Completely private threads

This is an "upgrade" to my previous "private threads" hack. I am releasing it as a new hack because some people would not want the "completely private" functionality and because the code is different.

Special thanks go to RMS10 who sponsored this hack and decided it should be public and for everyone to test.

A private thread is either:

* A thread that some selected users/usergroups can view
* A thread that some some selected users/usergroups cannot view, everybody else can
* The thread can be hidden from other users/usergroups at the user's will

How does it work?

When the user creates a thread he will be given the option to type users or usergroups and to limit posting only to that users or for that users to be excluded from the threads.

The disallowed users cannot see the thread in the forumdisplay page, they cannot search for it, the cannot view it even if they know the direct url (a message error appears to them). It is unavailable to them.

If a thread is private guests canot see it, otherwise a user can just log off your forum to see the thread. You have to be validated in the forum with proper permissions to see the thread.

Administrators can always see private thread, even if the user selected to exclude administrators.


If you installed the previous private thread hack please uninstall it (reverse the file and template edits) to properly install this one.

Info for hackers:
You may modify, improve, upgrade, redistribute this hack, include it
in another hack or yours or translate it provided you do it free of
charge and you distribute it in www.vbulletin.org at least, there is no
need to pm me asking for permission
Some portions of the code are (c) Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

[rnmcd]

I believe you are right...oops.
Thanks for correcting me.

It would be great if someone could preventing the private thread form showing up in the latest thread on forum home.

[Protoman]

does not work with 3.0.6 did all the edits and even worked around the outdated code sections to get everything installed. On new threads the settings weren't stored in the DB nor was I able to admin the threads.

[Mukashi]

Has anyone got this working in 3.0.7? I don't want to install it when it might screw up the system, especially when it seems to be no longer supported.

[TruthElixirX]

I just installed this on a patched 3.0.5 and it took away the button to post new attachtments. Yes, they're enabled. The button that says "Mnage Attachments" is gone. I can look at a style that is completely unedited I can post attachments that way. Does anyone know how I can fix this?

[Lionel]

Originally Posted by Mukashi

Has anyone got this working in 3.0.7? I don't want to install it when it might screw up the system, especially when it seems to be no longer supported.

it works for me on 3.07

[Lionel]

I only wish that in search, instead of displaying a search page with no entries (if only one result and it is private), that it displays a message about that thread being private

[JD210]

Okay, how do you get a private thread from showing up on the portal page? I installed this, and can read the private posts on the portal page.

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by JD210

Okay, how do you get a private thread from showing up on the portal page? I installed this, and can read the private posts on the portal page.

Are there any plans to make this hack 3.5.0-compatible?

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by Singularity

Are there any plans to make this hack 3.5.0-compatible?

And one more question:

Is it possible to enable completely private threads only for a single subforum?

[yoyoyoyo]

this works in 3.0.8, and I added conditionals to the template edits, so only mods and admins can access the feature to post a private thread by adding

<if condition="$show['modcplink']">private threads code goes in here</if>

(obviously your template edits are used instead of "private threads code goes in here")