Invites System
 

I no longer support my hacks. Please feel free to update them and release new versions elsewhere as long as I get the credit for the original modification.

/*=========================================*\
|| Invites System
||
|| Author : Anton Kanevsky
|| Works on : vBulletin 3.5.0
|| Released : Dec 19, 2005
||
|| Time required to install: 1 minute
|| Difficulty: easy
\*=========================================*/

DESCRIPTION

A complete invites system for your vBulletin board.

STATISTICS

File Uploads: 3
Template Changes: 4
Products to Install: 1


FEATURES

Configuration Options:

• The system can be turned on and off.
• Registration can be set to either require invite code to sign up or to continue allowing regular registrations when the system is on.
• Invite Expiration Period.
• Minimal Posts Required to Receive Changes in Number of Invites.
• Minimal Reputation Required to Receive Changes in Number of Invites.
• Number of Posts Required to Get One (1) Invite.
• Number of Invites Received or Subtracted per Reputation (+ for positive, - for negative).
• Initial Number of Invites Given on Registration (Sign Up).
• Usergroups that May Not Use Invite Manager.
• Usergroups that May Use Invite Manager (Optional Override).
• Initial Registration Usergroup (only pertaining to registration by invites).
• Do or Do Not make users linked by an invite mutual buddies after the completion of registration of the person invited.
• Single / Multiple Address Line Field.
• If Multiple, Number of Fields to Show.

Miscellaneous Features:

• Upon invite-based registration, the person who issued the invite is set up as a referrer of the person invited. Therefore, free specification of a referrer is restricted during such registration.
• Image (GD) Verification.
• Administrator can manually edit any user's invite count.
• If a user is permitted to issue invites (based on both the number of unused invites and the system permissions), that user has a link to invites of usercp home (says "Click here to invite new users!"). When a user has no invites left, the link does not show up. Nevertheless, as long as system permissions allow access to the Invite Manager, the usercp navlink continues to show up, so that the user would have access to his/her invite history, which is available just below the "Issue New Invite" form.
• If registration is set to require invite code to sign up, the navbar register link becomes hidden.
• If registration is set to continue allowing non-invited sign ups, the number of invites available to any single user is unlimited. Therefore, the number of invites left does not show up.
• Invite History in UserCP, on the bottom of the invite manager.
• Single-Line AddressField, with Unlimited # Of Simultaneous Recipients, within the bounds of invite tokens.
• Multiple-Line AddressField, with Limited Configurable # Of Simultaneous Recipients, within the bounds of invite tokens.
• Unregistered Users, Banned Users and Users with No Forumview Permissions cannot use invite manager. Therefore, you do not have to specify those usergroups in the list of usergroups that may not use the invite manager.
• Invite counts are automatically updated once a week, based on the admincp-configured settings.
• Per-user invite usage restriction.
• Inactive users, who do not post anything new, will gradually lose all of their invites.

VERSION HISTORY

1.5.0
A new, commercial release.

1.4.0
[+] Image verification to avoid multiple submits.

1.3.0
[+] New Config Option: Single-Field / Multiple-Field Address Line (Default: Multiple-Field)
[+] New Config Option: Number of fields to show if multiple option is chosen.
[+] User Option, which lets an administrator restrict invite system usage for that single user.
[F] Fixed Bug, which prevented a user from registration if COPPA was enabled.
[F] Fixed Bug, which prevented a user from sending out an invite if he had zero invites and dependency on registration was turned off.
[F] Fixed Bug, which continued to show the invite form after it was submitted, even if there were no more invites left.

1.2.0
[+] New Config Option: Usergroups that May Use Invite Manager (Optional Override).
[+] New Config Option: Initial Registration Usergroup (only pertaining to registration by invites).

1.0.2
[+] Ability to send unlimited simultaneous invites, within the bounds of invite count owned.
[+] Improved invite interface (see screenshot).
[F] A couple of hard-coded forgotten phrases have been moved into the phrase system.

1.0.1
[+] Amount of posts required to get one invite is now configurable
[+] When a user can issue invites, he/she has a link on usercp (which says "Click here to Invite a New User!")
[+] When invites are required to register, there is no direct "Register" link in the navbar
[+] When invites are not required to register, there is no limitation on invites, and therefore the number of invites left is not shown
[+] Administrator can now edit invite counts manually using Admin Manager
[+] Administrator can now specify which usergroups cannot use Invite Manager
[+] More descriptive AdminCP Hack Options
[F] Added TABLE_PREFIX to the Install Code
[F] Fixed a Typo in Registration Code
[F] In the Invite History, invites are now lister in a descending order, rather than ascending. In other words, the latest invites are now on the top.

1.0.0
Initial Release

The installation manual is contained within the attached file.

IF YOU LIKE MY HACK, PLEASE CLICK INSTALL

FAQs

Is this a port of tn3guy's hack and if yes, did you receive a permission to port it?
No, this is not a port, this is my own code. Which you can see if you compare it.

I have your Adv. Editing Options for Mods and Admins Installed. Members with EDITLEVEL_ADMIN or EDITLEVEL_SADMIN end up having either zero referrals or very large numbers of referrals. Wtf?
A version of Adv. Editing Options for Mods and Admins that was released prior to November 28, 2005 had such issue because, as a side effect, it set poster's lastpost dateline same as the post dateline. It has been fixed in the latest version of Adv. Editing Options Hack, please download it and re-install the XML.

What about WOL?
Don't worry. No "Unkown" locations for this hack. It says "Managing Invites" with a link to the actual invites management page.

So how are new invites given, if at all?
When you create a new invite using your new UserCP page, a unique invite key is generated. That key is sent in an e-mail to the address that you have specified. E-mail phrases for this hack are stored in "invites_letter", "invites_letter_note" and "invites_letter_subject" phrases.

What about importing the MSN/AIM/XXX contact list, like in MySpace?
MSN Grabber is featured in version 1.5.0 of this hack. 1.5.0, however, is not free anymore.
AIM and other grabbers are to be added later.

How can I see who invited who?
Install Referrer Statistics.

How come referrers are not updated when users register by invite?
This can happen if the "User Referrer" setting is off. Turn it on here:
vBulletin Options -> User Registration Options -> User Referrer -> Yes

1st WOOT!!

Nice little hack here. So this allows someone to invite someone else to thier buddy list?

The purpose of this hack is either to create a board with private registration (only by invites), or to create a board with invites system. Which one it is is your choice (which you can make via vBulletin options). :)

Looks great....granted my board is open for anyone to join, this does look like a great hack! I will look at it some more when I get home :)

Thats kinda groovy, I dig it.

FINALLY!!

/me clicks subscribe so it gets added to my list of hacks to install when i upgrade

Wrong click. You should click "Install". As the rest of ya'll should :)

excellent hack/extension.

Great hack! You are my hero!

i promise i will click install when i do install it. :D

installs* great hack!

hm where is the Cron Manager ?

Nice idea :D i like it.

vBulletin AdminCP -> Task Manager -> Add Task

You know where to click :)

So how are new invites given, if at all? I'm just curious how invites are sent around. It doesn't really say anywhere.

Obviously, it sends invites via e-mail, because it cannot send them via PM to not-yet-existant users ;)

The answer to your question has been added to the FAQ post :)

thanks I asked on vb.com already lol

No... I mean like... for users who are already on. They are given ten invites. How do they get more invites?

......

I know. Like... how many posts do they make to get one invite? I'm trying to figure this out because I don't want them getting one invite per post.

They get one invite for every 5 posts they made during last week.

Okay... In the update_invitecounts.php file... can I change the amount in the following line to a new number?

Can I change the number five to say... thirty... and it will give one invite for every thirty posts?

Yes, that's right.
Should that be configurable in the next release?

I think it should be. Forums with a lot of active posting may not want to be giving out that many invites. For example, a site with 400,000 users who are each making 200+ posts per week would probably either kill the sites bandwidth that next Monday, or never have the time to use all of their invites. Yeah, I believe it should be added in the next update.

I appreciate your help. =D Great hack!

well written and like your style and something i was looking for **INSTALLED** :rolleyes:

Thanks more good work ;) Clicked install :)

Hey this is a GREAT hack! Thanks a lot. :D

I'm back!!! ._.

I have a few users saying that the email is not being sent after they make the invite out and submit it. It's been half an hour and nothing. What could the problem be?

Can I add a usergroup to the list of those who cannot use this?

Nice Hack Psonic Vision. :)

I'll check whether there is such problem.

Added into todo list.

Thanks, but you forgot to click one thing. ;)

program working well did a test and did recieve email..i guess people have to check the junk or spam folder as i instructed them when registering...probably same concept here....

Not for me. My junk mail is empty as well as my inbox. Same for the three people I had test it.

Do other email work on your site?

Yes it is. I sent an email to myself and the three testers through the admincp and we all received it.

Psionic Vision - is it possible for you to check your PM please and respond back to mine... :nervous: its really important.

I think I know what the problem is.
In invites.php, try replacing:

With

And tell me if that helps :)

Test worked for me but the text stays in the invites submission box as though it hasn't been sent .. anyway to have that cleared as soon as it's been clicked "Send Invite!"

Uh.. I thought it was convenient that it stays in the box. At least until there are submission errors.