This hack has been completely rewritten, i recommend that you simply uninstall this hack and install the new version. If you don't want to do that then this is what has changed.

Table structure of namelogs, drop and readd from install file and all the coding within member.php has changed. There has been NO template changes or changes in the admin panel.

This was written in 2.2.6 and worked fine with no problems.

Scott

thanks for this cool hack

Thanks, I requested this hack a while back, but no one was willing to make it.

Great job. :D

First off....great job. This was needed.

I think it would be best if you could set a rule...so that users could only change their usernames once a month themselves...otherwise...on my boards for example...a user could change their name...to spam a user or flame a user...then go back and say it wasn't them much easier then re-registering a new account.

Also...a question for all of you. Do you think we should allow the users to change their username at will like this...or are we only asking for trouble?

Well even if they changed their name to flame somebody, when they changed it back, the name would change on the flame post as well as every other post the user has made.

This hack is just saving me alot of trouble because I have a forum that is for a Quake3 total conversion based on Dragonball Z, and alot of the time when someone registers they use a name that relates to the show, but then later on they grow tired of that name and want to use a more original name that they may use every where else or something like that.

DOH! Your right. Good point. :)

Is there a way to add a once a month or week, or whatever name change limit? That would be great before I install this.

although i get a few requests for username changes, i wouldn't use such a hack.. allowing members to change their usernames would and can interfere with building a tighter knit community group of users on my forums ... members are use to particular usernames and well it wouldn't be the same

then you might also have those who like to imitate with similar spelt usernames i.e. how about VirtueTechi :)

also good points...

PPN - Please keep in mind these comments have nothing to do personally with your hack. You did a fantastic job. :)

How about adding a log of what people have changed their names. Say the limit is 5, and after 5 name changes the first is deleted, that way not much space is used. That way it keeps track of the last 5 months of name changes (if you add the once a month limit) and your set.

Ok, I have found a bug. Users who do not have the required number of posts have not been able to change their profile since I updated to the version where you added it. It works fine for me, but it seems that everyone who is having trouble has less than the required number of posts.

Ok change
if ($username != $bbuserinfo[username]) {
to
if ($username != $bbuserinfo[username] && isset($username)) {

updated install file

I would like to see it working like this.

The user has a button to request a change in their control panel, at this stage it doesn't allow them to change it, just request a future change.

When they hit the button they are told a request has been sent to the admin/mod and they should continue to use there current username, and wait for confirmation that the request has been authorised.

The admin would have to allow/moderate the request, at which point the user is informed by PM/mail etc that they can now change it.

Now the users control panel actually lets him change it, and any cookie would be updated etc.

This would be all controlled by a global "allow password change requests" in the admin control panel, and could be set to no, the way I have desribed, or always like this hack.

This is not a simple hack, but would be a nice feature to be added to VB in a future release.

Thanks, that fixed it. Now if only you could get the limiting the number of times a user is allowed to change their name, it would make it much better. But great job. I have not found any other bugs, and I doubt there are since it is a fairly small hack.

Sounds like a great hack, one I would install.

I think it definitely needs either 1. or 2. below and possibly 3.

1. A log of username changes (maybe by user number).
2. Admin moderation of username changes.
3. A limit to the number of changes (per year maybe)

If it had either 1. or 2. I would definitely install it :D

1 is done and 3 is being tested.

Uhm how do you view the log please?

Thanks buddy

posted updated file with
name loggin and limits so an admin can set they can only change once every defined number of days.

I now get when submitting the form:

Warning: Argument to array_reverse() should be an array in D:\inetpub\wwwroot\forums\member.php on line 388

And no previous usernames show up. Keep up good work :D

What version of PHP, are you running.

Just comment out the lines with array_reverse

it just means that newer nicknames are at bottom in profile and not top.

PHP 4.0.6 - MySQL 3.23.40

okay thanks it seems to work fine with that line edited out.

*thumbs up*

Great hack dude, I was lookin 4 it quite some time. I'm running a Gaming-Clanboard and from time to time, users change their clans or leaving them, so a change would be necessary.
Finally, they can do it on their own! Big Thanx again.

If you'd do me a favor by telling me, where to set the values for the period, users are not permitted to change their name, i'd be eternally grateful :D

-Alex

Look in control panel in options under User and Registration Options

it should be the bottom one in that group.

D'oh :D

Thanx man. Great.

I have found a bug. I changed my username as a test, and now in every single user's profile, it lists their previous name as mine.

My profile: http://www.mpz.co.uk/forums/member.p...nfo&userid=119

See any other userid and they are all the same.

3 people downloaded it before i uploaded a fixed version

open member.php and go down to line 1227

if ($oldnames=$DB_site->query_first("SELECT usernames FROM namelogs WHERE userid='$userinfo[userid]'")) {

is what it should be

i had $bbuserinfo[userid] its $userinfo[userid]

Great Hack!!!!

Please, can add these hack in the next vB release, with admin option to enable/disable username-change !?

**** wrong thread sorry :p

Am I missing something here? It's completely in the wrong ...... THREAD i suppose :D

May be thats meant to be for the Usenet hack?

-Alex

umm...that file seems to be the same as the last for me. I don't see anything about the log, or the number of times a user can change their name.

There is no log, just in the user's profile the user's previous names are displayed.

i never realised you ran a site bout ntl :)

i got my cable installed but they moaned about line quality and some technician broke somethin :/

so i'm stuck on ntlworld

well...still when I download the attachment I get the old version. There is nothing in it that adds the previous names to a profile, or how long before a user can change their name again.

A possible bug. A user changes their name, and in their profile under previous usernames, it shows the username they have just changed to, not the old username.

I have also noticed that.

Maybe a cache prob? Try this.

change
array_splice($oldnames,4,4, addslashes($username));
to
array_splice($oldnames,4,4, addslashes($bbuserinfo[username]));

AND

array_push($oldnames,addslashes($username));
to
array_push($oldnames,addslashes($bbuserinfo[username]));

AND

$DB_site->query("INSERT INTO namelogs (userid, usernames,lastchange) VALUES ('$bbuserinfo[userid]','".addslashes(htmlspecialchars($username))."', '".time()."')");
to
$DB_site->query("INSERT INTO namelogs (userid, usernames,lastchange) VALUES ('$bbuserinfo[userid]','".addslashes(htmlspecialchars($bbuserinfo[username]))."', '".time()."')");
will modify original now.

Okay excellent job PPN, all works perfectly now :D

know why ntl wasn't workin last night :P

it stopped workin mid evening for a couple of hours.