Show Thread Enhancements - Limited Guest Viewing -- Motivate Guests to Register

vB4 Users Find the vB4 Version Here.

With vBulletin, forum guests are able to view endless amounts of content without being directly asked or forced to register no matter how many times they come back. The purpose of the Limited Guest Viewing System is to drive in registrations by limiting the number of threads guests are able to view without interruption.

This plugin offers two options which can be used to drive in more registrations. The first option allows you to show a reminder message or advertisement after a guest has viewed a certain number of threads. The second option puts up a roadblock stopping guests from viewing threads altogether after reaching a certain number of views. Both options work together to encourage and ultimately force anonymous visitors to either register or login but can also be used separately based on your individual needs.

Modifications/ Instructions:
Template edits: 1
Plugins: 1 (adds 1 template and several settings)
SQL Queries: 2 [1 insert/update] (optional, with database setting used)

This template hack should take under 5 minutes to implement and customize.

Customizing the content / messages:
To customize which messages appear or what they say, go to vBulletin options, select the ?Limited Guest Viewing System? group and configure the options as desired. Each phase can be modified by adding translation text.

Through the ACP you can enable or disable each option, specify the number of threads that can be viewed before the option is enabled and input any forums you wish to exclude from being blocked.

Search Engine Bots (Spiders):

This plugin is intended to use cookies as a result few if any bots will be impacted when it comes to spidering your site [bots do not generally use cookies]. Users with IP logging enabled face more potential impact from spiders. For a full explanation of the impact on bots please read the install file. Questions about this issue should be asked after the install file will be read otherwise responses will direct you to read the file.

IP/ Database Logging:
As of version 2.0 this addon now allows for IP logging via mySQL instead of just using cookies. IP logging tracks visitors by IP address stopping issues associated with cookie clearing making the system more secure. This is optional and is turned off by default (adds a read-and insert/update query).

There are 3 possible downsides of this option you should be aware of.

1. The system adds an additional query and update every time a guest views a thread which adds to your server load.
2. Some users on ISPs like AOL share IPs and could be forced to register without being able to access any threads.
3. While spiders often change IPs and are specifically excluded (by hostmask) from the addon this is not absolute and it is possible they could be blocked. See the install file for more on this.

Welcome headers compatibility:
The Limited Guest Viewing is designed to work with the Welcome Headers System version 3.6 without any conflict. If you are using the notices system in 3.7 there is the possibility of duplicating messages.

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by Sea Shepherd

Thanks MrNase, seems i failed to do that.
All good now...

Still doesnt work with DB logging but it seems to be working with it switched off.

Cheers.

Chances are your forum's mysql account doesn't have access to create tables. Please reinstall the plugin using this version which will display any errors and help me diagnose the issue.

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by Danial_Faster

Please update to 3.8 Stable.

This is in the 3.8 forum flagged for 3.8...

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by Rene Kriest

Any changes for 3.8?

Nope. IP Logging came out a few weeks ago and is included in this version as well. While vB 3.8 adds some features to vB it doesn't have many core code changes so the addon is the same as it was for 3.7. However if I don't repost it people get very, very confused.

[doraj]

Hello Ted, congratulations

How is the effect of this Mod with Spider, Search Engines..?

For spider are there limitations?

Example..If a Google Spider with a xxxxx IP, read many threads on forum..it will have limitations to read other topics or not?

Thanks!

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by doraj

Hello Ted, congratulations

How is the effect of this Mod with Spider, Search Engines..?

For spider are there limitations?

Example..If a Google Spider with a xxxxx IP, read many threads on forum..it will have limitations to read other topics or not?

Thanks!

Please read the main description and install file which explain exactly this.

[Sunka]

Installed....Thanks

[ViViD]

Hello ,
Is it possible to do this like (deviantart.com) optionally so every 10 page the user surfs a page appears showing a message or an adv. then asks the user to continue surfing the site by clicking the link ... ?

[Ted S]

ViVid,

That's not exactly how the addon works out of the box but modifying the functionality to do that wouldn't be terribly difficult. Basically you would use the takeover function to show the ad and then create a link to a new function which does not currently exist that when clicked would reset the cookie and ip records to 0 allowing the user to continue on. If you wanted this to happen for all users and not just guests you would have to make a few more tweaks to the code.

[TheArve]

Thanks for this,, really appreciate ur time taken,

CHeers

thearve

[Megatr0n]

Hi Ted,

Still having the same issues with this hack.