Miscellaneous Hacks - Forum-wide Search For Unanswered Threads

Please click Mark as Installed if you are using this hack.


What Does This Hack Do?[hr]hr[/hr]
This is an update to my 3.7.x version of this hack, with the addition of navbar placement via AdminCP Options.

This is a hack adds an extra option to the Search drop down list on the navbar, or on the navbar itself (left hand side or ride hand side) which allows you to search for unanswered threads forum-wide, apart from the forums you choose to exclude from the search.

This hack was originally created as a result of a request from Boofo in 2008 - see here.

There are no file or template changes at all, and is fully phrased.

AdminCP settings for this hack available in vBulletin Options > Forum-wide Search For Unanswered Threads.
Settings that can be changed are:

1. Exclude Forums - list of forums to exclude from the search for unanswered threads
2. Turn off cached results - enable/disable
3. Automatic Link Creation - location link will be added

vBulletin Version Compatibility[hr]hr[/hr]
This hack can be used with vBulletin versions 3.6.0 - 3.8.8.

For the v4.0.4 version of this hack - check here.


Hack Support/Feature Requests[hr]hr[/hr]
IMPORTANT: This hack is no longer supported.


Install Instructions[hr]hr[/hr]

1. Unzip ms_search_all_unanswered_38.zip
2. Upload bitfield_ms_search_all_unanswered.xml to your /includes/xml folder.If upgrading from an earlier version, then overwrite the previous copy.
3. Import the ms_search_all_unanswered_38.xml into vB using the AdminCP Product Manager. If upgrading from an earlier version, then set Allow Overwrite to Yes.
4. In the Usergroup Manager edit the usergroup(s) you want:
   • To see the Unanswered Threads link (disabled by default for all usergroups).

Uninstall Instructions[hr]hr[/hr]

1. Delete the bitfield_ms_search_all_unanswered.xml file from your /includes/xml folder.
2. Uninstall the product in vB using the AdminCP Product Manager.

Screenshots[hr]hr[/hr]
Shown in this order:

• Link on Search Forums Menu
• AdminCP Options
• Usergroup Permissions
• Link on navbar (left hand side)
• Link on navbar (right hand side)

Version History[hr]hr[/hr]
v3.8.002 - Tuesday 23rd June 2009
-- Final v3.8.x Release
-- Added: AdminCP Option to allow for Unanswered Threads link to be placed in different places on the navbar

v3.8.001 - Friday 9th January 2009
-- Initial v3.8.x Release


Thanks[hr]hr[/hr]
Thanks go out to Paul M who gave me permission to use some of his install code.


Show Your Appreciation[hr]hr[/hr]
Although not required, if you have enjoyed the benefits of this hack, and would like show your appreciation for my efforts, then please feel free to click on the Support Developer link and donate any amount you feel is appropriate.


Donations[hr]hr[/hr]
I would like to thank the following people for their kind donations:

• adwade

[ezak]

Originally Posted by Mosh

It would be something along the lines of:

http://YOUR-FORUM-URL/search.php?do=process&replyless=1&replylimit=0&nocache=1

that hack not work with me, but your code is working well with me
but I want to know , how to specific forum in the search
I tried &forumchoice=10 , &f=10 but no luck

PLZ told me what to add to make it search in exact forum ID

and thanks

[member007]

installed but when I try click the search in the navigation bar it logged me off.

[Mosh]

Originally Posted by tommac3

Can someone tell me if I can change a query somewhere to exclude certain forums so that they dont show up in the unanswered posts? It seems that most rss articles never get answered ... so these almost always show up. I think that this mod is better suited to list all of the new posts that havent been addressed ... Also you may have forums where one person is doing all of the posting those would also always show up.

AdminCP settings for this hack available in vBulletin Options > Forum-wide Search For Unanswered Threads.
Settings that can be changed are:

1. Exclude Forums - list of forums to exclude from the search for unanswered threads
2. Turn off cached results - enable/disable

[Mosh]

Originally Posted by member007

installed but when I try click the search in the navigation bar it logged me off.

That has nothing to do with this hack, as nearly 200 sites use this and no one else has this problem (it would have been pointed out before now and fixed).

[Alfa1]

Under the option 'Forums To Exclude From Search', the following error shows:

Error:You did not enter a valid value for this setting.

I think that this is causing this modification to not work.

My settings are:
125,142,152,156,164,165,166,174,176,190,192,196,20 9,211,212,213,214,215,216,217,218,219,220,221,223, 224,225,226,228,229,233,237,238,239,240,241,242,24 3,244,245,246,247,248,249,250,251,252,253,254,255, 256,257,258,259,260,261,262,263,264,265,266,267,26 8,269,270,271,272,273,277,278,279,180

Please advise.

[Mosh]

Originally Posted by Alfa1

Under the option 'Forums To Exclude From Search', the following error shows:

I think that this is causing this modification to not work.

My settings are:
125,142,152,156,164,165,166,174,176,190,192,196,20 9,211,212,213,214,215,216,217,218,219,220,221,223, 224,225,226,228,229,233,237,238,239,240,241,242,24 3,244,245,246,247,248,249,250,251,252,253,254,255, 256,257,258,259,260,261,262,263,264,265,266,267,26 8,269,270,271,272,273,277,278,279,180

Please advise.

It is because the length of the list of forums you have added is more than 254 characters long.

To fix it, edit ms_search_all_unanswered_38.xml, find:

PHP Code:

                <validationcode><![CDATA[return $data != NULL && preg_match('#^[0-9,]{0,254}$#', $data) && substr($data, -1) != ',' && substr($data, 0, 1) != ',';]]></validationcode> 


Change to:

PHP Code:

                <validationcode><![CDATA[return $data != NULL && preg_match('#^[0-9,]{0,500}$#', $data) && substr($data, -1) != ',' && substr($data, 0, 1) != ',';]]></validationcode> 


Then re-import the product and allow overwrite. Should hopefully work.

[jilly]

Mosh, I have a request - on my forum, I would like to place this as its own separate link on the nav bar - so that when you are looking at the nav bar, you can see 'unanswered threads' as one of the options, along with all the standard items already in nav bar. This way, my mods and users could click directly on the link in the nav bar, and not have to use the drop down search menu.

Can you code this as an additional option to the mod, or if it would not be too hard, tell me how to get the link as a separate item into navbar myself?

I saw your notice about exams, good luck, and will check back for the answer after the end of June!

[Mosh]

Originally Posted by jilly

Mosh, I have a request - on my forum, I would like to place this as its own separate link on the nav bar - so that when you are looking at the nav bar, you can see 'unanswered threads' as one of the options, along with all the standard items already in nav bar. This way, my mods and users could click directly on the link in the nav bar, and not have to use the drop down search menu.

Can you code this as an additional option to the mod, or if it would not be too hard, tell me how to get the link as a separate item into navbar myself?!

Should not be too hard to add, so I will add an option for different locations. The updated hack will be released in the next couple of days.

Originally Posted by jilly

I saw your notice about exams, good luck, and will check back for the answer after the end of June!

Why thank you kind lady All done now, finished my last exam about an hour and a half ago.

[Mosh]

Update: v3.8.002 - Tuesday 23rd June 2009
-- Added: AdminCP Option to allow for Unanswered Threads link to be placed in different places on the navbar

[jilly]

Thanks Mosh - I tried installing, and of course I have customized my navbar (LOL) - how can I add the link manually?