Threads that lock themselves...

Note: There is a 1.1 version of this hack that also checks
the message body of the first post. Scroll down to download the
updated zip file or click here to go to the post containing the attachment.

************************************************** **

We have an off topic forum in our site and sometimes users post useless
topics to bump up their post count or to start a flame war. A lot of
these threads have specific keywords or phreases in them that makes
them stand out. A few examples of these threads are, free post, sig test,
avatar test, etc...

This hack works only with new threads whose title contains the above mentioned
phrases.

This hack works with a database table of known substrings that a forbidden
thread title may contain. And if any of the table contents are detected as
a substring within the thread title, that thread will automatically get
locked with a note in the bottom of the subject, and the thread title
will also be prefixed with the words "Auto Lock".

Interestingly enough, the "meningless" thread posting has been significantly
reduced on our site.


I have created an interface through the Admin CP to add/edit/delete
these phrases.

Affected templates: none
Affected tables: 1 new table is created
Affected source files: newthread.php admin/index.php
New files: topics.php admin/topics.php

First create the following table:

create table topic (topicid smallint(5) unsigned not null auto_increment,title varchar(100) not null, primary key (topicid));

In admin/index.php
Look for the following code:

PHP Code:

// ***
makenavoption("New Posts","../mod/moderate.php?action=posts","<br>");
makenavoption("New Attachments","../mod/moderate.php?action=attachments");
makenavselect("Moderation","<hr>"); 


Add the following directly below it:

PHP Code:

// ***
makenavoption("Add Forbidden Topics","topics.php?action=add","<br>");
makenavoption("Modify Forbidden Topics","topics.php?action=modify");
makenavselect("Automatic Moderation","<hr>"); 


In newthread.php
Look for the following code:

PHP Code:

    // check for subject and message
    if (trim($subject)=="" or trim($message)=="") {
      eval("standarderror(\"".gettemplate("error_nosubject")."\");");
      exit;
    }

    $username = $HTTP_POST_VARS['username'];
    $password = $HTTP_POST_VARS['password']; 


Add the following ddirectly below it:

PHP Code:

    $bad_topic = 0;
    require("./topics.php");
    if(isbadtopic($subject)) {
      $bad_topic = 1;
      $subject = "Auto Lock: $subject";
      $message = "$message\n\n[b]<<<<< This thread has been Auto Locked. >>>>>[/b]";
    } 


In newthread.php
Look for the following code:

PHP Code:

      if ($enableemail) {
        $moderators=$DB_site->query_first("SELECT CONCAT(newthreademail,' ',newpostemail) AS newthreademail FROM forum WHERE forumid='$forumid'");

        $modtable=$DB_site->query("SELECT DISTINCT user.email FROM moderator,user WHERE moderator.userid=user.userid AND forumid IN ($foruminfo[parentlist]) AND (newthreademail=1 OR newpostemail=1)");
        while($thismod=$DB_site->fetch_array($modtable)) {
          $moderators['newthreademail'].=" $thismod[email]";
        }

        if ($moderators['newthreademail']!="") {
          $mods=explode(" ",trim($moderators['newthreademail']));
          while (list($key,$val)=each($mods)) {

            if (trim($val)!="") {
              $toemail=$val;
              $forumtitle = $foruminfo['title'];
              $threadinfo['title'] = $subject;

              eval("\$emailmsg = \"".gettemplate("email_moderator",1,0)."\";");
              eval("\$emailsubject = \"".gettemplate("emailsubject_moderator",1,0)."\";");
              mail($toemail,$emailsubject,$emailmsg,"From: \"$bbtitle Mailer\" <$webmasteremail>");
            }
          }
        }
      } 


Add this directly below it:

PHP Code:

      if($bad_topic==1) {
    $DB_site->query("UPDATE thread SET open=0 where threadid=$threadid");
      } 


That's it.

[GeorgeofCS]

Never thought of that with replies. I am interested though in check the first message body

[Jawelin]

Originally posted by Zzed
I have an extended version that also checks the message content of the first post.

If you make the auto lock work with the replies, your users will abuse it and can potentially get every thread in your forums locked.

If you are interested I will post the revised version to check the contents of the first post.

YAH! I'm very interested in.... Yes.
I have many users that post ofter something like
'try'... 'don't read'... etc.

It could be possible even to check the length of the message body to evaluate if it's to be locked... or not?
(just in case of sensitive words put in long and interesting threads...)

I'm very ansious to see your next version!
I'm planning to modify it to 'freeze' the author's post counter....

Thanks

[Zzed]

Ok, here is the revised version that also checks for the first message body.

[Neo]

Question Zzed. Does this auto close it if there is these certain words in a post?

[Zzed]

neo, the hack checks the title and contents of the initial post in the thread.

If the hack were to be extended to the replies, any member can get a thread locked. You can potentially have every thread locked.

[Smoothie]

Nice hack, just added it. Question for ya. How can I get it to display the same as your forums? With the padlock.gif and autolock.gif

Those are very cool! :classic:

[spaceb]

Very usefull hack, thanks alot.

I was wondering if you could make this hack move threads with the "bad" words to a specific forum, like "Garbage forum" so we could always see those posts and warn the posters , and for other meanings too

[Zzed]

I can post a one liner for you that will do this for you.

You can just add it to the existing hack.

[geniuscrew]

Does this work with 2.2.9?

Sounds cool!

[Zzed]

Yes.

I am currently running 2.2.9 in my forums.