Plugins: I'd buy a plugin that did...? (Post Here)

34 posts by 21 authors in: Forums > CMS Builder: Plugins & Add-ons
Last Post: July 2, 2010   (RSS)

By rentittoday - September 2, 2009

I do like the change alert. I think that is solid. I like the calendar as well.
Jason Glass

Re: [Dave] Plugins: I'd buy a plugin that did...? (Post Here)

By Davidpanter - September 12, 2009 - edited: September 14, 2009

I would defiantly look to get the following if they were plugins:

- Database Cache Plug-in (to cache output and reduce server load on high traffic sites)
- CGP for user website signups and login only pages
- CGP for search form generator
- Change Alerts, automatically email selected users when a record is added, modified or removed
- CSV export - ability to export selected records or a section as a excel or CSV file.
- Twitter Poster - automatically post to twitter when a section is updated.

This would also would help with other projects I have done were by we have had to code our own web application especially the bit with the user to access content this something I was going to be looking at very shortly for our own website as well as a few clients any idea what sort of time scale we are looking at for some of these developments? or they still just ideas?

also another idea would be to look at pulling in other RSS feeds like drupal does this would be really handy and would mean people could look to move away from the likes of drupal and design there own using CMS builder as almost all the fuctions are there

In our current website I have added the code to a field for the Google analytics and also added a few bits around meta tags and page descriptions into fields to help with SEO like page tags etc. This would be helpful if this was part of CMS Builder to set out some basic SEO within the interface

See an example that could help below:

see tags section on this page


http://www.etondigital.com/weblog/

Re: [Dave] Plugins: I'd buy a plugin that did...? (Post Here)

By pothompson - October 6, 2009

Would it be possible to write a plugin that gave the user a preview of their changes prior to posting them live?

I've been asked for this feature a couple of times and have just said it's not possible but maybe with the new plugin system it could be?

Thanks, Paul.

Re: [pothompson] Plugins: I'd buy a plugin that did...? (Post Here)

By Dave - October 6, 2009

Hi Paul,

There's some technical challenges that make that difficult, but it's definitely something on our radar that will eventually make it into the software. We're continuing to explore different ways to do it.

We don't have anything ideal just yet but one "work-around" would be to flag new records as hidden and then create a preview list and detail viewer (recordListPreview.php, etc) with this option:
'ignoreHidden' => true,

Which would tell them to show hidden records.

It's not ideal and it doesn't handle the situation where you want to preview changes to an already existing record, but it's one workaround.

Other than that, we are continuing the work on it and it will eventually make it's way into the software.
Dave Edis - Senior Developer

interactivetools.com

Re: [craighodges] Plugins: I'd buy a plugin that did...? (Post Here)

By Dave - October 22, 2009

Hi Craig,

We could absolutely do that. I'm not sure how to do it in a non-custom way, but basically you'd have a special email account (incoming@example.com, etc) that would be checked by the CMS and new messages would be created as records.

Another way to do it would be to have a plugin that automatically send an email out when you added a record. Generally, sending an email out is a lot simpler that managing an incoming email account.

If you want to discuss this further or have us build it for you feel free to email me at dave@interactivetools.com.

Hope that helps!
Dave Edis - Senior Developer

interactivetools.com

Import Data function with database restructure

By gadefgaertgqe - December 7, 2009 - edited: December 7, 2009

Hello Dave,

This one is more for the Auto Listings:
In the motor industry there are a lot of dealer networks / dealer classified listing websites, that send dealers a data file of the bikes they have listed. This is so that the dealer can then show the listings on his website. This is very popular as the dealer only has to enter / remove a listing once to keep everything updated, instead of using / maintaining / paying for multiple systems.

It would be brilliant if CMSB could import this (or data form other sources such as clothing retail etc), with the option of specifying the data structure of the database and fields to display/search on.

It would also be useful as so many people migrate from other system in which the data is already in database or CSV form.

So many progs offer export but fail on the import. Howver, I appreciate it must be a lot to 'restructure' a content management system like that, but hey, if you don't ask you don't get lol!!

Keep up the awesome work / support!

8BB

Re: [8bit Gamer] Import Data function with database restructure

By Dave - December 7, 2009

Hi 8BB,

We've done a number of custom import scripts before, but there hasn't been enough of a pattern in what was needed for us to make a generic one yet.

Sometimes they replace all the records, sometimes the update changed ones and leave existing ones. Sometimes it's all the data, sometimes for a specific user. Some is CSV, others is XML (and that varies a lot as well). Images can be stored as urls in the fields or picked up based on matching files that start with the record number that are in specific directory.

So it varies a lot. The first step is getting a sample of the export data from the dealer. If you'd like us to do this as a custom job for you or see what it would take to make a generic one that would work for all the export data you'd need feel free to email me at dave@interactivetools.com and we can figure out the details.

Hope that helps!
Dave Edis - Senior Developer

interactivetools.com

Re: [Dave] Plugins: I'd buy a plugin that did...? (Post Here)

By Kimber - December 15, 2009 - edited: December 15, 2009

[font "Times New Roman"]Hi, I use Article Manager but would like to chime in since the plug-ins can usually be used on Article Manager also.

[font "Times New Roman"]We all know the social networking sites are huge and there is talk of plug-ins to those sites. This is a trend of people like to join something or feel important because they joined something. So I like to be able to make the AM so people have to join or sign-in as a member or via their Open ID which many people use so they do not have some many usernames to remember.

[font "Times New Roman"]Our sites really need to be more interactive to users without having to use their party services.

[font "Times New Roman"]I also like to see publish on date setting so articles can be added but not publish till the date and/or time set.

[font "Times New Roman"]Calendar would be nice. I used Google Calendar but once the event is over the person can’t go back and click the link to see what happened that day.
[font "Times New Roman"]
Shopping cart with payment gateway – I sell downloads and pay for this service now which I use with my AM and would love to not have to pay a monthly fee for a shopping cart.

[font "Times New Roman"]
Comment with approval before posting unless the member is approved to comment.


[font "Times New Roman"]For me, it all about getting my site more interactive. [font "Times New Roman"]Ways to make the person coming to the site be physical engaged by having “things” they can do to be a part of the site and not simply a visitor.
[font "Times New Roman"]My 2 Cents
[font "Times New Roman"]Kimberly

[font "Times New Roman"]

[font "Times New Roman"]

Re: [Dave] Plugins: I'd buy a plugin that did...? (Post Here)

By affinitymc - June 9, 2010

Most definitely a plugin that allows the user to send bulk email to members. This is a MUST for those running the Membership plugin.

Cheers,

Brian