Displaying forum post counts but not allowing access

[Deep Blue]

Folks,

I'm a bit stuck, i'd like for everyone, (including unreg'd / not logged in) users to be able to see the post / thread counts from the forum index, but not be able to view the forum's posts.

In my user permissions i've got everything set to no, apart from under the forum viewing permissions "Can view forum" is set to yes.

This is okay, users can see the forums from the index, but can't see post counts. Which negates the point of trying to tease the users

Has anyone got any suggestions on how i can allow users to see post counts for a forum, but not actually see or read threads / posts in the restricted forum?

Many thanks in advance

[Jake Bunce]

This can be done by modifying the files or adding an extra query in the phpinclude_start template. For help with modifying the files I recommend you post on www.vbulletin.org , otherwise try this:

Go to your:

Admin CP -> Styles & Templates -> Style Manager -> « » -> PHP Include Code Templates -> phpinclude_start

Add this code:

// IF FORUMHOME OR FORUMDISPLAY PAGE
if (THIS_SCRIPT == 'index' OR THIS_SCRIPT == 'forumdisplay')
{
    // GET FORUM COUNTERS
    $forumcounts= $DB_site->query("SELECT forumid, replycount, threadcount
        FROM " . TABLE_PREFIX . "forum
        ");

    // SET VALUES
    while ($forumcount = $DB_site->fetch_array($forumcounts))
    {
        $forumreply[$forumcount[forumid]] = $forumcount[replycount];
        $forumthread[$forumcount[forumid]] = $forumcount[threadcount];
    }
} 

Then go to your:

Admin CP -> Styles & Templates -> Style Manager -> « » -> Forum Home Templates

Replace $forum[threadcount] and $forum[replycount] with {$GLOBALS[forumthread][$forum[forumid]]} and {$GLOBALS[forumreply][$forum[forumid]]} in the forumhome_forumbit_level1_post and forumhome_forumbit_level2_post templates.

That should work for you.

[Zachery]

Can aslo be done with a template conditional

[Jake Bunce]

Can aslo be done with a template conditional

How?

[Zachery]

In postbit(_legacy) template you need to find

$post[message]

and replace it with

<if condition="$bbuserinfo[userid] != 0"> $post[message] <else /> Please register to be able to view our sites content </if>

And find in the threadbit template

<td class="alt1Active" id="t$thread[threadid]" title="$thread[preview]">

and replace with

<td class="alt1Active" id="t$thread[threadid]" <if condition="$bbuserinfo[userid] != 0">title="$thread[preview]"</if>>

Restore the regular options and users will be able to see counts but not post content.

[Jake Bunce]

Ah, basically putting permissions in the style instead of the permission system. Just be sure this change is in every style.

[Deep Blue]

Folks, many thanks for your help i have tried both solutions, and with the first, i got a {Number where the thread count should of been, second one, didnt work flat out right.

[Zachery]

How did the second not work right out? O.o im using it on a few of my own forums.,

[Jake Bunce]

And I tested my solution before posting it. It worked.

If you send me a private message with a URL and admin login for your forums then I can take a look at why my solution isn't working.

[Deep Blue]

I followed the instructions....


Will PM you, cheers

[JustAskJulie]

Zachary, what your option does is a little different than what I think the user was looking for (or at least what I was looking for which I think is the same thing he was).

Yours allows the user to see ALL threads and the first post of the thread but to read any responses it requires them be registered.

What I was looking for (and I think what the original poster was looking for) is an option that on the Forum Home page instead of showing "Last Post" as "Never", would show the thread title and info for the last post, then when they attempt to access the forum they are required to register.

[JustAskJulie]

Jake, yours almost works. It does show an actual number (instead of 0) for the number of posts and threads in the forum but it still shows "Never" where the Last Post info should be.

[Deep Blue]

That's somewhat similar to what i needed, but i only wanted users from a certain usergroup to be able to read threads. Regular users and Unreg'd should only be able to see thread / post counts, nothing else

[Jake Bunce]

Jake, yours almost works. It does show an actual number (instead of 0) for the number of posts and threads in the forum but it still shows "Never" where the Last Post info should be.

Ya, this was only designed to work for reply / thread counts.

I am whipping up some code for the last post right now.

[dandy]

This can be done by modifying the files or adding an extra query in the phpinclude_start template. For help with modifying the files I recommend you post on www.vbulletin.org , otherwise try this:

Go to your:

Admin CP -> Styles & Templates -> Style Manager -> « » -> PHP Include Code Templates -> phpinclude_start

Add this code:

// IF FORUMHOME OR FORUMDISPLAY PAGE
if (THIS_SCRIPT == 'index' OR THIS_SCRIPT == 'forumdisplay')
{
    // GET FORUM COUNTERS
    $forumcounts= $DB_site->query("SELECT forumid, replycount, threadcount
        FROM " . TABLE_PREFIX . "forum
        ");

    // SET VALUES
    while ($forumcount = $DB_site->fetch_array($forumcounts))
    {
        $forumreply[$forumcount[forumid]] = $forumcount[replycount];
        $forumthread[$forumcount[forumid]] = $forumcount[threadcount];
    }
} 

Then go to your:

Admin CP -> Styles & Templates -> Style Manager -> « » -> Forum Home Templates

Replace $forum[threadcount] and $forum[replycount] with {$GLOBALS[forumthread][$forum[forumid]]} and {$GLOBALS[forumreply][$forum[forumid]]} in the forumhome_forumbit_level1_post and forumhome_forumbit_level2_post templates.

That should work for you.

Actually, I just tried this and it didn't work for me at all. I followed all the instruction carefully, and now the index page shows nothing (it doesn't show counted threads/post, neither does say "never". It's just blank (the "threads/post", while the "last post" states "never"?

I should also mention that in my forum permissions/and unregistered usergroups permissions I have, show forum > YES + show threads > NO.

If I change to show threads to > YES, the treads can be seen without being prompted to register.

Grrrrr...