Thread Introductions

About
This little hack will allow you to have introductions at the top of your threads that only admins can edit. Screenshots follow in the next posts.

I was inspired by my ignorance, really. I was over at http://www.bikeforums.net/ to gawk at his contest thing at the top of each thread, and I didn't realize it was on EVERY thread - I thought he had created some kind of hack! scsa20 pointed out that it was merely a template edit.

I had already fallen in love with this idea, though. So here it is.

Notes:
1. If you install this, please click the "install" button or post the URL of a thread with an introduction in your forums in this thread so I can see this in action. I'd consider it a personal favor.
2. I was unable to get one screenshot working, but I can just tell you that the thread introduction editing page looks like the post editing page. If someone could post this screenshot, I'd appreciate it.

Latest Version: 1.1.5
The latest version integrates the "Thread Introduction" link INTO the admin options menu, adds an option to show the thread title when no intro is present, and allows you to update the introductions of ALL threads in EVERY forum at once (Thanks Boofo for the idea). If you are upgrading, read through install.txt, but the only necessary things to do are to change the "threadintro" template and to overwrite the old threadintro.php file with the new one!
Download: here

Old Versions / Change Log
v1.1.0 - added formatting & introduction box
v1.0.0 - first release

[Boofo]

The above doesn't work. Did I get what?

BTW: Is there anyway that your hack can edit the threadintro if there is one and if there isn't one, just edit the default one ($thread[title]) and make that one into a threadintro. That way there will always be a intro at the top of the page whether it is edited or not? Do you understand what I mean? Like they have here on the thread headers where it is different form the original one. Can you do it?

[N!ck]

all they do is use multiple instances of $forum[title]

can you please be more specific as to any error messages you are getting, etc.?

[Boofo]

I see what you are saying about multiple instances now. I wonder why I didn't think of that.

The errors I got on the Admin Options box after I applied your code was that it would say the page was done loading and be a blank screen. It kept pulling up the postings.php when it tried to run.

While I have you here, I am tring to do a forum header like it did the thraed header but I am running into problems with the table messing it up. Do you know a way around that? I tried to do it just like the thread intro but the table is completely different in the forum header.

[N!ck]

okay, please post the url that appears in the browser window after choosing an option

as for the header, you shouldn't need to do any more tables, just to <p><font size="SIZE YOU WANT">$thread[title]</font><p> somewhere up there

[N!ck]

try this:

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<form action="postings.php" method="get"><tr><td>
	<smallfont>
	<input type="hidden" name="s" value="$session[dbsessionhash]">
	<input type="hidden" name="threadid" value="$threadid">
	<b>Admin Options:</b><br>
	<select name="action"
	onchange="window.location=this.options[this.selectedIndex].value">
		<option value="postings.php?action=editthread" selected>-- Thread Options --</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=openclosethread">Open / Close Thread</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=movecopythread">Move / Copy Thread</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=editthread">Edit Thread</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=deletethread">Delete Thread / Posts</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=merge">Merge Threads</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=split">Split Thread</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=stick">Stick / Unstick Thread</option>
		<option value="threadintro.php">Thread Introduction</option>
	</select>$gobutton
	</smallfont>
</td></tr></form>
</table>

[Boofo]

I tried that but they have a table that goes up and down on the left side in the thread header area so when I put that code it, it never centers.

[N!ck]

honestly i dont know then...i've never tried that

[Boofo]

Here's the error I get when I pick anything but thread intro:

No thread specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the Webmaster

When I pick thread intro it kicks me back to the main forum page.

Could it have something to do with the form action at the top of the code?

[N!ck]

try:

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<form><tr><td>
	<smallfont>
	<b>Admin Options:</b><br>
	<select name="action"
	onchange="window.location=(this.options[this.selectedIndex].value+'&s=$session[dbsessionhash]&threadid=$thread[threadid]')">
		<option value="postings.php?action=editthread" selected>-- Thread Options --</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=openclosethread">Open / Close Thread</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=movecopythread">Move / Copy Thread</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=editthread">Edit Thread</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=deletethread">Delete Thread / Posts</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=merge">Merge Threads</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=split">Split Thread</option>
		<option value="postings.php?action=stick">Stick / Unstick Thread</option>
		<option value="threadintro.php?">Thread Introduction</option>
	</select>$gobutton
	</smallfont>
</td></tr></form>
</table>

[Boofo]

Sorry, same results... I guess your guinnea pig is letting you down.