Category Tabs

This plugin allows you to display your forum categories as tabs, therefore reducing the amount of space they take up. Say goodbye to needless scrolling !

Click to view demo

Fun facts :
• Each category is placed into its own little tab, but you can view the categories as they normally display by clicking the "all" tab.
• The tab you were last on will be remembered, so when you come back you'll be right on the tab you were viewing !
• The amount of tabs you can display is limitless ! If the tabs exceed the overall width of the forum, scrollable arrows will be added so you can scroll through the tabs.


If you like the sound of everything above then this plugin is for you !

Installation

To install this plugin go to Admin Panel > Modules > JavaScript codes management and create a new script.

Title : Category tabs
Placement : In the homepage

Code:

$(function() {
  // automatically detects the version
  var version = $('.bodylinewidth')[0] ? 0 : document.getElementById('wrap') ? 1 : $('div.pun')[0] ? 2 : document.getElementById('ipbwrapper') ? 3 : document.getElementById('fa_edge') ? 4 : 'badapple';
 
  if (version == 'badapple') {
    if (window.console && console.warn) console.warn('The plugin "fa_tabs" is not supported for your forum version.');
    return;
  }
 
  window.fa_tabs = {
    active : my_getcookie('fa_tab_active') || 0, // active tab
    list : [], // category list
    version : version, // forum version
 
    // language settings
    lang : {
      title : 'Select a Category',
      placeholder : 'Category',
      all : 'All'
    },
 
    // selectors
    select : {
      content : !version ? '#content-container td:has(> img[height="5"])' : 'main-content',
      category : ['.forumline:has(.secondarytitle)', '.forabg', '.main:has(.tcr) .main-head', '.borderwrap:has(.index-box)', '.forum-category'][version]
    },
 
    // function for changing the active category
    change : function(index) {
      my_setcookie('fa_tab_active', index); // save the active tab to a cookie
   
      // actions to run if the tab is not "all"
      if (index != 'all') {
        if (fa_tabs.active == 'all') {
          fa_tabs.tab[0].previousSibling.className = '';
          fa_tabs.display('none');
        } else {
          fa_tabs.tab[fa_tabs.active].className = '';
          fa_tabs.list[fa_tabs.active].style.display = 'none';
        }
 
        fa_tabs.tab[index].className = 'fa_tabactif';
        fa_tabs.list[index].style.display = '';
   
        if (fa_tabs.version == 2) {
          if (fa_tabs.active != 'all') fa_tabs.list[fa_tabs.active].nextSibling.style.display = 'none';
          fa_tabs.list[index].nextSibling.style.display = '';
        }
      } else {
        if (fa_tabs.active != 'all') fa_tabs.tab[fa_tabs.active].className = '';
        fa_tabs.tab[0].previousSibling.className = 'fa_tabactif';
        fa_tabs.display('');
      }
   
      fa_tabs.active = index;
    },
 
    // change the display of all categories
    display : function(state) {
      for (var i = 0, j = fa_tabs.list.length; i < j; i++) {
        fa_tabs.list[i].style.display = state;
        if (version == 2) fa_tabs.list[i].nextSibling.style.display = state;
      };
    },
 
    // stop tab scrolling
    stop : function() {
      if (fa_tabs.interval) {
        window.clearInterval(fa_tabs.interval);
        fa_tabs.interval = null;
      }
    },
 
    // scroll tablist
    scroll : function(by, max) {
      if (!fa_tabs.interval) {
        var node = document.getElementById('fa_tablist').firstChild.firstChild;
   
        fa_tabs.interval = window.setInterval(function() {
          var margin = +node.style.marginLeft.replace(/px/, '');
          (by < 0 && margin <= max) || (by > 0 && margin >= max) ? fa_tabs.stop() : node.style.marginLeft = margin + by + 'px';
        }, 1);
      }
    }
 
  };
 
  // startup variables
  var frag = document.createDocumentFragment(),
      container = $('<div id="fa_category_tabs"><h2 id="fa_tabs_title">' + fa_tabs.lang.title + '</h2></div>')[0],
      tablist = $('<div id="fa_tablist"><div class="inner_tabs"><div></div></div></div>')[0],
      catglist = $('<div id="fa_catglist" />')[0],
   
      a = $(fa_tabs.select.category, !version ? $(fa_tabs.select.content)[0] : document.getElementById(fa_tabs.select.content)),
      i = 0,
      j = a.length,
      htmlStr = '<a href="javascript:fa_tabs.change(\'all\');">' + fa_tabs.lang.all + '</a>';
 
  // drop off the main container before the first category
  a[0] && a[0].parentNode.insertBefore(container, a[0]);
 
  // loop through each category
  for (; i < j; i++) {
    if (version == 2) var next = a[i].nextSibling;
 
    // create our tabs
    htmlStr += '<a href="javascript:fa_tabs.change(' + i + ');">' + ($('H2:first', a[i]).text() || fa_tabs.lang.placeholder + ' ' + i) + '</a>';
 
    // append the category to the list and hide it
    catglist.appendChild(a[i]);
    a[i].style.display = 'none';
 
    // get the next sibling as well for punbb
    if (version == 2) {
      catglist.appendChild(next);
      next.style.display = 'none';
    }
 
    fa_tabs.list[i] = a[i]; // cache the category to the array
  }
 
  if (fa_tabs.list[0]) {
    tablist.firstChild.firstChild.innerHTML = htmlStr; // fill in the tablist
    fa_tabs.tab = [].slice.call(tablist.getElementsByTagName('A')); // create an array for the tabs
    fa_tabs.tab.shift(); // remove the all tab
 
    fa_tabs.change(fa_tabs.active); // setup the active tab
 
    // finally add the content to the document
    frag.appendChild(tablist);
    frag.appendChild(catglist);
    container.appendChild(frag);
 
    window.setTimeout(function() {
      if (tablist.firstChild.scrollWidth > tablist.firstChild.clientWidth) {
        tablist.className = 'fa_tabs_overflow';
        tablist.firstChild.firstChild.style.marginLeft = '0px';
        tablist.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', '<a class="tab_scroller scroll_left" href="#" onmousedown="fa_tabs.scroll(1, 0); return false;" onclick="fa_tabs.stop(); return false;" onmouseout="fa_tabs.stop();"><</a><a class="tab_scroller scroll_right" href="#" onmousedown="fa_tabs.scroll(-1, -' + (tablist.firstChild.scrollWidth - tablist.firstChild.clientWidth) + '); return false;" onclick="fa_tabs.stop(); return false;" onmouseout="fa_tabs.stop();">></a>');
      }
    }, 100);
  }
});
 
$('head').append('<style type="text/css">#fa_tabs_title{color:#333;font-size:24px;font-weight:400;font-family:arial,sans-serif;margin:3px;line-height:24px}.inner_tabs a,a.tab_scroller{font-family:arial,sans-serif;height:30px;line-height:30px}#fa_tablist{position:relative;white-space:nowrap}#fa_tablist.fa_tabs_overflow{padding:0 18px}.inner_tabs{overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:1px;margin-bottom:-1px}a.tab_scroller{color:#FFF;background:#333;font-size:16px;text-align:center;position:absolute;bottom:2px;width:15px;opacity:.1}a.tab_scroller.scroll_left{left:0}a.tab_scroller.scroll_right{right:0}#fa_tablist:hover a.tab_scroller{opacity:.7}#fa_tablist a.tab_scroller:hover{opacity:1}#fa_catglist{background:#EEE;border:1px solid #CCC;border-radius:3px;padding:10px 6px}.inner_tabs a{color:#333 !important;background:#DDD;border:1px solid #CCC;border-bottom:none;border-radius:3px 3px 0 0;text-decoration:none!important;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;display:inline-block;padding:0 10px;margin:3px 3px 0}.inner_tabs a.fa_tabactif,.inner_tabs a:hover{background:#EEE;position:relative;bottom:-1px;opacity:1}</style>');

Save the script and the plugin will be installed ! However, if you want to make modifications to this plugin you should read the next section.

Modifications

Below all the notable modifications you can make will be explained.

1. Default tab
You can set the default tab by modifiying the active variable. By default it's set to 0, if you want to display all tabs by default change the value to 'all'.

Code:

active : my_getcookie('fa_tab_active') || 'all',

If you don't want the tabs to be remembered, remove this part :

Code: my_getcookie('fa_tab_active') ||

2. Language
You can change the language or wording in the script by modifying the lang object :

Code:

    lang : {
      title : 'Select a Category',
      placeholder : 'Category',
      all : 'All'
    },

This way you can change the wording to what you want, or translate the texts.


3. The theme
By default the theme is white, if you want a darker theme replace the following stylesheet at the bottom of the script :

Code:

document.write('<style type="text/css">#fa_tabs_title{color:#333;font-size:24px;font-weight:400;font-family:arial,sans-serif;margin:3px;line-height:24px}.inner_tabs a,a.tab_scroller{font-family:arial,sans-serif;height:30px;line-height:30px}#fa_tablist{position:relative;white-space:nowrap}#fa_tablist.fa_tabs_overflow{padding:0 18px}.inner_tabs{overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:1px;margin-bottom:-1px}a.tab_scroller{color:#FFF;background:#333;font-size:16px;text-align:center;position:absolute;bottom:2px;width:15px;opacity:.1}a.tab_scroller.scroll_left{left:0}a.tab_scroller.scroll_right{right:0}#fa_tablist:hover a.tab_scroller{opacity:.7}#fa_tablist a.tab_scroller:hover{opacity:1}#fa_catglist{background:#EEE;border:1px solid #CCC;border-radius:3px;padding:10px 6px}.inner_tabs a{color:#333 !important;background:#DDD;border:1px solid #CCC;border-bottom:none;border-radius:3px 3px 0 0;text-decoration:none!important;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;display:inline-block;padding:0 10px;margin:3px 3px 0}.inner_tabs a.fa_tabactif,.inner_tabs a:hover{background:#EEE;position:relative;bottom:-1px;opacity:1}</style>');

with this one :

Code:

document.write('<style type="text/css">#fa_tabs_title{color:#999;font-size:24px;font-weight:400;font-family:arial,sans-serif;margin:3px;line-height:24px}.inner_tabs a,a.tab_scroller{font-family:arial,sans-serif;height:30px;line-height:30px}#fa_tablist{position:relative;white-space:nowrap}#fa_tablist.fa_tabs_overflow{padding:0 18px}.inner_tabs{overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:1px;margin-bottom:-1px}a.tab_scroller{color:#999;background:#333;font-size:16px;text-align:center;position:absolute;bottom:2px;width:15px;opacity:.1}a.tab_scroller.scroll_left{left:0}a.tab_scroller.scroll_right{right:0}#fa_tablist:hover a.tab_scroller{opacity:.7}#fa_tablist a.tab_scroller:hover{opacity:1}#fa_catglist{background:#111;border:1px solid #333;border-radius:3px;padding:10px 6px}.inner_tabs a{color:#999!important;background:#000;border:1px solid #333;border-bottom:none;border-radius:3px 3px 0 0;text-decoration:none!important;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;display:inline-block;padding:0 10px;margin:3px 3px 0}.inner_tabs a.fa_tabactif,.inner_tabs a:hover{background:#111;position:relative;bottom:-1px;opacity:1}</style>');

and you'll be golden ! ( or darker )



That's all the notable changes you can make. If you have any questions, comments, or find a bug feel free to leave a reply below. Enjoy !

Notice

Tutorial written by Ange Tuteur. Special thanks to the Beta Testers for testing this plugin. Reproduction not permitted without consent from the author.

@Ange Tuteur 

I forgot to ask this question when we were testing this.  If the first category is hidden to certain groups, what would happen?

SLGray wrote:@"Ange Tuteru" 

I forgot to ask this question when we were testing this.  If the first category is hidden to certain groups, what would happen?

Only forums that are visible to the user will be compiled into tabs. So, it shouldn't display.

Ange Tuteur wrote:

SLGray wrote:@"Ange Tuteru" 

I forgot to ask this question when we were testing this.  If the first category is hidden to certain groups, what would happen?

Only forums that are visible to the user will be compiled into tabs. So, it shouldn't display.

Ok.  Thanks for answering my question.

No problem !

beautiful tutorial

Super!!!

Thanks ^^

I have encountered an issue that I did not think about when beta testing.  I have a hide/show widget code on my two forums.  When you hide and then show the widgets, the right scroll arrows disappear.

I took a look, but it appears to be working okay when I hide and show the widgets. What's it look like when it happens ?

I guess it must have been a browser glitch, because it is working now.

SLGray wrote:I guess it must have been a browser glitch, because it is working now.

Oh ! That's good then.

Very cool system Good job

Ape wrote:Very cool system Good job

Thanks !

hello i install the script but nothing change ...nothing added 
\invision\http://keeponblogging.forumotion.com

skouliki wrote:hello i install the script but nothing change ...nothing added 
\invision\http://keeponblogging.forumotion.com

Hi,

Is the script installed on the forum right now ? I performed a test in the console and it worked correctly. My only assumption is that it could be a JS error upon installation, but I cannot tell unless it's installed on the forum. Let me know.

yes it is 

Edit the script real quick and check to make sure the placement "in the homepage" is checked, because that file isn't showing up in my console.

yes i did it once more sorry greek panel 

Oooh I found it ! It's installed in the portal :


I think it might be the first option for you ? "In the homepage" for us refers to the forum page.

thanks ..i should have thought it 

just one more thing when you push "all" tab , you see the forum in general but at the bottom there is a big space 
can this removed ?or reduce?  just in this tab only 


also i notice that on ipad you cant scroll the tabs from the arrows

Add this CSS rule to your stylesheet :

Code:

#fa_category_tabs ~ br { display:none }

It should reduce the space.

Yes worked thanks

This is just so perfect! Just tried it on mine and my forum's organized!