New Posting Features - Restricted Forums By Post Count

This product is the result of a request posted by Snowhog here:

Restricting new threads/post to members with less than x number of posts

Overview:

This product allows you to designate forums by forumid where posting is restricted based on post count. You may set either a minimum or maximum post count required. You may set whether new threads, new replies, or both are restricted. You may designate usergroups that are exempt from any restrictions. You may define global CSS to be applied to the user alert message, that will override the CSS for the element defined by the product's StyleVars. You may decide not to show an alert message, to show a message only stating the user's post count prohibits them from posting, or to show a message that also includes why their post count prevents them from posting.



Product Settings:

• Enable Product?: Set whether product is active or not (Yes or No).
• Forumids And Their Restrictions: Enter on separate lines, the comma-delimited lists of forumids, followed by the pipe "|" followed by the restriction type (threads, posts, or both) another pipe whether the postcount will be a max or a min, and finally the post count used as the threshold.
  
  For example:
  
  2,4,7|threads|max|10
  3,5,6|both|min|50
  
  will require users to have no more than 10 posts in their post count to post new threads in forums 2, 4, or 7 and at least 50 posts in their post count to post new threads and replies to threads in forums 3,5, or 6.
• Exempt Usergroups: Select the usergroups who will be exempt from the posting restrictions.
• Exempt Users: Enter the usernames of users who will be exempt from this product, each on a separate line. Usernames are case-insensitive.
• Message CSS: Enter any additional CSS you'd like to be applied to the message to restricted users, in all styles.
  
  Note: Any CSS entered here will override the product's StyleVars.
• Show Explanation?: Set whether to explain to users that they cannot post. You may choose either:
  
  No
  Yes (Only that posting is not allowed)
  Yes (Include why posting is not allowed)

Alert Message Phrases:

• markfl_rfbpc_nonewreplies: This phrase is shown to users who are restricted from posting new replies in threads within restricted forums if you choose any option other than "No" in the "Show Explanation?" setting. The default value is:
  
  Your post count prohibits you from posting new replies in this forum!
• markfl_rfbpc_nonewthreads: This phrase is shown to users who are restricted from posting new threads within restricted forums if you choose any option other than "No" in the "Show Explanation?" setting. The default value is:
  
  Your post count prohibits you from posting new threads in this forum!
• markfl_rfbpc_toofew_replies: This phrase is shown to users who are restricted from posting new replies in threads within restricted forums because their post count is too low if you choose "Yes (Include why posting is not allowed)" in the "Show Explanation?" setting. The default value is:
  
  Users with less than {1} posts cannot reply to threads here. Your post count is currently {2}.
• markfl_rfbpc_toofew_threads: This phrase is shown to users who are restricted from posting new threads within restricted forums because their post count is too low if you choose "Yes (Include why posting is not allowed)" in the "Show Explanation?" setting. The default value is:
  
  Users with less than {1} posts cannot create new threads here. Your post count is currently {2}.
• markfl_rfbpc_toomany_replies: This phrase is shown to users who are restricted from posting new replies in threads within restricted forums because their post count is too high if you choose "Yes (Include why posting is not allowed)" in the "Show Explanation?" setting. The default value is:
  
  Users with more than {1} posts cannot reply to threads here. Your post count is currently {2}.
• markfl_rfbpc_toomany_threads: This phrase is shown to users who are restricted from posting new threads within restricted forums because their post count is too high if you choose "Yes (Include why posting is not allowed)" in the "Show Explanation?" setting. The default value is:
  
  Users with more than {1} posts cannot create new threads here. Your post count is currently {2}.

StyleVars:



You will find this product's StyleVars in the group labeled "MarkFL_Restricted_Forums_By_Post_Count" and they are as follows:

• markfl_rfbpc_alertbackground: The background color of the user alert messages.
• markfl_rfbpc_alertborder: The border for the user alert message element.
• markfl_rfbpc_alertborderradius: The border radius for the user alert message element.
• markfl_rfbpc_alertcolor: The text color of the user alert messages.
• markfl_rfbpc_alertfont: The font for the user alert messages.
• markfl_rfbpc_alertmisc: Any additional style specific CSS.

As stated previously, you may set global CSS that will override any style specific CSS defined by the StyleVras in the product setting labeled "Message CSS."

Updates:

Version 1.1:

• Added setting to allow exempting individual users by username.

Compatibility:

Tested and working on VB 4.2.x and may work on all 4.x versions of vBulletin.

Backup/Warning:

This product does not alter your database, however it is always good practice to make regular backups and you should make a backup before installing ANY new mod.

As always, products are USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. I will provide support and do my best to help but no absolute guarantee is offered.

To Install:

1. Download and extract the attached .zip file.
2. Follow AdminCP -> Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product.
3. Click on "Choose File" and browse to the product .xml file that was packaged in the .zip file.
4. Click "Import."
5. You MUST enable the product in the settings before it will function.
6. Configure the remaining settings to your liking. Each setting has a detailed explanation of its use.

Support for this product can be found here:

• MHB - Restricted Forums By Post Count
• TAZ - Restricted Forums By Post Count

[Snowhog]

Why such a MOD? Well, for us; a Linux (Kubuntu) support forum; we have many topic specific forums (for individual versions of Kubuntu) as well as some general topic and one Help the New Guy forum.

Our Help the New Guy forum has been generally overused by some of our members, with new threads made there that should properly have been made in a topic specific forum.

Newbie members; those for whom that forum was created; who have little to no experience with Kubuntu Linux; see them selves as 'the new guy' and gravitate to this forum (as they generally don't know what the real issue of their problem is, so aren't comfortable choosing a topic specific forum). Our problem is/was that a number of these 'newbies' are no longer 'the new guy'; they have been members for quite some time (even a long time), having made many, many new threads/posts, but continue to use this forum for new issues. This MOD allows me to establish controls on who can create new threads (the 'overused' issue) in that forum, and for me, solves the overuse issue.

This is version 1.0, but I think it likely that some additions/changes will ensue, as one almost never gets it 'perfect' the first time out of the gate!

Thank you MarkFL for another extremely useful MOD.

[mitch84]

great idea, thx!

[Elixar]

Nicely done Mark.

[Snowhog]

I need a modification to this MOD. I need to be able to identify individual excluded users; users who won't be affected by this MOD. For us, this is important.

Additionally, I would like to be able to customize the Statement(s) presented, instead of them being hard coded.

[MarkFL]

Originally Posted by Snowhog

I need a modification to this MOD. I need to be able to identify individual excluded users; users who won't be affected by this MOD. For us, this is important.

Update - Version 1.1:

• Added setting to allow exempting individual users by username.

Originally Posted by Snowhog

Additionally, I would like to be able to customize the Statement(s) presented, instead of them being hard coded.

They aren't actually hard-coded. You can change them by editing the "Alert Message Phrases."

[Stratis]

I start to be confused with this one now Restrict Posting By Forum

[Snowhog]

Originally Posted by MarkFL

Update - Version 1.1:

• Added setting to allow exempting individual users by username.

They aren't actually hard-coded. You can change them by editing the "Alert Message Phrases."

Thank you.

This request for modification of the MOD was the result of it's impact on one specific member on our forum. He is an elderly man, isolated (mainly) from the rest of the world, and his only real contact with 'people' is through our forum. He has memory issues as well, and he uses our Help the New Guy forum exclusively, even though he has been a member now for quite a long time and has made many, many posts. But he (still) considers himself "the new guy" and so, posts exclusively in that forum. He was taken aback when he tried to make a new thread (in that forum) and receive the message that he could not. He thought that he had become 'non grata' for some reason he didn't understand, and reached out to me.

[Snowhog]

Downloaded and installed. I've added my affected member to the Exempt Users section. Thank you for this addition (I should have thought of this in the beginning).

The restriction 'type' I will be using is threads, so if I want to change the alert messages associated with that type, would I edit the phrases in markfl_rfbpc_nonewthreads and markfl_rfbpc_toomany_threads?

[MarkFL]

Yes, as long as the restriction is a maximum.