myFan Collective

myFan is a collective management script that is in the pre-alpha development stage. It is written in PHP and utilizes flat file databases instead of the generally more complicated MySQL database system.

I'd tried out the few other collective scripts out there and just never really liked any of them. I wanted something simple, light and easy to use. Finding none, I thought I'd try my hand at coding a script that would do just what I wanted and be only for me.

I began slowly, having never fully coded a script (just snippets and manipulating). Gradually, as I learned more about actually writing PHP over the course of a few months, I became more excited about the entire project. So I'm now hoping to release it for others to download on completion.

Features

It might seem like myFan has a lot to it but it honestly is quite simple. I'm just very wordy. XD The following is a WIP list of tentative features that myFan will have at the final release stage of development:

Collective display:

  • Statistics (counts)
  • Display joined fanlistings by images, categories, or text.
  • Display owned fanlistings by images, categories, text, or descriptions.
  • Display collective affiliates
  • Display custom listings (cliques, hatelistings, etc)
  • Display one random listing/affiliate
  • Custom pages integration
  • Contact form
  • Skinnable (drop in images & stylesheet)

Administration panel:

  • Hashed & salted password security
  • Manage listings, affiliates & categories (add, delete, edit)
  • Links to admin panels for owned listings
  • Search listings, affiliates & categories
  • Email a collective affiliate on adding them
  • Skinnable (drop in images & stylesheet)

Please note that this list can change at any time.

Usage

It will be as "out of the box" as possible. All you would need to do initially is customize one file (the configuration file), upload the files, CHMOD if necessary and that's it. Everything is optional and everything is customizable, as far as I can push it!

By default the script is set to only show joined fanlistings. Enable all other features with a simple "yes" or "no". Even the text on each default page is declared right in the configuration file. So if you wanted to say "Hi welcome to my collective!" on the index page, you'd only have to write that line in the config file. No need to mess with anything else.

However, for the coding-control-freaks (like myself) I've slimmed down the main index file as much as possible so those with experience can change things up almost as much as they like without accidentally messing up any important functions.

Restrictions

For the more advanced features (custom pages, skinning, different displays of listings, etc) some coding/HTML knowledge is required.

This is not a CMS or an individual fanlisting management system. It will not create pages or fanlistings for you. It will simply add, edit, delete and display things on the basic side.

Release Date

When it's done, heh! :P It's my favorite project to work on right now (aside from my website, of course) so it's a high priority to me in case you were wondering.

Development stages:

  1. Pre-Alpha - Not yet feature complete. *Current stage!* :dance:
  2. 1st Alpha - Ready for private testing. 5 hand-picked people.
  3. Re-write all functions from ground-up, add any new features, fix all bugs.
  4. 2nd Alpha - Ready for second private testing. 10 hand-picked people.
  5. Re-write (if needed) all functions, add any new features, fix all bugs.
  6. 1st Beta - Ready for public testing. 10-20 volunteers.
  7. Add any new features, fix all bugs.
  8. 2nd Beta - Continue public testing, possibly additional volunteers. Feature freeze.
  9. Fix all bugs. Any new features suggested will be added to a "potential feature" list for future planning.
  10. At this point if I feel the script needs to be tested more I will offer up a Release Candidate for anyone to download and report bugs back to me. If everything seems to be going smoothly and there are no major complaints, I will officially release the script. :)

Please note that this list can change at any time.

Final Notes

I've been having so much fun writing everything out and learning more about PHP and flat files I figured if I were able to produce something useful I should at least share it with the Internetz. :P

I don't forsee myself becoming a guru on PHP and I'm not doing this to gain fame or leet-ness. If I were then I'd just take any script, change the name and offer it for download like so many other spineless people on the web. :P

I'm also not doing this to compete with anyone else's script. Enthusiast, vs.hive, and BellaBuffs Collective (upcoming by Jem) are the only other management scripts that I know of that work well for most people. If my script does not work for you (when released) I recommend you give those a try.

Want to help me?

If you'd like to be considered to alpha and/or 1st beta test myFan when it reaches those stages, please contact me with your name, email and website (required). If you do not get picked for the first few stages, don't worry! Everyone will get a chance to try out the 2nd beta or first release candidate before the official release.

If you don't want to test the script but would like to be kept up to date on its development, feel free to let me know as well. :) Just be sure to specify that you do not want to be a tester.

Last updated May 21, 2008 @ 2:35am.