Completely private threads

This is an "upgrade" to my previous "private threads" hack. I am releasing it as a new hack because some people would not want the "completely private" functionality and because the code is different.

Special thanks go to RMS10 who sponsored this hack and decided it should be public and for everyone to test.

A private thread is either:

* A thread that some selected users/usergroups can view
* A thread that some some selected users/usergroups cannot view, everybody else can
* The thread can be hidden from other users/usergroups at the user's will

How does it work?

When the user creates a thread he will be given the option to type users or usergroups and to limit posting only to that users or for that users to be excluded from the threads.

The disallowed users cannot see the thread in the forumdisplay page, they cannot search for it, the cannot view it even if they know the direct url (a message error appears to them). It is unavailable to them.

If a thread is private guests canot see it, otherwise a user can just log off your forum to see the thread. You have to be validated in the forum with proper permissions to see the thread.

Administrators can always see private thread, even if the user selected to exclude administrators.


If you installed the previous private thread hack please uninstall it (reverse the file and template edits) to properly install this one.

Info for hackers:
You may modify, improve, upgrade, redistribute this hack, include it
in another hack or yours or translate it provided you do it free of
charge and you distribute it in www.vbulletin.org at least, there is no
need to pm me asking for permission
Some portions of the code are (c) Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

[Dreiko]

Would someone like to port this to 3.5 in conjuntion with the [HTL] & [Normal] Private threads ?

[Ramsesx]

I also wish this hack for 3.5, it,s very useful. Please do it. Thanks

[rnmcd]

The person that developed this hack hasn't responded in a VERY long time. I doubt this will go any further.

[oni0n56]

Could someone please port this hack to 3.5? This is exactly what I need...

[Eikinskjaldi]

I could give porting this hack a shot. Of course, I have little experience with 3.5.x (though plenty with 3.0.x) and the new data manager seems a bit daunting, so it may take a deal of time before it is achieved without file edits.

[Tralala]

Some users complain about long-running threads, ask for them to be filed away, locked, deleted or whatever. And yet the participants in that thread want it to continue!

Therefore, I'd also like to see an addition that allowed users to hide a thread from themselves. This would solve lots of conflict on many forums.

[Eikinskjaldi]

This mod has been ported to vB3.5 like so many have asked, it is also undergoing extensive edits.

You'll find it here:
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=109096