The World of Necrotania

Looks like you've been really productively successful. I wish I knew more about this stuff.

Is using one log-in, one password and one registration possible for an efiction SMF merge? What I wanted to do was just stick SMF as an add on to efiction, not the other way around so it would have efiction signups and log-ins and you could just visit the forum and post already signed in with your efiction account. Is that impossible?

Putting the templates together seem like a really ambitious plan. Haha I didn't even consider it an option but wow, amazing if you could figure it out.

SMF as an addon to eFiction.....

I would have to check SSI.php to see if I can initiate a login...there would still be the issue of passwords, as I do not think it will be as easy to trick SMF into a false login as it was to trick eFic...the way my mod does it now.

One option would be to make a transition script that copied the info from eFic to SMF, then have the people use SMF's password recovery to reset there password. 

Or...the other option would be to copy the SMF current login system, modify it to enter SMF variables and add it as part of the eFiction login process.  This would require the removal of the login/out links in SMF so people could not mess with the system.  Probably the better of the solutions if you really want to stick with eFic as your login.

Heh....I am rambling, sorry :).  It is Friday and I am staying at work till 6.

I think it would be better if the login/logout system for SMF is used, instead of the eFictions'.

Or...the other option would be to copy the SMF current login system, modify it to enter SMF variables and add it as part of the eFiction login process.  This would require the removal of the login/out links in SMF so people could not mess with the system.  Probably the better of the solutions if you really want to stick with eFic as your login.

Haha ramble awaaayy!

Yeah that seems the most sensible. Is that what Becca means? The thing is that all my members use the fanfiction archive... I want them to log in there as that's where everyone goes, that where all their bookmarks and links point to. I don't want them to log-in and be redirected to the forum because then they'd always have to find their way back to the archive and that's annoying. They might not log in at all. If they could use the SMF log-in on the efiction index page and be redirected to the efiction index page then that could work.

Pretty much done with my next major makeover for my site 🙂

It is now running eFiction 3.1 and vBulletin using a custom bridge based off of Tammy's sample one.  It is also using a custom mod to share the template information from vbulletin.  As you can see it still needs some layout work but the style sheet, header, nav bar, and footer are in place.....vB's templates are a bit stubborn so it is taking time to get it all worked out.

As always, a huge thanks to all the developers and staff here for continuing to put out the best story archive script available.

Been busy tying eFiction into vbulletin.  I found that you can use corefunction.php (with setting some variables before) to access the functions over on the vBulletin side.  Since my last post I have done the following.

1 - Story list in forum profile, including ratings and warning pop-up (from corefunctions.php
2 - Random story in header, including warning pop-up.
3 - Latest story link in every forum post, again with warning pop-up
4 - Near seamless skin integration
5 - eFiction search in all forum areas.

My next task is looking at the possibility of adding a tag system to eFiction.  I have the basic database layout down, I just need to see how it will tie into the script...if it is something that could be added as a panel or if it should be it's own independent mod.

As always I appreciate any feedback 🙂

It looks incredible!

The tag cloud looks spiffy, too. 🙂

That tag cloud is forum only, at least for now.  It is what I am using to model my tag cloud for the eFiction sections.  Tags will be searchable, and easy to add and delete.  My setup will have select forum groups gain the ability to add and delete tags from all stories, but I will probably have that as a variable setup.

The skin integration was the hardest part of the whole setup.  It uses the extra_header.php to do all the template setup...that way I can always use a standard skin for debugging should I need to.

Using an open source API I was able to get a tag system up and running

http://www.necrotania.com/eFiction/tags.php

So far it is only 2 file edits, and one template addition.

Ooh, that looks nice. 🙂 Except that it's only showing the IDs but you're probably going to get that fixed ...

Is it only going to be for your archive or are you going to release it?

The output now shows the stories with ratings and summary.  Working on in between calls at work 😉

This will be released as a mod once I get everything working right.  I need to throw some logic in there for large amounts of data, and it needs a bunch more testing.  Would also like to get it linked into the search page if I can, but that is a bit down the road.

Impressive. 😉

Let me know when you do ... I have this slight obsession with tags and tag clouds. :S

I really like your site's layout.  Very nice work  😀

Thanks 🙂

The skins are purchased vBulletin skins, so I can not take credit there.  I have the template integration down fairly well, it pulls nearly everything from the forum side into .tpl variables.

It is amazing what you can do by including corefunctions.php in vBulletin. 🙂

Since the last post I have developed my own skin for the site.  Titles simply "Book" it is a no-frills theme that works quite well with the content.

I have also reworked the navigation to better take advantage of both eFiction and vBulletin.

Here is a list of the current features

• Login is fully integrated with vBulletin.  One sign-in gets you access to all areas of the site.
• Theme is exported from vBulletin.  You can change the theme and it will look the same no matter where you are (Currently a bit buggy on other skins, but Book is working good)
• Tied into vBulletin profile system.  Tabs now exist for Stories, Favorites, and Reviews.  Each can be shut off if a user does not want them.
• Random story on every page load.  This uses corefunctions.php to show the rating and correctly warn the reader.
• Tied into vBulletin user permissions, so that user groups can be set as validated or admins.  Have not setup the other levels as I do not use them.
• Tag system for eFiction.
• Custom Google search with filters for stories, authors, and reviews.
• eFiction is included in my sitemap that is uploaded to Google, Yahoo, and MSN.  Sitemap mod was built by vbSEO.
• Recent stories exported to front page.

The permissions were the hard part, but so far it is working very well.  Now when I need to set an author as Validated I only update the vBulletin side and the bitfield takes care of the rest.