vBStealth 2.0

vBStealth 2.0
(by Martin64, martin64@vbhackers.com)

[about]

vBStealth is a hack that prevents trouble makers from spreading their stupidity at your board and it does that by hiding their threads, making their posts magically disappear and helping the world by ignoring their pityful private messages. These users are unaware that they are ignored; their threads and posts show up normally when they're viewing them - only admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests are able to see these. Mhuahahah!

vBStealth was initially based on Frank's "Secretly ban a user" hack (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...threadid=36205) but is much more advanced and is is taking the idea of putting users on ignore further. This hack makes the secretly banned users even more secret - they have been stealth banned! *LOL*, please forgive me for naming the hack that.

[what it does]

- Threads and posts before the user was banned will show up, but threads and posts after the user was banned will be hidden to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.
- Hides threads in forumdisplay started by stealth users to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.
- Hides posts in showthread by stealth users to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.
- Ignores private messages sent by stealth users.
- Gives the option for moderators to either set a regular ban or a stealth ban in the Mod CP.
- Moderators are able to unban stealth banned users in the Mod CP.
- Skips updating the count post, last poster name and date for stealth banned users in forumdisplay and forumhome.
- Hides stealth users threads and posts when searching to everyone but admins, mods, stealth banned users and guests.

[note]

Make sure to backup your files! I don't want to be held responsible if you lose your two hundred hacks installed.

[important!]

You MUST stealth ban your users from the Mod CP, just changing usergroup in the Admin CP won't add the neccessary timestamp. The same goes for unbanning stealth banned users, you MUST do that from the Mod CP as well for the same reason.
If you have upgraded, you MUST put the users back to the registered group and then stealth ban them, or it won't add the neccessary timestamp.

[credits]

SJR and Xenon, for helping with some code fixes
Frank for creating "Secretly ban a user" which inspired me to work on vBStealth.

[upgrading from 1.X]

Be sure to do what's listed under [important!] above! Also, although not needed, I recommend completely uninstalling 1.X versions before installing vBStealth 2.0, as the file changes have changed for many of the files. If you are to upgrade, be sure to run the query, and go through the file changes very carefully.

[change log]

2.0: Hack now uses timestamps: Threads and posts before the user was banned will show up, but threads and posts after the user was banned will be hidden to everyone but stealth banned users, admins and mods.
1.3: Undid the changes to showthread.php, as it could lead to suspicion among stealth banned users if they communicate (thanks WetWired for the heads up). Also, I changed the code changes to newreply.php, so that it'll work if you have the Store Hack by Lesane installed.
1.2: Small fixes to search.php and newreply.php. New file modified: newthread.php.
1.1: Added changes to search.php as suggested by TECK (thanks ), which hides stealth users threads and posts when searching.
1.0: First release, no changes dummy. :P

[Martin64]

Thanks.
I can't believe how good feedback I've got on this so far, it's great.

If you have any suggestions of what to do next, just let me know and I'll see if it can be done.

[NuclioN]

Great! Could you give also the code for newreply.php so that it doens't conflict with the store hack? I mean there are lot's of people who have this code there.

[Martin64]

As requested, here's the instructions for installing vBStealth if you already have Lesane's Store hack installed, do these changes to newreply.php instead of the ones listed in my instructions for vBStealth 1.2. Note once again, you must have the store hack installed previously! As I don't have the store hack installed, I haven't tested if it works but it should. Please report back to me your results.

[NuclioN]

Tnx Martin, it seems to work.

[Martin64]

Sweet, I'll make sure to redirect any Store users to that post.

[NuclioN]

One of our moderators asked if a stealth banned user is logged out, does he see his own missing topics?

[Martin64]

A user who is logged out will not see posts by stealth banned users. We could make stealth posts visible to all logged out visitors, but not to stealth banned users only who are logged out.

[NuclioN]

Hm...is it an option to put the whole "Unregistered / Not Logged In" in the stealth ban usergroup, so nobody sees them if they logged in or logged out?

[WetWired]

Good idea. I will discuss the possibility of using this with the rest of the staff.

I see one fundemental flaw in this: What if you get a group of trouble makers?
(example IM convo:)
TM1: Hey man, read this: http://www.yourforums.com/forums/sho...p?threadid=nnn he's gonna get all upset, it'll be so funny
TM2: It says invalid thread
TM1: Link works for me
TM2: Strange man, check this out: http://www.yourforums.com/forums/sho...p?threadid=nnn
TM1: It doesn't work. WTF is going on here?
TM2: Maybe our accounts are broken or something
TM1: Yeah, better make new ones.

[ULTIMATESSJ]

lol wetwired does have a point, but it should stop some people who just register to cause trouble and nothing else