Add-On Releases - Limited Guest Viewing -- Improve community registration rates

Note: This addon works with the 3.6.x series only. Click Here for the 3.7.0 version of this addon.

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.

Because this plugin uses cookies, few if any bots will be impacted when it comes to spidering your site.

Modifications/ Instructions:
Template edits: 1
Plugins: 1 (adds 1 template and several settings)

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.

About spiders/bots
This plugin works by setting a cookie to track the number of visits from a particular user. As bots do not tend to accept cookies, they should not be blocked. To further insure there is no spider accessibility issues, there script identifies major bots (google, yahoo, msn, aol) and explicitly lets them through -- you can easily add to this list by editing the plugin code should you so desire, however, unless a bot starts taking cookies this should not be necessary.


Welcome headers compatibility
The Limited Guest Viewing is designed to work with the Welcome Headers system without any conflict. To insure that welcome header messages do not show up at the same time as the limited guest viewing message, please be sure you are running welcome headers version 4.1.3 or greater (released 11/19).

Updates
5/9/2008 - Released update to prevent installs on 3.7 boards.
2/18/2007 - Minor update to fix register link. Updates optional.
11/20/2006 - Minor update released to fix error with links in some messaging. Updates recommended.

[Welshy2008]

Hi Ted,

Sorry the delay.

It was a different Mod.

Right - Back to your mod. I have set it at two (2) views before the guests sees the registration message. I have noticed that on sites that I have visted who have this installed, it ALWAYS shows the register screen no matter when I visit the site in question (after I hav used the allocated number of views).

Mine doesn't. It gives a viewer the 2 allocated views before they see the register screen BUT they can come back later or another day and view another 2 posts.

It is probably something to do with the settings that I have chose. would you be able to help me please Ted?

I would certainly appreciate it.

Many Thanks,

Welshy2008.

[Ted S]

The hack uses cookies to store views which if deleted or removed would negate any viewing history. Thus if you are logging in/out, clearing cookies or have a browser set to only allow cookies for a one day period you would be losing the history data and therefore able to see posts again.

[Welshy2008]

Yes, Thank You for your reply, Ted.

After I posted - I looked at the thread's other posts and it was a similar question to what mrkmh had posted above. :|

[Pure Dope]

Originally Posted by Ted S

Since bots are still allowed in I did not see a reason to go through that level of authentication. In the future I'll consider adding it.

Well at any time I guess a spider could grab cookies.

http://forums.seochat.com/google-opt...xt-207504.html

So just incase?

[Ted S]

So just incase the major bots are specifically excluded.

[Konstantinos]

doesnt install in 3.11 and the 3.7 version doesnt install in 3.11 also

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by Konstantinos

doesnt install in 3.11 and the 3.7 version doesnt install in 3.11 also

Huh?

[Konstantinos]

this doesnt install in 3.6.11 it gives error

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by Konstantinos

this doesnt install in 3.6.11 it gives error

This has been resolved. Please download the archive again.

[SFertitta72]

Hey Ted,

I get this error

The following dependencies were not met:

1. This product is not compatible with version 3.6.10 of vBulletin. (Compatible starting with 3.6.0 / Incompatible with 3.6.9 and greater)


Any thoughts or suggestions ?

Thanks :up: