TOTW: Thread of the Week Poll - Version 1.16

Thread of the Week Poll - Version 1.16

Description
With this hack it is possible to setup an automated system for electing a "Thread of the Week". Based on 1 or more rules you define it will select a number of threads from your board and will post a poll to let your members select their favourite thread.

This hack was written based on a requestion made here previously: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=63969

Tested on
- vB 3.0.7
- vB 3.0.6
- vB 3.0.5
- vB 3.0.3 (Will probably also work on earlier versions)

Install Information
Installation using HIS installer included (HIS by Link14716 https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...staller+system)
Uninstaller included
Install time: 2 minutes, easy
File edits: 0
Template edits: 0
Database modifications: 2 new tables

Features

• Can run 1 or more Rules for selecting threads to include in Poll
• Forums to be scanned for candidate threads can be selected.
• Selection of candidate threads is done based on views and replies. The 'weight' of these selection criteria is settable for every rule.
• Poll's are fully configurable (Posted as user, Thread title, Poll question, number of options)
• Polls are automatic closed when a new poll is started
• Polls can be generated on a settable interval. Interval can be given in days or weeks. Alternativle a new poll can also be generated on a fixed day every month.
• uCash Integration. Activate in ACP Settings if you have uCash installed
• Setable uCash price money for place 1, 2 and 3.
• Date selection based on Thread Start Date or Last Reply Date. Selection can be made for every Rule.
• Optional result post on closing of Poll, user configurable text.
• Thread title with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
• Poll title with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
• Result post with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
• Help added to the Admin screen.
• .......

To be included in future releases
If enough request i am think of the following to add in a future release. More suggestions are welcome
- Integration with more existing Award system, already rewards possible using uCash
- More selection criteria

Support
Support will be given in this thread.

If you have problems, please first check the following:
- Did you set the uCash/uShop correct in ACP->vB Options->Thread of the Week (On/Off)
- Turn on logging in the Scheduled Taks for Thread of the Week. Check the Scheduled Task Log for any messages.

If you still have problems, please post the following information, so i can quickly try to help you:
- vBulletin version
- PHP and MySQL Version
- Version of this hack
- The schedule options you have set in the Rule Manager
- Selection Options
- When is it scheduled to run in the Scheduled Task Manager
- Any other relevant information

Thanks to
A big thanks to link14716 for the installer and to trafix for letting me use a script as a starting point for the admin settings, saved me a lot of time.

Also a huge thanks to sabret00th for testing (now i got someone to blame if there are still any errors left ).


Donations
I will not charge for this hack. But if you like it and are looking for a way to spend your money, paypal donations are always welcome (marcoh64@msn.com)

Please click Install if you are using this hack

Change log:
Version 1.16:
- Fixed bugs in updating Username/Userid/Thread Title in posted thread and forum info
- Removed 2 unneeded queries
- Added replacement variables for Thread Title:
- {date} - Current date formatted according to vB settings
- {beginofweek} - Date (formatted) of the start of the current week (sunday is start)
- {endofweek} - Date (formatted) of the end of the current week (saturday is end)
- {beginofweekmon} - Date (formatted) of the start of the current week (monday is start)
- {endofweekmon} - Date (formatted) of the end of the current week (sunday is end)
- Added {date} replacement variable to Poll Title
- Made all replacement variables case-insensitive
- Admin Help pages updated accordingly

Version 1.15:
- Add the option to override the default calculation for the cutoff date when selecting candidates. Now possible to enter a number of days to go back when selecting candidates.

Version 1.14:
- Bug that would make the cronjob crash if the current poll thread was deleted.
- Fixed version number in Manager script

Version 1.13:
- uCash Integration. Activate in ACP Settings to show them.
- Setable uCash price money for place 1, 2 and 3.
- Date selection can now be based on Thread Start Date or Last Reply Date. Selection can be made for every Rule.
- Optional result post on closing of Poll, user configurable text.
- Thread title with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
- Poll title with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
- Result post with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
- Help added to the Admin screen.
- Some minor modifications and bug fixes
- Removed debugging lines
- Scheduled task will now log information on the processing of the Rules in the Scheduled Task Log
- INSTALLER WILL ALSO UPGRADE FROM PREVIOUS VERSIONS, SEE UPGRADE NOTES.

Version 1.12:
- Fixed bug where threadoftheweek.php would not run correct (or even generate a database error) when running through the scheduler (as oppsed to running it with "Run Now")
- Added loads of debug information. To activate debugging, change includes/cron/threadoftheweek.php and uncomment the line "// $TOTW_DEBUG = TRUE;". Debug lines will go to the Scheduler log.
- Forum counters will now be updated when a new poll is posted.
- Fixed bug where "Run on day x of month" didn't work.
- Some minor changes
- The first time the rule is run, only threads with a last postdate in the time interval which is set for the rule will be selected as Candidates. In the older versions all threads where considered on the first run.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Originally Posted by fiber1

Here is the biggest problem with this hack. One cannot exclude certain forums not to choose from for the Thread of the week. Besides this it would be a great hack!

I don't understand what you mean. You can select the forums from which the threads are selected.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Small update, see change log.


@lionel
I have not forgotten your request, but i am a bit short on time atm. It will come as soon as i got a bit more time.

[Lionel]

Marco, there is a small typo in upgrade_queries.php, the last line

selectdays smallint(6) unsigned NOT NULL default 0,

sould be

selectdays smallint(6) unsigned NOT NULL default \'0\'

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Originally Posted by Lionel

Marco, there is a small typo in upgrade_queries.php, the last line sould be

Did you get an error on that? What MySQL version are you using?

Shouldn't get an error it is a numerical row, so no quotes needed. Oops i see it now, a comma on the end, will update in a few minutes.

Edit: Updated.

[Lionel]

I followed your advice and upgraded to the latest.

I did get an error and fixed as per above.

Invalid SQL: ALTER TABLE threadofweekrules ADD COLUMN (
selectdays smallint(6) unsigned NOT NULL default 0,
) ;
mysql error: You have an error in your SQL syntax. Check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ')' at line 3

mysql error number: 1064

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Originally Posted by Lionel

I followed your advice and upgraded to the latest.

I did get an error and fixed as per above.

Yes this error was because of the trailing comma. Is removed and zip file updated.

[fiber1]

Originally Posted by MarcoH64

I don't understand what you mean. You can select the forums from which the threads are selected.

This is what I am refering too, unless I am missing something here?

Thread Selection Options:

Select forums to analyze for selecting threads.

You can only highlight the ones that are ordered together.

For example:

Forums named:

My forum1

My forum2

My forum3

My forum4

My forum5

I only wanted to use forum1, forum2, and forum5 there is no way just to select those particualr ones.

You can only select the ones that are all order together.

Hope you understand what I mean?

[jzewatsky]

Try pressing the Control key while useing your mouse to select the thread (ctrl + Left mouse). You should then be able to select (highlight) any thread you wish. To unselect, use the control+left mouse again to un highlight. Hope I'm understanding what your asking and that the above helps.

[fiber1]

Thanks I guess that works... Sorry never seen that approach yet!

[jzewatsky]

Sorry, in my post above replace "thread" with "forum"

thread = forum

Sorry if there was any confusion.