Automatically Start a Welcome Thread in the Forum of Your Choice

This little mod will start a new thread in the forum of your choice when somebody registers.

The thread message is contained in a template, and easily customizeable on your part.

This version posts the thread when the user registers - but before he activates his email address.

Thanks to flypaper for providing a bugfix.

Installation Instructions: Import the product. Change the welcome_thread template to suit your needs. Change the setup variables in the welcome thread plugin to suit your needs.

Amy

[coffee]

Thank you amykhar.

[Mark.B]

Has anyone managed to get this to work on approval of the account rather than email verification? Flypaper's edit doesn't work, I've tried troubleshooting this but it's beyond me.

It seems to be something to do with the different hook location not working with a particular function, that's about the best I can come up with. I can't fix it.

[Mark.B]

UPDATE: I can make it work by manually adding the code to admincp/user.php. I was rather hoping to do it with a plugin, but it seems not.

[Tralala]

Originally Posted by Mark.B

UPDATE: I can make it work by manually adding the code to admincp/user.php. I was rather hoping to do it with a plugin, but it seems not.

As you've read in this thread, I've been testing flypaper's code modifications all along, to no avail. Really eager to get it working as you have, as it's the only thing keeping me from using this excellent idea/hack on my forum.

Would you be able to share the code additions? I'd appreciate it.

[Mark.B]

Well I did this.

In admincp/user.php find:

}
			else if ($status == -1)

Add above (changing the variables of course)

// Backend Files
				    require_once('./global.php');
				    require_once('./includes/class_dm.php');
				    require_once('./includes/class_dm_threadpost.php');

				// Setup Variables
				    $forumid = 174; // The forum id that you want the thread posted in
				    $postuserid = 101; // The Userid of the poster
				    $postusername = "Mark.B"; // The username of the poster
				    $title = "Welcome, " . $username; // The thread title

				// Don't change below this line

				// Start thread create
				    $threaddm = new vB_DataManager_Thread_FirstPost($vbulletin, ERRTYPE_STANDARD);

				    $username = htmlspecialchars_uni($username);
				    $allowsmilie = '1';
				    $visible = '1';
				    eval('$pagetext .= "' . fetch_template('welcome_thread') . '";');

				// Insert thread
				    $threaddm->do_set('forumid', $forumid);
				    $threaddm->do_set('postuserid', $postuserid);
				    $threaddm->do_set('userid', $postuserid);
				    $threaddm->do_set('username', $postusername);
				    $threaddm->do_set('pagetext', $pagetext);
				    $threaddm->do_set('title', $title);
				    $threaddm->do_set('allowsmilie', $allowsmilie);
				    $threaddm->do_set('visible', $visible);
				    $tid = $threaddm->save();

				// Update last post stuff on forumdisplay
    require_once('./includes/functions_databuild.php');
    build_forum_counters($forumid);

The only slight issue I have found is this. When you approve an account, the message that says 'User accounts validated and users notified" is missing the sort of "silver header bar" it normally has. If you comment out:
require_once('./global.php');
then the header bar reappears, but then the post that is created is blank, it does not contain any text.

I am guessing that using global.php twice is causing the header bar to vanish. This itself is not a problem, however I worry about what other side effects this is having.

Perhaps an expert coder could point us in the right direction as we are NEARLY there!

[Dr Steevil]

Miss Amy, this is gonna be great for my growing forum! I have installed this, however before I activate it on my site I need to know one thing:

I understand changing the forumid to the forum I want the thread started in. But what about this part?

$postuserid = 1328; // The Userid of the poster
    $postusername = "Justin"; // The username of the poster

How does this work? Do the variables dynamically change? Or am I completely missing something here?

[Dr Steevil]

Oops. Guess I should've TESTED it first! I understand! Thanks for a great hack! ***clicks install***

:banana:

[fly]

The only slight issue I have found is this. When you approve an account, the message that says 'User accounts validated and users notified" is missing the sort of "silver header bar" it normally has. If you comment out:
require_once('./global.php');
then the header bar reappears, but then the post that is created is blank, it does not contain any text.

I am guessing that using global.php twice is causing the header bar to vanish. This itself is not a problem, however I worry about what other side effects this is having.

Perhaps an expert coder could point us in the right direction as we are NEARLY there!

I believe require_once says not to call it again, if it has already been called, so I don't think that's the issue. There weren't any hooks listed in the area that you pasted the code?

Its getting late, I'll try to look at it again tomorrow in my spare time. It shouldn't be that hard to get going. Odd...

[Mark.B]

Originally Posted by flypaper

I believe require_once says not to call it again, if it has already been called, so I don't think that's the issue. There weren't any hooks listed in the area that you pasted the code?

Its getting late, I'll try to look at it again tomorrow in my spare time. It shouldn't be that hard to get going. Odd...

No there's no hooks in that section as far as I can see.

It is very nearly there...I don't much care about the missing header bar in the confirm message as it's purely cosmetic, my worry is what other side effects that is having.

[Mark.B]

Hmmm....another problem with my method...if you approve more than one account at once the second thread contains the text for both threads, the third contains all three, etc etc.

It must be loooping wrongly but I can't seem to fix that either.

[GamerJunk.net]

Mine keeps reverting back to your welcome thing even tho I changed it in the plugin

[peterska2]

It doesn't work for me on 3.6

Locked up my ACP - No error Messages - Had to disable plugins via config.php and remove it.

[Annapurna]

I'm still on 3.5.4

Worked fine!

BUT: stopped working as soon as I changed the forum-id.
Changing back: not working!
uninstall / reinstall: not working!

Any ideas?

Andreas

[ab420]

Thank you SOOOO much for this!!! I've been killing myself trying to say hello to every new member! LOL!

[Ski-Whiz]

Originally Posted by peterska2

It doesn't work for me on 3.6

Locked up my ACP - No error Messages - Had to disable plugins via config.php and remove it.

Amy can we get an update for 3.6, AND somehow make this so it can create a thread unpon email verification??

This prevents trolls from creating BS accounts, and spaming our welcome forum..