By ntroutman on

Hello,

I'm working on a module called EveryBlog http://drupal.org/project/everyblog which aims to be replacement module for the core Blog module. EveryBlog supports multiple blogs per user, user-friendly urls to blogs, ability to categorize blogs, full RSS Feed support, translation template for language translation, and more. But I need the Drupal communities help with testing, feature suggestions, and opinions on design questions. So if you have the time, please download the module and give it a whirl.

Design Questions

  • One Node-Type or Two: Currently EveryBlog is implemented with a single node-type called everyblog which is an entry into a blog. The actual blog names and info linking an entry to a given blog is stored in separate tables. It works great the way it is but has some limitations. My idea is to move everyblog to have two node-types, one for the blog itself and one for a blog entry. This would allow a little better control over what is at the blog level and what is at the entry level. For instance, CCK fields could be added per blog, full taxonomy support could be added, perhaps multi-user access to to a blog through Organic Groups to allow several people to maintain a blog. And who knows what else.
  • Full Taxonomy Integration: Presently EveryBlog makes supperficial use of taxonomy to categorize its blogs. It uses a single vocabulary for the categories and keeps track of the blog->vocab association itself. The reasoning behind this was to leverage off the already present ability to add terms to a vocabulary, which meant everyblog didn't have to have yet another table full of categories to keep track of. Also, displaying a list of blogs by category is done manually, as the category is not applied at the entry level, but only stored at the blog level. Moving to full taxonomy integration would allow blogs to exist in multiple categories, but thats about all I can think of that would benefit from it.

Any opinions of these questions are welcome, as well as bug reports and feature requests. I want to build up an active user group as I plan to make EveryBlog a full fledge blog replacement module with all the bell's and whistles it should have.

Regards

Comments

vm’s picture

vm commented

Moving to full taxonomy integration would allow blogs to exist in multiple categories, but thats about all I can think of that would benefit from it.

Which is pretty important in my opinion. Especially with any kind of views integration.

Personally I would have preferred to see a contrib module that "adds on" the new features and is generic enough that it could be used on "any" content type rather then something blog specific.

ntroutman’s picture

ntroutman commented

I'm not understanding what you mean when you say you'd rather see a contrib module that adds on the new features and is generic. What new features are talking about? I might attempt to maintain a second module if there appears to be demand for such a module, but I need to get a better understanding of what you are getting at.

As for full taxonomy integration, expect to see that in EveryBlog 2.0 which should be out later this month (hopefully).

Regards,
NTroutman

vm’s picture

vm commented

The features you present in your module. Which I think are great by the way.

But lets say, I create an audio content type, with CCK. I can't use the features of the everyblog.module on that content type correct ?

ntroutman’s picture

ntroutman commented

No, you couldn't. Maybe sometime I will generalize it that far, at the moment though I'm working on moving it to using two node types and full taxonomy integration. Once that is done it would probably be fairly simple to generalize to let it use any node types instead of everyblog-blog and everyblog-entry.

neek’s picture

neek commented

after activating everyblog (dev-version)
Here is error:
"
warning: Missing argument 3 for everyblog_form_alter(), called in /home/username/sitename/www/includes/form.inc on line 365 and defined in /home/username/sitename/www/sites/all/modules/everyblog/everyblog.standard.module on line 117"

and in 1.3 beta version here is no file "everyblog.pages.inc" in archvie... so its makes addition errors..

Thanks.

ntroutman’s picture

ntroutman commented

I checked into this and couldn't find the error you pointed out. I downloaded and checked the archive and it was complete. Please try downloading the release again, and making sure the core Blog module is disabled. If the problem persists, please post a bug report at http://drupal.org/node/add/project_issue/everyblog/bug

Regards,
NTroutman

anandi’s picture

anandi commented

It's obvious bug, impossible to be unable to repeat on clean drupal. It is only in 5.x version. It has started from 5.x-1.3-beta2 and it's still there in 1.3-beta3 (now latest available) release. In 5.x-1.3-beta1 it was still ok. Whole problem is that for some reason this module used hook_form_alter in form of drupal6 (with 3 arguments) while in drupal API documentation it is clearly stated that for version 5.x it is with 2 args only (as it was in 5.x-1.3-beta1).

Basically to fix this it's enough to fix only half line in everyblog.standard.module. Line 117 should read as:

function everyblog_form_alter($form_id, &$form) {

Then error dissapears.

Would be nice if somebody would fix it in source or submit bugreport, as i am to much busy now. It's annoying to fix it everytime i download update.

anandi’s picture

anandi commented

in version 5.x-1.3-beta3 there appeared one more bug like this, but now in hook_access, which is again used in format of drupal6. I don't know what to think about author of this... Ok, once it can be accidental, second time can be coincidence, but if i will see it once more that will mean developer is a full space-out... :-)

vm’s picture

vm commented

with the time you spent posting a forum thread about the problem and the fix you could have filed a bug report using the issue queue.

poggle’s picture

poggle commented

warning: Missing argument 3 for everyblog_form_alter(), called in /home/username/sitename/www/includes/form.inc on line 365 and defined in /home/username/sitename/www/sites/all/modules/everyblog/everyblog.standard.module on line 117"

I have the same error.

and in 1.3 beta version here is no file "everyblog.pages.inc" in archvie...

I've downloaded the tar twice and can confirm that the file is missing. However I simply copied it from an earlier distro and that particular error went away. So far as regards the missing argument error, I'd post a bug report, but it may be difficult if, as seems the case, the developer is unable to replicate the error.

gosomewhere.eu’s picture

gosomewhere.eu commented

The idea behind this module is great, but I got the same problem as above, some error missing something somewhere.
Well, keep up the good work and we will be all thankful in the future

ntroutman’s picture

ntroutman commented

For version 2.0 I'm starting to do automated testing using Drupal's SimpleTest module which is pretty cool. Over on my website I'm keeping a blog of the development of EveryBlog. Listed there is a list of the tests being done.

befrirave’s picture

befrirave commented

I got 2.0 installed no problem and disabled the core blog module. Set up the category in taxonomy as explained above, but when I go to the EveryBlog settings the only option I have is a tickbox for 'Show Date/Time' - I don't see any drop down menu for categories. Any ideas guys?

Cheers,

befrirave

dshumaker’s picture

dshumaker commented

So can I use a remote tool (Ecto for example) to connect and post to the bloggs with? You mention Blogger and FeedAPI integration but I don't think that's what I'm looking for.

Drupal has this http://www.yourdrupalsite.com/xmlrpc.php file that lets users use local applications to post to a blog which is VERY nice. As nice as TinyMCE is, it ain't no ecto.

I'd REALLY ask/suggest that you add support for this feature.. Please Please oh Please.

Now you'll excuse me while I go ask the developers of TinyMCE to improve image uploads to be like the Leopard default blogging tool.

Many thanks for considering this feature and sorry I havn't just tried it yet, I don't have a test server to try it out on yet (just production).

-d

regmanabq’s picture

regmanabq commented

I second that request. If rewriting the full blog module, CCK integration and compatibility with the major blog apis would be a cool thing.

I can't believe i'm getting back into Drupal now on v6 after many months off waiting for it only to still find there is still no real way to use the blog api or mail handler to add more then the most basic posts!!!!

Loving the ideas you have for multiple blogs and categories too!

pkrekelb’s picture

pkrekelb commented

I'd also love to see this implemented. xmlrpc integration with the blogging client of their choice was a major selling point for my users. If I can't get that with everyblog, I may have to use my own content type instead. Bummer.

ddlb’s picture

ddlb commented

I do not have the option of an awkward local test site, so it's on a ?production? normal web site running D6.

I did run the import and it showed the posts that it supposedly imported, but they don't show up anyplace...not worried about it yet..

how or where do you set the taxonomy for this? only one check box in the setup page about dates..
can it use free tagging?
also I am trying to figure out how to dump the core blog module and get rid of the content type "blog entry" from the core set up.

Sounds like this module should be THE core module. I have 3 blogs on my personal site that all have different names. I thought that was always a choice in any blog till last month and my first taste of Drupal.
Thank you for your work on this, I am sure it will be very popular and I am excited to use it.

technobrarygeek’s picture

technobrarygeek commented

Saw this in my updates report:

EveryBlog 6.x-1.2
Project not supported: This project is no longer supported, and is no longer available for download. Disabling everything included by this project is strongly recommended!
Includes: EveryBlog

So where do we go from here? Back to ughh The Drupal blog?

vm’s picture

vm commented

The module was removed because of security issues. The maintainer needs to fix the issues the security team noted and re-release. Using this module in it's current state isn't a good idea.

ddlb’s picture

ddlb commented

this sucks...I had this module working very well and It was great(perfect). It displayed blogs just a real blog program does. (aka word press or b2)
So it is gone, and i have redone all the blog posts back to core module. a time consuming process.
now back to square1.
i have been looking for info about setting up the core blogs to display like a normal blog would display. The core module displays a list of posts in each blog. Can you direct me to instructions on how to setup the blogs to display all posts with a pager..like a normal blog would display. Does this have to be done with views? or am i missing something...
dave

vm’s picture

vm commented

yes the views.module is what you want to investigate.

hclaus’s picture

hclaus commented

No more everyblog - sorry but I found no alternative. This module did what I was using Drupal for : having five bloggers each contributing to four different blogs, only readable by registered users, with anonymous comments. Luckily I downloaded the code - as it is only a security leak, I can live with it.

vm’s picture

vm commented

based on your description it seems to me that the task can be done with CCK (to create the blog content type and permissions) and views.module to create your lists.

celadon’s picture

celadon commented

Is the original maintainer gone for good? Would it be possible for someone else to step forward and volunteer to fix the security issues with the current version? I found this to be an excellent module, and would rather keep it in circulation than try to cobble together some equivalent with CCK and views.

I may be willing to take this on if the option is available. I'd have to see what issues need fixing, of course, but I'm getting up to speed on module development and would be willing to add this to my list.

summit’s picture

summit commented

Subscribing, greetings, Martijn

lias’s picture

lias commented

celadon if maintaining this module has been transferred to you. THanks!

celadon’s picture

celadon commented

(edit Dec 22)

The original owner appears to have returned, so hopefully he will continue development...

thanks

ntroutman’s picture

ntroutman commented

Hello everybody, I never recieved any emails showing all of this talk going on about EveryBlog or I would have tried to get to it a lot sooner. I apologize for my absence, I recently started working on my Masters in Computer Science and the first semester was rather hectic, hence many projects got pushed onto the back burners (the really far back ones). However, I recently started getting emails showing the activity on the project and decided that EveryBlog was in fact a very useful module and that many of you were using it, more than I was aware of. As I mentioned previously, had I been aware that so many people were using it I would have fixed things sooner. Everyblog was taken down due to some security concerns. I have now fixed everything and will be releasing EveryBlog 2.0 for alpha testing as soon as I get the go ahead from the Drupal security team. Beta testing should follow shortly there after. To speed things up I will probably move my personal site back to EveryBlog as this will force me to work bugs out quickly. With a couple weeks left in Christmas break expect to see a flurry of development. Also should I appear to go ascent again for to long, try sending my some PMs to get my attention, but I will be more attentive of the project from now on.

As for all those requests, I will start feature request topic, please explain the feature in detail, but please, no flame-wars about whether or not a feature is a good idea or not. Check back soon for the forum link.

Thanks for you patiance,
NTroutman

kjholla’s picture

kjholla commented

Hello ntroutman,

Do you have any expected time when this module will be back online? Or, can you point me to some alternative download location?

I am looking forward to try this out on my site.

Regards,
KH

plasmid’s picture

plasmid commented

Is this project alive? If not, I have been working on doing something similar with CCK and views but would live to collaborate (as I am a newbie to drupal, cck, and views :)