New Posting Features - [Ajax] Check for similar thread before posting a new one

You love the 'similar threads' function and you are sick of duplicate threads just because your users don't use the search function?

Why not just combine them?

This Add-on will grab the thread title the user typed in and it will load a small box (using Ajax magic ) with 5 similar threads just like the 'similar threads' function that you can normally find under an already posted thread.

The box also tells the user to search through the similar threads first BEFORE starting a new one.


Features:
- no edits whatsoever needed, just import the product file, enable the Add-on and it works (well, it should )
- you can turn it off for certain forums or
- you can turn it off completely without leaving any code that messes your templates/files
- it can be translated
- don't like it anymore? Remove the product and you'll never see that Add-on again


Known issues:
- none


Things to consider:
It uses jQuery to get the information from ajax.php. jQuery is great and you can do many great things with it and unlike the vBulletin method it's quite easy to understand.
The jQuery file is compressed and only 20kb large.
To download the file, visit the homepage at http://jquery.com/
The link to download the file is on the right hand side.

Here's the version I use: http://code.google.com/p/jqueryjs/do....1.3.1.pack.js

Just download it and put it into the 'clientscript' folder without renaming the file.


Installation:
Download jQuery as described above.
Import the attached file using the Product Manager. Go to your vBulletin settings and search for 'Check for similar threads?'. Enable it.


Important:
It adds 2 new templates, it changes 1 template and it edits 2 files. I highly doubt that it will break you vBulletin but do a back-up and be on the safe side.



Version history:
1. initial release
2. current release
*** fixed some browser issues. The attached file is up to date.





How to fix the Opera problems in the first release:
The first release of this Add-on didn't work on Opera. To fix the problems, please follow these steps:
Open the template 'mrnasesimilarthreadcheck_header' and REPLACE the content with this code:

    <script type="text/javascript" src="clientscript/jquery-1.1.3.1.pack.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        $(function(){
            $("#inputthreadtitle").bind("blur", function(){
                var value =$(this).val(); 
                $('td#similarthreadcheckcontent').html('<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/13x13progress.gif" />');
                $.ajax({
                    type: "GET",
                    url: "ajax.php",
                    data: "do=getsimilarthreads&title="+value,
                    success: function(msg){
                        $('td#similarthreadcheckcontent').html(msg);
                         }
                });
            });
        });
    </script>

The attached file is up to date.


Support will only given to those who have clicked 'install'.

[BadgerDog]

Anyone?

Is it possible to make the display box of similar threads wider somehow? On our system, the date/time part of the post line is all "scrunched" up and compressed under itself. Another inch or so wider and it would display better.

Thanks

Regards,
Badger

[MrNase]

I tried already tried that and I didn't get it to work.

[exportforce]

It only shows me that if you enter a Title it will search, but it does nothing
Don't know what to do.

[minimalize]

same problem for me! It doesn´t search anything. Plugin is activated.

System: FF 2 & Vista

[jasculs]

This is a very awesome mod.

I have the open local links in same window modification on my forum. For this mod is there any way I can have the searched similar threads show up in a new window when clicked while still having my other local links throughout my forum still open in the same window?

Here is the mod I'm using:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=130966

[TheMilkCarton]

That's not the Local Links mod's fault.

This plugin would need to be fixed.

[jasculs]

nevermind...I figured it out...it was much easier then I thought.

[TheMilkCarton]

For anyone who hasn't figured it out:

showthread_similarthreadbit_ajax

Find:

<a href="showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=$simthread[threadid]" title="$simthread[preview]">$simthread[title]</a>

Replace:

<a href="showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=$simthread[threadid]" title="$simthread[preview]" target="_blank">$simthread[title]</a>

[morrow]

Installed. Nice mod, but a question... It seems that if I enter in a certain phrase to search for, it only brings up a small handful of threads that are indeed related, but it does leave out some of the newer threads. Why is that?

[MrNase]

morrow: It uses the vBulletin default function to find similar threads. In fact I didn't even touch the function because it was working just right.

The function gives each similar thread a number, the higher the number the higher the similarities. You can't control it directly but there are some vBulletin settings that might help you.
They're hidden under the search settings. It's basically everything that has to do with the similar threads but I can't give you the exact settings because I don't have an english vBulletin.