New Posting Features - Global Threads: The Next Generation for VB4 by BOP5

Brought to you by BirdOPrey5
www.Qapla.com

Version 1.0 - Initial Release
Version: 1.01 - Permissions for Administrators and Super-Mods now work with primary or secondary usergroups.
Version: 1.02 - Added logging actions to moderator logs.
Version: 1.03 - Documentation update only, to be consistent with Gold version.
Version 1.1 - Bug-fix for mod log. Added new option to disable checkbox on new posts.

This mod was inspired by an earlier Global Thread mod I received permission from randominity to update. It is free and is still available here.

That mod however was a port from a VB 3.6 version and was not optimized for VB 4.x. It included a somewhat complicated system of having to make a separate hidden forum for holding the global threads.

My solution was to create a new Global Threads mod, coded from scratch, designed especially for vBulletin 4.x. Therefore I have named this mod, Global Threads: The Next Generation.

This mod is NOT an upgrade from the old mod. You should uninstall the old mod if you will be using this one.

The purpose of this mod is to let an Admin or Super-Mod designate a thread to be a "Global Thread." Global Threads become listed in every forum. A sticky global thread will be sticky in all forums. Non-sticky global threads behave like any other thread, simply visible in every forum.

Clicking on a global thread will open the thread in the forum it is "native" to. An optional message will be displayed in the thread to alert users they are in a global thread.

There is an optional "globe" icon and thread prefix ( Global: ) that can be turned on and off as well as further ways to distinguish global threads from normal threads.

See a Live Demo:

Here is a Global Thread at Qapla.com
You will see it listed in the Demo forum.
But it's also visible in the News & Announcements forum
And in the Talk forum.

In fact it is in a number of Qapla.com forums if you care to look.

This is the free version. The Gold version is available at Qapla.com.

The GOLD version has all the features of the FREE version but 2 additional options:
1) You may choose specific users (by userid) to give Make Global Thread permissions.
2) You may select or restrict Global Threads to specific forums.


This mod is fully phrased for easy translation.

This mod was designed to run on VB 4.1.10 and above. Older versions may require some manual template edits (instructions included.) I have not tested this mod on any version below 4.0.8.

Instructions:

If you want to convert an existing thread to a "Global Thread" open the thread in your browser.

Go to the "Administrative" drop down menu at the top of the thresd.

Click on the option to "Make Thread Global" and click on "Proceed.:"

The thread will be made global and you will be returned to the thread.

To undo a global thread go to the same menu and choose the option "Undo Global Thread."


If you are creating a new thread or replying to an existing thread (using Advanced Reply) then you can make the thread global in one step.

Before submitting your message scroll down to "After you submit your message..." and the top option should be "Make Thread Global"

Check this box before submitting the message to make the thread a Global Thread.

If it's already a Global Thread then simply uncheck the box "Keep Threas Global" to undo the global status after submitting the message.

Note: This option is available only to Admins and Super-mods. Normal users never see the "Moderation Options" menu.

Please Mark as Installed if you use this.
Donations Always Appreciated. :up:

[Igor.Gabrielan]

Purchased, installed, and now I think, and can be made ​​visible thread T1 in forums F1, F2, and thread T2 visible in the forums F3, F4?
Or can not do?
If not, I bought this hack by mistake, and I do not need.

And if you use this hack, first set the display area in the forums by F1 and F2, then display a thread T1, then change the display area to forums F3 and F4, and display a thread T2? Thread T1 also jump from the forums F1, F2 to forums F3, F4?

Jump! No fix those! So it was not good enough!

And this can not be improved?
Or make a separate control threads, or at least give them the opportunity to fix, not to jump when you change the display area?

[Igor.Gabrielan]

Preferably not in the admin cp, but in the thread to ask where it will be displayed.

[Alan_SP]

This is feature request and I hope that author will make it. :up:

[BirdOPrey5]

This mod is not designed to choose which forums individual threads show in, sorry. I do not anticipate adding this feature in the future either, it would be a major coding change.

Just to be clear- in the free version global thread show in ALL forums. In the paid version you can restrict forums but the same settings apply to all threads. For example if you didn't want global threads to show in moderator forums or sponsor's forums.

[Action-N]

Just found your other version an had it installed with a custom forum for threads. Didn't think that was to bad of an idea helps keep track of what you have. Then noticed this version an have this working off the custom forum. What I'm not understanding is why doesn't the global thread act like a sticky by default? I see your description it was by design, but what use would there be for a normal post being global. So I have it global an sticky with global prefix off so they show as just stickies on every forum. It works perfect like that an I really appreciate this mod. I made a forum rules post an wanted it everywhere but was having to copy to each forum. Needless to say I didn't get far doing it that way.

This is the second mod of yours I've found this weekend that is major bonus to my website. The sidebar anywhere is great when filling up sparce pages like activity stream or FAQ.

[John Lester]

Joe I have a suggestion / request for an additional feature. I would love to see a selection of expiration times for the global threads. For example I'd love to be able to put a 1 week, 2 week, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, or never expiration date on the thread so when the thread expires it turns into a normal thread in the forum it was posted in.

[BirdOPrey5]

This is a good suggestion, one I will seriously consider implementing but not sure when that will be. I will let you know if/when i do.

[Toorak Times]

Is this good to go in 4.2.1 BOP? Looks extremely useful for me as I have feature writers that want their own Forum but write a variety of topics in their own subforums and it would be great to be able to move their threads to a suitable Topic forum.

[BirdOPrey5]

Working fine for me on 4.2.1.

[John Lester]

Originally Posted by John Lester

Joe I have a suggestion / request for an additional feature. I would love to see a selection of expiration times for the global threads. For example I'd love to be able to put a 1 week, 2 week, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, or never expiration date on the thread so when the thread expires it turns into a normal thread in the forum it was posted in.

Just a bump