Fork Threads

[GilbertZ]

Boring Preamble
Sometimes a thread gets really long or some posts generate interesting but off topic conversation. I wanted to test the new cool product manager system and thought of this very simple mod to add Fork Thread functionality to the end user.

What it does
Allows the end user to divert off-topic tangents into a new thread, while automatically quoting the original thread.

Specs
Plugin: Included

Phrases added automatically: 2
fork_prefix and fork_this_post

Templates added automatically: 1
newpost_fork

Templates to edit: 1
postbit or postbit_legacy

Images to upload: 1 (optional)
fork.gif

How to Install

This is a full blown plugin. Follow the usual instructions for a plugin. Then you have to edit the postbit or postbit_legacy template.

For the graphical version you have to insert these lines where you want the link to appear:
<a href="newthread.php?fork=1&do=newthread&p=$post[postid]"><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/fork.gif" alt="$vbphrase[fork_this_post]" border="0" /></a>

For the text version use this code:
<a href="newthread.php?fork=1&do=newthread&p=$post[postid]">$vbphrase[fork_this_post]</a>

You may want to place it in an "if" conditional so that only users who can post New Threads will see the image. Just use the same code as what's embedded in the "quote" image.

Updated to version 1.0.1 on 08/18/2005

*Modified to use the phrase manager.
*Fixed minor bug when "Automatically Quote Post / Thread Title" was set to "no".
*Fixed minor bug where after processing the title I pointed to the wrong variable :)

Preview and Live Demo

Preview attached. Or you can Register (http://www.simstalk.com/forums/register.php) and try to fork the posts in the fork me (http://www.simstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167) thread.

Graphics help solicited

The quickie image I put together of a fork sucks :)
If someone comes up with an edited image of the .psd file vb comes with I will edit this post.

Wishlist for this mod

1. I doubt I will have the time to put this together, but it would be nice if there was a dropdown with forums the user has permission to post in so that the user can fork the thread to a different forum.
2. Adding a post to the original thread stating it had been forked and a link to the new thread (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost.php?p=757240&postcount=6)

Final note

Oblivion Knight donated an image you can use of a fork (Thanks). It is attached to this post.

[Ghostsuit]

bloody nice idea.

[Azhrialilu]

What a great idea!

[nexialys]

:) maybe crop your screenshots, big white spaces are not looking good.. ;)

and like said... GREAT idea!

[turksengel]

i couldnt understand what is it doing ?

[Azhrialilu]

One thing that might be useful is if it added a post to the original thread stating it had been forked and a link to the new thread - otherwise on a busy board you could get loads of forks many of which could be under the same thread.

[Ghostsuit]

i couldnt understand what is it doing ?It creates a new thread with a quote fromt he old thread and puts Forked in the title so people can spawn a thread from a post in another thread rather than take the topic of the thread in a different direction with in that thread. Very simple idea and very very handy.

[Neutral Singh]

Brilliant Idea !!

[jugo]

/me installs and bows.

Nicely done!!!

[Vizionz]

this is a pretty good idea it would be better if it let u choose where to put the fork after. and it should be called offtopic instead of fork :P

[Chris M]

Then rename it :p

Satan

[Vizionz]

i did :P

[poolking]

* poolking installs

nice one. :D

[The Geek]

clapclapclap

Well done. A big thumbs up for a wonderfully simple and very effective concept.

Plus I love the fork image. I will be installing this when I get on over to 3.5

[jesus likes pie]

Just wondering, whats the difference between this and splitting? (apart from the fact that it says "Forked:" before the title.

[GilbertZ]

:) maybe crop your screenshots, big white spaces are not looking good.. ;)

and like said... GREAT idea!

I will. I'm working on a bunch of code and have many programs and windows open so photoshop won't load :) I used Paint instead and screwed up. When I have some more RAM I'll fix it.

[GilbertZ]

One thing that might be useful is if it added a post to the original thread stating it had been forked and a link to the new thread - otherwise on a busy board you could get loads of forks many of which could be under the same thread.

Thanks. I actually meant to add that to the wishlist.

Would it look better to have a full blown post with a link to the fork or just a note in smallfont in the post that was forked? (I think the latter, but the complexity of the mod would become considerably greater).

[GilbertZ]

this is a pretty good idea it would be better if it let u choose where to put the fork after.

That's in the wishlist.

and it should be called offtopic instead of fork :P

Not sure I like "offtopic" but if people have ideas for better wording than I used, please post them. I tried to find your site to see how it looks as "offtopic". Can you post your url? (You can PM if you want it private.)

I'll switch wording to reflect the best received suggestions.

[GilbertZ]

Just wondering, whats the difference between this and splitting? (apart from the fact that it says "Forked:" before the title.

This can help you avoid having to split in the first place. This is for your users where splitting is for the admin.

This is similar to the quote feature. It starts a new thread quoting the old post.

[jesus likes pie]

OH......

I thought this was only for the admin. O.K consider this installed on The UberGamers Forums (www.ugforums.org/ugforums)

[jesus likes pie]

Um if we're supposed to get the fork image from the attachment, I dont like the fact that it has a white background. Can you make it transparent?

[GilbertZ]

Um if we're supposed to get the fork image from the attachment, I dont like the fact that it has a white background. Can you make it transparent?
I suck at graphics. I'm hoping someone who is good at it will offer something better.

[jesus likes pie]

dont worry i suck at em too :P

[Floris]

:) maybe crop your screenshots, big white spaces are not looking good.. ;)

and like said... GREAT idea!

I agree, great idea and nice of you to write it out in a full blown plugin and tnx for sharing!

[GilbertZ]

Thanks for the nice comments everybody!

[Oblivion Knight]

Um if we're supposed to get the fork image from the attachment, I dont like the fact that it has a white background. Can you make it transparent?How about this as an alternative?

[GilbertZ]

Just a quick question to any vb dev.

There are two new variables called in the plugin. I didn't really see the point of initializing them with a $var=""; statement considering the vars are not used in any database calls, plus they are essentially initialized with a value when they are used. If those fields are attempted to be passed into the page, since they aren't globalized, they should be nullified anyway.

However, I know you are doing funky things with plugins, serializing them etc, so I wanted to know what are your best practices for new vars in a plugin?

[Chris_D]

Fork off! ;)

[Oblivion Knight]

This doesn't seem to be functioning correctly if the option "Automatically Quote Post / Thread Title" is set to No.

Every time I click on the fork icon, the new thread title is "Forked Thread: " with the same added inside the URL tags. Shouldn't it be grabbing the thread title if no post title is defined?

[GilbertZ]

I wasn't sure the best way to handle that as the setting is set to "yes" for me.

Are you saying you want the post part of it to quote the title and leave the subject blank?

[Oblivion Knight]

I wasn't sure the best way to handle that as the setting is set to "yes" for me.

Are you saying you want the post part of it to quote the title and leave the subject blank?No, I have no problem with the way that the plugin functions.. :)

However, if the option is set to "No" - it should be grabbing the thread's title and inserting that instead of having nothing. Otherwise you could end up with several threads with "Forked Thread: " as the title - which makes no sense really.

[GilbertZ]

No, I have no problem with the way that the plugin functions.. :)

However, if the option is set to "No" - it should be grabbing the thread's title and inserting that instead of having nothing. Otherwise you could end up with several threads with "Forked Thread: " as the title - which makes no sense really.

I was misunderstanding you. Now I think I see what you mean. You're saying that the "No" setting should not apply here since it is a forked thread, rather than a quoted post. Correct?

To fix it change


if ($vbulletin->options['quotetitle'])
{
if ($parentposttitle != '')
{
$posttitle = $parentposttitle;
}
else
{
$posttitle = $threadinfo['title'];
}
$posttitle = unhtmlspecialchars($posttitle);
$posttitle = preg_replace('#^(' . preg_quote($vbphrase['reply_prefix'], '#') . '\s*)+#i', '', $posttitle);
$newpost['title']="Fork of: $postinfo[title]";
}
else
{
$newpost['title']="Forked Thread: ";
}


to


if ($parentposttitle != '')
{
$posttitle = $parentposttitle;
}
else
{
$posttitle = $threadinfo['title'];
}
$posttitle = unhtmlspecialchars($posttitle);
$posttitle = preg_replace('#^(' . preg_quote($vbphrase['reply_prefix'], '#') . '\s*)+#i', '', $posttitle);
$newpost['title']="Fork of: $postinfo[title]";


If that's what you meant I'll fix the original file.

Thanks for the feedback.

[Oblivion Knight]

I changed this part of code:
$newpost['title']="Fork of: $postinfo[title]";To this:
$newpost['title'] = "Fork of: $posttitle";Now it's working how I wanted.. Thanks :)

[Erwin]

Best forum idea for a long time! :) Won't be surprised if it gets incorporated as standard in future. :)

[TTG]

Best forum idea for a long time! :) Won't be surprised if it gets incorporated as standard in future. :)

Agree with that .. excellent idea.
Clicked install.

Might be a good idea to zip the download.

[GilbertZ]

Agree with that .. excellent idea.
Clicked install.
Thanks.

Might be a good idea to zip the download.

Really?
I don't know the protocol here, but the xml file is only 2.5k. And all images are precompressed and anyway mostly for preview. Would people really find it helpful to have a zip?

Best forum idea for a long time! :) Won't be surprised if it gets incorporated as standard in future. :)

Thanks Doc. I've installed some of your awesome hacks, so I appreciate the compliment coming from you :)

I changed this part of code:
$newpost['title']="Fork of: $postinfo[title]";To this:
$newpost['title'] = "Fork of: $posttitle";Now it's working how I wanted.. Thanks :)

Good catch :)
Now updated :)


NOTE TO ALL:
If you've installed this already and want to update, just uninstall and reinstall. Even the template you edited will probably not need to be touched.

If the current version is working for you I don't think you need to bother upgrading. It's not a major upgrade. The changes pretty much relate to phrases and if you had the "Quote Title on Reply" set to no.

[amykhar]

I LOVE this mod. A couple of feature suggestions/requests though.

1. Allow forked threads to be posted in a different forum than the one the original thread is in - based on forum permissions of course.
2. Add an admin/mod feature that would allow mods to fork and split a thread at the same time. In other words, I would fork a thread based on post x. Post x would be quoted and carried to the new thread. BUT, I could also select post y,z and q to be split from the original thread and added to the new one.

This is different from a regular split in that post x would stay in the original thread, just as in a regular thread forking.

Amy

[KW802]

Best forum idea for a long time! :) Agreed -- I wonder if it's too late to bug the Jelsoft guys about this for vB 3.5...... :D

This has joined "auto-merge doubleposts" on my lists of features that should be stock.

[GilbertZ]

I LOVE this mod. A couple of feature suggestions/requests though.

1. Allow forked threads to be posted in a different forum than the one the original thread is in - based on forum permissions of course.
2. Add an admin/mod feature that would allow mods to fork and split a thread at the same time. In other words, I would fork a thread based on post x. Post x would be quoted and carried to the new thread. BUT, I could also select post y,z and q to be split from the original thread and added to the new one.

This is different from a regular split in that post x would stay in the original thread, just as in a regular thread forking.

Amy
Thanks Amy. Part 1 is in the wishlist. I know I won't have time for awhile to add it.

I've coded a feature like that for another (private) mod I've done in the 3.0 series, but I haven't seen enough code from 3.50 to be sure how to get the permissions right on that one.

It's probably only a couple of lines, but I need the sql code to popup up a list of forums the current user is allowed to post in. It took awhile to figure out how to do that correctly in 3.0. It also needs the displayorder of the forums. And no parent forums can be in the list unless they are open to new posts. So this is not the same code used in forumjump.

If someone feels like coming up with that sql code, I can probably do the rest pretty quickly.

Suggestion 2 is a great one. I've never modded the split code at all, so not sure what that would entail. Definitely don't have time to work on that one. But I'll add it to the wishlist when I get a chance.

[amykhar]

You may not need to query the forums at all. It might be available in the cache. I used a simple bit of code:


$forumchoice = array();

foreach (array_keys($vbulletin->forumcache) AS $forumid)
{
$forumid = intval($forumid);
$forumperms =& $vbulletin->userinfo['forumpermissions']["$forumid"];

if (isset($vbulletin->forumcache["$forumid"]) AND ($forumperms & $vbulletin->bf_ugp_forumpermissions['canview']) AND ($forumperms & $vbulletin->bf_ugp_forumpermissions['canviewothers']) AND verify_forum_password($forumid, $vbulletin->forumcache["$forumid"]['password'], false))
{
$forumchoice[] = $forumid;
}
}

to get me all of the forums that a user was allowed to view. You could probably use very similar code to get the ones that they can post in.

[GilbertZ]

Looks like a good start. Maybe a vb official will provide the other part. Will be cool if we can work off the cache.

BTW, I've seen some of your mods, you are a great asset to vb.

[amykhar]

Thank you :)

[Da Chang Gang]

I don't think there's need for this plug in. Why don't you just split the thread

[poolking]

I don't think there's need for this plug in. Why don't you just split the thread

So you don't like the idea of saving yourself work if a user splits the thread themselves?

[spongebobrox128]

Hi! Where do you put the Fork Thread link when you want it to be in the same place as it is in the screenshot?

[GilbertZ]

Hi! Where do you put the Fork Thread link when you want it to be in the same place as it is in the screenshot?

It depends on your layout. If you use the default layout it's in the postbit template if you have turned on legacy then you use legacy_postbit.

[Oblivion Knight]

Just a small note, the &'s in your links should be &amp; for XHTML validation.. :)

[Leah]

Here's the fork with transparant background. :)

[silurius]

Bumping for 3.5 Gold. This looks like a great plugin!

(anyone with Gold got it to work? i'm erring on the side of caution)

[weaver]

Great hack. I've got it working with Gold. Here is a button I created for it to go with the default style.

[silurius]

Works beautifully! Besides the feature mentioned elsewhere in this thread about selecting specific forum destinations during the forking process, one issue I can see coming up is managing fork abuse. I wonder if there's a simple means of throttling the amount of forking a user can do. Clicking Install.

[GilbertZ]

Works beautifully! Besides the feature mentioned elsewhere in this thread about selecting specific forum destinations during the forking process, one issue I can see coming up is managing fork abuse. I wonder if there's a simple means of throttling the amount of forking a user can do. Clicking Install.
At some point I'll work on bringing this to Gold and adding the forum choice feature. As for the throttling, I think that'd be too complicated. The usual requirement of X seconds between postings, which is configurable in the admincp applies here, if that's any help.

[GilbertZ]

Great hack. I've got it working with Gold. Here is a button I created for it to go with the default style.
I love that image. Any chance of getting the PSD file so we can insert custom colors?

[weaver]

I love that image. Any chance of getting the PSD file so we can insert custom colors?

It's telling me it's an invalid file type.

ETA: I sent you a PM. Also, how can we remove the image from showing up for PMs?

[Neutral Singh]

Does Gold version of this plugin will have some new features or its good to go as Gold. Is it working with vB350Gold ? Thanks


EDIT: Its working like a charm on vB350GOLD. :)

[Neutral Singh]

Also, how can we remove the image from showing up for PMs?

Making the temaplte edit with like below will show the image only while viewing the threads. :)

<if condition="THIS_SCRIPT=='showthread'">
<a href="newthread.php?fork=1&do=newthread&p=$post[postid]">$stylevar%5Bimgdir_button%5D/fork.gif
</if>

[R1D1]

i know this feature from the old bbs-times... :) named "fup" -> follow up to...

great...!!! missed that a lot... thx...

[pfvc]

Great hack. I've got it working with Gold. Here is a button I created for it to go with the default style.

be great to get the psd file so we can alter the colour of the button to match the other styles we may have :D

[GilbertZ]

Weaver was kind enough to send me the PSD. I zipped it and added to the original post.

[illusions]

I want to know where in postbit would be the best place to add this coding ??

[jesus likes pie]

QUESTION:

I don't know if this is possible, but, I've noticed that when you fork a post, it will end up in the wrong forum considering the topic. E.G:

In my welcome forum, some new guy starts a thread saying hi, so then we slowly start going off topic, say someone decides to fork a post so that we can discuss the off-topic-stuff in a new thread, it will go to the same forum it was forked from, in my case, introdouction forum.

Is there a way that you can ask the person who forked the post where he/she thinks the thread should be put in? I don't know if this might require moving permissions though.

It's not a bug, because it's working as designed, but it is a suggestion.

Do you think you can do that?

[Alien]

I want to know where in postbit would be the best place to add this coding ??

This is great, thanks so much for your work on it.

I look forward to your next update with the forum selection ability!

[silurius]

Hey Gilbert - any updates on the next release? My membership is going to grow pretty soon and it'd be great to let people control the forking destinations. ;)

[piXelatedEmpire]

Is there a way that you can ask the person who forked the post where he/she thinks the thread should be put in? I don't know if this might require moving permissions though.

It's not a bug, because it's working as designed, but it is a suggestion.

Do you think you can do that?

YES! That would be fantastic! :nervous:

[ambumann]

Would also very much like to see the user-selectable-posting-forum ability!

[El Barto]

This one is great, thank you! :)

[Strat]

How about a way to restrict "forking" to the admin?

[arcadian_girl]

just installed it-i'm loving it and so are my members. thanks so much :)

ps-for the next version, choosing fork destination would be great ;)

[ambumann]

Any updates on the extended version?

[fulviods]

no updates? i would love also to see the user-selectable-posting-forum ability!... it would be really good

[silurius]

Anyone get this working under 3.6.1?

Edit: it's working. I also formally requested formal support in another thread.

[silurius]

<a href="showthread.php?t=127919" title="vBulletin.org Forum - Mod 127919">Here's the formal request I created.</a> The main feature addition I'm looking for is picking the destination forum.

[kafi]

Thousands of suggestion to have "fork destination feature" is SO NATURAL for this add-on, that I vote for this idea with all my hands .-)

The second very natural feature would be to have link (or at least note) in original post that it has been forked. Otherwise it will go to uncontrolled number of forked threads from one post which makes this GREAT Addon dangerous and then unusefull.

Third suggestion: maybe owner should remain the same without forker to be able change the text; this will be the same as moderator copy post to new thread (without editing the post - maybe only title).

Plus - Great hack - installed - thank you GilbertZ

Edit: have to uninstalled because I am afraid of uncontrolled number of per-post forks.
P.S.: two requested features and you will make this hack of the month .-) and hundreds of users

[Domenico]

This hack needs to be updated for 3.6.x. Can someone please pick up this cool hack?

[GilbertZ]

Hey Guys,

Been very busy and haven't upgraded main site to latest vb. Working on it though then I'll update this hack and check out the requests

[JohnBee]

Awesome! I love this modification and I look forward to using on it 3.6x (thanks for this)

[Chachacha]

Is this compatible with v3.6.4?

[Chachacha]

Is this compatible with v3.6.4?

Ok, I just tried and it DOES work with v3.6.4.

[hyppa]

Does this work for 3.6.8?

[hyppa]

And where in the navbar do i put the code?

[hyppa]

And what will the code be if we consider this:

You may want to place it in an "if" conditional so that only users who can post New Threads will see the image. Just use the same code as what's embedded in the "quote" image.

</if>
<if condition="$show['search']">

<a href="newthread.php?fork=1&do=newthread&p=$post[postid]"><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/fork.gif" alt="$vbphrase[fork_this_post]" border="0" /></a>

what shall there be instead of search?

[hyppa]

I figured it out.

In postbit legacy, after.

<if condition="$post['editlink']">

BUT, how do i get it to appear in an other underforum?

[hyppa]

This hack needs to be updated for 3.6.x. Can someone please pick up this cool hack?


I have, and it is working like this:


Ok, if you want to use this on 3.6.8, it works.

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showt...highlight=fork (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=94420&highlight=fork)


I put the cod in Postbit legacy, and the forkbutton in images/buttons

after

<if condition="$post['editlink']">

in postbit legacy,

post this:

<a href="newthread.php?fork=1&do=newthread&p=$post[postid]"><img
src="$stylevarhttps://vborg.vbsupport.ru/How be able to select another "room" for the new, forked thread.

[hyppa]

IF anyone have a solution/code to this ill be happy:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/external/2009/02/45.gifHow be able to select another "forum" for the new, forked thread.

[Mark.B]

I don't wish to be rude, but it feels like every thread I open has you asking this same question. You've even asked it on vBulletin.com.

I am sure the author of this modification will be aware that people want that feature adding.

If you're expecting someone else to simply jump up and add the feature in just because you keep asking for it, I'm afraid you're likely to be disappointed.

Please stop asking for it, you're not the only one who has asked as you can see if you read the thread.

[hyppa]

I don't wish to be rude, but it feels like every thread I open has you asking this same question. You've even asked it on vBulletin.com.

I am sure the author of this modification will be aware that people want that feature adding.

If you're expecting someone else to simply jump up and add the feature in just because you keep asking for it, I'm afraid you're likely to be disappointed.

Please stop asking for it, you're not the only one who has asked as you can see if you read the thread.


-------

You dont wish to be rude? If you dindnt wish that you could have sent me an pm instead of writing it here.

I have asked here and there, yes, but the only way to get an answer is to ask.

And i dont expect anyone to jump for me, not at least you. I have written in the correct code for 3.6.8 myself, so i quess i jump my self.

If you had looked up and checked the author of this modification has not been online since june 2007.

It is my interest to get this to work. If it is not in your i simply suggest that you stop reading everything that contains the word "fork".

[Tigratrus]

Actually we'd be *really* interested in having this mod updated for vB 3.7 and agree that the ability to spawn the new thread in a specified forum would be invaluable. We've got a very specific use for this in mind and envision the new "fork" being created in a subforum and creating a link in the parent thread to the new fork as well as a link in the first post of the fork that connects back to the original thread.

hyppa, if you or anyone else would be interested, we'd be glad to share the cost of having this developed? Perhaps a bid request on here or rentacoder?

James and Susan

[Tigratrus]

Actually Susan just pointed out to me that much of the groundwork for the functionality we're looking for already exists in the "Report this post" function built into vB. It spawns a child (forked) thread into a separate forum already IIRC? So we'd just need to copy that functionality and tweak it a bit so that links are created in the parent thread to the new child/forked thread.

James and Susan

[hyppa]

Interesting. :)

[Mum]

I'd be very keen to ahve this for 3.7 - hope it will be updated at some stage :)

[ckgreenman]

I've looked around for a newer version of this mod and haven't seen it. Does anyone know if this works on 3.8.x and 4.x? I've had several requests on my forum for this functionality and I think it would come in useful. Also I know there has been a request to add the ability to choose which forum to place the forked thread. Has this been added?

[hyppa]

I hope someone updates it for 4.

[kh99]

For this to work in vb4, you only need to fix the parts inserted in the template. The product xml file seems to wkr as is.


I think these should work:

Graphical Version:
<a href="newthread.php?fork=1&do=newthread&p={vb:raw post.postid}"><img src="{vb:stylevar imgdir_button}/fork.gif" alt="{vb:rawphrase fork_this_post}" border="0" /></a>


Text Version:
<a href="newthread.php?fork=1&do=newthread&p={vb:raw post.postid}">{vb:rawphrase fork_this_post}</a>

[hyppa]

Anyone tryid it for 4.2?