Question How Do I Adjust Preview Lengths, Search Box Size, and MORE! ;)

[Webbstre]

Hi! I'm curious about how I could go about to do a few things:

1- I'd like to adjust the length of the preview in the automatically generated comment thread. How would I go about doing this?

2- I'd also like to adjust the length shown of the File Names, Previews, and Authors in the Search Box.

3- I'd like to change the order my subcategories are showing up in. I'd like to display them in alphabetic order, but they only show up in the order they were created.

4- I have some "Master Categories" that I don't allow uploads into because I'd like users to upload them to sub-categories. Is there a way to either replace the empty File Listings with files from the Sub-Categories, or just remove it altogether on those specific categories?

5- I'd like to limit the preview length of the descriptions under the "View More" sections of the search function. Is there a way to do this?

I'll be putting up more feedback in the following days, now that we've finally launched our new database. Hopefully it will help you with either the next major upgrade or the future vb5 version (hopefully both, as I don't plan on upgrading right away)

 

[Dylan]

Hi! I'm curious about how I could go about to do a few things:

1- I'd like to adjust the length of the preview in the automatically generated comment thread. How would I go about doing this?

Open dbtech/downloads_pro/modules/uploadModule.php
Find

$shortdesc      = strlen($this->groupdesc) > 200 ? substr($this->groupdesc, 0, 200) : $this->groupdesc;

And replace the two 200's with whatever you want the length to be.

2- I'd also like to adjust the length shown of the File Names, Previews, and Authors in the Search Box.

Open dbtech/downloads/hooks/ajax_start.php

Find

                if (strlen($search['groupname']) > 20) {
                    $search['groupname'] = substr($search['groupname'], 0, 15) . '...';
                }
                
                if (strlen($search['groupdesc']) > 35) {
                    $search['groupdesc'] = substr($search['groupdesc'], 0, 35) . '...';
                }

Change the numbers as needed.

3- I'd like to change the order my subcategories are showing up in. I'd like to display them in alphabetic order, but they only show up in the order they were created.

That's on the list for a future version, to be able to sort the categories how you want to display them in the ACP

4- I have some "Master Categories" that I don't allow uploads into because I'd like users to upload them to sub-categories. Is there a way to either replace the empty File Listings with files from the Sub-Categories, or just remove it altogether on those specific categories?

The problem is it's not setup to tell if something is a parent or not, just if it's empty or not. Would probably be best to add that as a feature request for the next version.

5- I'd like to limit the preview length of the descriptions under the "View More" sections of the search function. Is there a way to do this?

I'm not sure where you are talking about?

I'll be putting up more feedback in the following days, now that we've finally launched our new database. Hopefully it will help you with either the next major upgrade or the future vb5 version (hopefully both, as I don't plan on upgrading right away)

It would be best to separate feature requests from questions, makes it easier for when we work on the next version.
With new features, they will get added to both vB4/5 as long as it doesn't cause problems with the new/existing versions

 

[Webbstre]

Thanks for all this! I've been hard at work revamping the layout of my database, as I have various sections intentionally separated for different purposes, and users will almost never see the actual downloads home. Right now I've got the Search box looking how I want (though if it searched the file descriptions it would probably help immensely - I'll put that in a feature request later when I have time).

I've got a couple more things I could use help with though. First, regarding number 5 above, I was referring to the Sidebar blocks with the Top X listings that have a "View More" link beneath them. If you click View More it takes you to a new page which lists by Downloads, Ratings, or Newness, but it shows the file descriptions in full for each entry, which makes some take up a lot of space.

On a related note, I'm trying to chop those sidebar blocks out and put them up beneath my header (in place of my slider) for the Downloads database, but it appears that even if I put the template tag in (using conditional statements around it so they only appear on the correct page) they will only load on the database's home page, not on any listings or file pages. I've found the plugin ((Pro) Side Columns) that makes it load (under the dbtech_downloads_home_complete hook), but I've been unable to alter or duplicate it in a way to make it display the blocks outside of the Downloads home page. Attempting to change the hook made the page error out. Any idea on how I can manage this?

Last one for today: Is there a way to keep the Ajax search box from disappearing after clicking it? Of course it should disappear if it loads a new page, but CTRL+Click to open the link in a new tab also shuts it (right click and open in new tab/window doesn't close it, but it takes longer).

Thanks as always for the help!

 

[Dylan]

First, regarding number 5 above, I was referring to the Sidebar blocks with the Top X listings that have a "View More" link beneath them. If you click View More it takes you to a new page which lists by Downloads, Ratings, or Newness, but it shows the file descriptions in full for each entry, which makes some take up a lot of space.

Ah okay, I see where you mean now.
If you open dbtech/downloads/actions/search.php

You will see

$results['groupdesc'] = $bbcode->parse(strip_tags(Downloads::convert_wysiwyg_html_to_bbcode($results['groupdesc'])), 'nonforum', true, false);

Below that add

$results['groupdesc'] = strlen($results['groupdesc']) > 200 ? substr($results['groupdesc'], 0, 200) . '...' : $results['groupdesc'];

Changing the 200 to whatever character length you want.

On a related note, I'm trying to chop those sidebar blocks out and put them up beneath my header (in place of my slider) for the Downloads database, but it appears that even if I put the template tag in (using conditional statements around it so they only appear on the correct page) they will only load on the database's home page, not on any listings or file pages. I've found the plugin ((Pro) Side Columns) that makes it load (under the dbtech_downloads_home_complete hook), but I've been unable to alter or duplicate it in a way to make it display the blocks outside of the Downloads home page. Attempting to change the hook made the page error out. Any idea on how I can manage this?

Last one for today: Is there a way to keep the Ajax search box from disappearing after clicking it? Of course it should disappear if it loads a new page, but CTRL+Click to open the link in a new tab also shuts it (right click and open in new tab/window doesn't close it, but it takes longer).

Thanks as always for the help!

Those blocks aren't really made to be put somewhere else. It counts on variables that are set on the downloads home page to be present, so you'd need to recreate the variables. The reason it's in a plugin instead of in the home page code itself is because at the time that was the easiest way to separate lite from pro features.

 

[Webbstre]

Thanks, I'll try out that last edit sometime tomorrow... kind of exhausted today.

I found a small problem with the descriptions being posted in the Comments threads: They have all the line breaks removed. Basically, what should show up like this:

Potions of Chew Respec
Total Respec MOD for Torchlight 2.
--------------------------------------------
WHAT IT DOES:

Potion of Chew Respec
Refund all Skill Points
Permanently decreases Strength by 5
Permanently decreases Dexterity by 5
Permanently decreases Focus by 5
Permanently decreases Vitality by 5
Awards 20 Stat Point(s)

Potion of Fire Strength

Comes out like this:

Potions of Chew Respec Total Respec MOD for Torchlight 2. -------------------------------------------- WHAT IT DOSE: Potion of Chew Respec Refund all Skill Points Permanently decreases Strength by 5 Permanently decreases Dexterity by 5 Permanently decreases Focus by 5 Permanently decreases Vitality by 5 Awards 20 Stat Point(s) Potion of Fire Strength +40 Fire Armor for 5 minutes Permanently decreases Strength by 1 Awards 1 Stat Point(s) Potion of Poison Dexterity +40 Poison Armor for 5 minutes Permanently decreases Dexterity by 1 Awards 1 Stat Point(s) Potion of Ice Focus +40 Ice Armor for 5 minutes Permanently decreases Focus by 1 Awards 1 Stat Point(s) Potion of Electric Vitality +40 Electric Armor for 5 minutes Permanently decreases Vitality by 1 Awards 1 Stat Point(s)

Is there a way to fix it like we did for Edit File in my previous ticket?

Those blocks aren't really made to be put somewhere else. It counts on variables that are set on the downloads home page to be present, so you'd need to recreate the variables. The reason it's in a plugin instead of in the home page code itself is because at the time that was the easiest way to separate lite from pro features.

I'm fine with hacking the templates as such to have the data in the appear where and how I want, but is it possible to edit the plugin so it would load on all parts of the downloads section?

 

[Dylan]

I found a small problem with the descriptions being posted in the Comments threads: They have all the line breaks removed. Basically, what should show up like this:


Comes out like this:


Is there a way to fix it like we did for Edit File in my previous ticket?

Open dbtech/downloads_pro/modules/uploadModule.php

Where it shows

'%shortdesc%'   => strip_tags(Downloads::convert_wysiwyg_html_to_bbcode($shortdesc)),

change it to

'%shortdesc%'   => strip_tags($shortdesc),

I'm fine with hacking the templates as such to have the data in the appear where and how I want, but is it possible to edit the plugin so it would load on all parts of the downloads section?

Where else do you want it to show? It's really only designed to work on the home page. They aren't self contained blocks that can used elsewhere.

 

[Webbstre]

Ah okay, I see where you mean now.
If you open dbtech/downloads/actions/search.php

You will see

$results['groupdesc'] = $bbcode->parse(strip_tags(Downloads::convert_wysiwyg_html_to_bbcode($results['groupdesc'])), 'nonforum', true, false);

Below that add

$results['groupdesc'] = strlen($results['groupdesc']) > 200 ? substr($results['groupdesc'], 0, 200) . '...' : $results['groupdesc'];

Changing the 200 to whatever character length you want.

I had time to do this today. It worked like a charm! The only hitch is that if someone has a font tag opened in one description the change (like font color) bleeds down into the rest of the page and messes up the template.

I also implemented the change to the file descriptions - I'll let you know how it works out.

As for the blocks, really I only want them to render within the vbdownloads database - the rest of my site has vbSlider in that space so no other pages are affected. Do you think it might be possible, or am I out of luck?

 

[Dylan]

The problem is they're only designed to run on the home page. I can see what needs to be copied out if you want.

 

[Webbstre]

Sorry for the slow responses, busy with other things :/ If there is a way to make the information in those blocks appear elsewhere, I'll do whatever it takes. Thanks as always for the help

 

[Pandemikk]

Seems with the change in devs this question went unanswered. Tagging Fillip H. so that he is aware of your question.

 

[Fillip H.]

I believe all these suggestions have been implemented, if not then please create a new Feature Request thread with the features that are still missing. Thanks