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]

Originally Posted by fiber1

Thanks I guess that works... Sorry never seen that approach yet!

That is default behaviour for all multiselect fields:
- Simple click: deselect all and select only the one you clicked
- Control Click: togle state of the line you clicked, keeping all previously selected
- shift click: select from/until lines.

[Kru]

It works like a charm. Great work MarcoH64 and big thank you for the changes that I requested.

[Lionel]

Originally Posted by MarcoH64

When it is time to rune the Rule again according to the schedule, it will close the current poll, post the results (and give away the uCash points if set) and create a new Poll.

It is not happening for me in that order. Seems that it is creating the new poll first, then post the results and close the poll last. So, for example in forumhome, last thread column will show April 2nd instead of April 9th.

I manually change the title for every thread created to make it as Week Ending 00/00/0000. And whenever the cron runs, the closed thread displays as last posted instead of new poll.

[Lionel]

Originally Posted by Lionel

Thanks for considering it. Real nice hack! Couldn't that be achieved now by doing something like:

Best thread for week ending $lastrundate (something to that extent using that parameter)

Originally Posted by MarcoH64

Well that parameter is not implemented, only start weeknumber and i think start date if i remember correct.

What about $today? date? The creation date of the thread has to be somewhere.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Lionel,

Can you PM me an URL where i can see this behaviour?

Edit: And i will look if i have some time today for adding some more variables to the title.

[Lionel]

Marco I sent you the PM. If you look closely, the post number for the closed poll is lower than the new poll, indicating that it was created first. Yet it displays as last.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Originally Posted by Lionel

What about $today? date? The creation date of the thread has to be somewhere.

Today is already possible (with exception of the year). Just use one of the following for Thread Title:
- Poll for {day}-{month}-2005
- Poll for {day} {monthname} 2005

[Marco van Herwaarden]

New version 1.16 released:

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

[Polo]

I dont know if this has been asked before... but is it possible to select just random threads? if yes, what do i need to modify?

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Nope that is not possible with the current version.
How did you have this in mind?

Just 3 (or more) random threads from the last week?

[Polo]

Originally Posted by MarcoH64

Nope that is not possible with the current version.
How did you have this in mind?

Just 3 (or more) random threads from the last week?

yes.... I would like for this hack to just pick out 10 random threads from a specific forum... that is it... dont know how complicated that would be... but I would like to accomplish it...

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Shouldn't be to difficult, will have a look later.

[kall]

Anyone else having this problem?

Some of the threads chosen have the lat poster as the name listed, rather than the thread starter.

*sighs*

Looks like I am a moron. Updating counters fixed it.

Top stuff as always Marco!

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Thanks for the compliment. With a lot of user feedback it is now a nice and stable hack, unfortunatly it didn't start like that.

If you have any suggestions for improvement, i might be able to spend some time on previous wishes in the next week.

[dsboyce8624]

Originally Posted by MarcoH64

Thanks for the compliment. With a lot of user feedback it is now a nice and stable hack, unfortunatly it didn't start like that.

If you have any suggestions for improvement, i might be able to spend some time on previous wishes in the next week.

I'd like to change the poll so the voters names are not displayed.

Other than that, excellent piece of work.