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

[Kyderoy]

I thought I saw a post where you can still see a post if given a link to a private group.

[CHIPIT]

Cool, but in the new version, with the link, it says "Click here to visit this social group" shouldn't it say "Click here to visit this social group" ?

It'd also be cool to setup exactly how new forums are created, permissions and everything...

[Phalynx]

Originally Posted by Kyderoy

I thought I saw a post where you can still see a post if given a link to a private group.

Again: This mod adds forums, it does not touch group's permissions.
If you choose hidden forums in the CP the new created forums are only hidden, they are not protected.

Originally Posted by CHIPIT

Cool, but in the new version, with the link, it says "Click here to visit this social group" shouldn't it say "Click here to visit this social group" ?

Fixed in final version.

Originally Posted by CHIPIT

It'd also be cool to setup exactly how new forums are created, permissions and everything...

Yes, it would be. But that would require to have a mass of settings. Instead of this, you can change default settings in product XML, check "$forumdm->set_bitfield" and for moderators "$moddm->set_bitfield".

[Kyderoy]

Anyway to add some protection in the future?

[Phalynx]

Maybe next releases will include such a protection.

[Kyderoy]

Thanks

[MaxiMal]

mega hack!
5+ easy

Phalynx, respect

somebody give to author heap of money that it has not thrown work

[NFLfbJunkie]

VERY NICE MOD.

How are newly created forum permissions handeled? Will they assume the permissions of the parent forum?

[Phalynx]

Yes, they get permission from parent forum.

[Kyderoy]

Ok let me see if I get this, the newly created forum will only show in the social group or will it show also on the forumhome page?