Welcome Thread Created on Members first post

Product Name:
Welcome Thread Created on Members first post

Product Description:
This Hack/Product creates a new "welcome post" when a member posts for the first time. You can choose to either create a new thread in a welcome forum or create the post in an existing thread. The user's original first post can also be modified, allowing you to link to their "welcome post".

I have only tested this package install on 3.5.4. Please post if you successfully (or unsuccessfully) install this under any other 3.5 versions.

This Hack was created as a generic way to post "welcome threads" for all types of registration situations: wide open, authentication, approval, etc. It also keeps the number of welcome threads down somewhat by never posting one for users that register and never post. Lurkers can still register and lurk.

This Hack was inspired by amykhar, PaulM, Andreas, and others and leans heavily on their previous work. This is my first attempt at a packaged, released hack so I hope they will help me out if I screwed anything up

Contents:
This package includes:
1 Plugin:
"Welcome Post and First post modify": Code to create the "welcome thread" and modify the user's original post via templates.

3 Templates:
welcome_thread: The text of the "welcome thread" created.
welcome_title: The title of the "welcome thread" created.
welcome_addon: The text to be added on to the members original first post.

3 Option/Setting:
welcomeforum: (group "Welcome New Users Options"): The forumid of the forum where the welcome threads will be created. A "0" passes control to the welcomethread option.

welcomethread: (group "Welcome New Users Options"): The threadid of the thread where the welcome posts will be created. This option is ignored if the welcomeforum option is set. Setting both welcomethread and welcomeforum options to "0" disables the creation of welcome posts entirely (though modification of the original post may still occur)

welcomeposter: (group "Welcome New Users Options"): The userid of the user that will post the welcome message. If this setting is "0", the welcome post will be poster as the new user.

Installation Instructions:
Step 1: Import the product .xml file (attached here)

Step 2: Change the "welcomeforum" option or the "welcomethread" option to the correct welcomeid or threadid where you wish the welcome messages to be created. "welcomeforum" takes precedence over "welcomethread". Set both to zero if you wish to disable the creation of welcome posts.

TIP: An easy way to get the forumid or threadid number is to put your cursor over the forum or thread you want to use and read the link information in the bar at the bottom of your browser. Look at the "t=xxx" for threads or "f=xxx" for forums.

Step 3: Set "welcomeposter" to the userid of the user you wish to post the welcome message. If this setting is set to "0", the welcome post will be posted as the new user. The default for this setting is "0".

Step 4: Modify the 3 templates to your taste. The sample templates show how to make both the welcome thread and the modified first post point back to each other.

Step 5: Enjoy.

Version History:
version 0.9 - Initial release

• Initial public release

version 0.91

• added welcomethread option and functionality
• code cleanup and template cleanup

version 0.92

• added welcomeposter option and functionality
• code cleanup and template cleanup

[sinaluna]

Here's hoping I posted this hack correctly :beard:

Ill try to support this as best I can, at least until we get all the bugs worked out of it. Please let me know if there are any bugs in the installation or in the code.

[Ziki]

Cool hack
~Ziki clicks install~

[FleaBag]

Looks good! I didn't want one that would post the thread when the user joins due to the number of no-returners. Cheers!

[XanTrax]

Hmm I understand what this does but do you have a link where I can demo this personally. Please PM if you can/like.

[sinaluna]

Originally Posted by XanTrax

Hmm I understand what this does but do you have a link where I can demo this personally. Please PM if you can/like.

Only have this installed on a private test forum right now. Will go live this weekend on customer sites this weekend. Ill PM you when its up and going there. And add screenshots then as well.

The templates for the welcome thread and the changes to the original post are VERY simple. I will try to add a better, more attractive template in the next version.

[dsotmoon]

does this post as an automatic reply to the persons first post? just want to make sure i understand what it does

[sinaluna]

Originally Posted by dsotmoon

does this post as an automatic reply to the persons first post? just want to make sure i understand what it does

No, it creates a brand new thread in the forum you specify. I usually create a "Welcome Room" forum and have the welcome threads posted there. The title of that new thread created from template:"welcome_title" and the body of that new thread is created from template:"welcome_thread".

Also, the template:"welcome_addon" is added to the end of their original post. The sample template adds a link to the newly created welcome thread, but you can put whatever you want in there.

Hope this helps. Ill write up better install instructions tonight and modify the description above.

[Tralala]

What user is chosen to "post" this "welcome thread?"

And, can it be modified to create a post in one pre-existing thread? I'd rather have all the welcomes in one thread, rather than lots and lots of individual threads.

[sinaluna]

Originally Posted by Tralala

What user is chosen to "post" this "welcome thread?"

The welcome thread is posted as the new member. This was a so that people can click to see their profile, send them PMs, give them reputation, etc. directly from the welcome thread.

As in the sample templates, you want to be sure that you clearly indicate that this is "Automatically Generated Message".

And, can it be modified to create a post in one pre-existing thread? I'd rather have all the welcomes in one thread, rather than lots and lots of individual threads.

Yes, this can be done. We had problems with some new users being skipped over and not getting "acknowledged" with the single thread. But if there a need for an option to post to a single thread instead of making a new thread, Ill look into the cleanest way to add this to the product.