TOTW: Thread of the Week Poll - Version 1.16

Thread of the Week Poll - Version 1.16

Description
With this hack it is possible to setup an automated system for electing a "Thread of the Week". Based on 1 or more rules you define it will select a number of threads from your board and will post a poll to let your members select their favourite thread.

This hack was written based on a requestion made here previously: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=63969

Tested on
- vB 3.0.7
- vB 3.0.6
- vB 3.0.5
- vB 3.0.3 (Will probably also work on earlier versions)

Install Information
Installation using HIS installer included (HIS by Link14716 https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...staller+system)
Uninstaller included
Install time: 2 minutes, easy
File edits: 0
Template edits: 0
Database modifications: 2 new tables

Features

• Can run 1 or more Rules for selecting threads to include in Poll
• Forums to be scanned for candidate threads can be selected.
• Selection of candidate threads is done based on views and replies. The 'weight' of these selection criteria is settable for every rule.
• Poll's are fully configurable (Posted as user, Thread title, Poll question, number of options)
• Polls are automatic closed when a new poll is started
• Polls can be generated on a settable interval. Interval can be given in days or weeks. Alternativle a new poll can also be generated on a fixed day every month.
• uCash Integration. Activate in ACP Settings if you have uCash installed
• Setable uCash price money for place 1, 2 and 3.
• Date selection based on Thread Start Date or Last Reply Date. Selection can be made for every Rule.
• Optional result post on closing of Poll, user configurable text.
• Thread title with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
• Poll title with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
• Result post with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
• Help added to the Admin screen.
• .......

To be included in future releases
If enough request i am think of the following to add in a future release. More suggestions are welcome
- Integration with more existing Award system, already rewards possible using uCash
- More selection criteria

Support
Support will be given in this thread.

If you have problems, please first check the following:
- Did you set the uCash/uShop correct in ACP->vB Options->Thread of the Week (On/Off)
- Turn on logging in the Scheduled Taks for Thread of the Week. Check the Scheduled Task Log for any messages.

If you still have problems, please post the following information, so i can quickly try to help you:
- vBulletin version
- PHP and MySQL Version
- Version of this hack
- The schedule options you have set in the Rule Manager
- Selection Options
- When is it scheduled to run in the Scheduled Task Manager
- Any other relevant information

Thanks to
A big thanks to link14716 for the installer and to trafix for letting me use a script as a starting point for the admin settings, saved me a lot of time.

Also a huge thanks to sabret00th for testing (now i got someone to blame if there are still any errors left ).


Donations
I will not charge for this hack. But if you like it and are looking for a way to spend your money, paypal donations are always welcome (marcoh64@msn.com)

Please click Install if you are using this hack

Change log:
Version 1.16:
- Fixed bugs in updating Username/Userid/Thread Title in posted thread and forum info
- Removed 2 unneeded queries
- Added replacement variables for Thread Title:
- {date} - Current date formatted according to vB settings
- {beginofweek} - Date (formatted) of the start of the current week (sunday is start)
- {endofweek} - Date (formatted) of the end of the current week (saturday is end)
- {beginofweekmon} - Date (formatted) of the start of the current week (monday is start)
- {endofweekmon} - Date (formatted) of the end of the current week (sunday is end)
- Added {date} replacement variable to Poll Title
- Made all replacement variables case-insensitive
- Admin Help pages updated accordingly

Version 1.15:
- Add the option to override the default calculation for the cutoff date when selecting candidates. Now possible to enter a number of days to go back when selecting candidates.

Version 1.14:
- Bug that would make the cronjob crash if the current poll thread was deleted.
- Fixed version number in Manager script

Version 1.13:
- uCash Integration. Activate in ACP Settings to show them.
- Setable uCash price money for place 1, 2 and 3.
- Date selection can now be based on Thread Start Date or Last Reply Date. Selection can be made for every Rule.
- Optional result post on closing of Poll, user configurable text.
- Thread title with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
- Poll title with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
- Result post with replacement variables. See Admin help!!
- Help added to the Admin screen.
- Some minor modifications and bug fixes
- Removed debugging lines
- Scheduled task will now log information on the processing of the Rules in the Scheduled Task Log
- INSTALLER WILL ALSO UPGRADE FROM PREVIOUS VERSIONS, SEE UPGRADE NOTES.

Version 1.12:
- Fixed bug where threadoftheweek.php would not run correct (or even generate a database error) when running through the scheduler (as oppsed to running it with "Run Now")
- Added loads of debug information. To activate debugging, change includes/cron/threadoftheweek.php and uncomment the line "// $TOTW_DEBUG = TRUE;". Debug lines will go to the Scheduler log.
- Forum counters will now be updated when a new poll is posted.
- Fixed bug where "Run on day x of month" didn't work.
- Some minor changes
- The first time the rule is run, only threads with a last postdate in the time interval which is set for the rule will be selected as Candidates. In the older versions all threads where considered on the first run.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

What settings do you use in the rule for Schedule Options for Rule?

[The Geek]

see attachment

[Marco van Herwaarden]

At "Post Poll in Forum" you have set it to "Main". Is this a postable forum, not a section?

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by MarcoH64

At "Post Poll in Forum" you have set it to "Main". Is this a postable forum, not a section?

Its a postable forum.

[The Geek]

BTW:

I got it to work by deleting the lastrun value from the rule. I also changes the sql critera so that it pulled based on dateline not lastpost. Really old threads that had been bumped within the last week appeared and it was a tad confusing. Since it should be thread of the week I assumed that the thread would have started within the time frame.

Anyway - just thought I would throw that in if it helps.

BTW: Why check when the lastrun was? If its a cron job then that runs automatically whenever you specify. If I wanted twice a week, I would set the cron job up accordingly. What is happening is that the lastrun date is never lower than the $cut date so it doesnt run the do_run_rule

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Thanks for looking into it. I have a new version being beta tested and one of the new options is the choice of selecting threads based on thread start or on last post. Also it will have uShop integration, posting of the result in a "Winners Post", replacement variables in the thread title, and some more small things.

About testing the lastrun, you can have multiple rules, 1 running every day, and one running on a weekly or monthly schedule. The cronjob will need to run every day in this scenario, and only execute those rules that are supposed to be executed. Don't get what you say about lastrun never being lower then $cut, but will check it against the code tomorrow.

PS If you are just starting up, you could also help beta testing the new version

[TTG]

Originally Posted by The Geek

Its a postable forum.

Already posted twice into the specified 'Polls Forum'

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Originally Posted by TTG

Already posted twice into the specified 'Polls Forum'

Sorry i don't understand this reaction? you mean it already worked good twice on your board?

[TTG]

Originally Posted by MarcoH64

Sorry i don't understand this reaction? you mean it already worked good twice on your board?

Correct .. worked fine twice and then never worked again !?

[Marco van Herwaarden]

New version released, now with uCash integration.

Please check out the change log.

All reported bugs should be solved. If you find any (new) bugs, please report them again.

[sabret00the]

fantastic update, thank you, you've done some great work here

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Originally Posted by sabret00the

fantastic update, thank you, you've done some great work here

And thank you for testing

PS sabre, you might wanna download the released version and upload the threadoftheweek.php to your board, made some minor changes after your last test.

[TTG]

Another week passes and still waiting for this to work, either via cron or manually running cron :ermm:

[KW802]

I think this hack might do what I'm after but I'm curious about the rules.

Would I be able to create a rule so that the selection criteria is ... Select the first X amount of threads between date X & date Y sorted by descending (high to low) rating by replies by views?

[Romeos Tune]

It ran once for me and then never worked again even manually running the script and seems abandoned. I dunno.....