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Look But No Read

Started by Deprecated, August 17, 2008, 08:55:53 PM

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Deprecated

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evil-angelist

Thats quite interesting (the psychology behind it).

Deprecated

#2
Here's the contents of the modification's readme.txt file:

Look But No Read

Version: 1.1 Date 2008-08-21
Compatibility: SMF 1.1.5, SMF 2.0 Beta 3.1 or later

One problem with SMF's permission based control of guest access is that it's an all or nothing proposition. Some forum operators would like allow guests to read the board index but not be able to read the topics themselves. In theory this increases membership by encouraging guests to register so that they can read what they've been missing.

This modification adds a different means of controlling the ability of guests to read topics. First configure SMF to allow guest access into all boards that you want them to see and may want them to be able to read. Then use Look But No Read's configuration in Admin settings to select specific categories and boards where you want to prevent their reading topics. They will still be able to see the board index including all the topic titles, but they will be taken to the "Please login or register" page if they attempt to read any topics.




The Look But No Read configuration settings are located in Admin -> Configuration -> Modifications -> Look But No Read (SMF 2.0), or in Admin -> Configuration -> Features and Options -> Look But No Read (SMF 1.1.5). The following settings are provided:

Enable Guest Browsing control     [ ]

Categories to deny guest reading  [__________]

Boards to deny guest reading      [__________]





You may list multiple categories or boards by using commas to separate them. Use only integer numbers. You may select either categories or boards or both. There is no need to enter boards if their parent category is listed because a category denial denies access to all boards in that category including child boards.

You can determine the category number by hovering your mouse over a category link and look for c=#; in the browser's link preview area, where # is the number that you enter into in the categories area.

By the same means you can hover over a board link and look for board=#.0; to get the number that you enter into the boards area. Ignore the ".0" and use only the integer part.

You can enable and disable this modification without losing your settings by using the "Enable Guest Browsing control" check box.

Note that the default setting is that the modification is disabled and no categories or boards are selected. Remember to enable guest browsing control after you have selected which categories or boards to deny to guests. Hit "Save" and the modification will begin operating. Logout to become a guest and test your settings to verify that they are as you intended.




Example of denying guest reading of category 3, and also denying guest reading of boards 2 and 6:


Enable Guest Browsing control     [x]

Categories to deny guest reading  [3_________]

Boards to deny guest reading      [2, 6______]





You may get support or submit questions and comments in the modification's support thread at the SMF site.

SwapsRulez

What about bots ? Can you allow them to enter while keeping guests away ? :P
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Basie

Can I use this mod to deny access to a specific board? (rather than just the topics within it).

For example - The board name will be visible on the main index, but if a guest clicks it then they are taken to the log-in/register screen?

Deprecated

Quote from: evil-angelist on August 18, 2008, 06:17:31 AM
Thats quite interesting (the psychology behind it).

I guess the psychology is that if you hold a bit back from somebody perhaps they will be encouraged to register, with the hope that once registered they will become contributing members. Even if they don't participate it indicates an interest in your forum.

Deprecated

Quote from: Basie on August 18, 2008, 01:47:55 PM
Can I use this mod to deny access to a specific board? (rather than just the topics within it).

For example - The board name will be visible on the main index, but if a guest clicks it then they are taken to the log-in/register screen?

You can deny guests the ability to read posts on any board, but the board index and topic titles will still be visible. If you don't want guests to see the board index and titles, just set the board permissions to exclude guests entirely. They won't even see the name of the board or have any indication that it's there.

The purpose of the mod is to allow you to pick which categories or boards to show the index and titles but the guests will not be able to read the posts. You hope they will register to be able to read the full forum. Whether it works or not each must decide.

Basie

#7
Yes but by default on SMF it is impossible to set a board on the index so that guests can see it but not access it.

With SMF if you deny guests access then they won't be able to see that the board even exists.

So if I have a 'members only' forum guests cannot see it, and thus will be less likely to register.

With this hack they can see the board, but they can also read the topic titles.

What I want is guests to see the board title on the index (so that they know it exists), but not access it.

Adish - (F.L.A.M.E.R)

:) lets have a try to get as many bugs as i can find.. :P just kidding.. its a very good mod..

Deprecated

Quote from: Basie on August 18, 2008, 03:44:09 PM
What I want is guests to see the board title on the index (so that they know it exists), but not access it.

Well obviously that is not what Look But No Read does. Considering I've submitted 9 mod packages in the last 12 days (admittedly some of them small) and one more small package ready to upload (more of a fix), I'm kind of burned out and at the present I don't have any plan on adding that feature.

BOS4O


Deprecated

#11
Quote from: BOS4O on August 18, 2008, 06:38:59 PM
works with 1.1.5 ?

Edit: Yes, I have now modified LBNR to work with SMF 1.1.5. See details below.

BOS4O


Deprecated

Good news!!! :)

It appears that my initial pessimism was unwarranted. I was digging into SMF 1.1.5 today, trying to figure out if I could make LBNR work with 1.1.5, and I discovered all the reasons why it just wasn't worth the trouble to modify it to work with the old dilapidated SMF 1.1.5.

Unfortunately, at the same time I figured out how to make it work. :) I have what appears to be a viable release candidate that works on both 2.0 and 1.1.5, and I intend to release it tomorrow when I have finished my local testing.

It turned out that it is a lot more trouble for mod authors to release bi-versional modification packages, but open source software isn't about doing what's easy. It's about doing what is necessary and what is desirable.

So you 1.1.5 people, hang loose, it appears that LBNS will be available for both supported versions of SMF by some time tomorrow!!! Yay!!! ;)

Tanks

Great job - how will this mod affect the RSS feeds ?

Deprecated

Look But No Read new version 1.1 now supports both SMF 2.0 and SMF 1.1.5!!!

Okay gang, I've updated the code and it now works with both SMF versions. :)

I'm continuing to provide the old 1.0 version in case anybody has deleted their package at their site, and needs a fresh copy for removal. Do not use the 1.0 version of LBNR for new installations.

Deprecated

Quote from: Tanks on August 21, 2008, 02:20:11 AM
Great job - how will this mod affect the RSS feeds ?

I don't know because I don't do RSS. I will appreciate if some RSS enthusiast will look into it and let us know. Thanks!

BOS4O

lolllll GREAT JOB MAN!! can you tell me if the google bots can read the things in the boars because i don't want to read my posts

Deprecated

The Googlebot and other web crawlers are guests as far as your forum is concerned. If the guests can read the posts the bots can index them. If the guests cannot read the posts, like if LBNR oprevents it, then the bots cannot index the pages.

jiraya

and to the group members?
i want  a group of members look but not read.

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