Throttle Posts/Threads (restrict number of posts/threads by usergroup/forum by time)
 

Users can be restricted to a set number of posts and/or new threads per a defined time period. The settings can be global for all forums by usergroup and/or specific to certain usergroups by forum.

FAQ:

1. I don't understand!!! Why would I use this? Say, for example, you wanted to have a sub-forum where registered users could only post 2 messages a day but a premium group could post unlimited messages. This mod will let you configure that! Here's another example. You want registered users to be able to only create 1 thread per 6 hours in a sub-forum but they can have an unlimited number of replies in that sub-forum. This product will let you do that!
2. Do I have to configure every usergroup and forum combination?
   Nope! By default, all usergroups (that normally can post or create threads) can create and unlimited amount of threads and posts. You have the option to create settings by usergroup that apply to all sub-forums for that usergroup. Plus, you can fine tune the settings on a usergroup/sub-forum basis.
3. I have a lot of forums and usergroups. How will I keep up with all my custom throttle settings? In the admincp, there is a feature that gives a summary of all settings by usergroup and forum. You can filter based on usergroup or forum and change the sort order.
4. What does the "-1" mean in the settings? "-1" indicates unlimited. So, a usergroup with a -1 setting for the time period means there is no time restriction.
5. Is this fully phrases? YES! 100% fully phrased including all admincp text!

Product will work with any version of vb 3.5.x and up (including 3.7.x).


Installation

1. Upload the contents of 'upload' to your forum directory
2. From the admincp, import the product file product-throttle_posts.xml
3. REFRESH your admincp page.
4. Change the usergroup setting for any usergroup you want to restrict.
5. OPTIONAL - To set per forum/usergroup settings, set "Activate per Forum/Usergroup Checking" (under Throttle Posts/Threads -> General Settings) to "Yes"
6. OPTIONAL - Set any forum/usergroup settings under Throttle Posts/Threads -> Per Forum/Usergroup Settings.
7. Done!

Special note: a new thread does NOT count as a post (for the purpose of this mod) but a new thread does count as a post! :)

Enjoy!

Created in response to:

This is very good stops spammers. Thanks

Outstanding add-on. Installed and nominated for Mod of the Month. :banana:

Can this be set up for specific forums only, or for every forum but a few?
And also, can this be set for X amount of posts in each thread in overral forums?

If so, I'll be glad to send a few carrots to your paypal for your time :D

very nice... i want that

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/external/2006/11/7.gif
thanks

i want that. 10 posts per day in Forum X, unlimited posts per day in Forum Y... im sure it wouldn't be too much to change.

Actually, it's a huge change but let me see what I can figure out.;)

how can i restrict the number of threads per 24 hours?
Can you help me?

how can i restrict the number of threads per 24 hours?
Can you help me?

Done!

Version 1.1 includes an option to restrict the number of new threads that can be created in a 24 hour period (by usergroup).

Would it be possible to change it from being over a 24 hour period to being over a 1 hour period - because I find that more often than not the spammers are only on the forums for like 30 - 60 minutes spamming up the forum. I would much prefer a mod that limited the number of posts to 3 in an hour than a mod that limited the number of threads to 10 in a day.

Awesome hack...... I actually had to ban a couple users because they would not slow down... this would have been much better. :)

Thanks for the work

Great hack CyberRanger, was just looking for it.

Could you please add another feature into this hack so that the "number of posts/threads per 24 hour period" can be configured on per forum basis.

Also if possible, can you also allow the administrator of the forum to configure the period of the limit instead of capping it at 24 hours.

Both of these features will be coming within days. You will be able to set restrictions per usergroup/forum and limit can be set per usergroup/forum in increments of minutes.

Awesome!

My programming time got a little delayed but I hope to finish this up next week. Here's a small taste.

cool, looks just what i'm looking for - can't wait much longer !!! ;)

Version 2 is out! The capabilities have been vastly expanded. You can now create throttles at the usergroup/sub-forum level! Plus, the throttle time increment is set in minutes.

Enjoy!

FAQ:

1. I don't understand!!! Why would I use this?
   Say, for example, you wanted to have a sub-forum where registered users could only post 2 messages a day but a premium group could post unlimited messages. This mod will let you configure that! Here's another example. You want registered users to be able to only create 1 thread per 6 hours in a sub-forum but they can have an unlimited number of replies in that sub-forum. This product will let you do that!
2. Do I have to configure every usergroup and forum combination?
   Nope! By default, all usergroups (that normally can post or create threads) can create and unlimited amount of threads and posts. You have the option to create settings by usergroup that apply to all sub-forums for that usergroup. Plus, you can fine tune the settings on a usergroup/sub-forum basis.
3. I have a lot of forums and usergroups. How will I keep up with all my custom throttle settings?
   In the admincp, there is a feature that gives a summary of all settings by usergroup and forum. You can filter based on usergroup or forum and change the sort order.
4. What does the "-1" mean in the settings?
   "-1" indicates unlimited. So, a usergroup with a -1 setting for the time period means there is no time restriction.
5. Is this fully phrases?
   YES! 100% fully phrased including all admincp text!

Looks very promising and is something that I have been looking for. Before I download and install, I do have a couple of questions

a) If the thread/post limit is set to 10 threads per week, can a member delete off his old thread/posts (to reduce his count) and then post some more?

b) Does this mod override the forum permissions already set? Eg. Usergroup A cannot post at all, while Usergroup B has full access - and I want to continue blocking Usergroup A from posting (using already set permissions), and Usergroup B to create only X threads/posts per time limit (using this mod).

c) Also, I do not understand your last statement about "a new thread does NOT count as a post (for the purpose of this mod) but a new thread does count as a post!"

Currently, soft (the record is still in the database) deleted posts and threads are not counted. However, it would be a two second change to the plugins if you wanted them to count.
vb forum permissions are NOT overridden. The vb permissions are checked first, then the special throttle settings, so your example would work.
When a user creates a new thread, a new database record is added by vbulletin to the thread and the post tables.

For my mod, when the number of threads allowed to be created is checked against what the user has started, obviously only the thread table is checked. What may not be quite as obvious is that when a user attempts to create a new post, any new thread he has created will also count as a new post.

So, for example, if you have a usergroup that is set to only be able to create one post and one thread per day, creating the one thread will also use up the one post that can be created since creating a thread also creates a new post record.

Clear as mud? :p

Thanks for the clarification, and I have a follow-on question to your response above.

Does your statement mean that currently, the mod does not count soft-deleted posts/threads towards the user post/thread limit?

Example - Limit is set to 10 threads in a 24-hr period; I post 10 threads in the first hour; delete 5 in the next hour and post another 5; then delete all 10 in the 3rd hour and post another 10 - thus "bypassing" the limit?

Correct, that is the current setting. Changing it to count soft deletes would be very simple.

Hmmm.... I get this Database Error when importing the product

Any help please? :confused:

Can you see if you get the same error using the attached product file?

WORKS! Thanks a million CyberRanger!

You should post this on mod page! ;)

If I set a limit for GUESTS, will this also put a limit on the Spiders that crawl my site all day?

I'd really hate to limit them :(

No, it only restricts creating posts or threads, not reading them.

Thanks for that simple explanation, it's my fault that I missed that LOL.

OK, I really the idea of this hack; as I am the one who requested the original hack ( something like this ) to Marco. However, I do have a question..can I make it so that a specific forum - can only have 1 thread per user..ever? Not just by time.

That isn't literally an option BUT the amount of time between threads by a user can be set as high as 999,999,999 minutes or 1902 years! So, practically speaking that's the same as forever!

:D

I don't see where to limit the amount of threads per forum..I see the limit # of threads and how long to wait...but where is the per-forum basis??

OK, I got it to work..thanks. What is the phrase/where can I edit the denial box for people that can't post a thread/post in that forum? What is the phrase name?

mmm very nice

OK, so this is a great mod and all..but after having it installed for a while. Whens someone posts in my Introductions forum, and then tries to post in another section ( in that same forum group ) it doesn't let them..so I am not sure what the problem is, but I think it records the entire forum group and not just sub-forums, even though I have it input to just do one specific sub-forum.

Thank you for writing this! We really needed it. One question, shouldn't it state that allowed number of threads is in hours and not minutes? Meaning, when someone tries posting, and you have it set to 24, it says, number of posts/threads allowed for 24 minutes instead of 24 hours. Unless I'm reading this wrong. But in the code it takes your minute value times 60 which I assume it is taking hours and converting to minutes. So if you put '1' as the value, 1 * 60 would be 1 hour. But it would show the user, 1 minute.

It should only apply to the forum that the user is posting in and not impact sub-forums. If you want, PM me your site url with an admin login and password and I'll check it out.

No, the time is in minutes. I originally had the defaults in hours, hence the 24. But, I changed it to minutes so that admins had more granular control. The time 60 is to bring the value in the time field into the right factor as the vb time stamp.