MOD Description: This MOD adds the ability to configure each forum inside a phpBB-board to require (different)additional fields when a user starts a new topic.
MOD Version: alpha 0.1.0b
MOD Download: NewTopic_RAF(alpha_0.1.0b).zip
Last Stable version: -/-
Demo Board: http://phpbb.mad-manne.de/mods2.0
Demo Username: mad-tester
Demo Password: crazy
[ALPHA] NewTopic RequiresAdditionalFields 0.1.0b
the MOD formerly known as : Post RequiresAdditionalFields
Read THIS first
As long as this MOD is in ALPHA-stage I will not provide any update-paths, so every new (ALPHA)-release will have to be installed to a board that does not contain an older version of my MOD. With this in mind, it should be very clear, that this must not be used in a live environment, because you could loose any data already collected by an older version.
Once this will be promoted as BETA-software, updates will be provided.
Description
This MOD adds the ability to configure each forum inside a phpBB-board to require (different)additional fields when a user starts a new topic. Most commonly this could be used in a forum dealing with support-questions, but I'm sure there are many other situations where this will be helpful. With this MOD installed you can force users to submit the information you want them to.
Well, so how does this work? As a first step you'll have to setup a template of RequiredAdditionalFields which contains the questions you want your users to answer. Then you'll configure the appropriate forum to use this template of RAF. Once this has been succesful, an additional "dialog" will appear on top of the page when starting a new topic in that forum.
When viewing such a topic, you will see an additional table on top of the page which shows the information the user has submitted.
- Terminology
-->In order to abbreviate RequiredAdditionalFields for the rest of this topic, you'll read: RAF
-->When talking of templates in this topic, don't mix it up with what templates are normally in terms of phpBB!!
A template of RAF defines all information the MOD needs in order to know which fields, fieldtypes and defaults must be asked for in the additional dialog on top of the page when starting a new topic.
- Assign every forum ONE or NO template of RAF in ACP [ 100% ]
- Assign every forum ONE or NO template of RAF in MCP [ 0% ]
- Define templates of RAF in an extra-section of the ACP [ 0% ]
- Define templates of RAF in an extra-section of the MCP [ 0% ]
- Up to 255 different templates of RAF can be defined [ 80% ]
- Each template of RAF can consist of up to 30 fields [ 80% ]
- Each template of RAF can have a different title-bar for input & display of the fields [ 100% ]
- Each template of RAF can have an optional explanatory text above the questions, so users can figure out why they have to provide the additional information [ 100% ]
- 6 different field-types supported [ 95% ]
- Every field can have an optional default value [ 100% ]
- Every field can have it's own additional explanation, to help users in understanding what information they are supposed to provide [ 100% ]
- Text [ 100% ]
- Passwords [ 80% ]
Handling of who has the right to view information submitted into password-fields needs to be implemented.
As for now, everyone can see what was submitted when viewing the topic! - Radio-Buttons [ 100% ]
- ... can be displayed horizontally(default) or vertically [ 100% ]
- Checkboxes [ 100% ]
- ... can be displayed horizontally(default) or vertically [ 100% ]
- Dropdown-Lists [ 100% ]
- MultipleSelect-Lists [ 100% ]
- ... configure how many elements are visible without scrolling [ 100% ]
- Define "Global Fields" that can be used in any template of RAF [ 0% ]
- You could setup a Global Field named OS, define it to be a dropdown-list containing commonly used OSs and then use this in different templates of RAF ...
If you change the list of OSs for that global field, all templates of RAF using this Global Field will present the changed list!
- You could setup a Global Field named OS, define it to be a dropdown-list containing commonly used OSs and then use this in different templates of RAF ...
- Rights-Management [ 0% ]
- Decide whether moderators are allowed to configure RAF-settings at all [ 0% ]
- If RAF-settings are "open" for moderators, configure who can do what [ 0% ]
- When starting a new topic in a forum that is configured to use a template of RAF, users are forced to fill in all fields before they can submit their post [ 100% ]
- When making posts Sticky or Announcement, RAF can be left blank [ 100% ]
- The answers a user gave, are being displayed on top of each topic while viewing [ 100% ]
- Administrators and moderators can choose not to be presented the RAF-dialog when starting a new topic on a per-forum basis. [ 0% ]
- Basically this is due to the fact, that they will mostly start new topics as stickies/announcements in those fora anyway, so it's just to not bother them with the RAF-dialog!
- Users can decide to let the system "remember" their submitted answers for each template of RAF. [ 0% ]
- This reduces the need to fill in the same information over and over again, because when a users starts a new topic, he can start with the answers he gave last time when he posted in a forum based on the same template of RAF
You are invited to make some tests over at my DEMO-board, but you can also find some screenshots right here
Configuring a forum to use a template of RAF
Get a quick overview of forums configured to use a template of RAF
If you move the mouse over a template of RAF-icon it shows you the name of the template used!
Starting a new topic in a forum that uses a template of RAF
Submitted without filling in all fields? Doesn't work
Viewing a topic, with the answers submitted by the user.
Click the thumbnails to be redirected to a bigger version of each screenshot!
Latest News
+ + + Feb 17, 2005 + + +
- I have decided to release version 0.1.0b, which is a kind of interims-release. I have run into some problems while trying to add the 2 missing features, to make the core-code ready. So while I am still fixing these, anyone willing to test at this stage can grab the first working, yet reduced version of the MOD
Remember that EDITING and REMEMBER MY ANSWERS are the 2 missing features still not in this version.
- It looks like I have managed to fix the bugs in 0.1.0, but I want to add 2 more features that will make the core-functionality complete ...
As I said before, I want to do some heavier testing before releasing version 0.1.1, and as I am going to be off to work in Prag(Czech Republic) from Feb. 4th until Feb. 11th, don't expect this be ready before February 15.
- Already sorted out most of the bugs, but will code some more and run heavier testing with the new version, before it will get released. My goal is making version 0.1.1 the first _working_ version, that covers the core-functionality of the MOD, so please be patient
As has been said in the news before ... the initial ALPHA-release 0.1.0 proved to behave pretty weird, so just don't use it unless you'd be willing to take a deep look into the code and try to help me finding the bugs. Anyway I am on my way to fix them, so maybe you'd better just wait.
As soon as the 0.1.1 ALPHA comes out, I will list bugs that are going to be in there.
Downloads
- MOD-versions
- NewTopic_RAF(alpha_0.1.0b).zip Feb 17, 2005
--> latest, yet unfinished version - NewTopic_RAF(alpha_0.1.0).zip Jan 18, 2005
--> first publicly released version
- NewTopic_RAF(alpha_0.1.0b).zip Feb 17, 2005
- Miscellaneous
- RAF-template(ALPHA-testers).xls
--> required to get your own template of RAF, because the ACP-part is not ready yet
- RAF-template(ALPHA-testers).xls
I will soon come up with a roadmap, where you can see what is expected to be done when ...
Hope you like it,
Manfred.