Custom Avatars as Files (updated for vBulletin 2.2.2)

Updated for vBulletin 2.2.2, 5th February 2002

Since there has been so much demand for this, I wrote a hack that will allow you to store all your custom avatars as files, rather than in the mySQL database.



Doing this will have the following benefits:

• Avatars folder can be protected by .htaccess (Apache only) to prevent bandwidth stealing
• No SQL queries or PHP code required to display custom avatars - server load decreases
• No cacheing issues with Internet Explorer 5.5, so server bandwidth use should decrease

The install script will make the necessary modifications to your database, install a control panel option to switch the file-based avatars on, and convert your existing custom avatars from the database into files.

All avatar options that are present when using the standard mySQL avatar system are still present, and users will not notice a difference in the interface.

Full instructions for altering your PHP files are included in the zip file.

Once you have made the necessary modifications to the PHP scripts, you should run the enclosed install_favatar.php script from your admin/ folder.

[kontrabass]

Regarding your 2.2.2 update:

I think there's an error under the /admin/user.php section - the first string of code to look for is listed twice with different instructions under each occurance:

// read file
$filesize=@filesize($filename);

[TECK]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jawelin

No. Your version, along with this one, doesn't work on v2.2.x as it has copied code from 2.0.3 and pasten over 2.2.1 code without changing anything, even the underlying code is much different !

That should be the right end of a very uncomfortable story ?

Thnx

[Kier]

Originally posted by kontrabass
Regarding your 2.2.2 update:

I think there's an error under the /admin/user.php section - the first string of code to look for is listed twice with different instructions under each occurance:

// read file
$filesize=@filesize($filename);

You're absolutely right... I've updated the readme file now, thanks

[kontrabass]

Sorry to be a pest, but I'm still seeing the discrepancy in the readme, under /admin/user.php with the same 2 instances of code....

[Kier]

I'm not sure how you can have checked the new readme, as it's contained within the zip, and that shows only one download at this time, and that download was me...

Download it again, making sure you don't get a cached copy, and try again.

[kontrabass]

Thanks - I was getting a cached copy. All set now

[mvigod]

I've been watching this one for a long time...thanks for finally getting to the update on it!

marc

[Jawelin]

Originally posted by nakkid
hmmm... any mods can check the veridity and close cocomiel's thread? this is the worst part.. to steal someone else's hard work and stamp it as yours.

Actually Cocomiel, at later time, put on his first post something like 'UPDATE to Kier's hack'....
I think the most annoying theme was such a never-ending contest.
Very very grateful to Kier for his updated work, most of all for having stopped the sequel.
Thanks

[TECK]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jawelin

Actually Cocomiel, at later time, put on his first post something like 'UPDATE to Kier's hack'....
I think the most annoying theme was such a never-ending contest.
Very very grateful to Kier for his updated work, most of all for having stopped the sequel.
Thanks

[kontrabass]

One more thing: I think you should make a mention in the readme about how a custom_avatars directory needs to exist and have 777 permissions. Also that the .php script needs to be in /admin. I was able to find the instructions to do so in the old readme that someone attached to this thread, but not in the new.

Thanks for the hack - it's working great.