Miscellaneous Hacks - Hide Online Status of Usergroups/Users

Overview:

This product will give you complete control over who knows who is online. You can select usergroups and users whose online status is hidden from everyone, except members of usergroups and individual users from whom you decide no one will be hidden. When a user's online status is hidden, those from whom it is hidden will never see them shown as online in the "Currently Active Users" section of "What's Going On?" (WGO) or on the "Who's Online" page, or on their profile page or in their postbits.

The time of last activity shown on profile pages of hidden users will be either their last visit time, or time of last post/PM/VM...whichever is the most recent, so as to arouse the least suspicion.

You can also define "Troublesome Users" which are dual sets of users, the first set which is hidden from the second, and if you enable the reciprocity for this setting, the second set will also be hidden from the first. You may define as many dual sets of troublesome users as you want.

Also, you can set whether hidden users are hidden from themselves. If you wish to make it less obvious to users that their online status is being hidden then set this to "No" and if you want hidden users to see that they are hidden, set this to "Yes."

The users you set as those from whom no online status is hidden will see everyone's true online status, regardless of the other settings.

Updates:

Version 1.1:

• Added option to show hidden users as guests.

Version 1.2:

• Bug fixes, and moved hidden users shown as guests to the end of the list on Who's Online.

Compatibility:

Tested and working on VB 3.8.9 and may work on earlier versions of vBulletin.

Backup/Warning:

This product does not alter your database, however it is always good practice to make regular backups and you should make a backup before installing ANY new mod.

As always, products are USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. I will provide support and do my best to help but no absolute guarantee is offered.

To Install:

1. Download and extract the attached .zip file.
2. Follow AdminCP -> Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product.
3. Click on "Choose File" and browse to the product .xml file that was packaged in the .zip file.
4. Click "Import."
5. You MUST enable the product in the settings before it will function.
6. Configure the remaining settings to your liking. Each setting has a detailed explanation of its use.

Support for this product can be found here:

• MHB - Hide Online Status of Usergroups/Users (vB3)
• TAZ - Hide Online Status of Usergroups/Users (vB3)

[In Omnibus]

I can see a positive to this but I also wonder if it might make forums appear less active than they actually are. Does it show hidden users as guests? Or are they simply not anywhere in "Who's Online?"

[MarkFL]

This mod (and the vB 4.2.x version) arose from a request for banned users to not show up as online, and so I extended it.

Hidden users are not counted among guests, they are simply not online as far as those users from whom they are hidden are concerned.

[In Omnibus]

Originally Posted by MarkFL

This mod (and the vB 4.2.x version) arose from a request for banned users to not show up as online, and so I extended it.

Hidden users are not counted among guests, they are simply not online as far as those users from whom they are hidden are concerned.

OK. That gives me a good idea as to how to best implement it.

I'd like this but I have to like something else by someone else before I can like anything else by MarkFL. Because reasons.

[MarkFL]

Originally Posted by ProSportsForums

OK. That gives me a good idea as to how to best implement it.

I'd like this but I have to like something else by someone else before I can like anything else by MarkFL. Because reasons.

I will look into giving the option for hidden users to either simply not be counted (as it is now) or to be counted and shown as a guest. Thank you for your feedback...I depend on user feedback to take ideas and make them much better.

[MarkFL]

Update - Version 1.1:

• Added option to show hidden users as guests.

[MarkFL]

Update - Version 1.2:

• Bug fixes, and moved hidden users shown as guests to the end of the list on Who's Online.

[greigeh]

Well obviously this is amazing since I requested it last week! Thanks a lot Mark for expanding it even more. Perfect plugin with no known issues!