should take actions to prevent that. Because technically speaking one could be liable for showing your users not secure images. How about that?

I think sending images through the https proxy should not be a problem, even if that comes from a feed. Again, those images can come any minute from a normal user anyway, so what's the point here? Also processing it in the sense of scaling/resizing it down should also not be seen as copyright violation. If that is the case, then every single XF board is again violating copyright because every single board is responsive, which means none of us are serving the images in the original size anyway for every kind of image.. That would be technically also copyright violation then if we do display the 1920x1080 px image as 400x150px or whatever.

I am with you in the sense of that we should not store the stuff infinitely on the server. But as long as the feed is active, we should be able to process it to make it more secure and we should be able to resize it to our needs. We are not claiming ownership or making changes to the images in the way that we are not allowed to do. And also you forget that these providers are actually intentionally offering a feed, which means it is not sth. we are getting without their permission in first place. We are not scraping the whole content of the site, we just get whatever they let us to get which they actively encourage us to get, because they offer a feed. They can shut it down any minute they want, if people are violating their copyright.