Persistent Mark Forum Read

Hack: Persistent Mark Forum Read
Version of VB: 2.2.5
Current version: 1.3
Description: This hack replaces the bahavior of vBulletin's "Mark Forum Read" and "Mark All Forums Read" with a system that uses a database to track when forums are set read. By eliminating the use of cookies for this feature, a user can come onto your boards, read a bit, mark forums read as they go through and logout. The next time they come into the forums, the status of which forums they've read and which they haven't, as well as new posts since the last time they read is preserved.

This functions a lot like EZBoard and Chatspace's Webboard.

Included in this hack are three search routines: searing the entire forum for new messages, an individual forum and a section of the hierarchy (parent + children)

Also: Mark All Forums Read, Mark Individual Forum Read and Mark Hierarchy Section (Parent + Children) Read

Note: The install is not all pretty yet and requires a degree of knowledge of MySQL (to add a table) and PHP (as it requires heavy modifications to core files). It is recommended that you backup everything before using this.

After installation, behavior might be a bit odd until a default "markread" record is created for users. This is created when they first login if one does not exist.

This hack has been tweaked to now not add more than two queries to your index page. It will add load on sub-forum pages currently if you have a lot of nested forums. This will be fixed in the next release.

Instructions:

Follow the instructions in the included text file TO THE LETTER. If you run into problems, post here so we can work through them and improve the instructions. Look for a better install utility soon.

I recommend doing the text editing using a DIFF utility to see where you made changes, it honestly helps.

Place the images in your vbulletin image folder. I included PSD files for them if you want to change colors.

[DarkReaper]

So what exactly does this do? What's it add, and what does it do differently?

[ethank]

Originally posted by DarkReaper
So what exactly does this do? What's it add, and what does it do differently?

Its explained in the first post, or you can register on http://www.murmurs.com and see for yourself:

This hack replaces the bahavior of vBulletin's "Mark Forum Read" and "Mark All Forums Read" with a system that uses a database to track when forums are set read. By eliminating the use of cookies for this feature, a user can come onto your boards, read a bit, mark forums read as they go through and logout. The next time they come into the forums, the status of which forums they've read and which they haven't, as well as new posts since the last time they read is preserved.

This functions a lot like EZBoard and Chatspace's Webboard.

Included in this hack are three search routines: searing the entire forum for new messages, an individual forum and a section of the hierarchy (parent + children)

Also: Mark All Forums Read, Mark Individual Forum Read and Mark Hierarchy Section (Parent + Children) Read

[Tommy Boy]

Ethan's hack is the proper way to do it. I have no idea how anyone could manage with vB's built-in mark read feature (which was introduced only in 2.2.0 btw!).

[ethank]

Originally posted by Tommy Boy
Ethan's hack is the proper way to do it. I have no idea how anyone could manage with vB's built-in mark read feature (which was introduced only in 2.2.0 btw!).

Well, there is the caveat that it does add a substantial amount of queries. If you use this and the sub-forums hack you'd better have a well tuned MySQL box!

Although I'm going to start using a cache engine for the sub-forums display as soon as I get the latest version of my site up and running.

Ethan

[Gimp]

this hack just wracked everything!

[Meta]

this hack just wracked everything!

That isn't really good news.

I'm trying to install this hack on 2.2.1 ... but i have my problems with this in index.php:

PHP Code:

        // do light bulb
        if ($bbuserinfo['lastvisitdate']=='Never') {
          $forum['onoff']='on';
        } else {
          if ($bbuserinfo['lastvisit']<$forum['lastpost']) {
            $forum['onoff']='on';
          } else {
            $forum['onoff']='off';
          }
        } 


The mine looks different ... like this:

PHP Code:

        // do light bulb
        if ($bbuserinfo['lastvisitdate']=='Never') {
          $forum['onoff']='on';
        } else {
                    if (isset($bbforumview[$forum['forumid']]) and $bbforumview[$forum['forumid']]>$bbuserinfo['lastvisit']) {
                        $userlastvisit=$bbforumview[$forum['forumid']];
                    } else {
                        $userlastvisit=$bbuserinfo['lastvisit'];
                    }
          if ($userlastvisit<$forum['lastpost']) {
            $forum['onoff']='on';
          } else {
            $forum['onoff']='off';
          }
        } 


Nevermind ... install it anyways? Or what would you say?

[Meta]

Same problem in forumdisplay.php.

I did it this way:

PHP Code:

        // do light bulb
        if ($bbuserinfo['lastvisitdate']=='Never') {
          $forum['onoff']='on';
        } else {
                    if (isset($bbforumview[$forum['forumid']]) and $bbforumview[$forum['forumid']]>$bbuserinfo['lastvisit']) {
                        $userlastvisit=$bbforumview[$forum['forumid']];
                    } else {
                        $userlastvisit=$bbuserinfo['lastvisit'];
                    }
// ** CODE ADDED BY ETHANK TO SEE IF THE FORUM WAS MARKED READ SEPERATELY
        /* Select id from forum where parentlist like forumid
        cycle through, for each if lates thread is greater than mark read time or bbuserinfo, select lastpost, limit 1, if true flag
        */
        $forum['onoff'] = 'off'; 


I hope, this will work.

(But i'm not finished with everything until now. Maybe in just an hour i will try to install this all.)

(The part in index.php is the same like in forumdisplay.php ... isn't it?)

[Meta]

So ... installed. Almost without problems ... but ...

i get an error:

Missing argument 2 for getpostbit() in /home2/www/sphex/newzones/admin/functions.php on line 56

whenever i click a link.

Any ideas?

[Meta]

Hm ...

i turned the functions.php back in default status ... and now it seems to work.

I mean ... now it works ... without modifications in functions.php ... strange, isn't it?

But i am slightly afraid of i'm missing something ... this can not be, or what do you say, ethank?

[Meta]

Anybody at home? No?

Anyway ... it's still working fine, i think. Without the modifications in the functions.php ...

But i'm so curious ... i think there must be a reason why you wanted us to modify the functions.php ... or is it because of the difference to 2.2.1 ?

(And please excuse my poor english ... i do my best. If it's hard to understand me please feel free to ask me about it. And i will try better.)