Selective Forum Filter

I no longer support my hacks. Please feel free to update them and release new versions elsewhere as long as I get the credit for the original modification.

/*================================================= =====================*\
|| Selective Forum Filter
||
|| Author : Anton Kanevsky
|| Co-Author(s) : Andreas
|| Works on : vBulletin 3.5.x - 3.8.x
|| Released : May 31, 2009
||
|| Time required to install: 30 seconds
|| Difficulty: easy
\*================================================ ======================*/

DESCRIPTION

Ever came across large boards with a huge number of sub forums? Couldn't find your info? Wanted to run away from that huge load of stupid threads? This hack is intended to save your users from having such a horrible experience. It provides them with an opportunity to exclude any number of forums from the forums list (as well as from "get new"/"get daily" searches), which still letting them to access those forums directly and search within them, too.

STATISTICS

Products to Install: 1


INTRODUCTION

To enable "can be excluded" in all forums, run this query:
UPDATE PFXforum SET excludable = 1
To disable "can be excluded" in all forums, run this query:
UPDATE PFXforum SET excludable = 0
In both cases, PFX must be replaced with the actual table prefix that you have defined in config.php.
If you have not defined a prefix, remove PFX from the queries.
After you run either one of these queries, you must then open and save any one forum for the forum cache to be updated.

VERSION HISTORY

1.1.0
[+] The hack is now compatible with vBulletin 3.5.x - 3.8.x.
[+] Eliminated all template edits.

1.0.2
[+] The hack is now compatible with vBulletin 3.6.
[+] Corrected a couple of mistakes in the installation manual.

1.0.1
[+] Added option to set forums as excludable. By default, excludability of all forums is disabled.

1.0.0
First Public Release

The installation manual is contained within the attached file.

IF YOU LIKE MY HACK, PLEASE CLICK INSTALL

[Vindicator]

Ok, I want users to be able to exclude certain forums from the "New Posts" facility. Yuor hack does this but it also hides the forum from the list which I do not want. Can the facility be enabled/disabled and if not can you please point me towards KirbyDE's original hack please? (doesn't appear on this forum)

Edited: Don't worry, found hack under Andreas username

[tandy]

Installed for the second time on a fresh installed vB 3.54, everything seem to work in the database, but no forum excluded, still view all of them.


Ok, i found the reason...

SQL Query:
UPDATE PFXforum SET excludable = 1


To disable excludable in all forums, run this query:
SQL Query:
UPDATE PFXforum SET excludable =0 "Must be Zero instead of one"

[yj_enquirer]

Hiya.. woz wondering if this will work in 3.6.0?

[ChrisBaktis]

Can someone tell me how to get the info I need to replace PFX with?

[ze_roberto]

In the Database. Try to replace it with nothing as a first shot (just delete PFX).

By the way: works on 3.6.1 on my testboard.

The bad news is that the forums still show in the latest thread of an vbadvanced portal and thing like vbispy...

cheers, ze

[McMendo]

Installed (click) on 3.6.2 and working just fine.

Originally Posted by tandy

Ok, i found the reason...

SQL Query:
UPDATE PFXforum SET excludable = 1


To disable excludable in all forums, run this query:
SQL Query:
UPDATE PFXforum SET excludable =0 "Must be Zero instead of one"

The install instructions are still wrong.

[JohnBee]

How do we find our table prefixes?
I tried:

UPDATE PFXforum SET exludable = 1
UPDATE forum SET exludable = 1

both gave me error number: 1054
error desc: Unknown column 'exludable' in 'field list'

[JohnBee]

Okay I figured it out, the modification instructions have a few typos in it.
Also, I'm not sure on the entire effectiveness of this hack. While it does filter out forums if your running any addons such as 'Number of unread posts' it does not really filter them out, it only confused people because the no. of unread posts is still shown but when they hit the link to view them, they get an error page.

I would really like to see this modification expanded on though. It sounds like a great addon.

[akanevsky]

The table prefix is what you specified in config.php.

Also, I'm not sure on the entire effectiveness of this hack. While it does filter out forums if your running any addons such as 'Number of unread posts' it does not really filter them out, it only confused people because the no. of unread posts is still shown but when they hit the link to view them, they get an error page.

The modification is designed as a hack for vBulletin, not for other hacks.

[TosaInu]

Originally Posted by tom w

Same problems here as 4yBak. Tried both '1' & '0', but neither populates the forum list in User CP.

<later that same day...>
I did discover that if you "save display order" in Forum Manager, Options starts displaying the forum list.

Thank you, fixed it for me.