amuck-landowner

HowTo: install Crafty Syntax Live Help (CSLH) on Drupal...

tallship

Member
Verified Provider
As a provider of services, you probably have a need for a live chat help system. some of the control panel systems like WHMCS or HostBill have elgant integrations available, but those don't extend to regular websites, customers websites, etc.

Besides, some of those integrated solutions don't deliver on the ROI, when you consider the cost involved for example, when you want a smartphone app for your team or customers who you want to extend the use of your live chat help system to.

CSLH is one of the oldest, and original of those systems, you might have even installed it for use on a website through some Fantastico installer or something similar. But if you have a Pro license of it, you can create departments that will serve other sites, with operators that might just be your customers, for use on their own sites.

When it comes to Drupal, I've offered a few tuts about installing CLSH, but thought it might be a valuable guide here too, especially since vpsBoard is a place where users and providers mingle together, and need a solution for just such a request.

My guide is written specifically with Drupal 6 in mind, but it's basically the same for D7. I hope it serves to help a few people out :)


So, without further ado, here's how you do it:

The first thing you need to do is generate the custom code for your site from within the Crafty Syntax Admin panel - select the *department* tab, and generate your custom code - you will later need to paste this code into your Drupal installation, so it's not a bad time to copy all of this text that you will be pasting in a couple of minutes ;)

Now let's go to our Drupal site and login as the site administrator.

Under *site configuration*, choose *input formats*, and then *add a new input format*

Under the name of the new input format type you need to provide a name, *cslhjavascript* will suffice, but feel free to choose whatever name you want. Next you need to uncheck all of the boxes for the *roles* and *filters* - this will ensure that only administrators have access (This is what you want).

Click *Save Configuration* and then go back to *site building ==> blocks* (http://yoursite.sld.tld/admin/build/block) and create a new block by clicking *add block*.

In the block description put something into the field like, "CSLH", "CraftySyntax", or "Live Help". Something that will be obvious to you and describes the role of the block you're creating :)

Leave the *block title* Blank. You're going to place a graphic in this block which obviates the need to have a title for the block.

In the *block body* text box, paste the code that you generated from within Crafty Syntax for this site (You generated this custom code from the admin panel inside of CraftySyntax under the *department* tab.

scrolling down you'll see the input formats. you may need to expand *input format*, and make sure you check the radio button for the input type you created just a minute ago - You probably called it *cslhjavascript* if you were following my suggestions.

Save this new block by clicking on *save block*.

That was easy wasn't it? And the good news is that the hard part is over!

Now, you should be back at *site building ==> blocks* (http://yoursite.sld.tld/admin/build/block) and if you named this block CSLH then scroll down to locate this block and select the location where you want it to appear - "sidebar first", "sidebar last", "footer", etc. I can't choose this part for you. It's just important to know that you have choices and once you pick a location you can exit on out and you're all done.

The one thing I would mention, is that not all locations are always shown on all pages, depending on how you set up your drupal site. For example, the locations of the menus, the header, and the footer is usually shown on all drupal pages, and if you want the option for CraftySyntax to be available to your visitors on all pages, then you need to pick a block location that will be present at all times.

With the new CSLH version 4.x.x you'll note that there are two code generation tools for the departments - the HTML (Classic or Standard), and the "Insite Chat". If you pick the latter, then you want to pick *footer* for placement in a block.

But relax :) It's done now so all you have to concern yourself is where and when you want this block to be present.

This procedure/tutorial on how to install and configure CraftySyntax Live Help in Drupal works w/Drupal 6 core - no need to install or learn any modules or take a college class just to find out whether those modules work either.

I hope that helps!

Kindest regards,
 
 
Top
amuck-landowner