vb.org Archive - Mod Feedback: Custom RSS Feeds via Authentication

I've created a modification for vbulletin which will show a customized RSS feed based upon a user's membergroup permissions. I needed to do this, as many of my forums are protected via subscriptions.

I'm looking for feedback regarding it -- as I'm kind of a noob at this (I helped modify the gallery2 integration, so I'm not totally in the dark). I used the data manager, but I'm not sure if that's the best way. How does it work?

Plugin location: external_start

1. I request http autorization for the external.php feed. This works with most RSS news readers.

2. Password is checked -- if successful, groups are set.

I understand this circumvents some of the security that is built into the password system, but my forums are https:// -- so I'm not worried about it in this case.

PHP Code:


		
			
include("includes/functions_login.php");

include("includes/init.php");



if (!isset($_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_USER'])) {

 header('WWW-Authenticate: Basic realm="New"');

 header('HTTP/1.0 401 Unauthorized');

 echo 'You have cancelled';

 exit;

} 



else {

 

   //Check authentication

    $test = verify_authentication($_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_USER'], $_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_PW'], false, false, false, false);

    if (!$test) {

        header('WWW-Authenticate: Basic realm="New"');

        header('HTTP/1.0 401 Unauthorized');

        exit;

    }



   //Authentication is good -- so carry on

    $userdm =& datamanager_init('User', $vbulletin, ERRTYPE_ARRAY); 

    $userdm->set('username', $_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_USER']); 

    $userdm->set('password', $_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_PW']);



    $userinfo = $userdm->registry->userinfo;

    $vbulletin->userinfo['membergroupids'] = $userinfo['membergroupids'];

    cache_permissions($vbulletin->userinfo);

   



}

X vBulletin 3.8.12 by vBS Debug Information
Template Usage: (1)ad_footer_end (1)ad_footer_start (1)ad_header_end (1)ad_header_logo (1)ad_navbar_below (1)bbcode_php_printable (1)footer (1)gobutton (1)header (1)headinclude (6)option (1)post_thanks_navbar_search (1)printthread (1)printthreadbit (1)spacer_close (1)spacer_open Phrase Groups Available: global postbit showthread	Included Files: ./printthread.php ./global.php ./includes/init.php ./includes/class_core.php ./includes/config.php ./includes/functions.php ./includes/class_hook.php ./includes/modsystem_functions.php ./includes/class_bbcode_alt.php ./includes/class_bbcode.php ./includes/functions_bigthree.php Hooks Called: init_startup init_startup_session_setup_start init_startup_session_setup_complete cache_permissions fetch_threadinfo_query fetch_threadinfo fetch_foruminfo style_fetch cache_templates global_start parse_templates global_setup_complete printthread_start bbcode_fetch_tags bbcode_create bbcode_parse_start bbcode_parse_complete_precache bbcode_parse_complete printthread_post printthread_complete
Messages:

X vBulletin 3.8.12 by vBS Debug Information

Page Generation 0.00966 seconds
Memory Usage 1,719KB
Queries Executed 10 (?)

More Information

Template Usage:

(1)ad_footer_end
(1)ad_footer_start
(1)ad_header_end
(1)ad_header_logo
(1)ad_navbar_below
(1)bbcode_php_printable
(1)footer
(1)gobutton
(1)header
(1)headinclude
(6)option
(1)post_thanks_navbar_search
(1)printthread
(1)printthreadbit
(1)spacer_close
(1)spacer_open

Phrase Groups Available:

global
postbit
showthread

Included Files:

./printthread.php
./global.php
./includes/init.php
./includes/class_core.php
./includes/config.php
./includes/functions.php
./includes/class_hook.php
./includes/modsystem_functions.php
./includes/class_bbcode_alt.php
./includes/class_bbcode.php
./includes/functions_bigthree.php

Hooks Called:

init_startup
init_startup_session_setup_start
init_startup_session_setup_complete
cache_permissions
fetch_threadinfo_query
fetch_threadinfo
fetch_foruminfo
style_fetch
cache_templates
global_start
parse_templates
global_setup_complete
printthread_start
bbcode_fetch_tags
bbcode_create
bbcode_parse_start
bbcode_parse_complete_precache
bbcode_parse_complete
printthread_post
printthread_complete

Messages:

X vBulletin 3.8.12 by vBS Debug Information
Page Generation 0.00966 seconds Memory Usage 1,719KB Queries Executed 10 (?)
More Information
Template Usage: (1)ad_footer_end (1)ad_footer_start (1)ad_header_end (1)ad_header_logo (1)ad_navbar_below (1)bbcode_php_printable (1)footer (1)gobutton (1)header (1)headinclude (6)option (1)post_thanks_navbar_search (1)printthread (1)printthreadbit (1)spacer_close (1)spacer_open Phrase Groups Available: global postbit showthread	Included Files: ./printthread.php ./global.php ./includes/init.php ./includes/class_core.php ./includes/config.php ./includes/functions.php ./includes/class_hook.php ./includes/modsystem_functions.php ./includes/class_bbcode_alt.php ./includes/class_bbcode.php ./includes/functions_bigthree.php Hooks Called: init_startup init_startup_session_setup_start init_startup_session_setup_complete cache_permissions fetch_threadinfo_query fetch_threadinfo fetch_foruminfo style_fetch cache_templates global_start parse_templates global_setup_complete printthread_start bbcode_fetch_tags bbcode_create bbcode_parse_start bbcode_parse_complete_precache bbcode_parse_complete printthread_post printthread_complete
Messages: