404 Not Found turns into vBulletin search!

Well, I can't say that this is the most advanced, or most original thing I've written, but I figure it'll be a good hack to post first.

Say a user goes to your forum, and is looking for something specific and quick. Perhaps your forum is a Tolkien based forum...and the user was looking for information on Gandalf, the user could go to http://www.yourforum.com/gandalf, and a search would be generated. Basically what this hack does is it uses GET data as POST data in what would be submitted by search.php.

Features:

• Incorporates permissions to match your forums permissions.
• Gives the most common bots and spiders a 404 error.
• Small, and disgustingly easy installation
• Explicitly clear instructions for configuration (comes preconfigured with vBulletin defaults)

The attached zip by default only works on Apache's httpd or other servers that support .htaccess and ErrorDocument directive. Can be configured for IIS, but extra work on your part (and probably your host's) part.

So far, it has been tested and works on 2.2.8 and 2.2.9, but it should work on 2.2.*.

Ahh, yes, I said it wasn't original. I got the idea from php.net's neat little idea where you can go to http://www.php.net/something and it will search for something.

To Install:

1. Upload 404.php to your forum root directory.
2. If you have a .htaccess file in place already, copy the line from the supplied file into your file. If you *do not* have a .htaccess file in place already, add the file.
   

Lets see, I believe that's all...nope

Oh, yes, one last...yes, finally last...thing, please, please click Install if/when you install this hack.

That's all folks!

EDIT: VERSION 1.0

[Sebastian]

this seem pretty cool... what seems handy is someone can just type anything in the url field like if they are performing a regular search, saves you a step from having to find the search link/button.

[Minots]

@ Beorn
Cool Job! thx
*installed & working*

[Overgrow]

Personally I love the idea. I already do something similar with my FAQ...

http://www.overgrow.com/faq/clone
http://www.overgrow.com/faq/hydroponics

I just don't think too many people use it

[filburt1]

Very nice hack, just like php.net works. Thanks

[amykhar]

On my board, it cuts off the first letter of the search term. If I put in http://www.eaforums.com/forums/frog, it searches for rog.

I have not modified your code any.

Amy

[Boofo]

Nice hack.

I have 2 questions...

1- Does anybody have a good list of robots to include in the 404.php file

2- I have a search engine indexer installed. what will this do to spiders that are excluded from that?

[Boofo]

I can't seem to get this to work. I get a page cannot be displayed error. Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

[Beorn]

Hello all. I'm really sorry that I haven't said a single thing on this thread in so long, but in the past two months, my life has been hell. Sitting down at a computer for more than 10 minutes has been unheard of. I will shortly (2 or 3 days) be releasing version 1.0, with a few things fixed. Amykhar's problem I've encountered, and I realized what's wrong, but I haven't looked into Boofo's problem.

Now, for some reason IE will not follow 404 redirects for my domain. It will for a different domain on the same host. Opera will. Who knows....

Mike B

EDIT: Should the config be in the file, or via ACP? Putting it in the ACP involves actually integrating the hack, while in the file doesn't. I personally prefer hacks to lay on top of, not be part of a base system, so I would go with in the file. What's everyone elses' opinion?

Yet again,
Mike B

[Beorn]

V 1.0 is out

Fixed AmyKhar's problem, can't figure out what Boofo's is...

[GaleForce]

Is there a demo of this anywhere? I would love to see it in action