Cool site kc0maz, I hadn't seen that site before.

Yes, I will be taking a different approach with this site...there will be no bidding on services, just help requests by potential clients, and, if an XOOPS Expert (which could be anyone that feels they are so qualified) wants to offer their services, they can contact the client directly with a proposal / offer / price quote by way of Private Message or Email. If you read the "sticky" thread in the forum on the site, you can read more about how I am thinking it would work.

Cheers,

jeffgr

www.XoopsExperts.com

Hi everyone,

Thanks for everyone's replies to this thread! Obviously there is some interest in this subject, and it has brought up other related subjects as well (advertising in modules, etc.). Please continue on discussing these things here, it's something we don't talk about enough, and I think more commercial XOOPS developers will only help the Project...

I have decided that I am going to start up a new web site where XOOPS users can post requests for complete web site development, custom theme designs and module tweaks & modifications. This site will be located at:

www.XoopsExperts.com

This is nothing at this address right now. I will have a basic site up and running by the end of the weekend.

*Please note that this site is completely my own endeavour, and is not affiliated with anything that is "officially Xoops".*

The site will serve two purposes for those who want to register (free for all): it will act as a place for people to post their XOOPS jobs or paid work requests, and it will act as a place for any XOOPS user to create a profile page, where they may advertise their services.

This will not be a bidding site, and developers will not be allowed to mention specific prices or rates in their profiles, although general price ranges will be ok. Potential clients can peruse developer profiles, and contact you by PM or through your own web site contact info if interested. I think that doing things this way will reduce the inevitable downward spiral of prices, which ends up benefiting neither client or developer in the end.

I will post here again on Sunday evening to let you know that the site is open & ready for business!

Cheers,

jeffgr

Hi everyone,

I use the RSS aggregator module Planet in many of my sites. One hack that I would like to make, is to change the link that is applied to the headline title so that the link goes to the actual source article, and not the secondary page on the module which has more information. I just want people to be able to see the headlines, and then click on the article titles to visit that article...any ideas?

Thanks,

Jeff

Hi all,

Is there a place on the Xoops.org site, in the forums or elsewhere, where I can advertise my skills as a XOOPS web site developer?

I would like to promote my services in theme, template and module modifications, especially module cloning. I am open to all jobs, big or small, and have something for every budget.

On a related note, does the XOOPS community even want posts of a commercial nature on the Xoops.org web site? I guess that is another thing for everyone to think about...

I have started the website www.xoopschallenge.com , to act as an independent XOOPS web site design contest. At the moment, I've put this contest on the backburner, due to a lack of initial interest (there is nothing on the site right now). I will continue to develop the XOOPS challenge methodology, and will bring this topic back in due time. I am also open to having part of this site available (in a discussion forum, or elsewhere) for other XOOPS developers who want to advertise their development / code hacking services. I think having a place where you can quickly go to find someone to help you with your XOOPS project would be good for the project as a whole.

I don't think that such a place would be detrimental to the "spirit of free helpfulness" that currently exists on the main XOOPS site. For example, one of the things that I personally would offer as one of my own services would be module cloning, as this can be a tricky thing to do. However, I will also freely point out that I have written about this myself here
as well as there being numerous posts on the subject that I can point people to. I would just like to offer my help in this manner for a small fee to people who do not want to figure all of this out for themselves.

So, to sum up this long train-of-thought; is there a place on Xoops.org where I can advertise my commercial services, and if not, would anyone else be interested if I created an area for this on my own, undeveloped site, xoopschallenge.com ? If you are interested, please post here.

(btw...I was thinking, that if people were to advertise their services, listing of service prices would not be allowed...potential clients could PM you if they want to get a quote on something. This way people can decide for themselves who they want to work with, and there isn't that insane "lowest price possible" effect which sometimes occurs when people advertise their services on the internet. I think everyone would be happier this way :) )

Hi there,

I need some help with the x_movie module. I need to remove the function that scrambles or encrypts the uploaded file name, as I want the downloaded file to have the same name as it had when it was uploaded. I do not require these encryption features of the module.

I think I can just //comment out// this feature...but I can't figure out where this is in the code, and I don't have time to spend on this. I think the code to be removed is either in submit.php or the Snoopy upload class file.

I can pay $25.00 USD to whomever can show me which line of code to edit. If you know this module, or know php like the back of your hand, this should be a quick job.

I will pay the money by Paypal over in the next day or so to you (I need to load up my account again).

Please send me a PRIVATE MESSAGE on this site if you can help me with this. I will go with whomever contacts me first, and I will post here if someone is helping me already.

Thanks!

jeffgr

Hi everyone,

I am trying to remove the encryption that is given to movie files when they are uploaded using the x_movie module. Does anyone have any idea on how to do this?

Form processing for the module seems to be handled by a class file called Snoopy.class.php. I think it is somewhere in this file that there is the code that I have to change / comment out in order to remove this encryption function. I am posting the code from this file below, in case anyone has any ideas. Specifically, I think the issue is in the following snippet of code:

(at line 1184)

/////////////////////////////////////////

/*======================================================================*\
Function: _prepare_post_body
Purpose: Prepare post body according to encoding type
Input: $formvars - form variables
$formfiles - form upload files
Output: post body
\*======================================================================*/

function _prepare_post_body($formvars, $formfiles)
{
settype($formvars, "array");
settype($formfiles, "array");
$postdata = '';

if (count($formvars) == 0 && count($formfiles) == 0)
return;

switch ($this->_submit_type) {
case "application/x-www-form-urlencoded":
reset($formvars);
while(list($key,$val) = each($formvars)) {
if (is_array($val) || is_object($val)) {
while (list($cur_key, $cur_val) = each($val)) {
$postdata .= urlencode($key)."[]=".urlencode($cur_val)."&";
}
} else
$postdata .= urlencode($key)."=".urlencode($val)."&";

}
break;

case "multipart/form-data":
$this->_mime_boundary = "Snoopy".md5(uniqid(microtime()));

reset($formvars);
while(list($key,$val) = each($formvars)) {
if (is_array($val) || is_object($val)) {
while (list($cur_key, $cur_val) = each($val)) {
$postdata .= "--".$this->_mime_boundary."\r\n";
$postdata .= "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=\"$key\[\]\"\r\n\r\n";
$postdata .= "$cur_val\r\n";
}
} else {
$postdata .= "--".$this->_mime_boundary."\r\n";
$postdata .= "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=\"$key\"\r\n\r\n";
$postdata .= "$val\r\n";
}
}

reset($formfiles);
while (list($field_name, $file_names) = each($formfiles)) {
settype($file_names, "array");
while (list(, $file_name) = each($file_names)) {
if (!is_readable($file_name)) continue;

$fp = fopen($file_name, "r");
$file_content = fread($fp, filesize($file_name));
fclose($fp);
$base_name = basename($file_name);

$postdata .= "--".$this->_mime_boundary."\r\n";
$postdata .= "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=\"$field_name\"; filename=\"$base_name\"\r\n\r\n";
$postdata .= "$file_content\r\n";
}
}
$postdata .= "--".$this->_mime_boundary."--\r\n";
break;
}

return $postdata;
}
}

?>

////////////////////////////////////////

Any ideas on what to tweak above? Thanks!!!

jeffgr

Hi everyone,

I am trying to change the appearance of the title area in a custom block. I know how to apply a CSS div class to this area, so that the block title area has a custom appearance, such as an image for the block title background.

What I want to know is, how do give different custom blocks different block title images from one another...don't they all reference the same custom block template file?

Your thoughts are appreciated!

Cheers,

Jeff

Hi everyone,

I am going to postpone the first XOOPS Challenge until the weekend of 27- 30 July, as there wasn't enough responses up until this point.

I have registered the site www.xoopschallenge.com in the meanwhile, all further contest info will be posted there. I will continue to update this thread when that occurs however.

If this contest interests you, please consider entering it at the end of this month. I think it would be an exciting and fun contest, and it would be a great showcase for XOOPS designers around the world.

Thanks for everyone's interest / support so far!

Jeff

www.xoopschallenge.com

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your responses to this thread, and to my idea of the XOOPS Challenge.

As you can imagine, there are still many details to work out about how the contest should be run, how it should be judged etc. ***I am open to and would like to encourage your suggestions for any part of the Challenge contest.***

Here are some additional & changed details since my first post in this thread:

Hosting

After some thought, I have decided that I will host all the sites that wish to partake in the XOOPS Challenge. All contest entrants will be provided with a subfolder off of my root domain (which will be announced shortly)in which to build their test site.

A fresh install of 2.0.16 will be set up in each account. If you wish to use the 2.x branch, please let me know when registering, and I will do this for you.

Site Modifications

The goal of the XOOPS Challenge is to create a XOOPS web site, with text and image content that is provided to you, that is the "best combination of theme design, site functionality and user-friendliness".

My hope is that the Challenge will inspire others with a showcase of fantastic XOOPS sites that be created in a short period of time. While there is no way for me to regulate if people use pre-created themes, templates or modules in their sites, I hope that the spirit of the contest, which is to create everything from scratch using only publicly available code/themes/templates/modules, is followed. You are of course allowed and encouraged to change these assets as much as you like in your contest web site.

(I'm just trying to discourage people here from simply installing a custom web site that they have spent weeks creating beforehand...as this contest is all about creating a great XOOPS site in a short time period. It is also a demonstration of how much a XOOPS site can be customized by a XOOPS expert in a short time period, with the knowledge and skills that they have acquired over time).

Teams

If you wish to enter the contest as a team effort (two or more developers working together in order to create the web site), you may do so.

I will create a separate category for web sites that were created by teams in which to be judged. There will be a separate cash prize of $50.OO USD for team entries.

TimeFrame

While I initially suggested the timeframe of 6 - 10 pm EST on July 8th to be the Challenge time, I have decided to revise this time suggestion. This is because:

- We will be able to see better designs/sites with more time available.

- I would like to present a challenge that is as fair as possible to people from all around the world, in different time zones.

As of this writing, I am considering changing the timeframe in which the Challenge is held to be over a period of 48 hours...or, "over the weekend" of July 6-8. I realize that some parts of the world are before or ahead of others, so I will have to refine this idea somewhat. But that is the general idea...

***If anyone has any comments on this aspect of the challenge, or suggestions on which times specifically to start the challenge, in order to be fair to all, please post your comments here!***

I would also like to change the time period for when you can vote for your favorite site to be ONE week after the Challenge is finished. This will give everyone more time to vote and to review the sites involved.

Rewards

As of this writing, the financial prize for winning the first XOOPS Challenge is $50.00 USD in each category, payable by Paypal only. There will be two Challenge categories,each which has a prize of $50.00 USD.

- One Category for a XOOPS web site created by a sole web developer.

-One Category for a XOOPS web site created by a team of web developers.

The total amount of prize money to be won in the first XOOPS Challenge, for both categories combined, is $100.00 USD.

The Challenge winners will post in this thread that they have received their prize money when the payment is received. (you need a valid Paypal account to get paid)

Depending on how the first Challenge works out, the financial reward may increase...I have some ideas on how this could be done, and will elaborate on them later.

There is no cost to join the XOOPS Challenge, and I will try to keep it this way.

Xoops Challenge Management / Decisions

I would like to just discreetly note that for the XOOPS Challenge, I (jeffgr) am the Big Boss Man... :) By this I mean, I have the final word on contest rules, web site entries and how the Challenge is run in general.

Please let me explain the above statement somewhat further... I have the final word in this contest simply because I want to run it in as efficient and rapid manner as possible...at this point, I don't want to get caught up in judging committees, or running every change to the contest rules by a management board of some sort. I am NOT saying that I will not graciously listen to and consider any Challenge suggestions that are made to me....in fact, I encourage your ideas, I'm sure they are better then mine in many regards. I just don't want to get caught up in any more red tape then is necessary for this Challenge, as I don't think it is really needed, at this time at least. So please don't bristle at the above statement... :)

Other General Notes

- No adult content of any kind is allowed on your entry sites.

- The admin logins to your sites will be changed when the contest is over. You can still make changes to your site at a later point, but you will have to contact me about this to make arrangements (this is for security reasons, etc.)

- There will have to be a minimum of 20 Challenge entrants for the XOOPS Challenge to proceed with the financial reward. (Does everyone think this is fair?... let me know otherwise..)

That's all for now! More comments & Challenge rules may follow as the week progresses, as ideas get refined. Check this thread, and my posts in this thread, for the final word on everything.

Cheers,

jeffgr

PS, thank you BlueStocking for your translations.

Hi everyone,

Who is up for a fun challenge?!? :)

I would like to introduce the XOOPS Challenge, a contest to design the best XOOPS site that you can, in a short time period. The purpose of this challenge is to demonstrate to the XOOPS community and to the public how versatile this CMS really is, and how it can be rapidly customized to meet the needs of almost any user. There will also be a small cash prize ($50.00 USD) awarded to the contest winner!

The XOOPS Challenge Rules:


- The contest will be held next Sunday evening, July 8th, from 6:00 - 10:00 PM EST. There will be only four (4) hours to complete the challenge.

Xoops Challenge Notes:

- Since this is the first XOOPS Challenge, it is very much a testing ground for the contest rules & expectations. These rules will very likely change somewhat as the contest evolves over time.

- At 6:00 PM EST, all XOOPS Challenge participants will be provided with a .zip file containing instructions and specific web site content (text, images and some basic instructions on what topic area to build the site around)for this particular XOOPS Challenge. The general challenge will be to build the "coolest" XOOPS site with this content in the specified time period of 4 hours. By "coolest", I mean the best marriage of site content, site functionality, and site usability possible. You are free to use any module or theme design that you see fit to make the best site possible around the content I provide you.

- At the contest finish, at 10:00 PM EST, all contest participants must provide their admin logins to me by PM. I will change the password they were using, which will ensure that they cannot continue to update their web sites after the contest closes.

- Web sites will be judged on design, functionality, and user-friendliness. A public poll will be created, where anyone can vote on their favorite web site created in tHis contest over a period of 24 hours (10:00 PM Monday). The results from this poll will be publicly available for all to see.

- An official contest web site for this XOOPS Challenge will be set up shortly. Here the entries into each XOOPS Challenge will be archived, and anyone can comment or critique on the submitted web site designs.

- All participants in the XOOPS Challenge are responsible for hosting their own web sites during the period of the challenge. Your entry site can be in a root domain, or it can be in a sub-folder somewhere... it doesn't matter.

-You can pre-install XOOPS before the contest begins (base install), but you must install and modify any modules that you want to include afterwards. While you may also use any code or css styles that you have created beforehand, please do not implement these changes until the contest begins. And remember, the point of the contest is to demonstrate what can be done with XOOPS in a short period of time, and not to simply plug in a pre-coded theme or template in order to impress people. Your web site does also not have to be completely finished at the end of the contest timeframe in order to be considered or to win the contest.

-All participants in any XOOPS Challenge must agree to provide any site files used in their content entry, so that others can learn from their code and techniques. All contest participants will agree to have their work available to download for other XOOPS users to study from and use under the GPL license. XOOPS Challenge winners must also agree to answer a series of written questions about how they created their XOOPS site in order to receive the winning payment.

- You can enter the XOOPS Challenge anytime up until 6:00 PM EST on the Saturday night before the challenge. It is my hope that a new XOOPS Challenge will be held each month, at the same time (every second weekend).

- The winner of the XOOPS Challenge, as determined by the maximum number of votes in the Challenge Poll, will be awarded $50.00 USD by PayPal (only). ***Financial rewards may increase in future Challenges.***


If you are interested in participating in this first XOOPS Challenge, please post in this thread. This thread is the only place that you can enter the first XOOPS Challenge.

If you have any suggestions on how to run / organise the XOOPS Challenge, please post them here as well, as I will be taking all ideas into consideration.

See you next Sunday night!

Cheers,

jeffgr

(I have made some edits to this post to reflect questions asked! Always refer to this post for the rules of Challenge 1 )