Last topic titles

[ToonArmy]

Personally, I don't like the idea switch on/off of last topic titles in acp. This is a basic feature just add it or leave it.

It should be left in, but configuring if the template shows it (and other things) could be part of the ACP for each template.

[Ashley.S.]

I wasn't even aware that it was even in the core files, hense I installed a mod to get the feature, so perhaps you should add an acp switch for the option or document it somewhere to show how to enable it?

[ToonArmy]

I wasn't even aware that it was even in the core files, hense I installed a mod to get the feature, so perhaps you should add an acp switch for the option or document it somewhere to show how to enable it?

Like I said it's there for template designers, there maybe a KB article on it though for prosilver.

[MichaelC]

Well, I think just put it in prosilver by default is simple enough.

If we want to make everything with on/off buttons then lets do on/off buttons for who made the latest post, for the faq, for the memberlist link at the top or unanswered post page, viewonline.php being accessed by clicking Who Is Online?

Not everything needs an on/off button. I think its just a simple line of code to add in and thats it. No IFs ect.,

As its something built into the theme that needs doing, add it default for prosilver and most style authors will then realise about it and use it.

[naderman]

I agree with Chris that a better solution might be to add some kind of configuration page for styles or allow each style to have a configuration page. We do however need to find a way to make the template engine understand these configuration options without too much logic in the templates. Maybe we can add some sort of helper/procedure syntax and the configuration can basically pick which particular file the helper/procedure is loaded from. This is particularly useful since template inheritance can be used more effectively for derived templates now.

An example:

Current viewforum_body.html solution:

Code: Select all

<!-- IF forumrow.LAST_POST_TIME -->
    {L_LAST_POST} {L_POST_BY_AUTHOR} {forumrow.LAST_POSTER_FULL}
    <!-- IF S_SHOW_POST_SUBJECT -->{forumrow.LAST_POST_SUBJECT}<!-- ENDIF -->
<!-- ENDIF --> 

New viewforum_body.html:

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<!-- IF forumrow.LAST_POST_TIME -->
    <!-- INSERT LAST_POST(forumrow) -->
<!-- ENDIF --> 

New helper/last_post.html.

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<!-- DECLARE LAST_POST(forum) -->
{L_LAST_POST} {L_POST_BY_AUTHOR} {forum.LAST_POSTER_FULL}
 

New helper/last_post_with_subject.html.

Code: Select all

<!-- DECLARE LAST_POST(forum) -->
{L_LAST_POST} {L_POST_BY_AUTHOR} {forum.LAST_POSTER_FULL}
{forum.LAST_POST_SUBJECT}
 

For speed considerations these helpers could be compiled into a single template file with functions so it's not so many tiny PHP files. We could even extend the syntax to allow implementation of multiple alternatives per template file. That would mean that you do not need a separate file for each configuration which might become quite a lot. However that only really means sense if an inheriting template is able to override just some of the definitions of a template file without having to reimplement all the other parts, find an example below:

prosilver: helper/last_post.html

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<!-- DECLARE LAST_POST(forum) -->
{L_LAST_POST} {L_POST_BY_AUTHOR} {forum.LAST_POSTER_FULL}

<!-- DECLARE LAST_POST(forum) IF CONFIG_SHOW_SUBJECT -->
{L_LAST_POST} {L_POST_BY_AUTHOR} {forum.LAST_POSTER_FULL}
{forum.LAST_POST_SUBJECT}

<!-- DECLARE LAST_POST(forum) IF CONFIG_NO_AUTHOR -->
{L_LAST_POST} {forum.LAST_POST_SUBJECT}
 

single-line-style: helper/last_post.html

Code: Select all

<!-- INHERIT LAST_POST -->
<!-- DECLARE LAST_POST(forum) IF CONFIG_SHOW_SUBJECT -->
<a href="{forum.U_LAST_POST}" title="{forum.LAST_POST_SUBJECT}">{L_LAST_POST}</a> {L_POST_BY_AUTHOR} {forum.LAST_POSTER_FULL}
 

I've oversimplified this example a bit but I hope it gets the point across. I'm really not sure on what the syntax for this should be. I believe it should be as simple as possible and really simplify templates, not complicate them further.

[idiotnesia]

It's a good idea to have style configuration page. From this page perhaps admin can also change board logo, enable/disable quick reply, change user profile display position in view topic [left or right] and so on.

[imkingdavid]

It's a good idea to have style configuration page. From this page perhaps admin can also change board logo, enable/disable quick reply, change user profile display position in view topic [left or right] and so on.

This sounds like a great idea.

[MichaelC]

It's a good idea to have style configuration page. From this page perhaps admin can also change board logo, enable/disable quick reply, change user profile display position in view topic [left or right] and so on.

That does sound like a quite good idea. But changing the logo can be done in the imageset in the styles tab (now deprecated I believe) but it could be given the option to like to an image off-site and have the same settings as avatars like, linking, uploading and choosing from the files already uploaded ect.,

[Meis2M]

this option come for 3.1 ?

[ToonArmy]

No, but I'd like to think we could deliver it in 3.2.