[miz]

there is much more easyer way to make it :
ill sujest you my way :

ALTER TABLE `forum` ADD `showreply` SMALLINT( 6 ) NOT NULL DEAFULT 1;

open admincp/forum.php

Find :

			'allowratings' => 1,
			'countposts' => 1,
Below Add :

			'showreply' => 1,
Find :

print_yes_no_row($vbphrase['show_forum_on_forum_jump'], 'options[showonforumjump]', $forum['showonforumjump']);

Below Add :

	print_table_header('Reply Options');
	
	print_yes_no_row('Show Reply button on this forum?', 'forum[showreply]', $forum['showreply']);

edit showthread templte :

 
Find :
<if condition="$show['largereplybutton']">
		<td class="smallfont"><a href="newreply.php?$session[sessionurl]do=newreply&amp;noquote=1&amp;p=$LASTPOSTID"><if condition="$show['closethread']"><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/reply.gif" alt="$vbphrase[reply]" border="0" /><else /><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_button]/threadclosed.gif" alt="$vbphrase[closed_thread]" border="0" /></if></a></td>
	<else />
		<td class="smallfont">&nbsp;</td>
	</if>	

Before Add :

<if condition="$forum['showreply']">

After Add :

</if>

i think thats all, and you can edit forum via admin cp and to decide which forums will have reply button or not without handle codes every time you want to change it

hope its helps MiZ.