[3.0.0 beta 5] Read your members Private Messages

* Users tested this on beta 5,6,7,gamma,rc1 and didn't complain about errors *

/*================================================= =====================*\
|| This IS the First vB3 Hack (PM.PHP)
|| Description: Allow Super Administrators to read Private Messages
||
|| Author : Scott (scott@vbulletin.com) (version 1.0 for beta 3)
|| SideKick : Xiphoid (info@vBulletin.nl) (version 1.1 for beta 5)
||
|| Install : Upload to admincp/ folder and in browser run as
|| http://www.yoursite.com/forum/admincp/pm.php?userid=x
\*================================================ ======================*/

ENJOY
(and thank you Scott)

[JTMON]

yes being able to do this with 3 fewer clicks is so much MORE a privacy invation...

[o1dirtydog]

Originally Posted by floris

Hi there everybody:

Beta hack:
Because it works with rc1, I think I can post it. Also, who cares for which version I release a hack.

Privacy:
This has been discussed, if you don't need it: Don't use it!
I personally think none of the messages on a forum are private, because they are stored plain text in the database. I really like it how IPB calls them Personal Messages.

Having said that, it is up to the administrator of each individual forum to process the data from their members as they see fit. I don't think it requires a warning prior to registration. If a user decides to abuse the services / priveledges of a site by using the PM system to spam. The admin can use all means (tools) through the admin control panel to avoid this. They can prune pm's too, why not check up first to see if the user is really spamming and then removing the msgs. It becomes a privacy issue when the admin starts to use it to read all the msgs for personal enlightment. But either way, doing through by pulling them manually from the database in a less clear overview, or through a handy tool. I'd like to save time and use a handy tool (when I check up on spammers).

Regardless;
Thank you for the feedback and enjoy the hack.

I have to agree with that 120%! I will never use the hack just to sit there and read private conversation between my users but when you have a new register who you see is online PMing people with 3 posts, you have to wonder what's being sent around by this unknown person.


I usually would go delete all sent and and incoming PM's just to be safe. But what if he was asking a innocent question? Who would ever know. Well this tool let's me answer that question ASAP. If the PM's are innocent, then no harm no foul. But if not, as the admin I think I have every write to handle the situation and take care of the sent PM's.


A very useful tool... thanks for putting this up.

[OllieRocks]

i have installed it thanks

[Divokymuz]

i get a problem with the hacks.

it works fine, without the quotings.

everything inside the qoute tags is not displayed.
anybody with en idea for this ?

[Murphinator]

Hmmm, I added a user list to the front page, I was going to add pagination but I got lazy :-p

[BoYagoob]

Thanks alot for the useful hack ..

[Ben6308]

Great hack, but one request. Is it possible to display who they sent a message to when viewing the sent items?? It would require deserializing the touserarray.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

There are other hacks that do this.

[jokerz]

Warning: Cannot use a scalar value as an array in /admincp/pm.php on line 61

[jokerz]

How do I fix it? See my error as above.