Add-On Releases - Limited Guest Viewing -- Improve community registration rates

Note: This addon works with the 3.6.x series only. Click Here for the 3.7.0 version of this addon.

With vBulletin, forum guests are able to view endless amounts of content without being directly asked or forced to register no matter how many times they come back. The purpose of the Limited Guest Viewing System is to drive in registrations by limiting the number of threads guests are able to view without interruption.

This plugin offers two options which can be used to drive in more registrations. The first option allows you to show a reminder message or advertisement after a guest has viewed a certain number of threads. The second option puts up a roadblock stopping guests from viewing threads altogether after reaching a certain number of views. Both options work together to encourage and ultimately force anonymous visitors to either register or login but can also be used separately based on your individual needs.

Because this plugin uses cookies, few if any bots will be impacted when it comes to spidering your site.

Modifications/ Instructions:
Template edits: 1
Plugins: 1 (adds 1 template and several settings)

This template hack should take under 5 minutes to implement and customize.

Customizing the content / messages
To customize which messages appear or what they say, go to vBulletin options, select the ?Limited Guest Viewing System? group and configure the options as desired. Each phase can be modified by adding translation text.

Through the ACP you can enable or disable each option, specify the number of threads that can be viewed before the option is enabled and input any forums you wish to exclude from being blocked.

About spiders/bots
This plugin works by setting a cookie to track the number of visits from a particular user. As bots do not tend to accept cookies, they should not be blocked. To further insure there is no spider accessibility issues, there script identifies major bots (google, yahoo, msn, aol) and explicitly lets them through -- you can easily add to this list by editing the plugin code should you so desire, however, unless a bot starts taking cookies this should not be necessary.


Welcome headers compatibility
The Limited Guest Viewing is designed to work with the Welcome Headers system without any conflict. To insure that welcome header messages do not show up at the same time as the limited guest viewing message, please be sure you are running welcome headers version 4.1.3 or greater (released 11/19).

Updates
5/9/2008 - Released update to prevent installs on 3.7 boards.
2/18/2007 - Minor update to fix register link. Updates optional.
11/20/2006 - Minor update released to fix error with links in some messaging. Updates recommended.

[coffee]

I would prefer to have that message displayed the same way as your other mod here: Welcome headers - Improve community registration rates

Or at least tell me how to alter that one to show such messages

[Ted S]

The issue with invalid urls has been addressed. Please download the latest version (1.0.5) and upgrade by uploading the new plugin and allowing overwrites.

[coffee]

Installed, Thank you Ted S.

I have a little problem here, but first my options are: yes,yes,5,yes,10 and 0

The "Register Take-Over Message" won't appear while "Register Block" appears after the tenth visit correctly.

I upgraded the other mod (Welcome Headers) and just installed this one for the first time.

[Ted S]

Try resetting all of the options (set them to no then yes) and see what happens. If it still doesn't work, PM me your url.

[coffee]

Thanks for your help, my little forum is here: http://shinqit.net/index.php?langid=1

I turned them off then cleared cookies then on again, but no success on showing the take-over while the block appeared after trying to view topic #12.

[Ted S]

I was able to encounter the message after 10 views when I went to http://shinqit.net/t5368.html. Keep in mind that this plugin only applies to viewing and printing threads.

[coffee]

Oh well!

I like the "Register Block" a lot

[Hornstar]

Nice work, this could come in handy in the future if my forums become to crowded with guests.

[s25]

I get this error when using it :s
Warning: strstr() [function.strstr]: Empty delimiter. in /includes/class_postbit.php(296) : eval()'d code on line 26

Warning: strstr() [function.strstr]: Empty delimiter. in /includes/class_postbit.php(296) : eval()'d code on line 26

Warning: strstr() [function.strstr]: Empty delimiter. in /includes/class_postbit.php(296) : eval()'d code on line 26

The adress is a0tu.com/bbs

[Ted S]

s25,
What other addons do you have installed? Do you have any vlaues in the exclude field?