Revision [4018]

This is an old revision of WikkaForum made by GmBowen on 2005-01-05 18:42:24.

 

Wikka Forum

Last edited by GmBowen:
further notes on utility & use
Wed, 05 Jan 2005 18:42 UTC [diff]


Often one finds wiki's used as adjuncts to other tools....discussion forums for instance. In those forums the main topic threads are determined by the administrator(s) and out of the hands of most of the users. Wiki's, such as Wikka, are meant to provide considerable flexibility for the users and place the control in their hands. At the same time, this freedom can lead to very unstructured and difficult to follow discussions. Below is code for a forum tool that allows an individual user to set up a structured forum thread on any page. The page owner can control the contributers to the forum discussions, or leave it open for all to participate. Apart from this, it's easier to set up the wiki & registration into it with a forum tool than to set up both a wiki & a forum.

As an example, see my original forum for one of my courses and the wiki-based clone of the forum using the forum tool. Almost identical functionality, and the wiki one was considerably faster and easier to set up. Additionally, I can add comments and links FAR more easily on individual forum pages in the clone than I ever could in the real forum software....and things are far easier to edit. Once I can get a private message system done (see here) then I'll use this forum approach for courses instead of an actual forum since I'll have all the needed functionality and more in one spot...and that's even more true when we get simple table formatting (hint hint), etc. (for those of you that notice that the original forum had "anonymous" contributions, it will be substantially easier to change the code in {{wikkaforum}} to accomplish that so that names are only shown to admin than it was in the code for PunBB)

The action allows you to open the discussion threads on any page using {{wikkaforum page="pagename"}}, although entries cannot be made anywhere but the home page (for security reasons). The page owner can designate a user list and a topic title (example: {{wikkaforum share="JavaWoman DarTar GmBowen" topic="Paged Comments"}}) or leave the discussion threads open to all users.

NOTE: as with almost any action with its own functions, placing this action twice on the same page causes conflicts that "break" the page. As a consequence, the "history" feature will not work because of this. There are many options. One is to use the action code on my home page (GmBowen) to automatically erase page history. Another option, as pointed out by Nils (thanks Nils) and which I suspected was also a solution, is to place the function code into wikka.php (this is the ultimate solution and would allow placing multiple versions on the same page). The preferred solution to the problem with showing history & revisions relies on solutions proposed by DarTar and Nils (thanks guys!!). DarTar suggested adding a couple of code lines...one above my code & one below (now implemented). Nils suggested the following change to formatter/wakka.php....

To have the action code now show up in history & revisions (after DarTar's suggestion) one would need to implement the following change to formatter/wakka.php:
           // Actions
                else if (preg_match("/^\{\{(.*?)\}\}$/s", $thing, $matches))


to

           // Actions
                else if (preg_match("/^\{\{(.*?)\}\}$/s", $thing, $matches) && ($wakka->method == 'show'))

This will have the effect, that, in any mode except "show", you will only see {{actionname}} instead of the action being interpreted. --NilsLindenberg

If anybody has any other suggestions how this could be avoided that involves less "hacking" please feel free to propose them. Code that would halt an action being implemented if the functions already existed in another action would be really useful....is this possible??

Create the follow table in your wikka database (note that you might have to change the table prefix to what you use for your wikka)
CREATE TABLE `wakka_wikkaforum` (
  `id` int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
  `wid` int(11) NOT NULL default '0',
  `for_ptitle` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '',
  `for_text` text NOT NULL,
  `tag` varchar(50) NOT NULL default '',
  `for_data` datetime NOT NULL default '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
  `for_dataw` datetime NOT NULL default '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
  `for_ip` varchar(15) NOT NULL default '000.000.000.000',
  `for_name` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '',
  PRIMARY KEY  (`id`)
) TYPE=MyISAM;


Place the following code as wikkaforum.php in the actions directory.
<?php
// wikkaforum.php Version 1.0b
// Use: {{wikkaforum [topic="topic description"] [page="pagename"] [share="name1 name2 name3 etc"]}}
// NOTE THAT ONLY ONE COPY OF THIS CODE SHOULD BE PLACED ON ANY ONE PAGE
// MODIFIED from SForum class V1.2 for use in wikka wiki
// by GmBowen for a SSHRC research project.
// Contributions by DarTar & NilsLindenberg for effective implementation into wikka
// Modifications & original code released under GPL
// Original Simple Forum code available from www.phpclasses.org
/**********************************
* SForum class
* @author: Wojciech Napiera&#322;a XII.2004
* @help: Ondra Marek ondra.marek@interval.cz
* @
* voytass@op.pl
*
* @license: GNU GPL
**********************************
*/
if ($this->method == "show") {
$link = $this->config["base_url"].$this->MiniHref($method, $tag);
$username=$this->GetUserName();
$prefix=$this->config["table_prefix"];
if (empty($page)) {
    $tag=$this->getPageTag();
    $page=$tag;
    }
    else
    {
    $tag=$page;
    }

// code to determine who can contribute to the threads
$tok = strtok($share, " \n\t");
  while ($tok) {
   if($tok == $this->GetUserName() || $tok == "ALL") { $use = 'true';}
   $tok = strtok(" \n\t");
  }
if(strtoupper($this->GetUserName()) == strtoupper($this->GetPageOwner())){ $use = 'true';}

class SForum {
    var $ptitle;
    var $react;              // number of answers in a thread
    var $pansw;
    var $title;

    // SForum: constructor
    function SForum() {
        $this->ptitle = NULL;
        $this->pansw = 0;
        $this->title = "<TITLE>$this->SFname</TITLE>";
        print($this->title);
    }

    // Show_frm: displays the form
    function Show_frm($ptitle=NULL, $link) {
        if(!empty($ptitle)) {
            $this->ptitle = "Re: ".$ptitle;
        }
        $zawartosc = "\n\n<FORM ACTION=\"".$link."\" METHOD=\"post\" NAME=\"frm\">\n"
        . "<TABLE><TR>\n"
        . "<TD>Title:</TD><TD><INPUT TYPE=\"text\" NAME=\"frm_ptitle\" VALUE=\"$this->ptitle\" SIZE=\"65\"></TD>\n"
        . "</TR><TR>\n"
        . "<TD VALIGN=top>Text:</TD><TD><TEXTAREA NAME=\"frm_text\" cols=\"65\" rows=\"10\"></TEXTAREA></TD>\n"
        . "</TR><TR>\n"
        . "<TD></TD><TD COLLSPAN=\"2\"><INPUT TYPE=\"submit\" NAME=\"submit\" VALUE=\"Submit Comment\"></TD>\n"
        . "</tr></TABLE>\n"
        . "<INPUT TYPE=\"hidden\" NAME=\"frm_ip\" VALUE=\"".$_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']."\">\n"
        . "<INPUT TYPE=\"hidden\" NAME=\"frm_wid\" VALUE=\"".$this->pansw."\">\n"
        . "</FORM>\n\n";
        print($zawartosc);
    }

    // Show_SFname : Show SForum name as text
    function Show_SFname($topic) {
        print("<H2>$topic</H2>\n");
    }

    // Add_new_post: Adds new record to DB
    function Add_new_post($ptitle,$text,$tag,$ip,$name,$frm_wid,$prefix) {

        $this->ptitle = addslashes(htmlspecialchars(trim($ptitle)));

        $this->text = addslashes(htmlspecialchars(trim($text)));
        if ($frm_wid == 0) {
            $zapytanie = "INSERT INTO ".$prefix."wikkaforum (wid,for_ptitle,for_text,tag,for_data,for_dataw,for_ip,for_name) VALUES('$frm_wid', '$this->ptitle', '$this->text', '$tag', now(), now(), '$ip', '$name')";
            $sql = mysql_query($zapytanie) or die (mysql_error());
        } else {
            $zapytanie = "INSERT INTO ".$prefix."wikkaforum (wid,for_ptitle,for_text,tag,for_data,for_ip,for_name) VALUES('$frm_wid', '$this->ptitle', '$this->text', '$tag', now(), '$ip', '$name')";
            $sql = mysql_query($zapytanie) or die (mysql_error());
        }
        $id = mysql_insert_id();
        if ($frm_wid == 0) {
            $zapytanie = "UPDATE ".$prefix."wikkaforum SET wid='$id' WHERE id='$id'";
            #print $zapytanie;
            $sql = mysql_query($zapytanie) or die (mysql_error());
        } else {
            $zapytanie = "UPDATE ".$prefix."wikkaforum SET for_dataw=now() WHERE id='$frm_wid'";
            #print $zapytanie;
            $sql = mysql_query($zapytanie) or die (mysql_error());
        }

    }

    // Show_SForum: Displays the main message of threads
    function Show_SForum($link, $tag, $prefix) {
        $sql = "SELECT * FROM ".$prefix."wikkaforum WHERE id=wid AND tag='$tag' ORDER BY for_dataw DESC";
        #print $sql."<br>\n";
        $sql = mysql_query($sql) or die (mysql_error());
        $iledokumentow = mysql_affected_rows();
        if ($iledokumentow > 0) {
            print("<TABLE BORDER=\"1\" WIDTH=\"100%\">\n");
            while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
                $sql1 = "SELECT COUNT(wid)-1 AS num FROM ".$prefix."wikkaforum WHERE wid=".$row['id']." AND tag='$tag' GROUP BY wid";
                #print $sql1."<br>\n";
                $sql1 = mysql_query($sql1) or die (mysql_error());
                $row1 = mysql_fetch_array($sql1);
                //number of reactions
                $this->react=$row1['num'];
                if ($row['for_name'] == "") {
                    $row['for_name'] = "Go&#347;&#263;";
                }
                $this->ptitle = stripslashes($row['for_ptitle']);
                print("<tr ALIGN='left'><TD>$link2<A HREF=\"".$link."&wid=".$row['id']."\">".$this->ptitle."</A></TD><TD ALIGN=\"center\">Replies:&nbsp;".$this->react."</TD><TD ALIGN=\"center\"  WIDTH=\"20%\">".$row['for_name']."</TD><TD ALIGN=\"center\"  WIDTH=\"20%\">".$row['for_data']."</TD></tr>\n\n");
            }
            unset($this->react);
            print("</TABLE>\n");
        } else {
            print("No threads<br>\n");
        }
        $this->ptitle = ""; //the new thread's title is empty
    }

    // Show_SForum_Threads: Displays all messages of a thread
    function Show_SForum_Threads($wid, $tag, $prefix) {
        //$this->pansw = $wid;
        $zapytanie = "SELECT * FROM ".$prefix."wikkaforum WHERE wid='$wid' AND tag='$tag' ORDER BY for_data ASC";
        //print $zapytanie;
        $sql = mysql_query($zapytanie) or die (mysql_error());
        $iledokumentow = mysql_affected_rows();
        if ($iledokumentow > 0) {
            print("<TABLE BORDER=\"1\" WIDTH=\"100%\">\n");
            while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
                $this->ptitle = stripslashes($row['for_ptitle']);
                $this->text = nl2br(stripslashes($row['for_text']));
                if ($row['for_name'] == "") {
                    $row['for_name'] = "Go&#347;&#263;";
                }
                    $pmail = NULL;
                    $kmail = NULL;
                print("<tr ALIGN='left'><TD><b>".$this->ptitle."</b><div ALIGN=\"right\"><i>$pmail".$row['for_name']."$kmail&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT SIZE=\"1\">".$row['for_data']."</FONT></i></div>\n\n");
                print("<hr>".$this->text."<br><br></TD></tr>\n\n");
            }
            print("</TABLE>\n");
        } else {
            print("No threads<br>\n");
        }
        $zapytanie = "SELECT * FROM ".$prefix."wikkaforum WHERE id='$wid' LIMIT 0,1";
        $sql = mysql_query($zapytanie) or die (mysql_error());
        $row = mysql_fetch_array($sql);
        $this->ptitle = stripslashes($row['for_ptitle']);  //Re title for form
    }

    // Main_page: Show back-to-main link
    function Main_page($link) {
        print("<A HREF=\"".$link."\">Go to Main Page</A>\n");
    }
}

if (!isset($forum)) {
    $forum = new SForum;
}
?>
<div align="center">
<table WIDTH='90%' border='0'><tr ALIGN='left'><td>
<?php
$forum->Show_SFname($topic);

echo "&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF=\"".$link."\"><small>Return to Front Menu</small></A>\n";
print("<br>\n");

if (isset($_POST['submit'])) {
    if (!empty($_POST['frm_ptitle'])){
    $forum->Add_new_post($_POST['frm_ptitle'],$_POST['frm_text'],$tag,$_POST['frm_ip'],$username,$_POST['frm_wid'],$prefix);
    }
}

if (isset($_GET['wid'])) {
    #phpinfo();
    $forum->Show_SForum_Threads($_GET['wid'], $tag, $prefix);
    $forum->pansw = $_GET['wid'];
    } else {
    $forum->Show_SForum($link, $tag, $prefix);
    $forum->pansw = 0;
}
if ($user = $this->GetUser())
    {
    if ($page==$this->getPageTag())
        {
        if ($use == 'true')
            {
$forum->Show_frm($forum->ptitle, $link);
            }
        }
        else
        {
echo "<small>&nbsp;&nbsp;This forum originates from ".$page.".</small><br>";
        }

    }
    else
    {
    print("<small>Sorry, you need to be a registered & logged-in user to contribute to the forums.</small>");
        if ($page!=$this->getPageTag()){print("<small>&nbsp;&nbsp;This forum originates from ".$page.".</small><br>");}
}
print("\n");
echo "&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF=\"".$link."\"><small>Return to Front Menu</small></A>\n";
?>
</td></tr></table></div>
<? } ?>


The "main page" looks like this.....
http://gmbowen.educ.unb.ca/wikitest/discussionforum.jpg
and the threads look like this....
http://gmbowen.educ.unb.ca/wikitest/discussionforum2.jpg
To Do/Further Development list:

CategoryDevelopment
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