Forum Replies Created
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@gtn
If you are looking for a videochat app that will integrate perfectly with bp groups, then check out http://www.123flashchat.com/feature.html
While I do not currently use it with bp, I do have it 100% perfectly integrated with elgg groups. Frankly integrating it with elgg was 10x more difficult than it would be to integrate with bp. Basically all of the db parameters are wide open, so in theory you could connect their system to any user db.Word of warning though, I would not even both trying to integrate it with red-5, that’s a waste of time; You will need to purchase a real flash comm server package, wowza will work, in order to get reliable video chat working. Also keep in mind that video chat takes some serious bandwidth, and I mean serious.
I’ve pretty much tried all the pro chat scripts out there on the market, and I have to say that 123flashchat is hands down the most powerful and efficient system out there. I use the load balancing system and it works perfectly across my network of chat servers. Their tech support is fantastic, though they pretty much only speak Chinese.. yeah that makes for some interesting discussions with them.
Thanks ray, however we are already using the save_post action.
Have you or any of the other bp dev’s even attempted to show a custom field in the activity stream for either a blog post, or other data type(post-types)?
Per Brajesh:
[blockquote]
It seems to me , the problem is with the order when the custom field is saved and the post is published. If post is published before saving custom field(which happens because of auto revision mode turned on in wp), we will never be able to get the custom field data on save_post action. I am looking for some other action to hook it.
[/blockquote]This issue persists even after turning off auto-revision.
Would any of the dev’s please chime in on this one?
I’ve gone through most of the code for the past few days, and still cannot find an action to hook into that will allow me to add any custom field to the activity stream.I do have a new component that allows me to add a custom post-type to the activity stream, but the custom fields issue still persists.
I have been working with Brajesh on this same problem for quite some time now. So far it’s not working.
Here is what we do know:
[blockquote]
It seems to me , the problem is with the order when the custom field is saved and the post is published. If post is published before saving custom field(which happens because of auto revision mode turned on in wp), we will never be able to get the custom field data on save_post action. I am looking for some other action to hook it.
[/blockquote]We have also tried turning off post revisions, but that made no difference.
It would be really nice to hear from ‘those that know’ what the problem may be. So far we have had no problem creating new modules in order to populate the activity stream with new custom post-types. However the stupid problem with custom fields not showing up is still present.
any dev’s care to chime in on this one?
must be bouncing, not receiving anything, thanks for trying though
@dwenaus
Been checking the email off and on, must have missed your mail. Can you resend?with wp 3.0 utilizing post_types, I’m guessing a lot of people in the future are going to be asking about adding their pretty new data types into bp.
I would strongly suggest bp consider an easy UI for an admin to simply add in their post types and desired metafields for capture into the activity stream. The current setup is FAR from user friendly. I can see many cases where an admin will simply want to display their new info without having to build an input component.
Well I am sure that many others will someday want to figure out how to get custom post_types to automatically show up in the activity stream. It took me all day reading through most of the bp code, but I finally found the edit needed.
in bp-blogs.php line 373
comment out:
` if ( $post->post_type != ‘post’ )
return false;`Now this is not optimal, as it will still say that user ‘x’ posted a new blog post instead of user ‘x’ posted a new ‘post_type’ post, and it won’t automatically insert the metafields, but it’s a start.
I’ll come up with a simple code hack and post it here when I have added the ability to add in the custom post_types custom metafields into the activity stream.
The reason I am going with this approach, is because for now, I have zero interest in creating a new bp component, as the users will never be adding in these post types via bp. I simply wanted the information to show in the activity stream when the new post_type data is added.
Hope this helps save someone countless hours in the future.
@DJPaul
Thank you!. Yes I realize that post_types have absolutely nothing to do with the activity stream. I look at post_types as nothing more than a new dataset that I want to include in the activity stream.I guess that I was hoping that bp had some type of action that I could hook into. Meaning I add a function to bp record activity to recognize my new post_types as a new dataset. Then the activity could pick up whatever data I want to add into it. (I’m not a seasoned coder, so pretty sure my terminology is wrong, but I hope you get the idea).
@thelandman
Yes I am using wp 3.0 beta. Actually I have the post_types just about finished, a few more hours on templating a few more types and that will be done.example:
http://deardaddy.org/sermons/ — multi-relational page with type ‘sermons’ related to types ‘podcasts, preachers, and locations’.Now I am at the point of wanting to include the post_types into the bp activity stream. That’s where I find a complete lack of any documentation. Appreciate the response though.
Spent most of the day reading everything available, but still can’t find any documentation on how to pull in my custom post_types with meta into the activity stream.
Please, someone point me in the right direction.
I believe the following ticket may have something to do with these issues:
https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/13483imtiedup @hotmail.com
I would love the opportunity to try it out if you are willing to relase your changes. I also appreciate the heads up on the code quality. Saved me a bit of money there.
I can report the same path issue with 3.0 running bp 1.2.3 in multisite mode. It is not saving the avatar in the /blog.dir/1/ path as it should. Bp is installed on root level of site.
I also see the following server error:
PHP Catchable fatal error: Object of class WP_Error could not be converted to string in /wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-core/bp-core-avatars.php on line 281I ‘kind of’ agree with you when you say post_types are for individual pieces of content, but also disagree. Post types allows me to create a new object where I can assign multiple attributes to that object type ‘metadata, taxonomies’. You are also able to easily group individual object types of the post type together much easier than with pages. The real power comes into play when you create multiple post types and link them together. Then I have a ‘pods’ type of system with multi-relational datasets to a given object. There is just 100x more that I can do with a post type than with a page.
For instance, I am building a complete custom forum system using a post type. You could never do that with pages. Well I suppose you could but it would be much more work and not nearly as elegant. basically my goal is to completely dump the bbpress as it’s so far behind that it has no business in my sites. By using post types, I have all the inherent wp tools right at my fingertips for forum posts. Want to add images/video/tags/ to a post.. done… no work needed.
The advantage is then I could easily add that new post type to the activity stream, complete with all its attributes, ‘metadata’ for the individual object. Something else you can’t really do with pages.
Here is a really generic example of 3.0 multi relational post types in action. (It’s only a start, so please don’t complain about layout, have not even started that part yet, this is more concept than anything else)
http://deardaddy.org/sermons/daneil-ponce-sermon-1/What you see here is much more than meets the eye
1. This is a custom post type sermons which is related to post types podcasts, preachers, locations.
2. The sermon title, description, and video are part of the sermon post type
3. When on the ‘add sermon’ admin page, you are also able to link it to a pre-existing post type to grab the preacher, podcast, and location. If they do not exist then you can add those attributes within the sermons post type without having to leave. Meaning you don’t have to go to post type podcast to add the audio file to a sermon. Same goes for preachers, locations.
4. sermons and podcast post types also have related taxonomies, ‘series, topics’. which you can directly link within the sermons page.The easiest way to see how it’s linked is to notice the ‘locations’ link on the sidebar. It goes to:
http://deardaddy.org/locations/his-sanctuary-of-prayer/ which is the post type ‘locations’.Keep in mind I did not have to manually type in the location when I added the sermon, although I could have, because it already existed. I simply chose it from a drop down of existing locations and they were linked together.
The power of this is simple.
1. I create a location one time
2. I can now add the individual location attribute to any new post type I create so long as I link the post types together, create a relationship in my themes functions file. This means that a user never has to input data more than 1x, it can be used over and over again in any post type.To wrap up:
You said ‘a way in the front end of bp for users to add a movie’. I am already doing everything but the adding via the front end for the sermon example above. Adding the ability to the bp front end, will take me a bit of work, but it’s possible. I just have not yet had the time to read the bp code close enough. Hence my argument for post types in bp instead of pages. why add a movie page, when I can add a post type movie with all the attributes into the stream. Much much more power that way.@r-a-y
will be interesting to see the direction they take. If they don’t worry about backwards compat well then the doors are wide open.@r-a-y
I couldn’t make it to the chat today, but I just read through the thread. What I couldn’t find was the reasons for using pages instead of post_types. Were those listed off on the audio portion or something?I’ve spent the last month digging really deep into post_types, and while I don’t have a strong background in bp structure, post_types seems like the perfect fit for bp. Would you kindly give us some of the pro’s/con’s of pages vs types and why the decision was made? Maybe it would help many of us to understand the bp structure and direction in the future a little better.
I couldn’t be more excited about the merge of mu into 3.0. Finally I can come out of the closet I’ve been hiding in for so long.
On most forums, as soon as I mention that I run mu, I get the proverbial, ‘not supported’, argument, whether it’s a theme or plugin purchase, or even a simple question. I suppose in the long run I should be grateful for the treatment I received most places as it really has taught me to be more self-sufficient. I actually spend more time now learning how to code then all other activities combined. As frustrating as it’s been, I have to say it’s been more than worth it. It’s almost a joke going back a year or two and reading the questions I had on other forums. And to think.. at the time I was running hundreds of client websites. Little did I know just how little I actually knew. It’s also important to mention that the absolute best wp coders that I have met all either run mu, or are intimately familiar with it. Many of those people are here on this site. Their level of expertise is head and shoulders above the normal wp user.
@johnjamesjacoby has it absolutely correct. The more time you spend on the theme of the site, and especially the back-end administration portion, the more the site really starts to shine. I’d say that I spend an equal part on modifying the looks and functionality of the backend as I do the theme. Basically every time one of my customers asks me how to do something that I believe they should be able to figure out on their own, I go back and try to find ways of making it more intuitive for them.
Most of my clients don’t even know they are running wp/bp. They simply wanted internal group communication systems, and it just turns out that bp fits the bill almost perfectly. What better system could there be than a system where I can give a client who has multiple locations a series of sites all connected together, cohesive, and simple to use. Gone are the days of having to stitch together or bridge multiple systems. I’m so glad that I will never have to write or pay for another bridge script again, only to have one of the products die a slow death on the vine. I really believe wordpress and possibly buddypress are here for the long haul.
It’s also important to mirror what JJJ said about site size vs. features. I have some very small client sites, where it would make no sense to turn on most features. Doing that would only confuse the users and make it look awfully lonely. Then again I have sites with thousands of users. Turning on most of the features for them would make perfect sense, as everyone finds their own little area of the site that they enjoy. Bp makes this very easy.
@shnooka30 I’m actually one of those people who couldn’t be more excited about the plugins to give sub-blogs their own bp installs. To me, that is the biggest current downfall of bp, other than privacy and spam which are being addressed.
The entire reason I went to wpmu in the first place was that it was horribly inefficient to run hundreds of separate installs. I spent way to much time having to update sites one at a time. Wpmu, literally saved me hundreds of hours a year in updating time alone. It’s only because of the plugin not being available yet that I don’t offer bp to many of my client sites. When the plugin is ready, then I hope to jump in with both feet. At least the wait has given me the time to get a real understanding of the bp code base before adding it to the mix.
Bottom line is those who run undermanned or lousy setups of bp on shared hosting, which is the majority of users, will die off very quickly. Everyone else who does it right will appear so different in both appearance and service, that the public won’t even put the two together.
To start with, I have absolutely zero experience with the activity stream. Frankly I am so overwhelmed on the learning curve of everything else that I have not even had the time to think about digging into the activity stream. I only mention this so that if my comments ever seem to be to over the top about using post_types, it is simply because I understand them and their current weaknesses, ‘permalink structures, archive pages, etc’. For my setup, I pretty much only plan on using the activity stream for user-user and user-group communication. More of a wire than an activity stream. Just like on bp.org I found that people just found the addition of activity streams to be confusing. I get much better results using group forums, and heavily relying upon group blogs with the p2 interface.
You are correct though. There really is not all that much heavy lifting needed in the backend for using post_types. Really it’s just a matter of properly creating the post type, adding in the metafields, and setting up the permalinks. The 3.0 system is not complete though. There are a lot of holes in the setup to overcome, but the information is out there on how to get by some of the issues. I’ve done the homework and can help with some of that should you need the information.
Finding the tools and creating my own to help deal with connecting post types to post types, and adding in metadata to taxonomies has taken up most of my time. At the moment I am working out how to modify one post type/taxonomy within the admin panel of another post type.
Currently I am just using a homebrewed theme for my forums post type. I am still in the stage of building a coherent backend and just populating the front end with data. I did look into p2 a few days back, and it looks like the perfect solution to theming forums. Of course a few changes would be needed, but most are pretty simple. I should have much more information available about p2 in the coming weeks.
finally, keep in mind that I do not consider myself a programmer in any real sense of the term. This has been a huge learning experience for me so I work a lot slower than most people would expect. I’m sure you remember the days when it could take you 20 hrs to figure out one simple function, that’s where I am at.
Boone – I can think of many reasons to use custom post_types for the forums setup. Really bbpress in its current bp iteration adds nothing to the mix that can’t be achieved with post_types. In the end the forums are just posts styled differently than normal blog posts. I’ve built a basic post_type forum setup already and the further I continue with it the more excited I get about the possibilities. I currently have no idea how to tie it into bp groups, but guess I’ll figure that part out down the road.
Had the same problem on all of my installs last night. Temp solution was to shut down all registrations while bp works this out. Between my network of sites, I would estimate 150+ spam registrations. Once in, they were also abusing the pm system. It’s ok though, I’d rather shut it all down for now then to have to manually keep deleting pm’s from the db all day long.
I know you guys are working hard on this issue. It is much appreciated!
a Huge +1 for the bp-gallery from @sbrajesh
It does exactly as advertised, and I have never, ever, come across a plugin with the type of support that I receive from Brajesh. Every time the community comes up with a good idea for bp-gallery, it seems that Brajesh comes up with an updated version within hours to days. His pace of workflow is utterly amazing to me.
I can’t comment on the other gallery system as I have not installed it on any of my sites so comparing the two is not possible for me. I do realize the other gallery, now that it’s part of the gsoc project may become the defacto gallery plugin for bp, but I am more than happy to continue using bp-gallery. I have purchased many plugins, code snippets in the past from many people, and I have to say this is one of the best for my needs that I have ever received. Considering that just my one major request I posted for Brajesh would have cost me hundreds to have coded, so $30 for supporting his plugin is more than worth it to me. I would suggest his plugin to anyone that ever asks without hesitation.
The entire reason I went to wpmu in the first place is that I was getting tired of having to do a fresh install of wp for each new client I get. It made it much easier to just have one install, and give each client their own sub-domain blog using domain mapping to make them appear independent.
Then buddypress came out and I started to receive a large amount of requests for it. Obviously I did not have the ability to do this as they would all be able to see any group/forum created by other sites on the wpmu network.
In the end, now I have to create brand new wpmu sites for each client, and maintain them separately. That is really a huge pain, and takes so much of my time having to update each site one at a time.
anyhow, having the ability to do this with bp would be a huge timesaver for me. I understand what it is going to take to accomplish, and realize there would be backwards compatibility issues, but truly hope it makes it into the core someday. For now, I just really try to discourage my clients from using buddypress, as I don’t want to manage 100+ separate wpmu installs just so they can all have bp.
@sbrajesh
As always you da man… thanks so much, works perfectly
