New Posting Features - [Ajax] Check for similar thread before posting a new one

You love the 'similar threads' function and you are sick of duplicate threads just because your users don't use the search function?

Why not just combine them?

This Add-on will grab the thread title the user typed in and it will load a small box (using Ajax magic ) with 5 similar threads just like the 'similar threads' function that you can normally find under an already posted thread.

The box also tells the user to search through the similar threads first BEFORE starting a new one.


Features:
- no edits whatsoever needed, just import the product file, enable the Add-on and it works (well, it should )
- you can turn it off for certain forums or
- you can turn it off completely without leaving any code that messes your templates/files
- it can be translated
- don't like it anymore? Remove the product and you'll never see that Add-on again


Known issues:
- none


Things to consider:
It uses jQuery to get the information from ajax.php. jQuery is great and you can do many great things with it and unlike the vBulletin method it's quite easy to understand.
The jQuery file is compressed and only 20kb large.
To download the file, visit the homepage at http://jquery.com/
The link to download the file is on the right hand side.

Here's the version I use: http://code.google.com/p/jqueryjs/do....1.3.1.pack.js

Just download it and put it into the 'clientscript' folder without renaming the file.


Installation:
Download jQuery as described above.
Import the attached file using the Product Manager. Go to your vBulletin settings and search for 'Check for similar threads?'. Enable it.


Important:
It adds 2 new templates, it changes 1 template and it edits 2 files. I highly doubt that it will break you vBulletin but do a back-up and be on the safe side.



Version history:
1. initial release
2. current release
*** fixed some browser issues. The attached file is up to date.





How to fix the Opera problems in the first release:
The first release of this Add-on didn't work on Opera. To fix the problems, please follow these steps:
Open the template 'mrnasesimilarthreadcheck_header' and REPLACE the content with this code:

    <script type="text/javascript" src="clientscript/jquery-1.1.3.1.pack.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        $(function(){
            $("#inputthreadtitle").bind("blur", function(){
                var value =$(this).val(); 
                $('td#similarthreadcheckcontent').html('<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/13x13progress.gif" />');
                $.ajax({
                    type: "GET",
                    url: "ajax.php",
                    data: "do=getsimilarthreads&title="+value,
                    success: function(msg){
                        $('td#similarthreadcheckcontent').html(msg);
                         }
                });
            });
        });
    </script>

The attached file is up to date.


Support will only given to those who have clicked 'install'.

[nahhh3075]

Originally Posted by cynthetiq

I can't get it to work right. It does the search, but says "No similar topics found. Start your thread and let the users answer your questions."

even when I put in the same title over and over and over again.

this is the same thing which i am experiencing. IE 7.0 with Vista

[rayphua]

Mine doesn't work either. It does not even do a search. I've tried using both the latest and the one that Dev suggested for the jquery.

[ubuntu-geek]

Scratch this we tracked it down to another plugin..

[bashy]

I cannot replicate this error, mine works fine with the ' character

[Kaleem]

Didt work for me :s

i did all wht it says but whenever i post a new thread nothing happens?

[BellyBelly]

I installed this and then uploaded jquery, but nothing is displaying when I am putting in a title. I have disabled it for now, but would love to enable it if there are any ideas...

[SBlueman]

I love this mod......right now though the similar threads field is showing up at the bottom of my message field. Is there a way to move it? I have a heavily modded site and can't seem to find where the change was made on the template.

BTW, I am running on 3.6.5

[RS25com]

Installed on 3.6.8. Failed when I used the .4 version of jquery, but works PERFECTLY with the linked version in the first post. OP should clarify this to help others.

[vspro]

waiting 4 3.6.8...................

[RS25com]

Originally Posted by vspro

waiting 4 3.6.8...................

This works if you install the linked version of jquery.

However, one question:

Currently it searches for and returns similar posts. It does not return similar threads. As a result, it will sometimes return the same thread 4-5 times, and not include other threads. Can you change this behavior to not include the same thread more than once, or change it so that users can select to search just thread titles?