Miscellaneous Hacks - Do Contact Us To Thread

-=+ WHAT IS THIS? +=-

Quite simply this product allows for Do Contact Us form submissions to be directed into a new thread of a specified forum. You may optionally control the email notification system too.

-=+ FEATURES +=-

Various aspects of this product are controlled via the AdminCP, such as:-

• Ability to turn it on/off.
• Pick the forum into which new threads will appear.
• Ability to specify a user as the thread starter.
• Control the content of new thread titles.
• Control the content of post text.
• Turn on or off support for Smilies.
• Ability to set new threads to Moderated.
• Switch off email notification entirely.
• Define multi-recipient Email Notifications.

-=+ INSTALLATION +=-

Import the supplied product xml by using the Product Manager of the AdminCP, as below:-

• Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product

-=+ UPGRADING +=-

You do not need to uninstall the older version of the product.

Import the updated product xml by using the Product Manager of the AdminCP, as below:-

• Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product

Ensure the option Allow Overwrite is set to Yes on the import screen, prior to clicking Import.

-=+ POST INSTALLATION/UPGRADE +=-

Post installation settings can be found in vBulletin options section:-

• vBulletin Options -> TWP - Do Contact Us To Thread

In order for the product to operate certain criteria must be met, as follows:-

• Plugin must be enabled. (true by default)
• Product must be enabled in the options. (no by default)
• A forum must have been picked in the options. (none by default)

If any of the above criteria are not satisfied, the product will NOT operate. Please check these before asking for help.

-=+ WHAT'S NEW IN V1.1 +=-

• Cosmetic Fix

  It was noted after version 1.0 was released that certain phrase variables being used were defined twice. One for the plugin to use and another for the vbOptions screen. Version 1.1 fixes the issue by renaming each of the phrases defined for the vbOptions screen. An installation script is provided in the product xml to automate the renaming when users upgrade.

• Bug Fix and Option Added : Missing Name Replacement

  On occasion the sender of the Do Contact Us form forgets fill out the Name field. This option provides a convenient replacement text if the name is empty. This was mistakenly hard-coded in version 1.0. ({no name} by default)

• Option Added : Allow Smilies

  You can now turn on or off smilies for new messages that come in. (No by default)

• Option Added : Moderate New Threads

  You can now set new threads to be Moderated upon arrival. This may be useful on boards which have a mixed permissions setup on the Forum, and allows messages to be approved first. (No by default)

• Option Added : Override Default Email Sender

  By default vBulletin will dutifully send notification emails to the address defined as "Webmaster" and to addresses defined in Contact Us Options (if configured). This setting will stop those emails from being sent. (No by default)

• Option Added : Enable Email Notification List

  This option will enable or disable the Email Notification List (see below). (No by default)

• Option Added : Email Notification List

  This setting allows you to define a set of email addresses that you wish to send notifications to on the arrival of new messages. This will work in addition to the default handling of notifications unless you have disabled it via the Override Default Email Sender option. (Empty by default)

-=+ RELEASE HISTORY +=-

• v1.1 : 18-Nov-07 : Minor fixes and added options.
• v1.0 : 12-Nov-07 : First public realease.
• v0.1 : 04-Nov-07 : Internal Test Version.

-=+ THE CREDITS +=-

This product has been developed from an unreleased original plugin by weeno. Many thanks to weeno for permission to use the plugin code (originally posted here) as the basis of this formal release.

-=+ ISSUES +=-

Confirmed as NOT COMPATIBLE with vBulletin 3.7.* Please refer to post#2 for a 3.7 Patch.

-=+ SPECIAL THANKS +=-

Many thanks to everyone who clicked the Nominate For MOTM during November 2007, and for subsequent votes on the MOTM Poll for December. It makes the effort a really worthwhile experience.

[TigerWare]

Possible Future Updates

• Create an option to direct new threads into different forums, depending on the pre-defined subjects available.
• Create an option to customize the thread title prefix, depending on whether they are registered users (logged in) or unregistered (guest messages).
• Create a configuration to direct messages to either a new thread or email depending on whether they are logged in user or guest.

FAQ

• Q: Does this modification replace the email function of the Do Contact Us form?

  A: No. Email settings are not touched by this modification. (v1.0)

  A: It can be configured to stop or reconfigure email notifications. (v1.1)

PATCH FOR vB 3.7

As noted on the release of vB 3.7 Beta 3 there is a core vBulletin code change that has affected the AdminCP "vBulletin Options" when saving changes. This change means that you cannot save changes made in the vBulletin Options for this modification. Having coded a fix for this it was thought that I would be releasing a seperate version specifically for the new 3.7 line, but with the release of 3.6.9 and 3.6.10 this has been placed on a lower priority. Therefore, I have decided to release a patch for users wishing to use this modification in 3.7. Please find attached to this post the following attachments:

• plugins_vb37_patch-twp_docontactus_to_thread.txt

  Instructions for the application of the patch.

• plugins_vb37_patch-twp_docontactus_to_thread.xml

  XML Import file containing 2 replacement plugins.

[Fungsten]

Installed.

[RaceJunkie]

This is great. Tagged for future install.

[itsblack]

Good idea! Installed.

[yoyoyoyo]

good one thanks - will install later

[Audentio]

Niiice mod, very impressive .

[youradhere4222]

Very nice--I might install later.

[johnrizz]

very good! installed this

[TheBlackPoet]

tested... and works great... good job.... installed.... i personally cant think of anything else this hack might need....~~~