Help creating a Plugin please!

[eversoul]

Hey.  Been admin on the forum I created for a little over 2 years now.  I really like the "Post LOL" plugin (created by Todge)
www.proboards.com/library/plugins/item/1205
...which allows my members to click to "LOL" at a post.  (which is different than a "like", which is also used)

I'd like to create something just like that, just different from LOL.  (actually, with it being a religious themed forum, I'd really like to create a "Praying for this" button)    

The like button shows above the post body ~username~ likes this
The LOL button shows above the post body ~username~ is LOLing at this

I'd like to create a Prayer button that shows above the post body ~username~ is praying for this

The thing is though, I don't even know where to start!  I'm fluent in HTML and Javascript, some CSS, so I have knowledge of other coding...  but I don't understand how keys come into play?  (The Post LOL button requires one) 

If I had the coding from the LOL button, I might be able to wing something from scratch after some trial and error, but I don't have access to that code.

Can anyone help me out?  Maybe point me in the right direction?
Reading guides and other forum posts haven't turned on the lightbulb yet.

Thank you!!!!!!

[Brian]

Hi, eversoul.

Keys are kind of like Javascript variables in that they store an object or value for you to reference. The merit of keys is that they retain their value across different pages (since they're stored on the server, as opposed to JS variables which are client-side) and their values can be read whenever their relevant content is present on the page.

The simplest example of how to set a key's value and read from it would be storing a value to a Forum (super) key which is always visible on every page of the forum since it's tied to the forum itself as the name implies. If I have a key named forum_key in my plugin and I wanted to set its value I would do it like so:

pb.plugin.key('forum_key').set({ value: "Your value here" });

Now any time I want to get forum_key's value I can reference it using this:

pb.plugin.key('forum_key').get();

Which returns:

Your value here

Like Javascript variables you can assign various values to a key including:

• Integers
• Strings
• Arrays
• Objects

My example above uses a forum key for the sake of simplicity, but depending on which key you use you may need to specify an object ID. A User key would need the object ID of the user you're assigning that key data to. A Thread key would need the thread ID, a post key would need the post ID, and so on. Just about every key except for a Forum key requires an object ID since it's assigned to a specific item on the forum.

pb.plugin.key('thread_key').set({ object_id: 123, value: "Your value here" });

This example sets the value of the key for thread ID 123 (when viewing this hypothetical thread its URL in your address bar is /thread/123/thread-title-here). So when thread 123 is visible on the page I can get its key data like so:

pb.plugin.key('thread_key').get(123);

Notice that this time I had to specify an object ID in the get() function as well. Every key that requires an object ID to set also requires one to obtain that key's value (since multiple threads, posts, users, etc. can appear on a single page).


For a more in-depth explanation of what each plugin key does along with instruction on how to use them I would recommend reading this post: support.proboards.com/thread/433198/all-plugin-keys

[eversoul]

Thanks for the info on keys. ...unfortunately, that's not even half the battle with what I'm wanting to do.

I'm not even sure where to start as far as the coding of this button that I'm wanting to do. I was hoping to PM Todge (creator of Post LOL) to see if I could borrow the code and try to make my variation of what he did... but it doesn't look like he's been here since 2012.

Sorry. Still totally lost.

I'd even offer to pay someone to do this if I thought that would get me anywhere...

[Brian]

Todge has had their online status set to invisible since 2012. Going by their recent post history they're very much alive and active.

support.proboards.com/user/19529/recent

That'd also be an interesting turn of events considering both plugins and the tools Todge used in the admin area to create them were introduced as a part of ProBoards v5 which wasn't released until 2013.

[P̌̓aͧś̀t̀u͒le͆o͂2̀3̃̓]

Feb 7, 2017 16:03:05 GMT -8 eversoul said:

Thanks for the info on keys. ...unfortunately, that's not even half the battle with what I'm wanting to do.

I'm not even sure where to start as far as the coding of this button that I'm wanting to do. I was hoping to PM Todge (creator of Post LOL) to see if I could borrow the code and try to make my variation of what he did... but it doesn't look like he's been here since 2012.

Sorry. Still totally lost.

I'd even offer to pay someone to do this if I thought that would get me anywhere...

support.proboards.com/thread/558354/tutorial-keys-saving-data-proboards
Something I wrote up which should have all the info available on keys
Use the right click inspect button on chrome to find specific class targets and use jquery.
I think I have some editable plugins with comments if you need a working example

[P̌̓aͧś̀t̀u͒le͆o͂2̀3̃̓]

Feb 7, 2017 10:07:24 GMT -8 eversoul said:

Hey.  Been admin on the forum I created for a little over 2 years now.  I really like the "Post LOL" plugin (created by Todge)
www.proboards.com/library/plugins/item/1205
...which allows my members to click to "LOL" at a post.  (which is different than a "like", which is also used)

I'd like to create something just like that, just different from LOL.  (actually, with it being a religious themed forum, I'd really like to create a "Praying for this" button)    

The like button shows above the post body ~username~ likes this
The LOL button shows above the post body ~username~ is LOLing at this

I'd like to create a Prayer button that shows above the post body ~username~ is praying for this

The thing is though, I don't even know where to start!  I'm fluent in HTML and Javascript, some CSS, so I have knowledge of other coding...  but I don't understand how keys come into play?  (The Post LOL button requires one) 

If I had the coding from the LOL button, I might be able to wing something from scratch after some trial and error, but I don't have access to that code.

Can anyone help me out?  Maybe point me in the right direction?
Reading guides and other forum posts haven't turned on the lightbulb yet.

Thank you!!!!!!

Something that might be able to work for your situation support.proboards.com/post/6398250/thread