Microblog component

[datahell]

I plan to develop a micro-blogging component for Elxis 4.x. The component will be able to accept short posts (something like Twitter) from various sources.
Micro-blog sources can be User, RSS feeds, Twitter, SMS messages and posts via a REST API for any other use. The posts from the various sources will be displayed combined in a single blog. Each message will have a short text (up to 255 characters), an optional image, an optional link, optional tags and Like/Dislike rating buttons.

User
From frontend section you do a post. You can provide access to other users too, or even guests! A maximum of 255 characters, an image (url or upload) and a URL link will be supported.

RSS feeds
Provide RSS feeds urls. The component will grap new posts and import them in your microblog.

Twitter
Provide Twitter accounts to automatically grap new posts from them.

SMS messages
Send SMS messages from your mobile phone to be displayed in your microblog (will require a commercial third party integration).

REST API
Send a POST request to the component to publish a new message. Source can be anything, even a mobile app.

What do you thing of this? Any other idea for integration with other sources? Any comments?

[rentasite]

Good news!  One year before, i was talking with Stavros, for such a component. It seems this is the appropriate timing!

I look back at an old email of mine, and here are some ideas and comments:

- Besides the optional image and url link, it would be great if it can support video posts (youtube url or video id).
- Use of a "Read More" / "Expand" function. Only text to be seen, at first glance. Show all other content (images/videos) with the use of this function.
- Replies/Comments on posts (?).

John, will someone be able to use this component, more than once, on a site? Imagine a site, with unities, supported by different microblogs.

Lastly...

Twitter
Provide Twitter accounts to automatically grap new posts from them

How about if it can grab tweets, depending on a user's particular #tags. Maybe someone doesn't want all his tweets posted on the microblog.

[datahell]

First of all I picked a name for the new component, it will be called Mikro (μikro).
Also I decided to remove the SMS posting option as it needs additional hardware and software. We will check the possibility of developing an Android/IOS/Windows mobile application instead for posting over wifi/GPRS/3G connections from mobile phones and tablets. I asked Stavros help here.

Yes, Youtube videos will also be supported, I forgotten to mention it in my first post. As for the "read more/expand" it is not needed as the idea is of a microblog having tiny messages, not large texts (larger than Twitter though). Images and videos will be hidden and only be displayed when clicked. Each message will have a permanent URL for SEO purposes. It will also support tags for grouping but not multiple micro-blogs (like eBlog for Elxis 2009.x). The idea is a blog presenting content from mixed sources as a unified list. Component μikro will also support content update in real time (live update) like on Twitter

Your idea of filtering tweets based on a given tag is good and I will check it.

I started the development today. It will take me about 10-15 days to complete it.
Sources currently added:
- Up to 3 RSS/ATOM feeds
- Up to 3 Twitter accounts
- User posting (configurable access from External users to Administrators)
- REST API (accept posts from anywhere - here can also be connected the mobile app)

[rentasite]

Images and videos will be hidden and only be displayed when clicked.

Nice! This covers better the "expand" function. 

[nikos]

Datahell Factory works and produces nonstop 

I wish you strength!

[datahell]

I attach a very early preview showing posts on component Mikro.
Although it is a micro-blogging application, Mikro accepts many things like image upload, image grab from remote source, front-end authoring, lightbox, user rating, hash tags, multiple messages sources, responsive design, mobile friendly view/post, and many more that will fully report when I finish it.

[kyomar]

looks great datahell - congrats. Cannot wait until it becomes available. Can Mikro send (not only receive) content to Twitter and/or Facebook as well?

[datahell]

No, it could be added for Twitter (I don't work with facebook) but I dont think it is needed. A twitter button is better and simpler to be added.

[datahell]

The development of component Mikro continues.
I post a screenshot of 2 posts as they are listed in Mikro frontpage.

Everything is AJAX powered, voting, deleting a message, post new message, fetch more messages. Mikro has also perfect rendering on mobile phone and tables. Everything you see on the screenshot is fully functional now.

Note: You must login to see attached images.

[datahell]

I added long text support on Mikro blog component. Micro now became Mega blog 
Also each post has its own permanent URL.

I am going to add an other cool feature: Option to upload multiple images and create image galleries (per post).
This is semi-complete, I will have it ready tomorrow.

[striker]

datahell,

Can you include the following feature in your development of Elxis 4.x

1. Currently we can only add 'featured image' of the post by manually uploading it to the server. Can we have an option to 'browse' previously uploaded images and have it as the featured image of the post?

2. For image attachment, can we set a default target 'folder' for the specific post?
e.g. If the user clicks on 'image' from the wysiwyg window, it directs him to ...media/[post id]/month/year/[image files...] folder, where we can upload multiple files through drag and drop?

[datahell]

This post is for component Mikro which is under development. Mikro accepts posting from front-end section only and it is a third party extension, not built-in into Elxis CMS.
I believe in your post you reffer to content as managed from the administration section. Using the same image in multiple articles creates problem when you want to delete an article sharing the same image with others.

[webgift]

Such an extension will improve the reputation of the CMS! This is exactly how wordpress became famous. In this period of time we have uploaded some really interesting extensions to EDC. Thank to all of the developers.

[datahell]

I added 2 more cool features on component Mikro.
1. Statistics - Full report in administration area (most liked, most hated, top pages with hits counter, etc).
2. Categories - Group articles into categories (hash tags are also supported for grouping similar articles).

I attach a screenshot from Mikro statistics page (not full page).

[datahell]

Component Mikro will be released it in the next 4-5 days.
I attach here the English language file for the component. If anyone can translate it to other than Greek and English language I would be grateful.
The translation wont take you more than 30-45 minutes. Just open it with a text editor such as ps-pad, translate it in your language, save it as utf-8 without BOM and when ready mail it to datahell {at} /elxis/ {dot} "org"

Thanks in advance.

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