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Mark Vincent edited this page Mar 2, 2017 · 21 revisions

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Advanced Sidebox is the solution for side boxes with MyBB forum software. It is powerful, allowing the admin to create side boxes on almost any forum page with the click of a mouse. It is versatile, with built-in definitions for most of the main pages and the ability to create definitions for new pages. It is even extensible so that other developers can create single file modules that automatically integrate, upgrade, and install.

History

In 2010, I started Rant Central, a forum that I built with a horrendous red theme and about twelve members. New to MyBB, it took me a few months to discover Nayar's sidebox plugin. A couple other forums I visited has sidebars, so I was eager to get them up and running on my forum. Unfortunately, I felt that the original sidebox plugin was too hard to customize, lacked power and the interface was clunky. I began to edit the plugin source to include more features and spruce up the HTML output.

At the end of the edits, it was still limited to x amount of sideboxes. You had to choose right OR left, not both. You couldn't edit the templates without killing the portal page (where the original routines came from). So I started from scratch. This plugin is the product of a modular approach to the concept of altering templates from the cache to produce forum side boxes.

Instead of one or two custom boxes, admin can create as many side boxes as desired with custom content on either side or both. Instead of settings to control the side boxes globally, each side box has its own properties that can be controlled in the Configuration menu of ACP. The drag and drop interface makes adding and editing side boxes easy and the custom boxes simplify adding static HTML to your forum's sides.

Features

ASB Main ACP Page

  • create an unlimited amount of side boxes
  • control which script(s) the side boxes display in
  • manage modules to add new side box types easily.
  • create and save custom side box types that can be reused
  • side boxes that expand/collapse just like the MyBB core windows
  • side boxes use cookies to remember expand/collapse state
  • ability to disable the plugin for specific themes
  • intuitive side box management page in ACP
  • import/export custom side boxes to XML to backup, restore and share
  • option for users to individually disable side boxes
  • extensible from single file modules

Resources

Help Pages

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Learn about extending Advanced Sidebox here: Extensibility

Third-party Extensions: Addons

Support

I make no guarantees of support but I will always try.

Bugs/Issues

Please report any problems found here, in the MyBB Release Thread or in a new thread on MyBB Community Forums. Although I will answer questions at my own forum, I prefer not to.