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:

[dawges]

Just wanted to stop by and say thanks again for this mod. I use it daily. I have a few busy forums and I love creating global threads to create a large discussion. You are the best my friend! Thanks again.

[Dogma21cw]

Just a heads up. We have experienced an issue where if you make a thread global and then promote it to a CMS article no one will have permission to view the original thread. Not even superadmins.

Not a big deal really. It is simply fixed by "Don't do that." And it is no issue to just create an article directly.

[Dogma21cw]

Any potential solution to this?

[BirdOPrey5]

I'm sorry I can't reproduce the issue...

This thread global thread was promoted to an article and it's perfectly visible/fine to me and even to guests-

Thread:
http://www.qapla.com/mods/showthread...d-Article-Test

Article:
http://www.qapla.com/mods/content.ph...d-Article-Test

The "Global Thread" is just 1 additional field added to the thread table that the article system would completely ignore. The only thing that makes a global thread global is a change to the query that finds threads in a specific forum- it really shouldn't have anything to do with permissions at all. I'd imagine the issue is coming from somewhere else.

[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.

Badump bump School has kept me from being able to tinker around myself, but it looks like you've been pretty busy too

[cshellworld]

4.2.1 works , thanks, installed , tagged , 5 stars

[Firyou]

Nice mod. I'm having one weird issue where the thread goes global and after a couple of hours it de-globalizes itself. Not sure what's going on

[Alan_SP]

Something similar I had when posting new messages initiated change of global state from on to off.

Check if this happens when you post new posts.

[Firyou]

Originally Posted by Alan_SP

Something similar I had when posting new messages initiated change of global state from on to off.

Check if this happens when you post new posts.

Yup, its because of new posts that are made within the global thread. Anyway to change that?

[Alan_SP]

I think I did manual template edit, but now you have this:

Version 1.1 - Bug-fix for mod log. Added new option to disable checkbox on new posts.

Just disable option in new posts to (un)make thread global.

It was long time ago, but I think this did the trick for me.