Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

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keith10456
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Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

Post by keith10456 »

If I wanted to create a simple "Hello World" phpBB custom page for 3.1, do I have to go through the entire extension process?

Or are custom pages and extensions one and the same?

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Louis7777
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Re: Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

Post by Louis7777 »

This gave me a little idea.

Could we have an official "Custom Page Extension" package available for download?

It would provide us with a simple "Hello World" custom page and it would come with documentation and comments in the code so that we can customize it and further develop it. (do it yourself, IKEA-style :P )

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MattF
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Re: Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

Post by MattF »

keith10456 wrote:If I wanted to create a simple "Hello World" phpBB custom page for 3.1, do I have to go through the entire extension process?
Yes. https://github.com/nickvergessen/phpbb-ext-acme-demo
Louis7777 wrote:Could we have an official "Custom Page Extension" package available for download?

It would provide us with a simple "Hello World" custom page and it would come with documentation and comments in the code so that we can customize it and further develop it. (do it yourself, IKEA-style :P )
Yes. https://github.com/nickvergessen/phpbb-ext-acme-demo
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Louis7777
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Re: Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

Post by Louis7777 »

Will this be available for download at phpBB.com when 3.1 is out?

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MattF
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Re: Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

Post by MattF »

Most likely no. The official downloads at phpBB.com are for users to install on their boards. This demo is for developers to learn from. There will be links to it along with new information and help with writing extensions at phpBB.com soon too.
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DavidIQ
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Re: Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

Post by DavidIQ »

VSE wrote:Most likely no. The official downloads at phpBB.com are for users to install on their boards. This demo is for developers to learn from. There will be links to it along with new information and help with writing extensions at phpBB.com soon too.
There. Fixed it for you. ;)
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keith10456
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Re: Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

Post by keith10456 »

Correct me if I'm wrong but for the most part, ext/mods are for altering the function of the system (adding features, etc) whereas custom pages are for simply displaying information (in general). That being said, I don't understand why it was made so a simple Hello World page would need so much.

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Louis7777
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Re: Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

Post by Louis7777 »

Custom pages do not just display information. They make use of at least the viewonline and the breadcrumbs among other parts of the system. So in order to integrate them nicely without touching any code, they should be extensions.

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Pony99CA
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Re: Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

Post by Pony99CA »

An example of an extension that would require a custom page (perhaps) is my attachment library.

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MattF
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Re: Creating phpBB Custom Pages For 3.1

Post by MattF »

Pony99CA wrote:An example of an extension that would require a custom page (perhaps) is my attachment library.

Steve
Adding custom pages like that can probably still be done though it will need some serious updating for 3.1. However, it won't be integrated into phpBB at all, and phpBB won't know about it. You won't have links to the page from phpBB, for example (unless you make an extension for just that). But there's more to that, as Louis7777 mentioned, that the page will be missing out on.

Adding pages in that method is not really adding a page to phpBB, it's more like taking a separate outside page and adding some of phpBB's data to it instead (like user data, for example).

So ultimately it depends on what you are trying to do. If you are trying to add-on to phpBB with a new page, it should be an extension. If you just want an external page to borrow some of phpBB's user/session data, you can probably do it the other way.

And honestly, it's not that much work to create a simple controller page as in the acme-demo. Ignore the acme-demo's migrations, acp, adm, travis tests folders. Just the controller, event, language, styles and config folders have all you need.
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