A couple of minor additions..
You can make the search page open the advanced options automatically by adding adv=1 to the link. For example if you use the hardcoded searchbt.php link on the 'advanced search' link in the little dropdown search box on every page which is in the navbar template.
The new link would look like: searchbt.php?adv=1
If you are using the dynamic method rather than just hardcoding the advanced search link in the template then you just need to edit the url in the "Restrict vbsearch to certain usergroups" plugin. Just open that and change this line..
Code:
header("Location: http://$bt_host$bt_uri/searchbt.php");
to this..
Code:
header("Location: http://$bt_host$bt_uri/searchbt.php?adv=1");
You can also make 'search this forum' link/form work directly also..
Open the FORUMDISPLAY template..
Find..
Code:
<form action="search.php?do=process" method="post">
Replace with..
Code:
<form action="searchbt.php" method="get">
Find..
Code:
<a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forumid" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[advanced_search]</a>
Replace with..
Code:
<a href="searchbt.php?$session[sessionurl]frm=$forumid&adv=1" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[advanced_search]</a>
Find..
Code:
<input type="hidden" name="do" value="process" />
<input type="hidden" name="forumchoice[]" value="$forumid" />
<input type="hidden" name="childforums" value="1" />
<input type="text" class="bginput" name="query" size="20" style="width:175px" />
Replace with..
Code:
<input type="hidden" name="frm" value="$forumid" />
<input type="text" class="bginput" name="search" size="20" style="width:175px" />