UBB.threads PHP Forum Software Community Forums Resources and Customizing How Do I? Customizing the Shout Box

I was toolin around with the shout box and the layout of it to make it fit more to my liking... maybe make a more "chat room" like feeling to it and place it at the top of the forums -OR- create a new page with just the shout box to make it even more like a chat room.

I was looking at the java script and thought that adding some text formatting like color, bold face and a smilies button would put it over the top! I played with it but I could only get the "controls" appear but they would not apply to the text input. Does anyone know how to take the text formatting and smilies and apply it to the shout box? I know it can be done but I am not a coding whiz... just a humble diesel mechanic that knows a little HTML and PHP. Can anyone hook me up?

Would love to help but think I'm in the same boat as you, just too new at this software. There is a development board though that does a bunch of hacks to the software.

I'm sure one of these guys can help you out when they have time.

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Personally, I'd like to see what's running the shoutbox turned into an integrated chat page complete with chat logs.

Could be interesting to say the least; for those of you who want a full chat addon to UBB.T7, there are two seperate options at UBBDev; one which utilizes IRC as the backend service (you can set any server you wish) and another which uses one of raidersoft's services (I'm pretty sure i just butchered their company name)

I was using the free Raidersoft (you had it right this time) chat integration.

Is Raidersoft an IRC ? Most of the hosting sites have a pet peeve about letting you run IRC.

Hopefully though I'll be needing something if all goes well with the new site.

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Most of my users use our IRC chat through actual IRC clients, so i figured building the integration file for IRC at UBBDev was the only real answer to cater to it... But after I did that I decided I wanted a full IRC page that includes help information, so i did my big section at my site lol...

Raidersoft isn't an IRC. They remotely host the chat window for you. All you have to do is sign up for a free account and then paste some HTML into your chat page.

Thanks Harold. I'm sure I'll be checking into this stuff more and more as I build my new site.

I know that, I was referring to the OTHER chat modification at ubbdev, the one I did ...

Also, IRC is one of the oldest chat protocols around, and i consider that one of the best reasons to invest my time into using it for my communities

Over @ UBBdev someone, maybe it was you, mentioned FlashChat which I checked out and like because it is a stand alone application on MY server AND it has an attractive, easy to use interface. As mentioned though, there is currently no integration option for UBB Threads-7 but there is for Threads 6.*. You can still use it and integrate it as far as using templates but you cant use the same UBB Threads-7 member database for log on purposes...yet. I am going to ask them to make this happen. Lets see if they respond.

I still like the idea of fluffing up the Shout Box into a chat module though. It would already be integrated into UBB Threads and stupid simple to use. Most of us really don't need anything too elaborate like multiple rooms or private rooms.

I just checked out FlashChat and think it'd be perfect for me as well. Not only is it just $5 ( ) but it's Flash-based which will work for anyone. Many of my users could never get the Java IRC chat working. I saw your post on their forums - I really hope someone comes up w/ an integration for 7.x!

I could look at it, but I just absolutely am against paying for some scripts when the same functionality is available for me free elsewhere lol...

Yeah, I hope so too but I am not going to bang my head trying to get them to get it done but it really is a nice set up. I think I am going to create a template to match my forums and stick it in my forums menu. I want to see if my community really wants or needs chat functionality but it is worth trying. One of my members had suggested it so hey, for 5 bucks it's a no brainier! The integration would be the icing on the cake but don't get me wrong, I would still like to see the shout box evolve.

I always used jpilot, which I found nice

jpilot is not free, in fact isn't it like $50? pJIRC is a good freeware alternative, not to mention has had more features for the longest time; in fact, most of jpilots current featureset was just cloned from pjirc

I always got confused over JIRC - never did understand how to either host it properly or get a reliable server where it was already set-up....

Would like to get something back online with 7.1

jirc is jsut a javascript capable of chating on any irc server (as is the pjirc); i host my own irc server (irc.undergroundnews.com) so it was of no issue to find stability there.

There are however thousands of servers, www.searchirc.com is a great resource in finding a server or network.

I emailed the guy that wrote FlashChat and asked him if he could put together an integration for threads 7. We shall see, I haven't heard back from him...

Someone buy me a copy, I'll figure something out lol

It's only $5 LOL

google and use the define option on the term "low income household"

It might find a lot of our addresses

I hear ya, after my recent purchase! lol

(Friggin' "Ships in 24 Hours" apparently means "in a few days or a week or so" now :/ )

When I buy it, I'll get you one

hehe ...

Newegg is really good with shipping, and it's not like assembly is hard (read the motherboard manual, it'll tel you how to hookup wires to the case); if i had $ I'd so buy a desktop, haven't had one in ages...

The one i was building ended up going to my wife, if i build another it'll likely be dual/quad core, so i'm really anticipating the processor wars this year...

Easier than falling off a log now days jgeoff. A decade or more ago it was quite a bit more difficult to put one together. Often there was no manual or a 1 or 2 page manual that was in heavy broken English. Now days most are full fledged manuals and auto switch everything. Plug in the parts and fire it up.

@Gizmo
Yes, love Newegg - I use it quite often for work purchases. Sometimes stuff arrives the next morning. Have bought a few thousand dollars worth of stuff last year and no problems with any of the merchandise. Unlike Frys that repackages and sells the used stuff as though it was new

.

Yes, i've found the same issue at frys here in OR... In fact, i've also found repackaged merchendise with little more than a brick in the box...

Newegg however, i've never had an issue... I love them hehe... Amazon is good too for some things, the used and new is great.

A friend and I built a top-notch system from scratch about 5 years ago for about $1000 -- I bought all the parts at various places (including newegg) and I'm still using it right now. But I was looking for something quick and easy, and Tiger said "Ships in 24 Hours" (but it's been 48+ hours now ) I usually love Tiger's speed and prices, but I guess their Systemax division isn't so quick. :/

Cool, 2 licenses were only $9

Giz, PM me your email address and I'll send you a copy. We'll both play with it and try to come up with something, I hope.

PS: Okay, I really wish I was more familiar w/ Threads 6.5 -- UBBcms.php looks like it needs to be updated with the new 7.x variables, but I'm having trouble w/ that. Give it a go, Giz (once I send it to you). I'm sure Rick could do it in 5 mins.

Lol, i'll get it sent in a min .

BTW, I've always had issues with tiger's shipping; and I do mean always... Over the last several years when i order something, i expect it to be a month or so before i even see things...

And it's not just over holidays, I order DVDRW's from them (50 spindles for $10, usually buy 5 or so) and it usually takes 3 weeks or so to get anything (I always have stock on hand, so i can do the wait).

Weird. I've only used them a few times but never had a shipping problem. But guess what? After (apparently) my complaint they changed the "24 Hours" to "7-10 Days" :/

PS - I just sent FlashChat to ya

lol they can be like that... I threatened them once with false advertising on their shipping times, never got a response lol

lol, seems like i have mail; and something to do during nap time

Wondering if it's possible to grab the code for the shout box (or anything in the right or left columns for that matter) and put it below the forum.

I really love the width of my UBB Classic board, with nothing on the right or left sides of the forum.

It's possible to put some of the stuff below the forums. I've done this on my personal site to show that it can be done. The shoutbox however is a bit of a different beast and can't really be moved, in fact I may have to end up pulling the option for external use on it.

I do have it on my list to do some sort of a chatroom feature in an upcoming version as it would be somewhat based on the shoutbox code.

Nice Rick.

I noticed on this board, as well as yours that you linked to, the board width is set. However with my Classic board, the width adjusts depending on the size of the broswer window.

What options do we have for controlling width of the Threads board? Can it self-adjust like the Classic board?

You can set a specific width in pixels or as a percentage, which is probably what is used in your classic board.

Yup, in .C we could specify width based on pixels or percentage (IIRC)

Hmmm, I was hoping to get the FlashChat developer to do this work. Now I feel like I owe someone.