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.

[silurius]

Originally Posted by tidy_boy

How do I create a form?

Thanks

As Abe has said in this thread, the setup instructions are all in the XML file, although they are spread out a bit and it might require a bit of troubleshooting to master. The general process I followed was:

1. Make a copy of product-form_hack.xml - name the file according to what kind of form you're creating for your own tracking purposes.
2. Edit product id to correspond with what you are creating
3. Edit title & description ""
4. Edit $formname "" (no spaces or weird characters, underscore is ok)
5. Study the "Customize Variables" section (begins at line 229 I think).
- You can leave any variables you don't plan to use there
6. Edit the "Usergroups Allowed" section according to your needs (line 273)
7. If you plan to create more than one form, edit the Templates section (starts @ line 278)
8. Continue editing the options that follow as needed.
9. Save & upload the product.
10. Call the form using http://www.YOURSITE.com/forum/newthread.php?do=[whatever you put as $formname]

It only took a couple of tries before I got the hang of it and it works like a champ.

[tidy_boy]

Thanks mate I see what you mean about getting the hang of it.

Can you have image uploads on the forms as well

[Abe1]

Originally Posted by tidy_boy

Thanks mate I see what you mean about getting the hang of it.

Can you have image uploads on the forms as well

Use the option to farward your users to the edit post page.

[silurius]

Originally Posted by Abe1

Use the option to farward your users to the edit post page.

Although the button for it is not actually shown, using in the WYSIWYG box has worked for me.

But because my submissions go to a private area, I'm still on the lookout for an upload feature which does not require that the user visit the forum where their post ended up.

[Noonster]

Would it be possible to add a paypal field to it so they can actually pay via the form??

IE....
- Complete form with details needed, name, address etc...
- Then at the end is a payment box where they enter their paypal email addy and it sends the money to our paypal account and the form is then pm/emailed to an admin as normal.

That would be great and your help much appreciated!

Cheers
Daz

[apdcanari]

Originally Posted by JayJ

Any ideas why I am encountering the following error?

"No Thread specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator"

showthread.php?p=

It does not seem to want to post nor redirect me.

Hello,

I have the same error.

Can you help me, please ?

Thanks,

C?dric :ermm:

[Abe1]

Originally Posted by apdcanari

Hello,

I have the same error.

Can you help me, please ?

Thanks,

C?dric :ermm:

Was the thread created?

[apdcanari]

My config

Thanks,

Cédric :ermm:

[utw-Mephisto]

Great hack and it works like a charm, however, configuration could be easier through a gui, automatic template creation when using more than one form would be better and the created thread could look a bit better too

But this are just my .5c

[Abe1]

Originally Posted by apdcanari

My config


Thanks,

C?dric :ermm:

Does the thread get created?