Author Topic: News - Next project - a portal for the site (Read 9499 times)

Jim · « **on:** Dec 28, 2008, 11:45:56 PM »

I had mentioned installing a portal back in November when we were talking about using the Dilber MC theme as our default. That has been completed so it's about time for me to start working on the portal. I've looked at Simple Portal, Tiny Portal and a new one called ezPortal. I have pretty much decided that Simple Portal is the way I want to go. If is very user friendly and is well supported. The most recent version allows site integration and I was actually waiting for that release before I started setting it up.

I had tested the earlier version on my local test set-up and it works great. I installed the new version without any problems just haven't played with it enough to want to put it in production yet.

Anyway wanted to let everyone know that it is still in the works and integrates quite nicely with this theme. I've got some time on my hands the next few weeks so I may get it up and running sooner than I thought.

Tina · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 29, 2008, 12:49:29 PM »

That is great, I guess. So what is a portal? When I go to some of my sites there is a portal page to begin, it either has some of the interesting posts inside the forums or most recent news, a what's happening kind of thing.

Jim · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 29, 2008, 12:55:55 PM »

That's exactly what it is Tina.

The opening page will be 'blocks' of information. We can feature how-to articles, topics of interest, etc on the opening page. There will be a button on the menu that says 'Forum' that will take you to the forum. I've got it installed on the test that I run on my laptop so I can attach some screenshots of what I have set up so far later today.

Triss · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 29, 2008, 01:50:59 PM »

Looking forward to seeing it Jim.

Jim · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 29, 2008, 09:58:50 PM »

I got a few screenshots to let everyone know what it is going to look like or at least give you an idea. These are clickable and hosted on ImageShack because of being so large. Once the ImageShack screen opens, click again on the pic and it will open full size.

Triss · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 29, 2008, 11:13:21 PM »

That looks really good Jim. I LOVE the weather station.

Jim · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 29, 2008, 11:42:15 PM »

I guess you noticed that you will be able to input your zipcode and the moon phase and solar activity is available by clicking one of the buttons on the upper left.

I kind of liked that when I found it too.

Triss · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 30, 2008, 01:33:48 PM »

No, I actually did not notice that part though I assumed I would be able to have my local weather there. One less place for me to go online if I can get that info here.

Jim · « **Reply #8 on:** Feb 15, 2009, 10:01:48 PM »

I have decided that the time has come to put the portal up. I will be installing it sometime tomorrow evening. I won't start till about 7 or so but you may experience some times that the forum will not be available prior to that time. I will place it in maintenance mode when I start. It really shouldn't take more than 30 minutes or so to do the install and the couple of files that I have to modify manually. It will take longer to set up the portal blocks and I will be asking for some suggestions for those. I'll put the basic ones up but the possibilities are pretty much endless.

I still have the basic blocks as in the screenshots that I have posted previously. We can add more or less and also select whether they are displayed while in the forum or only on the home page.

Feel free to comment here.

wimc · « **Reply #9 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 02:10:35 AM »

Hope everything goes well.

Jim · « **Reply #10 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 10:36:34 AM »

Thanks William, it should be fine. I've already installed it on my localhost test environment and edited the files that need editing. It's just a matter of installing and then replacing a few theme files. It's SimplePortal by the way. I looked at some of the others but liked SimplePortal because of the simplicity and the support that is available.

yezitis · « **Reply #11 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 11:05:38 AM »

Looking forward to seeing SimplePortal throughout the whole website ... Will you be able to update 2.0 to it easily?

Jim · « **Reply #12 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 12:58:25 PM »

Quote from: yezitis on Feb 16, 2009, 11:05:38 AM

Looking forward to seeing SimplePortal throughout the whole website ... Will you be able to update 2.0 to it easily?

Yep, SP already works with 2.0B4 and the support site is running on 2.0RC1. And I will be holding off on upgrading the site till all the mods we use have been updated as well. Some things you just can't live without.

Jim · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 08:25:11 PM »

Well, it is done. SimplePortal is now functioning. I'm still tweaking some things but for the most part it is installed. Be sure and let me know if you have any difficulty.

For now I haven't added any Articles. Feel free to make suggestions of content to add to the portal page. Any of the blocks can also be displayed in other parts of the forum. For now I have the blocks turned off in the other areas.

wimc · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 08:50:31 PM »

Oh the portal is quite the nice touch.

Triss · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 09:04:46 PM »

That is very cool Jim. I love how it looks on the homepage.

Can the blocks be set up for one page or is it all of the rest of the forum or nothing. I would love to see the blocks on the unread posts pages.

Triss · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 09:39:06 PM »

How about the strawberry infor that Sarah put up a while back. I know I am getting ready to do my new strawberry bed this week and it is getting to be the time of year for them.

Jim · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 09:44:19 PM »

Actually the strawberry info was put up by Patty. I will probably rotate hot topics through there from time to time. Don't want to get the page too long.

barleychown · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 09:48:12 PM »

I put up a link to a different method for strawberries a while back, but it wasn't a how-to specifically written by me.

http://www.southernspirithunters.com/smf/index.php/topic,2671.0.html

Jim · « **Reply #19 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 11:05:10 PM »

That's about all I have time to do with it tonight. I am still working on a Arcade block. Tried a few different things, found a nice one on the E-Arcade site but it doesn't seem to work. I'll have to look a bit more tomorrow. Let me know what you think.

Right now I have the portal blocks only displaying on the portal page. I can turn some of them on for the forum pages as well but it decreases the size of the useable area.

Triss · « **Reply #20 on:** Feb 16, 2009, 11:10:42 PM »

It looks great so far! You did a really nice job on it Jim!

fallen · « **Reply #21 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 04:33:12 AM »

I like it alot, Jim - great work, mate!

Penny · « **Reply #22 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 08:14:42 AM »

LOVE the new look Jim, well done!

Tonya · « **Reply #23 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 08:27:11 AM »

I guess I'll get used to the portal page...I am resistant to change

It does look nice!

One thing, tho- I typed in my zip and the weather gives me an error message. I will get a screen shot and post it for you later on today- I have to run right now.

Jim · « **Reply #24 on:** Feb 17, 2009, 11:05:28 AM »

Yeah, I think we will get used to it. The good thing is I can switch up the Articles on the portal page. I'm open for suggestions on things to add. I want to add a Arcade summary block but haven't quite got that worked out yet. The arcade block that is part of SP is designed for SMF Arcade and doesn't seem to work with E-Arcade.

Definitely copy and paste the error message. I'll check the error log as well.

News:

Author Topic: News - Next project - a portal for the site (Read 9499 times)