vRewrite - SEOed URLs for vBulletin

About

vRewrite is an advance but simple system to rewrite vB's URLs. The rewrite system uses preg_match_all and str_replace to rewrite the URLs. It will rewrite any URLs that are dynamic ex: showthread.php?t= to /the-forum/title-of-the-forum-id.html. Why? SEs (Search Engines) rate results based on filename. Not only that, but most SEs give a "boost" to static URLs (what we do here) versus dynamic URLs. vRewrite accomplishes both of this, for all URLs that a search engine (or a guest) will see.

Installation

Please download vRewrite.zip and read install.html for more information on how to install it.

Requirements

vRewrite assumes that you are using Apache with the mod_rewrite module enabled, and running vBulletin 3.5.x. However, if you ask for support here on IIS' module or on vBulletin 3.0.x - I will be more then happy to assist you.

Contributions

I would like to thank Chroder and Cole for assisting me release vRewrite. I could not have released it if it wasn't for them.

I would like to thank the following people/boards for helping beta test vRewrite and making it a better product.

Gaming Ultimate, BP Gaming, NBS Designz Cyclez, Hosting-Talk and Forum University.

Copyright

I've spent many hours working and perfecting vRewrite. The only thing I ask you to do is if you use it, please keep the link back. If you wish to put it in your style instead, simply remove or comment out that line. However, if you use vRewrite you MUST link back. That is the only thing I ask.

Known Issues

There are no known issues with the latest release (1.0).

Support / Issues

If you have any problems or discover a bug please post here in this thread. I have also included my email in the install.html email for one-on-one support. The only thing I ask you is please do not post this email address publicly - it is my personal email.

Changelog

1.5 Release - vRewrite 1.5 has become stable, and all users under 1.5 RC3 and 1.0 need to upgrade. Support for 1.0 will no longer be offered, and you will be told simply to upgrade. Please continue to keep all bug and feature suggestions on the bug tracker at:

http://www.techhelpforum.com/vrewrite

1.1 Release - Several bug fixes, and a few new features. Details here.

03/26/06 - Updated the thread to reflect vRewrite 1.5 Beta links. vRewrite files has NOT changed.

03/11/06 - Updated the thread to take advantage of vB.org's new prefix feature. vRewrite itself has NOT changed.

1.0 Release (02/19/06) - I have released the much awaited 1.0. This is the first stable release of vRewrite. All users now should be safe installing vRewrite. For more information, and how to upgrade, please see here.

1.0 Preview (01/12/06) - I have released a preview version of 1.0. This is the final version before 1.0 is considered stable. I believe everything should work in this new preview, but one bug (see known issues). Please see here for more information and how to upgrade.

01/05/06 - Updated ZIP to include a fix for boards running a table prefix. You do not need to upgrade unless you previously had SQL errors. You can upgrade by importing the product and choose "Allow Overwrite".

Donations

Any donations are very much appreciated! I do this out of my free time and work many hours on it - all for free. Anything to help is always very welcomed

If you use vRewrite, please click Install. This helps you keep track of additional upgrades and shows to me that you care about vRewrite


You may not post vRewrite ZIP or any files contained in the ZIP on any website. You may not also post any support requests/give support on any website other then this one, without my permission. If you do so, you will get a DMCA for copyright infringement. I do not want this spread to pirated users. Please stop piracy and do not share the source outside of this thread and vB.org/com. Thanks.

Support will only be obtained at:
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=182

[yayvb]

Hmm, I never had an incorrect user problem. The links always brought me to the right place I think. Or, maybe not?? I can't remember.

YAHOOOOOO!!! This sounds like it will also fix the problem with the links on the front FORUMHOME not working (since those are NEWPOST links) right?

I really hope this works!! I was just thinking how my site is growing, but only a couple of members each day. I'm nowhere in the search results and the forums I've visited tell me exactly why. I don't know how they can tell, but I've asked and some people tell me which listings of mine are in the search engines and which listings google is having trouble with, etc. (ie. I was told it doesn't like my link www.420boards.com/420kid for my profile). This should fix everything right up guys!!

Thanks so much everyone (in advance) haha.

[yayvb]

Once this problem is fixed, I guess the next few steps will be to add some features to the product. For instance I think everyone is always saying that you know which commercial seo product doesn't just rewrite URLs, it also does this and that and that and this, etc.

Because this is a free product and not commercial, is there any problem with us finding out which great features they use and implementing our own version of some of the features? I would imagine that's ok, because how can they say that no one else can do something like this, when they won't even let sites like mine buy their product.

I'll see if I can find any ideas.

[Bhuwan]

Originally Posted by yayvb

Hmm, I never had an incorrect user problem. The links always brought me to the right place I think. Or, maybe not?? I can't remember.

YAHOOOOOO!!! This sounds like it will also fix the problem with the links on the front FORUMHOME not working (since those are NEWPOST links) right?

I really hope this works!! I was just thinking how my site is growing, but only a couple of members each day. I'm nowhere in the search results and the forums I've visited tell me exactly why. I don't know how they can tell, but I've asked and some people tell me which listings of mine are in the search engines and which listings google is having trouble with, etc. (ie. I was told it doesn't like my link www.420boards.com/420kid for my profile). This should fix everything right up guys!!

Thanks so much everyone (in advance) haha.

The links on the front page don't work at all for you or they are directed towards the wrong thread?


I think I have a fix for the thredds being redirected to the wrong thread (Once again PM'im immortal)

[John Diver]

Any bugs with this now?

Really looking forward to giving it a go on one of my sites

[Bhuwan]

Originally Posted by John Diver

Any bugs with this now?

Really looking forward to giving it a go on one of my sites

I can't speak for Immortal (remember this is HIS hack), but I PERSONALLY think that 1.0 is stable enough to run. It has a few annoyances, which hopefully will be fixed soon enough.

[Bhuwan]

Originally Posted by bchawla

Immortal-
A moderator brought to my attention that there is sitill a merge bug.
If you use inline merging it works great, however, if you try and merge to a thread (by entering the URL) it gives an error.
I've been trying to find a hook to take care of the 'conversion' but have been unlucky.


Outstanding bugs I can think of:
1) Merge issue (inline works okay)
2) FIXED - Incorrect member.php linking
3) Markforums - still produces an error (I think I know of a fix)
4) FIXED - Directly clicking on a THREAD from index.php produces incorrect thread linking (traced to URL rewriting).
5) TEMP FIXED those running vbGallery (and possibily other scripts which use /dir within forums dir) will have problems - cause of this is headinclude's baseurl
I'll try and see what I can do (though I doubt it will be much!)
thanks!

EDIT: #5 added, fixed #2

just an update to make sure everything is covered

6) BEING FIXED - showthread.php <-- error page
7)BEING FIXED - showthread.php?t=<--needs to fixed
8)BEING FIXED - showthread.php?p= <--needs to fixed
9) if youedit or delete a post, your taken to the top post (needs to be fixed to be same as stock vBulletin

Is there anything elsE?

[yayvb]

Originally Posted by bchawla

just an update to make sure everything is covered

6) BEING FIXED - showthread.php <-- error page
7)BEING FIXED - showthread.php?t=<--needs to fixed
8)BEING FIXED - showthread.php?p= <--needs to fixed
9) if youedit or delete a post, your taken to the top post (needs to be fixed to be same as stock vBulletin

Is there anything elsE?

I don't think I was having all of those problems, I think the problem that I saw was with the NEWPOST links on the front bringing everyone to the wrong place. So I can't wait to see what you did.

*EDIT* Oh, I haven't noticed #9 above, maybe that was a problem I was having without knowing.

[Immortal]

I would like to thank bchawla, for all the hard work he's putting in.

John, I've been running it on my board for quite awhile now. But, a new version is about to be release, bchawla is a machine!

[Bhuwan]

Originally Posted by Immortal

I would like to thank bchawla, for all the hard work he's putting in.

John, I've been running it on my board for quite awhile now. But, a new version is about to be release, bchawla is a machine!

hah! thanks! call me bhuwan

[Bhuwan]

Originally Posted by yayvb

I don't think I was having all of those problems, I think the problem that I saw was with the NEWPOST links on the front bringing everyone to the wrong place. So I can't wait to see what you did.

*EDIT* Oh, I haven't noticed #9 above, maybe that was a problem I was having without knowing.

Some of these you ma ynot notice -- I have very picky members and moderators. In fact I want everything to be perfect myself lol.
But 6, 7,8 are definately bugs, take a look
Showthread.php Bug #6
showthread.php?t= bug #7
showthread.php?p= bug #8

Thanks!
P.S. the newpost from the front page is RESOLVED - unless Immortal tells me otherwise!

EDIT: I'm talking about being redirected to the wrong thread from FORUMHOME. Basically what your talking about LOL! I have a tendency to conufse people! :banana: