Selective Forum Filter

I no longer support my hacks. Please feel free to update them and release new versions elsewhere as long as I get the credit for the original modification.

/*================================================= =====================*\
|| Selective Forum Filter
||
|| Author : Anton Kanevsky
|| Co-Author(s) : Andreas
|| Works on : vBulletin 3.5.x - 3.8.x
|| Released : May 31, 2009
||
|| Time required to install: 30 seconds
|| Difficulty: easy
\*================================================ ======================*/

DESCRIPTION

Ever came across large boards with a huge number of sub forums? Couldn't find your info? Wanted to run away from that huge load of stupid threads? This hack is intended to save your users from having such a horrible experience. It provides them with an opportunity to exclude any number of forums from the forums list (as well as from "get new"/"get daily" searches), which still letting them to access those forums directly and search within them, too.

STATISTICS

Products to Install: 1


INTRODUCTION

To enable "can be excluded" in all forums, run this query:
UPDATE PFXforum SET excludable = 1
To disable "can be excluded" in all forums, run this query:
UPDATE PFXforum SET excludable = 0
In both cases, PFX must be replaced with the actual table prefix that you have defined in config.php.
If you have not defined a prefix, remove PFX from the queries.
After you run either one of these queries, you must then open and save any one forum for the forum cache to be updated.

VERSION HISTORY

1.1.0
[+] The hack is now compatible with vBulletin 3.5.x - 3.8.x.
[+] Eliminated all template edits.

1.0.2
[+] The hack is now compatible with vBulletin 3.6.
[+] Corrected a couple of mistakes in the installation manual.

1.0.1
[+] Added option to set forums as excludable. By default, excludability of all forums is disabled.

1.0.0
First Public Release

The installation manual is contained within the attached file.

IF YOU LIKE MY HACK, PLEASE CLICK INSTALL

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by Andy Rickard

Just installed this. After the initial install, the list of forums wouldn't populate, but saving the display order as suggested fixed the issue.

Works great.... thanks for the hack!!

still doesn't work for me and it used to work fine. Does it need to be reinstalled if you add a new forum?

[Aquestor]

Originally Posted by Aquestor

Have the same Problem need this hack absolutly! Is there anyone who can resolve this problem?

Get this work need no help any more

[jilly]

I get this error message when trying to actually select the forums for exclusion

Database error in vBulletin 3.7.0:

Invalid SQL:
UPDATE usertextfield SET
excludeforumids = '18'
WHERE userid = 1;

MySQL Error : Unknown column 'excludeforumids' in 'field list'
Error Number : 1054
Request Date : Saturday, May 3rd 2008 @ 08:03:18 PM
Error Date : Saturday, May 3rd 2008 @ 08:03:18 PM
Script : http://www.mysite.org/profile.php?do=updateoptions
Referrer : http://www.mysite.org/profile.php?do=editoptions
Classname : vb_database
MySQL Version : 5.0.45-community

[jilly]

Originally Posted by jilly

I get this error message when trying to actually select the forums for exclusion

Database error in vBulletin 3.7.0:

Invalid SQL:
UPDATE usertextfield SET
excludeforumids = '18'
WHERE userid = 1;

MySQL Error : Unknown column 'excludeforumids' in 'field list'
Error Number : 1054
Request Date : Saturday, May 3rd 2008 @ 08:03:18 PM
Error Date : Saturday, May 3rd 2008 @ 08:03:18 PM
Script : http://www.mysite.org/profile.php?do=updateoptions
Referrer : http://www.mysite.org/profile.php?do=editoptions
Classname : vb_database
MySQL Version : 5.0.45-community

I am guessing this means I need to manually add a field or column somewhere but I am clueless on how to do it - does anyone know?

[Andreas]

[sql]ALTER TABLE usertextfield ADD excludeforumids MEDIUMTEXT[/sql]
But the column should have been created automatically upon product install ...

[dtv100]

edit:
post in wrong thread sorry .

[jilly]

Originally Posted by Andreas

[sql]ALTER TABLE usertextfield ADD excludeforumids MEDIUMTEXT[/sql]
But the column should have been created automatically upon product install ...

thank you, that fixed it! I don't know why it didnt take at first - I followed all the instructions - but that query fixed it - thanks!

[shridevimoogi]

Hi,

Can I make this hack controllable only by admin
and in conjunction I want to control forum list based on different domains,but the database remains one

Thanks

[EagleNick]

Not working on 3.8.2. I have ran the query multiple times and it confirms that the rows have been affected.

However, in the UserCP in the menu there is only one choice: "[Reset Exclusion]" and selecting it does nothing.
Hopefully somebody can offer a remedy.

[akanevsky]

The new version work better, so you might want to download it now. It works on 3.8.x, too.