Add-On Releases - Limited Guest Viewing -- Motivate Guests to Register

Version 2.0 of this addon which allows for IP tracking using a mySQL database has been released. This is an optional feature which is disabled by default.


With vBulletin, forum guests are able to view endless amounts of content without being directly asked or forced to register no matter how many times they come back. The purpose of the Limited Guest Viewing System is to drive in registrations by limiting the number of threads guests are able to view without interruption.

This plugin offers two options which can be used to drive in more registrations. The first option allows you to show a reminder message or advertisement after a guest has viewed a certain number of threads. The second option puts up a roadblock stopping guests from viewing threads altogether after reaching a certain number of views. Both options work together to encourage and ultimately force anonymous visitors to either register or login but can also be used separately based on your individual needs.


Modifications/ Instructions:
Template edits: 1
Plugins: 1 (adds 1 template and several settings)
SQL Queries: 2 [1 insert/update] (optional)

This template hack should take under 5 minutes to implement and customize.

Customizing the content / messages:
To customize which messages appear or what they say, go to vBulletin options, select the ?Limited Guest Viewing System? group and configure the options as desired. Each phase can be modified by adding translation text.

Through the ACP you can enable or disable each option, specify the number of threads that can be viewed before the option is enabled and input any forums you wish to exclude from being blocked.

Search Engine Bots (Spiders):

This plugin is intended to use cookies as a result few if any bots will be impacted when it comes to spidering your site [bots do not generally use cookies]. Users with IP logging enabled face more potential impact from spiders. For a full explanation of the impact on bots please read the install file. Questions about this issue should be asked after the install file will be read otherwise responses will direct you to read the file.

IP/ Database Logging:
As of version 2.0 this addon now allows for IP logging via mySQL instead of just using cookies. IP logging tracks visitors by IP address stopping issues associated with cookie clearing making the system more secure. This is optional and is turned off by default.




There are 3 possible downsides of this option you should be aware of.

1. The system adds an additional query and update every time a guest views a thread which adds to your server load.
2. Some users on ISPs like AOL share IPs and could be forced to register without being able to access any threads.
3. While spiders often change IPs and are specifically excluded (by hostmask) from the addon this is not absolute and it is possible they could be blocked. See the install file for more on this.

Welcome headers compatibility:
The Limited Guest Viewing is designed to work with the Welcome Headers System version 3.6 without any conflict. If you are using the notices system in 3.7 there is the possibility of duplicating messages.

Updates
- 12/10/2008 - Bug update to fix issue #2-01
-10/30/2008 - Release of version 2.0 beta
-05/04/2008 - Release of 3.7.0 version

[Ted S]

Sorry for not being clear. The clean up file is running... in that it gets to the end of the script without errors. however it's not doing it's job. That something I can diagnose from my end (rather than a bug with the script which could be site specific). Look for an update in the next few days.

[Megatr0n]

Oh OK.

I look forward to it.

[BettorsTalk.com]

Anyone have this installed on their forum so I can check to see how it appears for a guests point of view?

[Ted S]

Checkout the screenshots in the main description for an example from a "real" application.

[Ted S]

Megatr0n,

Sorry to keep asking you to be the guinea pig with this but if you don't mind, upload this version of the cron file and manually run the schedule task which should clear out your IP record database properly.

If that does not work you can manually clear it by using the mySQL query: DELETE FROM lgv

(Note: if you use table prefixes you will need to add that before lgv... ie vb_lgv).

[Megatr0n]

Hi Ted,

No problem. This Decepticon is always willing to lend a helping hand.

It works but only when you do it manually. After running the crob job manually and then deleting my cookies it didn't work.

[Ted S]

Very very strange. How about this version? Does that do the trick? (Keep simplifying things until they world...).

I'll be retesting myself shortly but am in the process of working on getting all my addons to 3.8 right now.

[Megatr0n]

Originally Posted by Ted S

Very very strange. How about this version? Does that do the trick? (Keep simplifying things until they world...).

I'll be retesting myself shortly but am in the process of working on getting all my addons to 3.8 right now.

That did the trick!

[Ted S]

Well that's good but unfortunately it doesn't account for days. When you were testing were you setting your days to wait to 0?

[BettorsTalk.com]

Originally Posted by Ted S

Checkout the screenshots in the main description for an example from a "real" application.

Yeah, I looked at the screen shots on here. However, I wanted to see what it looked like in a real setting.