Forms Hack

Forms Hack 3.5

Features:

Ever wanted an online form that a user can fill out, which when submitted gets:

• Posted into a new thread in a forum of your choice
• Create a new poll in the new thread with options of your choice
• Posted as a reply in an existing thread of your choice
• PMed to you or someone else
• Emailed to an email address you specify
• Choose to redirect to the post, thread or forum, or a custom thank you message
• Choose to redirect to edit post to upload attachments
• See a preview before they submit

Or any combination or all of the above?

Well, this is the hack for you!

You can use this for:

• Moderator Applications
• Quiz Submit Form which gets PMed to a moderator
• Contact Form that goes to PM, email or thread
• Guests to apply to be members
• Report a Moderator form that goes as a PM to you
• Guests can PM you for whatever reason
• Order form to buy things
• Donation form
• News or Articles submissions that can go straight to a thread

Or anything you like - this hack is totally customizable via the AdminCP.

The beauty of this hack is that once you install this hack, to make a new form all you need to do is copy the main hook, rename it to whatever you want, edit the variables in the hook, and you have a totally new form!!! You do not need to touch the templates again, but can always create new ones and use different templates for different forms.

Format of the form:

• One main input question
• 3 Radio buttons Choice questions
• 3 Normal text input questions
• 1 Drop down menu
• 3 Check boxes
• 1 Long answer question
• 1 VB message editor text box question

This is customizable via the hook.

Also:

• You can set the usergroups you want access to this form.
• Depending on your forum permissions, if the new thread is in a public forum, members can reply to it. This hack allows a form to submit the new thread or post wherever you want it to go.
• Force the user to answer all questions.

INSTALLATION
Easy - takes only a few minutes:

• Import the XML into products. (admin cp -> Plug-in System -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product)
• Edit the main plug-in - the instructions are all inside the hook itself, in the top half. Follow the instructions carefully!
• To get to the form, go to: /newthread.php?do=form (change "form" to the name of your form if you have few)

Done!

Use this hack to make as many forms as you like!

Enjoy!

Updates:

Version 2.0: (08/10/2005)

• Ported over for vb3.5

Version 2.1: (08/10/2005)

• bug fix with answers not showing

Version 2.5: (08/13/2005)

• Major update:
• Templates have a few lines changed here and there.
• You can now have more then 2 poll options very easily
• Polls can't be created if your not creating a new thread
• New Thread now uses VB function to add the thread
• New Poll now uses VB function to add the poll
• New Reply now uses VB function to add the reply
• PM now uses VB function to send the PM

Version 2.6: (08/21/2005)

• fixed bug with posts having to be moderated

Version 2.7: (08/23/2005)

• Minor update:
• Fixed some issues with signatures, URL parsing, and subscriptions
• Option to name the post titles
• Made template XHTML 1.0 Transitional

Version 3.0: (11/29/2005)

• Major update:
• Added drop down menu
• Made the long answer show up in a the vb message box
• Re-wrote some instructions
• Pressing back should save work
• Both templates and plug-in were edited
• Some more minor things

Version 3.1: (12/07/2005)

• Brought back the standard text box (longanswer)

Version 3.2: (12/09/2005)

• [ADDED] Option to make polls public.

Version 3.3: (12/19/2005)

• [FIXED] Guests can now post using the forms to make a thread or post. They cannot send a PM though.
• [ADDED] Paypal link so you can make a donation for this hack.

Version 3.4: (04/05/2006)

• [FIXED] Removed extra line from template.
• [ADDED] WYSIWYG editor now works besides the regular editor.
• [ADDED] Preview.
• [CHANGED] Subscriptions now take from user default setting.

Version 3.5: (05/31/2006)

• [ADDED] Check boxes.

Abe1 with rights from Dr Erwin Loh

This hack is created for your use free of charge. No payment is requested. However, if you would like to donate money for the work I put in to this hack, a donation would show your appreciation.

[ChiliVB]

I'm having a problem with unregistered users accessing/viewing a form. We would like this form application to be accessible outside the forum to unregistered users.

I currently have the USERGROUP permissions not enabled and set the same as the default form hook, as below.

// if (!in_array($vbulletin->userinfo['usergroupid'], array(2,5,6,7))) print_no_permission();

I have tried adding usergroup 1 as an ID and enabling this setting but it did not help.

A registered user or administrator can access and submit forums without a problem. But I need for unregistered users to be able to view/submit.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

[Elikster]

Got it all working properly now. Found one ; that shouldn't be there that caused it not to post at all.

[FLMom]

I am about to install! Thanks

[FLMom]

Alright, I need help please!!

I installed this and I am assuming I did it the right way, but I can't seem to find it anywhere? In the step #3 of the install when it says "3 - To get to the form, go to: /newthread.php?do=form (change "form" to the name of your form if you have few)"
How do I go to that? I am new to this stuff and just can't figure it out. Can someone please explain this too me? TIA

[ChiliVB]

Originally Posted by FLMom

Alright, I need help please!!

I installed this and I am assuming I did it the right way, but I can't seem to find it anywhere? In the step #3 of the install when it says "3 - To get to the form, go to: /newthread.php?do=form (change "form" to the name of your form if you have few)"
How do I go to that? I am new to this stuff and just can't figure it out. Can someone please explain this too me? TIA

I'm new to this too.. but I can maybe help a little.

In Plug-In Manager in the ACP you will see a hook called "Form Hack". That is the "main hook" referenced in the instructions. Edit form hack and follow the instructions to save a form with a new name. Then edit the "new" hook and set options the way you want them.

There are also two templates, form and formanswers, that have to be modified if you customize the appearance. I made new templates for my customized form so I always have the main one to look at for default options.

Hope this helps you a little.

[HappyDJ]

I still can't figure this out - how to use etc! It would be excellent if some sort of idiots guide was made to make a form or whatever!

Any takers?

[silly rabbit]

Originally Posted by HappyDJ

I still can't figure this out - how to use etc! It would be excellent if some sort of idiots guide was made to make a form or whatever!

Any takers?

happy, while no EXPERT myself the form hack consists of three things wrapped up into one neat XML plugin - two templates and php processing code. 1)An input template(named 'form'), 2)an output template(named answers) and 3)the php processing code itself which is hooked to 'newthread_start'. The 2 templates, once installed, can be found in the vb 'Style Manager' and edited from within the admin cp (like everything else) rather than constantly reinstalling/overwriting the plugin itself (which I did initially).

The first thing I did however, to make life easier on myself, was to rename (thru search replace) all the variable references in the script itself to simplier, more generic names like 'question1', 'answer1' and $answer1 (the php references). I assume you know HTML form processing right??

Step2 (prior to loading the XML) is deciding where the output 'answers' is to go and those options are embedded in the php code itself. In my case I chose 'reply to thread' leaving the reply to 'new thread' option '0' otherwise you'll get a double post.

Having muddled thru all of that I designed my own 'custom' input 'form' (using the same 'answer' variables) and noticed 1 thing - I did not have to change the 'formname' (or modify the XML plugin) IF you manually assign the new template (in my case named 'testform') the same title $formtitle="form" as the hookcode will still execute!! In other words the only real reason I see to install a second XML is if the php processing code needs changing. Of course if ya need new / different php processing code (which you need to design) then the XML plugin and the 'formtitle' needs to change too but if Abe's processing code is good (and all ya need) you can manually force the issue AT RUNTIME . . .

Make Sense??

I am using this in conjunction with Logician's 'Webtemplates' and it works very well posting user input data into a thread of my designation . . . .

Eh, Questions??

Rabbit

[|oR|Greg]

Originally Posted by mkdevo

is there/will there be any way to use a form to submit a new calendar event?

I would install this if an option were to also add an event to the calendar. Like a check box to add it, then a drop down for date.

[silly rabbit]

Originally Posted by |oR|Greg

I would install this if an option were to also add an event to the calendar. Like a check box to add it, then a drop down for date.

That'd be GOOD!! And say a handy way to custom retrieve and edit / update a current event that already exists (without the help of the AdminCP)????

[Abe1]

It uses the permissions of the forum to send the message to.