vBStealth 2.0

vBStealth 2.0
(by Martin64, martin64@vbhackers.com)

[about]

vBStealth is a hack that prevents trouble makers from spreading their stupidity at your board and it does that by hiding their threads, making their posts magically disappear and helping the world by ignoring their pityful private messages. These users are unaware that they are ignored; their threads and posts show up normally when they're viewing them - only admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests are able to see these. Mhuahahah!

vBStealth was initially based on Frank's "Secretly ban a user" hack (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...threadid=36205) but is much more advanced and is is taking the idea of putting users on ignore further. This hack makes the secretly banned users even more secret - they have been stealth banned! *LOL*, please forgive me for naming the hack that.

[what it does]

- Threads and posts before the user was banned will show up, but threads and posts after the user was banned will be hidden to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.
- Hides threads in forumdisplay started by stealth users to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.
- Hides posts in showthread by stealth users to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.
- Ignores private messages sent by stealth users.
- Gives the option for moderators to either set a regular ban or a stealth ban in the Mod CP.
- Moderators are able to unban stealth banned users in the Mod CP.
- Skips updating the count post, last poster name and date for stealth banned users in forumdisplay and forumhome.
- Hides stealth users threads and posts when searching to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.

[note]

Make sure to backup your files! I don't want to be held responsible if you lose your two hundred hacks installed.

[important!]

You MUST stealth ban your users from the Mod CP, just changing usergroup in the Admin CP won't add the neccessary timestamp. The same goes for unbanning stealth banned users, you MUST do that from the Mod CP as well for the same reason.
If you have upgraded, you MUST put the users back to the registered group and then stealth ban them, or it won't add the neccessary timestamp.

[credits]

SJR and Xenon, for helping with some code fixes
Frank for creating "Secretly ban a user" which inspired me to work on vBStealth.

[upgrading from 1.X]

Be sure to do what's listed under [important!] above! Also, although not needed, I recommend completely uninstalling 1.X versions before installing vBStealth 2.0, as the file changes have changed for many of the files. If you are to upgrade, be sure to run the query, and go through the file changes very carefully.

[change log]

2.0: Hack now uses timestamps: Threads and posts before the user was banned will show up, but threads and posts after the user was banned will be hidden to everyone but stealth banned users, admins and mods.
1.3: Undid the changes to showthread.php, as it could lead to suspicion among stealth banned users if they communicate (thanks WetWired for the heads up). Also, I changed the code changes to newreply.php, so that it'll work if you have the Store Hack by Lesane installed.
1.2: Small fixes to search.php and newreply.php. New file modified: newthread.php.
1.1: Added changes to search.php as suggested by TECK (thanks ), which hides stealth users threads and posts when searching.
1.0: First release, no changes dummy. :P

[Sue]

Is there a way to make it so that you can put a moderator into this stealth group and have them not be able to see that they have been stealth banned (along with all other mods and super mods)?

[jdennis]

I'm having a problem... occasionally (1 out of 5?) new members initial post is showing that they are stealth banned. Possibly more than their initial post, but I've jumped on the problem pretty quickly. What is strange is that the users are not stealth banned - if we try and un-ban then, it says you cannot unban someone who isn't banned. The work-around is to stealth ban, then unban them, though the mod cp. I'd really like to get this resolved, as it's a pain in the rear.