Selective Forum Filter

I no longer support my hacks. Please feel free to update them and release new versions elsewhere as long as I get the credit for the original modification.

/*================================================= =====================*\
|| Selective Forum Filter
||
|| Author : Anton Kanevsky
|| Co-Author(s) : Andreas
|| Works on : vBulletin 3.5.x - 3.8.x
|| Released : May 31, 2009
||
|| Time required to install: 30 seconds
|| Difficulty: easy
\*================================================ ======================*/

DESCRIPTION

Ever came across large boards with a huge number of sub forums? Couldn't find your info? Wanted to run away from that huge load of stupid threads? This hack is intended to save your users from having such a horrible experience. It provides them with an opportunity to exclude any number of forums from the forums list (as well as from "get new"/"get daily" searches), which still letting them to access those forums directly and search within them, too.

STATISTICS

Products to Install: 1


INTRODUCTION

To enable "can be excluded" in all forums, run this query:
UPDATE PFXforum SET excludable = 1
To disable "can be excluded" in all forums, run this query:
UPDATE PFXforum SET excludable = 0
In both cases, PFX must be replaced with the actual table prefix that you have defined in config.php.
If you have not defined a prefix, remove PFX from the queries.
After you run either one of these queries, you must then open and save any one forum for the forum cache to be updated.

VERSION HISTORY

1.1.0
[+] The hack is now compatible with vBulletin 3.5.x - 3.8.x.
[+] Eliminated all template edits.

1.0.2
[+] The hack is now compatible with vBulletin 3.6.
[+] Corrected a couple of mistakes in the installation manual.

1.0.1
[+] Added option to set forums as excludable. By default, excludability of all forums is disabled.

1.0.0
First Public Release

The installation manual is contained within the attached file.

IF YOU LIKE MY HACK, PLEASE CLICK INSTALL

[Parker Clack]

As I said before I think this is a great hack. Do you think you could write it in a version that is similar to your 3.0 version that gave you check boxes next to each forum title on the main forum page?

Thanks,
Parker

[akanevsky]

Yes, however, I am not going to do that.

[john1744]

Hmm, I had this hack at one point, but when we moved forums, things got messed up, I had the white space in the edit options area where this is supposed to be however I'm getting this error when trying to reinstall.

Database error in vBulletin 3.5.4:

Invalid SQL:
ALTER TABLE usertextfield ADD excludeforumids VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL ;;

MySQL Error : Duplicate column name 'excludeforumids'
Error Number : 1060
Date : Wednesday, May 10th 2006 @ 03:24:12 AM
Script : http://www.sy******ms/admincp/plugin.php
Referrer : http://www.s*******/admincp/plugin.php?do=productadd
IP Address : 24.******
Username : HAL-9000
Classname : vB_Database

[akanevsky]

Remove the appropriate line from the XML file...

[Delor]

This has been asked but I will ask again, is there anyway in the acp to set this so that certain forums can not be excluded like news and announcements and rules or something similar?

Love it Installed

[akanevsky]

No, that is not currently possible.

[Tralala]

Originally Posted by Delor

This has been asked but I will ask again, is there anyway in the acp to set this so that certain forums can not be excluded like news and announcements and rules or something similar?

I can't answer for this one specifically, but I have a similar hack by Andreas installed. And with that one, you can easily set those restrictions in the Forum Permissions section of the AdminCP. You can set which usergroups can and cannot "exclude Forums from Get New Posts."

It doesn't remove forums from from the forum list though. It only omits posts from those forums from the "Get New/Get Daily" searches.

[akanevsky]

That this is the hack upon which this one was built. The forum setting will be added in future version.

[Delor]

Will they work together? Or must they only be one or the other installed?

[akanevsky]

Although you might be able to install them together, they won't work together, meaning permissions of one won't affect the second...