Custom Avatars as Files (updated for vBulletin 2.2.2)

Updated for vBulletin 2.2.2, 5th February 2002

Since there has been so much demand for this, I wrote a hack that will allow you to store all your custom avatars as files, rather than in the mySQL database.



Doing this will have the following benefits:

• Avatars folder can be protected by .htaccess (Apache only) to prevent bandwidth stealing
• No SQL queries or PHP code required to display custom avatars - server load decreases
• No cacheing issues with Internet Explorer 5.5, so server bandwidth use should decrease

The install script will make the necessary modifications to your database, install a control panel option to switch the file-based avatars on, and convert your existing custom avatars from the database into files.

All avatar options that are present when using the standard mySQL avatar system are still present, and users will not notice a difference in the interface.

Full instructions for altering your PHP files are included in the zip file.

Once you have made the necessary modifications to the PHP scripts, you should run the enclosed install_favatar.php script from your admin/ folder.

[Mr. X]

Fatal error: Failed opening required './global.php' (include_path='') in /home/mx3dm1/public_html/vb/admin/install_db2fileavatars.php on line 2

This is what I get. Im using php3 files since vB refuses to install when I use .php.

Im wondering, can I just change the .php in your installer file to .php3?

Also, when you say:

1) Firstly, you will need to create a new folder in your forums directory called custom_avatars and set the permissions on the folder to 777.

Do you mean create in the root forum folder, or in the /images folder? If not, do I need to move all the other avatars in my images/avatars folder to the new one?

[Mr. X]

Bump. Come on, no one?

[VirtueTech]

Doesn't 2.0.1 include this hack already?

Same with attachments?

There seems to have been a slight problem with the database. Please try again by pressing the refresh button in your browser.
An E-Mail has been dispatched to our Technical Staff, who you can also contact if the problem persists.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Database error in vBulletin Control Panel: Invalid SQL: ALTER TABLE user ADD avatarrevision INT (6) UNSIGNED DEFAULT '0' not null AFTER avatarid
mysql error: Duplicate column name 'avatarrevision'
mysql error number: 1060

i have vBulletin 2.0

[TheProfessor]

How to apply this hack in vB 2.0.3?

showthread.php changed completly, I just cannot replace some code, because it is not there.

Kier or Freddi, please?

Greetings, The Professor!

[eXtremeTim]

in the newer version ov vb it seems that the users only have to hack member.php and admin functions.php and the hack seems to work fine.

[TheProfessor]

Yes, in fact it works fine, but just when viewing the member's profiles or private messages.

When showing threads, avatars will be still loaded from the SQL-Server.

Greetings, The Professor!

[eXtremeTim]

yea i just noticed that so you just have to hack the showthread file up.

[eXtremeTim]

i did some searching and found were the coding to hack up is at now so latter tonight i will see about releasing a new version of this hack for vbulletin 2.0.3

[Castel]

Any progress in getting this to work properly for 2.0.3 showthread?