Updates / Spam Protection / Using VB Sessions / Custom Posting Questions

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  • balzack
    New Member
    • Dec 2004
    • 6

    Updates / Spam Protection / Using VB Sessions / Custom Posting Questions

    Hi there-

    I am very interested in switching to vbulletin from PHPBB but I have a few questions.

    1. What is used for spam protection? For example registering for accounts or allowing guests to post?

    2. PHPBB has security updates every month or so. Installing them can be a major pain if done by hand. How are the updates done for vbulletin? Manually like PHPBB or is there some type of system?

    3. My site requires the need to use vbulletin accounts for other areas of the site. How usuable are the vbulletin accounts for other areas of a website?

    For example, a user logs into the vbulletin forums. I want to create a custom area of the site where that user can access additional content custom to them using their vbulletin account (and session). I am aware I would have to code all of this but is vbulletin flexible in this way?

    Any guides or tutorials to explain how to utilize the vbulletin sessions?

    4. Last thing. My site also requires the need to be able to have automated forum thread creation. For example if I add a news item on my site I want to use the same news item title and description to create a new thread in the vbulletin forums for discussion.

    Are there any built in functions to assist in this kind of thread creation or will i have to make it myself?

    Thanks for all the help and i look forward to purchasing vbulletin if it sounds good!
  • Colin F
    Senior Member
    • May 2004
    • 17689

    #2
    Hi

    1. You can disallow guests to post. You can also block automated registrations by requiring users to fill in a CAPTCHA when registering, or even go so far as to moderate users.

    2. If security issues come up in vBulletin, a new version is usually released, and a patch file or plugin is released as well. So you can easily just import the plugin, or upload the patch file, overwriting that file.

    3. If you include the global.php file you can easily access the most important vBulletin functions, including the whole user data, user verification, no permission pages, and so on.
    As this requires custom coding, you'll have to ask on www.vbulletin.org for help though.

    4. You'll have to custom code this, but vBulletin uses Data Managers to insert/update data, and it's relatively easy to insert a thread using these.

    With a vBulletin license you'll also have access to the Developers API, which documents most of the functions and classes in vBulletin.
    Best Regards
    Colin Frei

    Please don't contact me per PM.

    Comment

    • balzack
      New Member
      • Dec 2004
      • 6

      #3
      ok that all sounds pretty good. one followup though...

      the guests posting.... i want to allow guests to post but make them enter a CAPTCHA if they dont have an account (to avoid spam)

      is there an option to do this?

      Comment

      • Colin F
        Senior Member
        • May 2004
        • 17689

        #4
        Not in the current version, but this will be possible in the next version of vBulletin.
        Best Regards
        Colin Frei

        Please don't contact me per PM.

        Comment

        • balzack
          New Member
          • Dec 2004
          • 6

          #5
          next version as in version 4 or the next sub version as in 3.5.whatever?

          any eta since this is a feature i would really like?

          thanks again for the help!

          Comment

          • Colin F
            Senior Member
            • May 2004
            • 17689

            #6
            Next version as in 3.6.
            It's being beta tested on this site at the moment, and will go into public beta in the next few weeks.
            Best Regards
            Colin Frei

            Please don't contact me per PM.

            Comment

            • balzack
              New Member
              • Dec 2004
              • 6

              #7
              sweet, great.

              thanks for the help!

              Comment

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