Customizing words, changing 'add story' features...

Yeah, you're getting the same response I gave the last guy who asked something like this last week.  This is not a general support request.  You are working on a MOD.  Please use the MOD forum.  I also suggest that you start by reading the docs.  From the readme:

2) You can modify most of the text that is displayed in the script by changing the
language file in the languages/ folder for the language you selected. Just change
the text within the quotes for each line to whatever you want it to say.  Some
wording is included within the skin's files.  If you have created a translation for
eFiction, we encourage you to share it!

Beyond that, I suggest you start reading the files. What you're talking about is no simple mod.  You're talking about re-writing large portions of the script.  If you're capable of doing it, you're capable of figuring it out on your own.  I know that probably seem mean, but as I told the last guy this isn't something that we can walk you through.  You have to figure it out on your own.

Aha. The ReadMe!

I was looking through the manual in the docs folder, not the readme.

And there's a lot of files to leave through, been focusing on the story.php, sorting all that out... Been trying to figure out this MOD for just a day, thought I'd pop into the forum for some helpful advice and shortcuts. I wasn't looking for a walkthrough, just a point in the right direction. I was a bit lost.

Thanks just the same.

Unfortunately, there's a LOT that's interconnected.  Changing one thing is likely to break another.  And it's not as simple as just adding it to the form.  You've got to change the functions that then add the form input to the database (add and edit are done separately).  And then everything that gets the data back out of the database. 

The form itself is in includes/storyform.php.
The functions that add and edit the stories in the database are in stories.php

You've also got admin functions in the admins/ folder.

What you want to do can certainly be done, I did most of what you're talking about (changing function and page names, if I understood correctly) in 1.1. There are two problems though:
1. It takes a very large amount of time
2. If a patch is released, it's going to be a lot more difficult to update the site.

To change page names (I'm assuming you mean titles.php, authors.php) simply change the file name to whatever.php - and redirect all links throughout the script to point there including any in mysql.

Function names (Once, again, I'm assuming you mean the url? i.e. viewuser.php?action=whatever) is a little more tricky if you don't know what you're looking for.

Just do a search and replace on -all- pages, and be sure to keep precise track of all changes.

...Though I may have completely misread what you were trying to do, so forgive me if I'm off.

What are you trying to create? A Rec engine? A character registration archive? A roleplay game?

What are you trying to create? A Rec engine? A character registration archive? A roleplay game?

Sort of all of the above. I've looked at a whole mess of free php programs, and this one comes the closest to what I need.

It's a role playing chat room's home page. Users apply for a character by filling out a form (the new story feature). Admins approve the character, and it gets added to the database. Members than can see what characters there are by picking a number of things: Hero, villain, what team they are on, so on. I'm getting closer, just getting to the tougher task of customizing the form. I'd like there to be a number of field there that can be listed and searched, as well as uploading and adding a pic directly to the 'story' without having to go around through the Account Info member page.

You should just turn off story submission. Have every new character register as a new member. They can list their stats on their bio, you can create new fields there AND you can have an image.

See?

http://www.potionsandsnitches.net/fanfiction/viewuser.php?uid=3

Then, if you knew php you can use a search through the members' stats, listing all the villians, all the yellow haired ones, whatever.

I think Jan's got a good idea there.  It'll be easier for you to use the custom profile information and write a new search feature than to edit everything else.

ah, yes, but some members will have more than one character.

They can register more than one name.

Yes, but then users would not be able to link by author.

What would be great is if Classifications enabled a blank text feild to be filled in as an option, rather than just multiple choice.

Classifications are stored by number not the text.  It was saved as text in 2.0 and caused huge problems with genres, warnings, and characters that used non-alphanumeric numbers.  You'll also have to be VERY careful cleaning up the input or you'll have people hacking your site.

They could link by the author if they put their real profile as a link in the profile field.

So for the webpage area: http://...user=56

And then on the user's page, they can list all their characters' links.

Jan: That's an awful lot of work for the members to do, and it's what we're trying to avoid. A person browsing the site should be able to click on, say, Heroes, and get a list of all profiles that fall into that genre. Clicking a profile name would bring up the full profile, then clicking on the author name would list all the characters they play in the chat room... What you're suggesting is pretty much what we're already doing by hand.

Tammy: I'll upload a 2.0 version to my site and play with it. Was thinking of doing that anyways...

Basically what it's boiling down to is the need to customize the Story submission page with additional text boxes that can be listed just like the Title text box. Uploading a picture directly into the story withough doing it the roundabout way would be awesome, but it's not neccessary. Can always just instruct our members how to do it themselves.

This role play chat room (and many other role play chatrooms on this website I'm a part of: www.im-chat.com) could benefit hugely from a script that automates our character application process.