Recycle Bin & Moderator Log

THIS IS A REAL BETA HACK, DO NOT INSTALL ON A LIVE BOARD

Ok, I brought up the idea over in this thread .

Here is a BETA hack for a recycle bin and mod logging system I've been working on.

It logs all mod activity for editing/deleting posts, moving threads etc. all admin selectable to log or not.
It creates a Forum (preferably hidden) to hold all the deleted threads - the logging function takes care of where they are from and who put them there.

It also dumps a copy of all user or mod (and admin) posts into an edited posts thread, also all deleted posts are dumped into a deleted posts thread.

Most of the logging is sorted, and configurable, I've probably forgotten something somewhere - which is why this is beta

The log info in the admin display is functional but still needs some work. I think the actual recycle logging functions themselves are up to scratch.

More (short ) notes in the readme.

I repeat do not install this hack on a live board

On the installer, this is probably more beta then the actual hack, thanks to firefly (Chen) for letting me borrow some of his hack installer code.

The installer works with a vanilla install of 2.2.9 but i have no idea what it will do with a hacked board, or different versions.

Also the hack itself is only tested on 2.2.9

The installer will (if you let it) install all of the forums, threads, templates and even do the file mod's. There is also a FTP function to ftp locally if you don't have chmod 777 set, failing direct file access or ftp, you can choose to download the hacked file without having to do all the edits by hand. (damn that took me some working)

The installer is still a little raw, I'll work on it more with some feed back.

Now what the hack actually does.

On the straight logging side.
How much and what is logged is selectable via the script in the admin CP
Code has been added to make an entry in the logdata table each time, a mod or user edits, deletes, opens, closes, sticks - basically everything.. a thread or a post.
(I think I have it logging all relevant information, but I may have missed something.)
You are then able to view the log history in the admin CP, also in the admin CP you can clear the logs, view stats, track down actions by a specific user.
I am working on a function to allow you to rebuild the thread and show edits/deletes as they happened in the timeline, but this part is not a high priority atm for me.

On the Recycle bin side.
-Uses the logging functions to keep track of the threads/posts.
The installer set up the recycle bin forum as a Posts do not count forum.
Most of the larger code inserts keep track of the posts/threads and provide undelete/full delete functions.
the main index.php has a small code insert to hide how many posts/threads are in the recycle bin forum from showing on the main page.
When a post/thread is deleted, the post count is still reduced form the users file, and the posts are unindexed from the search index.
If a thread/post is undeleted, the post counts are increased and the posts are re added to the search index.
If you 'return' an original post after editing, nothing changes with post counts etc.
The code also protects the Edited posts header post, and the Deleted posts header post. so while in the recycle bin, if you choose to 'full delete' either thread the main post and thread remains intact.

See this post for pics

I will try to dig up some older versions of vBB to check the installer with them..


Bugs....

Probably lots, but nothing really worrying that i can see

Todo
Better install instructions
Fix up the admin cp script so its pretty.
Make the Install script a little more stable.
Add anything that you think would be good, and won't take me another 10 solid days to program (I think the wife is going to leave me :speechless: )

Fixed:
Fixed - hopefully - the forum and post creation section on hacked forums

I'm looking forward to feed back etc

This hack is free, but I won't say no to paypal donations for a damn big beer

Dan

Edit, uploaded a new zip file due to a bug in the alternate download section of the installer.

[alkatraz]

Can't wait to see a final version of this! Great job!

[Sasq]

Uploaded a new zip due to a bug in the installer package, - downloading the patched file produced a 0 length file.

[MetroSports82]

this is awesome. keep up the good work sasg!

Metro.

[Sasq]

Ok, a few of you have downloaded this.
I need feedback on the installer. any bugs/misses/did it find all the code to patch.

and if it did miss any patches what ver of vbb and which file/which patch would be great.

Dan

[bitbender]

It's on my schedule for today, I'll post back, shortly, sasg

Being a full time engineer sure can interrupt a guys time from what I really LIKE doing!!

[N9ne]

I think for some, who have very hacked boards, it would be a good idea for you to include a .txt file with instructions. (I think you said something about being able to create one from the installer, but to save time, creating it and putting it in the .zip would be more convenient )

[Sasq]

Yeah a nice text file is on my to do list. But I'm sorta busy with other stuff atm - damn back to work today
Well at least make the installer spit up the data a little eaiser..

But as I've also said, this is not a simple hack to install, if you really want to add each part by hand..

What I will do get the installer to spit up a html page with the changes to your actual script so you can compare it to the changes that need to be made.

Also get it to list only the mods that didn't install - for the partially patched download.

Dan

[Sasq]

Ok, do appologise for the lack of updates to the install and work on the admin log section.

Our host has just upgraded our server, and now I'm busy stamping out brushfires -like collapsing databases. - sigh

[XIanX]

I've had this hack installed for about a week now and I'm really loving it except one thing. All the posts in my Gamecube forum(It's a gaming forum) sometimes end up getting placed in the Recycle Bin. To fix this, I have Mass Move the threads back in. It doesn't happen when I do anything specific, it just randomly it seems to do this.

[Sasq]

Work has been really busy recently. I'll try to get to it on the weekend - as long as they leave me alone long enough

It would be great if you could dump me the relevant part of the log - hopefully its logging something when it moves the threads. it might help me to work out whats going on

Dan

ps pm me and i'll give you my private email address so you can email it to me