Trader Ratings v1.2.0

Trader Ratings - A user feedback hack
Copyright ?2004 Jason Rabel, All Rights Reserved.
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Latest TR Verson: 1.2.0
vB Versions: 3.0.0 - 3.0.9
Author: Jason Rabel
Contact: PM me here, I'll respond.
Site: EXTREME Overclocking
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Updates:
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1.2.0 - September 4, 2004
- Added Trader Ratings Stats Page (finally!)
- Added PM notification when someone receives feedback
- Changed how positive feedback percentage score is calculated (bugfix)
- Ability to "close" the Trader Ratings pages (for maintainence or whatever) - TRATING_CLOSED
- Ability to set the URL field when submitting feedback to required or optional - TRATING_REQ_URL

1.1.0 - June 7, 2004
- Added time-based user edit/delete abilities, set via TRATING_UEDIT constant in traderratings.php file
- Userdate field is now an int field to be consistent with vBulletin
- Userrating field changed to tinyint to save space
- Fixed timeframes for showing historical ratings
- Made some various code consolidation
- Added missing ".TABLE_PREFIX." statement
- Templates.txt file shows code for postbit & MEMBERINFO, with conditional examples
- All 3 templates changed heavily
- Added some more phrases & fixed missing phrases

1.0.1 - June 2, 2004
- Fixed a "divide by zero" display error
- Postbit template fixed so guests do not have a trader rating

1.0.0 - June 1, 2004
- Initial Public Release

Description:
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Trader Ratings has evolved from my vB2 Buy/Sell/Trade User Rating System. This is a rating system for when members buy / sell / trade items from each other (presumably on a FS section of your forum). It is based on the honor system since there is no way to truly tell if they did engage in a transaction. (But I'm working on a way to fix that.) Trader Ratings came about because it was a pain to try and maintain a single thread listing good / bad traders and so far has worked out quite well.

Features:
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? Rate another member: Positive / Negative / Neutral
? Specify Buyer, Seller, or Trade
? Leave comments about the deal
? Records date when rating created
? Specify a URL to the deal
? Display ratings over time
? Filter based on Buyer/Seller/Trade/or feedback they left for others
? Users can edit/delete ratings left for others (time based limitation)
? Admins & Mods can edit/delete anyone's ratings (just incase)
? Stats page showing best & worst rated members, and recent ratings
? PM notification when a person is rated

Basic Info:
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I haven't written a FAQ or any real documentation yet, but the way the system works is very simple. The only part that might confuse someone is that the Feedback Score is based only on UNIQUE members. Also, there are simple checks in place to make sure they actually do select proper info and enter a comment. A user is not able to rate themself (obviously). Permissions for viewing / rating are similar to standard forum viewing / posting permissions. Also it checks to make sure users exist and all that good stuff.

Installation Info:
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This hack is very simply to implement requiring only:
? 1 new file
? 5 new templates / 2-3 template changes (navbar, posbit/postbit_legacy, MEMBERINFO, memberlist_resultsbit)
? 52 new phrases
? 1 new DB table / 1 table DB change & index

An install/upgrade PHP file is included to do all the template/phrase/DB stuff, so basically you run that, upload the file, and edit your postbit template. BAM!

Screen Shots / Demos:
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See Screenshots below, or you can view them on my forums: My Trader Rating Page

Standard Disclaimer:
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BACKUP YOUR DATABASE & FILES BEFORE IMPLEMENTING THIS HACK!!!

Forums Using This Hack:
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EXTREME Overclocking Forums
i-Club -- Forums
Accord Tuner
NSX Prime
Honda-Acura.net
Guns Network
PimpRig

(PM me your forum if you want me to add you to the list)

Donations:
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This hack will always be free, however your donations are kindly accepted and will help towards further development. If you donate, please leave me some info (either your forum site or username at vB.org) so that I can thank you.


Plans For Future Releases:
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? rebuttal / followup comments
? item description (possibly instead of thread url)
? button on thread that buyer/seller clicks to tie the transaction to two people

[n_wattam]

Hi, first i would like to say this hack rocks.

################### postbit, postbit_legacy, MEMBERINFO ###################

- Add somewhere:

<if condition="$post['userid']"><div>postbit2 Trader Rating: (<a href="traderratings.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$post[userid]">$post[ratetradetotal]</a>)</div></if>

I have made the above change to the 3 locations... however i cant find where the postbit_lagacy is displayed in the forum its self??

Cheers

[PranK]

Hey Guys,

Sorry about this, but my trader ratings has broken.

I have checked and dbl checked all the templates, re-uploaded traderratings.php in binary and have pulled 3/4 of my hair out.... now i am begging for help.

The main page displays fine - http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/for...ings.php?u=124

But if you want to leave feedback - http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/for...24&do=feedback

The source of that page is 100% empty.... i dont know whats going on.

Thanks for any assistance.

Christian

[n_wattam]

I would like to make the URL FIELD when submitting feedback a required one.. this is so we can track and moderate the system easier...

Can you please tell me where and what code to add for this...

Cheers.

[Freezerator]

Originally Posted by PranK

Hey Guys,

Sorry about this, but my trader ratings has broken.

I have checked and dbl checked all the templates, re-uploaded traderratings.php in binary and have pulled 3/4 of my hair out.... now i am begging for help.

The main page displays fine - http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/for...ings.php?u=124

But if you want to leave feedback - http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/for...24&do=feedback

The source of that page is 100% empty.... i dont know whats going on.

Thanks for any assistance.

Christian

I had the same problem, and i fixed it by putting the templates of traderratings in the right style. Are you sure there in the right style?

[Freezerator]

Originally Posted by n_wattam

I would like to make the URL FIELD when submitting feedback a required one.. this is so we can track and moderate the system easier...

Can you please tell me where and what code to add for this...

Cheers.

Edit your traderratings.php

In the first bit of the code you will find this option:

// Require users to enter a URL when submitting feedback
define('TRATING_REQ_URL', 0);

Set it to 1 to require url

[PranK]

Originally Posted by Freezerator

I had the same problem, and i fixed it by putting the templates of traderratings in the right style. Are you sure there in the right style?

yeah they are.

i can also see the summary page and peoples specific feedback, but just not leave the feedback.

[n_wattam]

Originally Posted by Freezerator

Edit your traderratings.php

In the first bit of the code you will find this option:

// Require users to enter a URL when submitting feedback
define('TRATING_REQ_URL', 0);

Set it to 1 to require url

Ah, cheers for that.. very greatfull, all working now

[RS25com]

Here's a problem I noticed.

I have a user who had some bad deals, so he got some negative feedback. However, he also had some good deals as well. The problem is that he had more good than bad deals, so he still has a +2 rating. If people don't look at his rating in detail, they may think he's good to go and purchase from him, even though he may be committing fraud.

The solution would be to change the way the ratings are calculated. Instead of just +1 or -1, it would be smarter to do it like eBay does - 100% less any negative marks. In this case, he might have 4 good and 2 bad. Instead of having a +2 rating, he would have a 66% rating, where everyone else would have 100%.

How hard would it be to change the way this hack does the math? I would be very interested in seeing it like this.

Besides, people are used to how eBay works, so this would make a lot more sense to more people.

[RS25com]

Okay, I tried to make the 100% score thing work by changing the math:

In traderratings.php, on line 460

Old: $tradeall = $userinfo[tradepos] + $userinfo[tradeneu] + $userinfo[tradeneg];

New: $userinfo[tradescore] = 100 / $userinfo[tradepos] + $userinfo[tradeneg] * $userinfo[tradepos];

The problem is that I get a division by zero error on the traderratings.php page. However, I believe the math is correct. Now how can I make this work? I'm no PHP programmer so I'm gonna have a very hard time making that work.

So what is the @$userinfo[tradepcnt] = (1 - ($userinfo[tradeneg] / $tradeall) ) * 100; line for? Does that do what I want already? (line 465)

[Cyn]

Originally Posted by RS25com

Here's a problem I noticed.

I have a user who had some bad deals, so he got some negative feedback. However, he also had some good deals as well. The problem is that he had more good than bad deals, so he still has a +2 rating. If people don't look at his rating in detail, they may think he's good to go and purchase from him, even though he may be committing fraud.

The solution would be to change the way the ratings are calculated. Instead of just +1 or -1, it would be smarter to do it like eBay does - 100% less any negative marks. In this case, he might have 4 good and 2 bad. Instead of having a +2 rating, he would have a 66% rating, where everyone else would have 100%.

How hard would it be to change the way this hack does the math? I would be very interested in seeing it like this.

Besides, people are used to how eBay works, so this would make a lot more sense to more people.

The percentage certainly seems more informative. I'd prefer it. :thumbsup