[timetunnel]

Hello.

How 'bout considering:

Allow members of a certain usergroup to create 1 thread e.g. 'ATTACHMENTS' with multiple posts that no one can reply to nor view (except of course admins or super mods when content violates rules). Each post conforms to the site's # of attachments/post rule. When that post reaches that limit, begin another post (reply) to attach additional attachments to. Of course, the total amount of space is still subject to the usergroup and vB Options parameters. All attachments will show up in User Profile's Edit Attachments for easy viewing and copy/paste of URL. Then use the URL throughout the site INCLUDING PM, SIGS, etc. That what I'm working on completing.

LIMITATION: With 'Allow Dynamic URL...' set to 'No', these images are not parsed inline within the [IMG] tag since they contain a query string (?&). Of course you can set that param to 'YES' and it all works fine. It depends on whether you want to follow the caution statement mentioned by vB as to why they believe that param should be set to 'No'. Else, you can create conditions of a new tag whereby you can keep the param set to 'No' but ONLY parse attachments and no other URLs containing a query string. (Note: there are other considerations to incorporate in the coding and conditions as well, but this is the gist). It works well.

Only hooks are involved to make this happen. No database edits nor file editing is needed.

I'm planning to use it for subscribers and/or other higher-end member groups whenever I get it completed...(who knows when...)

HTH.

P.S. If someone decides to use this method or some close version of it or create/formalize a HACK for others using this method, please add to this thread to let me and others know. Hopefully, vB will come up with some or similar version of it as part of their package.

Thanks.