Free eBook - Creating ProBoards v5 Plugins...

[Peter]

PDF Download (5.59 MB) | Source | GT Thread

Big thanks to Patrick Clinger, ♥ ℒʊ√ ♥ , elli , and Boy_Wonder .

For any updates, please see the GT Thread.

[Boy_Wonder]

Peter you're amazing you're a super star and the world needs to know just who you are... and I'm very dosed up on cold medicine

[♥ ℒʊ√ ♥]

Peter , Your creation is given life!

I'm happy to have been a part of the process. You've done a wonderful job taking the complicated process of creating a plugin and breaking it down, step by step, for all to understand.

Much success. You're a coding star and now you've opened that universe up to others!

[Kami]

!! omg thank you!

[Tiffy-Bean]

Peter, thank you so much!!! I really appreciate you taking this on!! I'm like eating this with a spoon!

[Tiffy-Bean]

Peter now that I've taken a look at it..this is really easy to follow and well explained. I'm thoroughly impressed. <3

[Tiffy-Bean]

I also like that you made it clear what people need to have a prerequisite understanding of, so they don't come back at you and be like...but..what? It gives people a clear understanding of what they need to learn to get to plugin level coding if they have designs to do plugins eventually. Like you, I started with coding because of proboards (thank you patrick) and have even moved to schooling now to learn more about coding due to it. I appreciate this because it really hits home at my learning level, and it must have taken you so much time to do this! I can't say enough how much I love and appreciate this. Well done Peter.

[Former Member]

Jeez Peter, that must of taken quite a while to put together, kudos to you.

[Peter]

Mar 8, 2017 20:36:46 GMT -8 @synthtec said:

Jeez Peter, that must of taken quite a while to put together, kudos to you.

Thanks

Think it took me around 5 weeks.  Not too bad.  I cut a lot of stuff out that I wanted to do, as it would have took me forever

[Former Member]

Just append to it mate.

Let it grow over time, initially I think you have done a great job, read it all, really great information for people starting out.

[lolllamaworm]

This is a great resource! Thank you!

[Trip]

Peter, old friend, you've certainly gone above and beyond by creating this awesome, gargantuan, highly detailed PBv5 Plugin guide! I sure hope you got paid well for it! In any case, it's great to see you again! I see that you ditched your classic Jack Skellington avatar for a more modern graphic. Know that your work over the years (not only this guide) is very much appreciated!

Anyways, PBv5 is a COMPLETELY different beast from v3 and v4. The transition from v3 -> v4 was nowhere as radical a transition as with v4 -> v5. Now, with these new plugins, I'd have to somewhat work outside of traditional headers and footers + learn the gist of plugins. I understand things aren't how they used to be 13+ years ago, and we programmers and coders have to adapt to the new stuff in the new age, but if you've been away for a long time and see all the advancements made over the years, you'll be in for a shock, lol.

One more thing, I'd like to publicly admit that I've finally gotten over my grudge with Patrick Clinger.

Around 12 years ago, while coding for PBv3, he issued the iFrame ban which instantly made a lot of my other previously successful codes back then, become illegal.  Of course it wasn't just me who had to suffer, but many other coders.  Later, PBv4 was announced, which forced me to cancel one of my biggest projects while in the middle of development---Karma Fury v3.0.  After that, I stopped coding for PB altogether and started coding for the other "lesser" cgi boards.  It wasn't until 2 years later that I reconsidered PB, and thus I coded a bit for PBv4...iFrames were literally blocked out in v4, but I've found better legal alternatives.  So technically, I got over it 10 years ago, but never said anything until now.  Sorry, I was just pissed and arrogant back then, and iFrames aren't really a thing anymore.  XD

[Tanya]

Peter

I read through this even knowing I don't have the knowledge for it and the first thing I read about 'mods' made me laugh because on the platform I was familiar with, that is all I ever really learned to grasp. Seeing that did a few things to my mind and none of it bad. It was a wake up call to realize how far behind some of the other platforms are. 5 has been out how long? I can understand a little better why some of those I know who moved from the platform I came from originally, are struggling a lot. (though on some levels PB is easier to use)

This was well put together and even I managed following along fairly well though I still can't make a plugin. The further I read, the harder it got because I do lack the basics behind JavaScript. I've used it but never really understood it. I did find it interesting how simple you made it sound though and loved all the warnings that you slipped in along the way. This is the first tutorial I read that didn't give me a headache and most things relating to coding always gives me a headache. haha. So thank you for taking the time to do this. (fyi.. 5 weeks is still a long time considering you didn't have to do this at all)

On a side note, if you're willing to point me in the right direction to learn more about JavaScript outside of the references already noted on PB, I'd greatly appreciate it. (same for html, not sure where my struggle is there but I still have much to learn on it as well) ((tempted to pester Patrick about gaining a full list of variables for templates and css without having to sort through it all myself - too easy to get lost with it because I still haven't figured out what each does yet))

btw, how would you handle someone who can takes snippets of code and break it apart and find something within wrong but has no clue how it was put together in the first place? (that is exactly how I learned before coming to PB and part of why I still struggle, I think.)

Really looking forward to what you and the rest of the team put together for v6.

[Boy_Wonder]

Tanya - I'm not Peter, but i'm someone who learns in pretty much the same way.

I still haven't quite got to plugin writing yet, but the biggest thing I can stress is if you find a piece of code that does something you like - break it all down onto multiple lines, if need be print it out, highlight the heck out of it, trying to focus on the keywords, then go hunting down on somewhere like Mozilla info repository place (MDN... I can't remember it's proper name), or the jquery library place thinger (sorry I'm scatter braining hard)and note down what each keyword does, or else translate key 'building blocks' into something like a visual mental image. Eg:

I think of if/else/else if statements as a corridor with doors. The browser is a person, who has to select what door to go through based on if the information on the piece of paper matches the door placard.

[Lynx]

Boy_Wonder,

MDN = Mozilla Development Network