Integration with vBulletin - vBulletin Tweet Poster!

Brought to you by Milad's vBulletin Services!

Click install to receive support & updates. Please click install before you ask for help!
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Introduction & Description
It's amazing how twitter drives traffic to various websites around the web, so I thought it would be a very good idea to get advantage of it, because Twitter will bring us more traffic and more valuable registrations.

This add-on runs as a scheduled task every ten minutes, and posts the newly posted threads to twitter in the form:
Thread title - preview (if possible) - tiny or full URL.

Threads must be in forums viewable by guests, not private forums.

Features

• 1.0.0
  • Post to twitter using OAuth authentication.
  • You have your own application at twitter, so the tweets will be appeared from your website name. tweet.jpg
  • Only guest-accessible stuff is posted at Twitter.
  • Integrated with bit.ly to shorten the thread URL, giving more space for title and preview.
  • Set it up once, and forget it. twitter's access token doesn't expire, unless you revoke the access permission.
• 1.0.2
  • You can set from which forums the threads will be tweeted. (See the page where you edit the forum info and settings forum_option.jpg)
  • vBSEO compatible (if available), so the URLs are rewritten before they get shortened. This will help to reduce the number of redirects as few as possible.
  • The task prints valuable information when you run it manually, to help you diagnose problems when they happen! healthy_task_messages.jpg
• 1.0.3
  • Non-Unicode forums can use the built-in conversion (to UTF-8) to abide by the requirement of twitter. settings.jpg
  • You can disable the automatic tweeting function, and tweet threads manually right from the first postbit. with user group over which user group can tweet manually postbit_button.jpg Attachment 100845
  • You can set threads from which user group will be tweeted. Attachment 100845
• 1.0.5
  • Scheduled task: Post Hot threads.
  • Check port 443 on installation / upgrade.
  • The product can't be installed if cURL isn't complied into PHP.
  • Update forums / usergroups / permissions cache on successful authorization, to avoid problems with some admins, where caches don't get updated on upgrade!
  • strip_html from the preview text, for forums that enable HTML in posts.
  • Delete tweet if the thread is deleted.
  • Status Message Prefix. settings.jpg
• 1.0.6
  • Option: to remove URLs from preview text (enabled by default).
  • Option: to have only the thread title as a tweet without any part of the message.
  • Added form (in the footer) to allow admins to tweet from any page, right in their forums, with an option to disable it, also it's enabled only for super admins. Attachment 102934

How different is this from twitterfeed.com?

• This hack is not intended to be an alternative to twitterfeed.com, however:
• It may be safer than giving your Twitter-Login to twitterfeed.com (by redlabour)
• Later, this hack will include more options so you have better control over what is posted at twitter. (like post only hot threads, or threads by certain usergroup, etc.)
• You have your own application at twitter, so the tweets will be appeared from your website name, instead of any other service. tweet.jpg

Happy Users of This Product! contact me to add your twitter account.

• @syrianmeds
• @Bullshido
• @Cause4Chaos
• @Hatvertise
• @BatM_AU
• @TalkBritain

Requirements

• Mandatory:
  • vBulletin 3.8.0
  • PHP 5.2.3
  • cURL & OpenSSL compiled to your PHP installation.
  • Twitter account (I've created a dedicated account for my website @syrianmeds)
• Optional (but recommended):
  • bit.ly account to shorten URLs.
  • Your forum's character set must be UTF-8 (required by twitter) or latin with no non-English characters. Alternatively, you can use the iconv built-in function to convert the encoding.

Installation

1. Upload the files to their respective locations.
2. Import the XML product file: product-twitterposter.xml
3. *Optional* go to http://bit.ly/ and register an account there, you need it to shorten the URLs!
   There are two important values here: the login username and the apiKey (you can obtain it from http://bit.ly/account/)
   settings.jpg
4. Register your application at twitter. (You must be already registered as a regular member)
   https://twitter.com/oauth_clients/new
   screenshot1.jpg
   Pay attention to the Callback URL, it must point to the file twitterposter.php in your admincp, ex: http://www.yourdomain.com/forum/admincp/twitterposter.php
5. After registering your application, twitter will provide two values to you (Consumer Key and Consumer Secret), keep them for use in the authorization later.
   screenshot2.jpg
6. Go to vBulletin Tweet Poster -> Authorize.
7. Enter the two values in there appropriate fields and submit (screenshot3.jpg). You will be given a link to twitter.com to authorize this hack (screenshot4.jpg) to post on your behave.
8. You will be redirected to your admincp, and a "Hello World!" message will be posted to your twitter account.

Upgrade

1. Upload the files to their respective locations.
2. Import (Allow Overwrite: Yes!) the XML product file: product-twitterposter.xml
3. Re-authorize the hack, to make sure everything works for you.

Troubleshooting

• Q: I'm not seeing any updates after the one "#vBulletin Tweet Poster by http://services.milado.net/ Hello World! #testoauth".
  A: Please make sure that you have new threads in forums available to guests, otherwise the hack won't post anything.
  After that go to Admincp -> Scheduled Tasks -> Scheduled Task Manager, then find the task "vBulletin Tweet Poster" click run and see if there is any error displayed.
  
• Q: I'm getting the error "Fatal error: Call to undefined function curl_init() in /home/investme/forums/includes/twitterposter/twitteroauth/twitterOAuth.php on line 126"
  A: That error says that you don't have cURL installed on your server. If you have a dedicated server/vps, install and compile curl, if you're on shared/reseller hosting, contact your host and ask if they can install cURL support. (thanks stapler2025 for answering on my behave)
  
• Q: I receive the following error:
  

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  <hash>
  <request>/statuses/update.xml</request>
  <error>Read-only application cannot POST</error>
  </hash>

  A: You have to enable write & read for your application at twitter, so go here, edit your application access setting and request new consumer key and token. If it didn't work, please delete the application, add a new one and use my settings from the screen shots.

Credits
I've used the Twitter's OAuth library, by Abraham Williams | http://abrah.am | @abraham

Change log

• 1.0.0 first public release (beta) Jun, 17th 2009
• 1.0.1 (beta) Jun, 17th 2009
  • New feature: The ability to exclude certain forums (forum_option.jpg), posts: #1831293 and #1831305
  • Diagnostic Information are printed in task manager for you to help diagnosing why the hack doesn't work for some admins! posts: #1831263, #1831443 and #1831460
• 1.0.2 (beta) Jun, 18th 2009
  • Bug fixed, posts: #1831301, #1831311, #1831349, #1831579 and #1831607
  • vBSEO Integration.
  • Improvement done to the task diagnostic messages. healthy_task_messages.jpg
• 1.0.3 (beta) Jun, 21th 2009
  • Implementation of iconv conversion for non-unicode forums.
  • Control threads by which usergroups will be posted to twitter.
  • Tweet threads in forums manually instead of it being automatic. postbit_button.jpg
• 1.0.4 (beta) Jun, 22th 2009
  • Bug fixed: Manual tweeting doesn't show thread preview!
  • Bug fixed: Plugin overwrites the hook: $template_hook['postbit_controls']
• 1.0.5 (beta) Jul, 23th 2009
  • Renamed function_twitterposter.php to functions_twitterposter.php
  • Moved some functions from functions_twitterposter.php to a new class in class_twitterposter.php (New PHP class is created, first step to move to OOP).
  • Canceled the redirection to twitter (on authorization), and replaced with a link opening in a new tab / window.
  • New scheduled task: Post Hot threads.
  • New: Check port 443 on installation / upgrade.
  • New: The product can't be installed if cURL isn't complied into PHP.
  • New: Update forums / usergroups / permissions cache on successful authorization, to avoid problems with some admins, where caches don't get updated on upgrade!
  • New feature: strip_html from the preview text, for forums that enable HTML in posts.
  • New feature: Delete tweet if the thread is deleted.
  • New feature: Status Message Prefix.
• 1.0.6 (RC1) Aug, 6th 2009
  • Add phrase 'HOT:'.
  • Improve bit.ly class a bit.
  • Push the plug-in at hook (postbit_display_complete) to run lastly, to put the tweet button at the last.
  • Include an option to remove URLs from preview text.
  • Option: to have only the thread title as a tweet without any part of the message.
  • Added form (in the footer) to allow admins to tweet from any page, right in their forums, with an option to disable it, also it's enabled only for super admins. Attachment 102934
• 1.0.7 (RC2) to be released.
  • Bug fixed: improperly cached template.
  • Bug fixed: Hot Threads Look up Time Span.
  • New feature: Include thread prefix in the tweet.

[tpearl5]

Milad - I'm noticing posts that are weeks old (last response was weeks ago) getting posted as HOT - is this because the threads just became hot in the last 24 hours?

Also, does a thread have to be completely removed to delete from twitter? I soft deleted a couple threads and they did not delete from twitter.

[Habboubih]

Originally Posted by tpearl5

Curious how many posts you were sending twitter a day? Were any of them spam like? I could see how if someone spam bombs your forum, it could get out of control.

i have around 1000 new threads a day. does this hack tweet them all at the same day ?

or there is limited number of threads to be sent to twitter ?

[tpearl5]

from what I can tell it would've been sending all of those threads - I don't think it was designed to handle 1000 at a time! It def was enough to attract attention over the twitter API dept.

[kalleklorin]

can i add this to several twitter accounts ? not only one

[tpearl5]

Kalleklorin - no, only one.

Anyone know how I can take "HOT:" out of the tweet. It is already assumed that what is being tweeted is "HOT:" anyway. That's 5 characters that could be used elsewhere.

[SBlueman]

Still is not working right for me...is it because vbSEO is making the URL more than 140 characters?

2 thread(s) have been fetched from the database!
vBSEO has been detected and initialized!UTF-8 Converting isn't enabled! (if you're already UTF-8 then don't worry!)

Array
(
[threadid] => 101238
[title] => Some Vikings Want QB Tarvaris Jackson To Keep His Starting Job
[forumid] => 109
[userid] => 1797
[usergroupid] => 2
[membergroupids] => 67,70,78
)

URL re-written by vBSEO!
http://gridironfans.com/forums/lates...rting-job.html

URL Shortening Failed!
Tweet: Some Vikings: Per http://gridironfans.com/forums/lates...rting-job.html
Length: 141

Array
(
[created_at] => Sat Jul 04 17:33:14 +0000 2009
[id] => 2471668358
[text] => Some Vikings: Per http://bit.ly/7hZLK
[source] => GridironFans.com
[truncated] => false
[in_reply_to_status_id] =>
[in_reply_to_user_id] =>
[favorited] => false
[in_reply_to_screen_name] =>
[user] => Array
(
[id] => 18764691
[name] => GridironFans
[screen_name] => GridironFans
[location] => San Jose, CA
[description] => Gridironfans.com is your home for the most up-to-the-minute NFL news and 100% uncut, uncensored football forums
[profile_image_url] => http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_prod...rge_normal.gif
[url] => http://GridironFans.com
[protected] => false
[followers_count] => 1194
[profile_background_color] => 2A6141
[profile_text_color] => 151414
[profile_link_color] => b80021
[profile_sidebar_fill_color] => A9A279
[profile_sidebar_border_color] => e4ebe0
[friends_count] => 742
[created_at] => Thu Jan 08 14:23:14 +0000 2009
[favourites_count] => 1
[utc_offset] => -28800
[time_zone] => Pacific Time (US & Canada)
[profile_background_image_url] => http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_background_images/14596949/giftwit8.jpg
[profile_background_tile] => false
[statuses_count] => 7135
[notifications] => false
[verified] => false
[following] => false
)

)

Twitter message:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<status>
<created_at>Sat Jul 04 17:33:14 +0000 2009</created_at>
<id>2471668358</id>
<text>Some Vikings: Per http://bit.ly/7hZLK</text>
<source><a href="http://gridironfans.com/">GridironFans.com</a></source>
<truncated>false</truncated>
<in_reply_to_status_id></in_reply_to_status_id>
<in_reply_to_user_id></in_reply_to_user_id>
<favorited>false</favorited>
<in_reply_to_screen_name></in_reply_to_screen_name>
<user>
<id>18764691</id>
<name>GridironFans</name>
<screen_name>GridironFans</screen_name>
<location>San Jose, CA</location>
<description>Gridironfans.com is your home for the most up-to-the-minute NFL news and 100% uncut, uncensored football forums</description>
<profile_image_url>http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/70190094/large_normal.gif</profile_image_url>
<url>http://GridironFans.com</url>
<protected>false</protected>
<followers_count>1194</followers_count>
<profile_background_color>2A6141</profile_background_color>
<profile_text_color>151414</profile_text_color>
<profile_link_color>b80021</profile_link_color>
<profile_sidebar_fill_color>A9A279</profile_sidebar_fill_color>
<profile_sidebar_border_color>e4ebe0</profile_sidebar_border_color>
<friends_count>742</friends_count>
<created_at>Thu Jan 08 14:23:14 +0000 2009</created_at>
<favourites_count>1</favourites_count>
<utc_offset>-28800</utc_offset>
<time_zone>Pacific Time (US & Canada)</time_zone>
<profile_background_image_url>http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_background_images/14596949/giftwit8.jpg</profile_background_image_url>
<profile_background_tile>false</profile_background_tile>
<statuses_count>7135</statuses_count>
<notifications>false</notifications>
<verified>false</verified>
<following>false</following>
</user>
</status>

Array
(
[threadid] => 101239
[title] => Chargers CB Antonio Cromartie Almost Sat Out Most Of '08
[forumid] => 109
[userid] => 1
[usergroupid] => 6
[membergroupids] => 67,70,78
)

URL re-written by vBSEO!
http://gridironfans.com/forums/latest-nfl-headlines/101239-chargers-cb-antonio-cromartie-almost-sat-out-most-08-a.html

URL Shortening Failed!
Tweet: Chargers CB Antonio: C http://gridironfans.com/forums/latest-nfl-headlines/101239-chargers-cb-antonio-cromartie-almost-sat-out-most-08-a.html
Length: 141

Array
(
[created_at] => Sat Jul 04 17:33:15 +0000 2009
[id] => 2471668545
[text] => Chargers CB Antonio: C http://bit.ly/Kbzb5
[source] => GridironFans.com
[truncated] => false
[in_reply_to_status_id] =>
[in_reply_to_user_id] =>
[favorited] => false
[in_reply_to_screen_name] =>
[user] => Array
(
[id] => 18764691
[name] => GridironFans
[screen_name] => GridironFans
[location] => San Jose, CA
[description] => Gridironfans.com is your home for the most up-to-the-minute NFL news and 100% uncut, uncensored football forums
[profile_image_url] => http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/70190094/large_normal.gif
[url] => http://GridironFans.com
[protected] => false
[followers_count] => 1194
[profile_background_color] => 2A6141
[profile_text_color] => 151414
[profile_link_color] => b80021
[profile_sidebar_fill_color] => A9A279
[profile_sidebar_border_color] => e4ebe0
[friends_count] => 742
[created_at] => Thu Jan 08 14:23:14 +0000 2009
[favourites_count] => 1
[utc_offset] => -28800
[time_zone] => Pacific Time (US & Canada)
[profile_background_image_url] => http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_background_images/14596949/giftwit8.jpg
[profile_background_tile] => false
[statuses_count] => 7136
[notifications] => false
[verified] => false
[following] => false
)

)

Twitter message:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<status>
<created_at>Sat Jul 04 17:33:15 +0000 2009</created_at>
<id>2471668545</id>
<text>Chargers CB Antonio: C http://bit.ly/Kbzb5</text>
<source><a href="http://gridironfans.com/">GridironFans.com</a></source>
<truncated>false</truncated>
<in_reply_to_status_id></in_reply_to_status_id>
<in_reply_to_user_id></in_reply_to_user_id>
<favorited>false</favorited>
<in_reply_to_screen_name></in_reply_to_screen_name>
<user>
<id>18764691</id>
<name>GridironFans</name>
<screen_name>GridironFans</screen_name>
<location>San Jose, CA</location>
<description>Gridironfans.com is your home for the most up-to-the-minute NFL news and 100% uncut, uncensored football forums</description>
<profile_image_url>http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/70190094/large_normal.gif</profile_image_url>
<url>http://GridironFans.com</url>
<protected>false</protected>
<followers_count>1194</followers_count>
<profile_background_color>2A6141</profile_background_color>
<profile_text_color>151414</profile_text_color>
<profile_link_color>b80021</profile_link_color>
<profile_sidebar_fill_color>A9A279</profile_sidebar_fill_color>
<profile_sidebar_border_color>e4ebe0</profile_sidebar_border_color>
<friends_count>742</friends_count>
<created_at>Thu Jan 08 14:23:14 +0000 2009</created_at>
<favourites_count>1</favourites_count>
<utc_offset>-28800</utc_offset>
<time_zone>Pacific Time (US & Canada)</time_zone>
<profile_background_image_url>http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_background_images/14596949/giftwit8.jpg</profile_background_image_url>
<profile_background_tile>false</profile_background_tile>
<statuses_count>7136</statuses_count>
<notifications>false</notifications>
<verified>false</verified>
<following>false</following>
</user>
</status>

Done

[Milad]

SBlueman, your problem is that the hack can't shorten the URLs. Wait for the next version, because I'm going to improve the bit.ly class.

Regards

[SBlueman]

I look forward to the next version because this has become a most-have feature for our site. We are depending on RSS2Twitter right now and have close to 1,200 followers. As we get closer to the NFL season it will be important to be able to deliver the news to them as quickly as possible.

[Milad]

I'll contact you to test the improved bit.ly class as soon it becomes ready.

[tpearl5]

SBlueman - I have vbSEO and it's working for me.

Originally Posted by tpearl5

Anyone know how I can take "HOT:" out of the tweet. It is already assumed that what is being tweeted is "HOT:" anyway. That's 5 characters that could be used elsewhere.

I also noticed that the hack is still posting new threads on top of HOT threads. There should be another setting to disable new threads and post only hot threads, no?