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Built-in Blog feature of vBulletin: a poor man's alternative!
by
14 Aug 2009
If you're reading this topic, chances are that you've been looking for an affordable/easy/simple/integrated blog solution for your vBulletin board. And I assume you've already found out that the official vB Blog, the WP integration, the several (now discontinued) solutions like vBlogetin, vBJournal, Zoints Local are not the solution you where looking for. Look no further...this just might be the alternative for you  The feature is already built-in in vB, as long as you recognize it and accept it. You (probably) don't need all the overhead/extra's the existing (payed) add-ons have to offer anyway. What you get after this humble 'tutorial': Live demo: http://www.voetbalportaal.nl/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=178 Screen shots: see attachments. Screen 1, the vBAdvanced homepage, screen 2 the user profile page, screen 2 a blogpost. Under-/overhelmed? Dissapointed? Maybe. But why bother/pay with more/extra features/whistles? Now that you're still reading, here are the steps for this 'tutorial': Step 1a: Create your Blog Simply make a new forum and title it something like Blogs. And youre finished. Im not kidding: The rest of the steps are just to make it look and feel more bloggish. So we'll get a maximum effect with a minimum of effort! Step 1b: Categories and tags Create subfora within this forum/thread: these are your categories. Install the magnificent mod Zoints Tags: now you have a tagcloud and you can tag your individual blogposts. Step 1c: Make initial blogpost sticky Install Chief first post and play around with it. Now all replies to your blogpost will be like comments which is already the case, anyway. See screenshot 3. Some finishing touches. Step 2: Show latest blogs on user profile Install Memberinfo latest threads and adjust it by disallowing every single thread/(sub)forum except your blog or just show every post/blog together. See screenshot 2. Step 3a: Bonus: Show latest blogs on vBAdvanced Also very simple: activate and adjust the incredible flexible Featured threads module in your vBAdvanced CPMS/AdminCP backend and make sure your blog/(sub)forum is featured. Step 3b: Bonus: Show latest blogs on vBAdvanced Or you could just make a copy of the 'Latest posts' module and show your lates blogs in a separate block, like mine in screenshot 1 Step 4: Mega Bonus: show latest blogs on an external page/another domain Adjust your 'External Data Provider' in your vB options and use the following URL structure to read the RSS of your blogs: http://www.yourdomain.com/forum/external.php?type=rss2&forumids=xx, where xx is your forumid of your newly created blog! There you have it. A poor mans solution for a sophisticated blog system within vBulletin, with the following pro's:
For me it's working just fine and I pitty the time I've lost looking for a feature which is already built-in! Let me know in your comments whether this works for you or why you think this is (not) a good alternative for you. |