Private Messages Enhancements - Popup Private Messaging for vBulletin 4.x!

Updated 12-19-2010 to add all features that were previously a part of the full version product. Now there is no full version, just this one with everything for free.

Popup Private Messaging is a useful (and neat!) modification for your vBulletin 4 forum. Instead of redirecting a user to a separate "Compose Message" page when they try to send a private message, a "popup" private message form is displayed without taking them away from the page they're viewing. It intelligently replaces every single PM link on your forum, CMS or blog without any template edits or plugins that mess with your templates. It's loaded with features and has been tested with IE 8, FireFox 3.6, Opera 10.10, Chrome 3.0, and Safari 4.0.4!

Formerly a Mod of the Month winner for vBulletin 3.x! The current version for vBulletin 3.8 can be found here.

Highlights:

• Uses a DHTML "popup" which won't be blocked by popup blockers, as it is not a "real" popup window.
• New! Automatically centers the popup on the page, regardless of window size or how far down the page a user is.
• Auto-fills the PM form with the username of the person you wish to send a private message.
• Supports multiple recipients (based on user permissions).
• Standard form, or full WYSIWYG with advanced PM options.
• Preview message within the window, without being redirected elsewhere.
• Window can be closed by the user via an "X" in the upper corner.
• Lightbox effect to dim the rest of the page
• New! Window automatically closes after the message is sent.
• Admin CP options allow you to customize window size and which usergroups can use the popup PM modification.
• New! Intelligent Javascript file replaces every private message link with the popup links on the browser side, saving your server's resources and your templates!

Screenshots:

Screenshots are attached to this post.

Live Demo:

A live demo can be found on my website - no registration required to see the basic popup functionality, but if you want to try the actual form you'll need to register as guests/unregistered users can't use private messaging.

Support for this Modification:

No active support anymore - that's why I made the full version free. Too much going on right now.

Please read the first post below as it has common issues and troubleshooting. :up:

[robwoelich]

1/21/10 - I've worked out the bug with PM links not triggering the popup, and confirmed compatibility with the five major browsers. If you've previously downloaded Popup PM, you'll want to redownload it, reupload the uploaded files, uninstall the old product and install the new one. Hope you enjoy!

Settings Quick Tutorial

All options for the Popup PM are found in Admin CP > vBulletin Options > Popup Private Messaging (located under Private Messaging Options).

To change the popup window size, change the options for window width and height. Enter a number in pixels (number only).

To specify which usergroups the popup is enabled for, change the option for usergroup permissions. Enter the usergroup IDs of the groups to enable the popup for. Enter the numbers separated by commas, i.e. 2,5,6,7 - you can also leave the field blank to enable for all usergroups, and set to a non-real usergroup ID (like 1000) to disable the popups for everyone. Note that even if you give unregistered users or users without private messaging permissions access to the popup PM system, it won't grant them private messaging permissions. They will see a "no permission" error within the popup window.

Quick Troubleshooting

Literally, the only thing you can really mess up during installation is not properly uploading the file(s) in the UPLOAD folder. In other words, make sure rw_popuppm_free.js gets into your www.mywebsite.com/myforumdirectory/clientscript/ folder. Then install the product XML file in your Product Manager. Done.

If you're having issues with the popups not showing up, check for script errors in your browser. They can tell you what's not working and why. Chances are that something else installed on your forum is interfering with the popup PM script. Also check to make sure you didn't set the popup window height/width to 0 or something for some silly reason.

If you use a custom style or have customized your templates, this seems to be the other thing that breaks the mod. Look at your footer template and find:

	<script type="text/javascript">
	<!--
		// Main vBulletin Javascript Initialization
		vBulletin_init();
	//-->
	</script>

Below it, you should have:

	<script type="text/javascript">
	<!--
		// Main vBulletin Javascript Initialization
		vBulletin_init();
	//-->
	</script>
        {vb:raw template_hook.footer_javascript}

The footer_javascript template hook was added in vBulletin 4.0, and it seems some users with custom styles are either accidentally removing it or copying/pasting a lot of code from their old styles which didn't have the template hook. Add that and you should be good to go.

[KURTZ]

waiting screen shots :P

[Sador]

Tagged.

[GeorgeB85]

I uploaded all the files where they needed to go, but it isn't working. Just takes me to the default PM window that comes with the software.

[robwoelich]

Originally Posted by GeorgeB85

I uploaded all the files where they needed to go, but it isn't working. Just takes me to the default PM window that comes with the software.

Send me a link and I can take a look.

[angeljs]

Not working for me either

[robwoelich]

I need a little more info aside from "not working". I'll PM you.

Anybody it is working for?

[angeljs]

Originally Posted by robwoelich

I need a little more info aside from "not working". I'll PM you.

Sorry...I hate that! lol

I don't get the popup when I click on the pm link when viewing a post, but I do when viewing the member's profile.

[GeorgeB85]

Originally Posted by robwoelich

Send me a link and I can take a look.

www.tmcgnetwork.com