Miscellaneous Hacks - SocialForums 1.4

SocialForums for vBulletin 3.7
Created by Marius Czyz aka Phalynx.

This mod will work *ONLY* with vBulletin 3.7 or higher. It will not run on vBulletin 3.6.x due to non existent feature of "social groups".

Support will be only given for people who clicked Mark as INSTALLED.

Description
Not satisfied with vBulletin social groups messaging function? With SocialForums your social group leaders can create a standard forum for their group.
A group leader can only create a forum if the group has at least 5 members - this can be changed via settings. Optionally the group leader can be a moderator of such a social forum.

Permissions
Since 1.3 there are advanced permissions active (Forum and Archive). This includes read/write public and private (moderated/invite only) socialforums and creation of forum. As this needs two additional queries on every page you can disable this.

Demo
None, see screenshots

Installation
This product is fully phrased and uses template hooks. No file changes or manual template edits needed.
1. Upload bitfield_socialforums.xml to existing folder /includes/xml/
2. Upload functions_socialforums.php to existing folder /includes/
3. Fresh Installation: Just import the product. Upgrade: Import the product, allow overwrite. No forums get lost!
4. Check settings, especially for parent forum. Don't forget to set permissions via usergroups!

Troubleshooting
Q: I don't see a link to create a forum. Why?
A: Check permissions for the usergroup, espacially if the user is allowed to create forum.
A: Check if the usergroup meet min users requirement, see AdminCP/Settings/SocialForums.

Q: My users see the forums, but they shouldn't!
A: Check permissions for the usergroup, if the users usergroup is set to "can see".
A: Did you disabled the restriction mode? Enable it.

Todo
- By deleting a group the forum should also be deleted/archived. Currently this has to be done manually.

Known Issues
- On big boards with hundreds of social groups this mod can really impact the performance because of the mass of new created forums. If you still want to use this mod use the "Minimum Members" feature with a higher value. Using the permission check there are additional two queries on every page.

History
1.4.6, 6th October 2008
- Permissions are now also active in Archive

1.4.2, 27th May 2008
- Added: If a group has a linked forum the grouplisting has the last post date and count of postings (with permission check).
- Added: Recent threads in linked forum on group home
- Added: Private groups: Link to forum only shown to members of group
- Changed: Enabled permissions for unregistered usergroup. Unregistered Users are not more explicit denied without a check of it's usergroup

1.3.1, 23th May 2008
- Fixed: Not existing array

1.3.0, 23th May 2008
- Added: Permissions are now active. This includes read/write public and private (moderated/invite only) socialforums and creation of forum. Please check permissions for every usergroup! As this needs two additional queries on every page you can disable this.
- Added: Checks for permission before the creation link will be displayed
- Changed: Default View Age set to "Show all Threads"

1.2.1 8th April 2008:
- Added: Group messaging can be disabled via options (previously: always disabled)

1.2.0 4th April 2008:
- Added: Groupleader can now be moderator of group forum
- Added: Minimum Members that are required for own forum
- Added: Group messaging will be automatically hide for group that has own forum
- Added: Forums are created with more allowances
- Added: By deleting a forum the linked socialgroup get's updated
- Added: Forum's description contains link back to social group
- Added: By changing group's name it synchronize it with the forum's name

1.0/1.1 1st April 2008:
- Initial releases

[Artes_Marciales]

Can we have the following feature please?
+ Administrators may edit/substitute/reassign a social group leader after it has been set up. Hope you get the idea :P

Thanks!

[Fraik]

Could someone help me to find the permissionsfor this mod? Its only showing the normal vBulletin permissions in the usergroup manager and the forum permissions page?

Edit: Geez, I'm so stupid - forgot to upload the bitfield XML file. Need to start reading readme files... sorry!

[karlm]

Interesting concept.. will keep my eye on it. Not sure if it would go well on my forum though, sadly, as the members aren't really into toys (as I've discovered throughing seemingly wasted efforts).

[Phalynx]

Originally Posted by Hilary

What does restriction mode do? What exactly happens or is possible when it's enabled? What stops working if I turn it off?

It just checks for permissions (defined per usergroup)

Originally Posted by Hilary

What does 'show activity in forum' mean, in the options? Where are those last posts displayed?

It shows the last threads from forum on group home.

Originally Posted by vwdforum

I've installed this mod but the create forum option is not showing.

I've set the admin usergroup to see/view all and still nothing.

Admins must be able to create forum, check permissions. Also, check parent forum. Last but not least check count of members required.

Originally Posted by Drocr

Is there a way to set it so that the Social Group's moderator won't appear as a forum leader?

Disable forum leaders listing in vBulletin's settings.

Originally Posted by IvyKeepMommy

Is it possible, and if it is, how do I want my settings to be set, for ALL the social forums to be displayed by name on the main forum page, but you can only read the content of the forum if you are a member?

It would require recoding the restrictions.

Originally Posted by Artes_Marciales

Can we have the following feature please?
+ Administrators may edit/substitute/reassign a social group leader after it has been set up. Hope you get the idea :P

Great Idea. I hope Jelsoft will implement such a thing

[ultimatearco]

Great work!

Nominated installed and downloaded

[Fraik]

Thanks so much for this mod! It allowed me to set up a clan hosting system on my board :up:

[The_Dan]

Is it possible to turn of the post incrementation ? Its a great mod, but i dont really want my forum members spamming their way to however many posts.

[Fraik]

Is it possible to not replace the messaging/guestbook feature for Social Groups with the forum, but instead add the forum as an additional feature and keep the messaging feature as well?

[Phalynx]

Originally Posted by The_Dan

Is it possible to turn of the post incrementation ? Its a great mod, but i dont really want my forum members spamming their way to however many posts.

Check settings of Forums

Originally Posted by Fraik

Is it possible to not replace the messaging/guestbook feature for Social Groups with the forum, but instead add the forum as an additional feature and keep the messaging feature as well?

Check settings of SF

[BucWiLd]

very nice feature, thank you