New Posting Features - Global Threads: The Next Generation for VB4 by BOP5

Brought to you by BirdOPrey5
www.Qapla.com

Version 1.0 - Initial Release
Version: 1.01 - Permissions for Administrators and Super-Mods now work with primary or secondary usergroups.
Version: 1.02 - Added logging actions to moderator logs.
Version: 1.03 - Documentation update only, to be consistent with Gold version.
Version 1.1 - Bug-fix for mod log. Added new option to disable checkbox on new posts.

This mod was inspired by an earlier Global Thread mod I received permission from randominity to update. It is free and is still available here.

That mod however was a port from a VB 3.6 version and was not optimized for VB 4.x. It included a somewhat complicated system of having to make a separate hidden forum for holding the global threads.

My solution was to create a new Global Threads mod, coded from scratch, designed especially for vBulletin 4.x. Therefore I have named this mod, Global Threads: The Next Generation.

This mod is NOT an upgrade from the old mod. You should uninstall the old mod if you will be using this one.

The purpose of this mod is to let an Admin or Super-Mod designate a thread to be a "Global Thread." Global Threads become listed in every forum. A sticky global thread will be sticky in all forums. Non-sticky global threads behave like any other thread, simply visible in every forum.

Clicking on a global thread will open the thread in the forum it is "native" to. An optional message will be displayed in the thread to alert users they are in a global thread.

There is an optional "globe" icon and thread prefix ( Global: ) that can be turned on and off as well as further ways to distinguish global threads from normal threads.

See a Live Demo:

Here is a Global Thread at Qapla.com
You will see it listed in the Demo forum.
But it's also visible in the News & Announcements forum
And in the Talk forum.

In fact it is in a number of Qapla.com forums if you care to look.

This is the free version. The Gold version is available at Qapla.com.

The GOLD version has all the features of the FREE version but 2 additional options:
1) You may choose specific users (by userid) to give Make Global Thread permissions.
2) You may select or restrict Global Threads to specific forums.


This mod is fully phrased for easy translation.

This mod was designed to run on VB 4.1.10 and above. Older versions may require some manual template edits (instructions included.) I have not tested this mod on any version below 4.0.8.

Instructions:

If you want to convert an existing thread to a "Global Thread" open the thread in your browser.

Go to the "Administrative" drop down menu at the top of the thresd.

Click on the option to "Make Thread Global" and click on "Proceed.:"

The thread will be made global and you will be returned to the thread.

To undo a global thread go to the same menu and choose the option "Undo Global Thread."


If you are creating a new thread or replying to an existing thread (using Advanced Reply) then you can make the thread global in one step.

Before submitting your message scroll down to "After you submit your message..." and the top option should be "Make Thread Global"

Check this box before submitting the message to make the thread a Global Thread.

If it's already a Global Thread then simply uncheck the box "Keep Threas Global" to undo the global status after submitting the message.

Note: This option is available only to Admins and Super-mods. Normal users never see the "Moderation Options" menu.

Please Mark as Installed if you use this.
Donations Always Appreciated. :up:

[BirdOPrey5]

Looking through my moderator logs I'm not seeing this- certainly not on every post, I made a couple to test.

Was there any other pattern you noticed to this happening?

To disable the logging in this case go to the Admin CP -> Plugin Manager

Edit the Plugin: Make Global on New Reply [OK]

It's a small plugin, find the line:

       log_moderator_action($threadinfo, '', "Undo Global Thread on New Post");

And comment it out:

       //log_moderator_action($threadinfo, '', "Undo Global Thread on New Post");

There's another log line above this one if you want to comment that out too it's fine.

[Alan_SP]

Thanks, that did the trick (obviously it will).

Anyway, I tested it a bit further. It happens only when I use advanced editor, i.e. I don't use quick reply. If I use quick reply, there's no action in moderators' log. But with advanced editor (using buttons Reply to thread (I removed java script ID, so first click on buttons Reply to thread goes directly to advanced editor) or going to quick reply and then choosing advanced editor) it logs it.

Please, try posting with advanced editor and see if your posts get logged.

[BirdOPrey5]

Ahh, thank you, I will keep playing with it and come up with a fix shortly.

[Alan_SP]

Thanks. I was thinking about using another check, if thread was global or not. If not, skipping logging altogether, or if it was global before, than logging action.

Or, disabling options to change global status altogether when posting new post or thread and using only inline moderation or administrative tools. This is good enough for me (sometime some threads were (un)made global by mistake, so I made template changes).

[BirdOPrey5]

Good idea Alan.

Added new version, 1.1 - Fixes the moderator log issues and new option to disable the check boxes on new reply.

[John Lester]

Originally Posted by BirdOPrey5

A background color change was an option I was working on but cut it out because things were getting a little too complex- but it is something I will revisit.

Just curious if you've revisited this yet? Either way I will be installing it over the weekend

[BirdOPrey5]

not yet.

[John Lester]

Installed and loving it

[John Lester]

Hey BOP5 one quick question, how would I go about putting the notice under the first post instead of above? Alternatively can it be placed as the first line of the first post (without copy and paste )?

[BirdOPrey5]

When you say notice you mean the notice that it is a global thread?

In settings/options there is an option to show the notice below the thread... that is as close as it comes. Of course it is possible to move the notices around, if you know what you're doing- but it's not something I'm going to support.