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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 25
newbie
newbie
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 25
Spammers have become a bit more clever. They join my board the legit way and then post something innocuous and let that post sit there a few days or even weeks so that they seem harmless. Then "boom" they add a sig file with some kind of advertisement in it.

On the old UBB boards I was able to set them to "no sig file" and then lock their profile so they couldn't change it. Is there anything like that with Threads? I tried creating a group where there were no sig files allowed, but for some reason it doesn't work and I'm not sure how I'd use it with someone who is already registered. Any suggestions?

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,560
Likes: 78
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,560
Likes: 78
Well first question is what version you are using and a url to your forum.

Also If you did in fact create a new group with special permissions for new registrations you need to goto:
Control Panel » Registration Settings
And set the default group for new users.
Also doing so with a new user group you can limit there access/ privileges after x number of posts. After that they are promoted to the next level group that allows more user permissions. If you so choose.

Or just not allow signatures at all for selected groups by setting it to 0


Blue Man Group
There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 25
newbie
newbie
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 25
Hi,

I have version 7.3.1. I fear upgrading to the current version because my board is so big. There are over 250,000 posts. Here is the URL: http://www.zoomway.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php

Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,344
G
veteran
veteran
G Offline
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,344
Ive upgraded with 250k+ with no problem. Even after cleaning out my site I have 211k+ and no problem. There was an important security patch a few months ago.

I would highly suggest you update to the latest to close the security hole.

https://www.ubbcentral.com/forums/u...MPORTANT_UBB_THREADS_SECURITY#Post245827

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,560
Likes: 78
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,560
Likes: 78
v7.3 is quite old by today's standards.
As I recall 7.x should be fairly much the same for your dilemma. But I hope you are aware of a security risk with your version.
Anyway from memory.
Some you have done already.
Create a new group.
GOTO
Control Panel » Site Permissions
Select the new group
Set the permissions for signatures to 0.
As well as what other settings you want to change for a new user.
Save
Then goto:
Control Panel » Registration Settings
On that screen select your new group to be:
Default Group(s) for New Members:
Then if you wish to promote them to a group with more features after x number of posts.
Goto:
Control Panel » Group Management
You will see a box to add a number of posts to elevate them to.

A hint is the default groups do not have that setting set.











Blue Man Group
There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,560
Likes: 78
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,560
Likes: 78
BTW upgrading within the 7.x series is a no brainier.


Blue Man Group
There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,560
Likes: 78
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,560
Likes: 78
Also. You can visit wiki and search for groups.
That may help.

Last edited by Ruben; 03/25/2012 6:59 PM.

Blue Man Group
There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 209
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 209
Start using the queue and checking users. It is the only way to 100% prevent spammers. In fact, once I switch to the queue spammer reg attempts have drop to zero.

This is why I suggested the new queue filter type.


-Tim
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 25
newbie
newbie
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 25
Thanks for all the great advice, Ruben. I realize upgrading is a no-brainer, but if I were to cause the board to crash in an attempt to upgrade, I would be beheaded, thus making my brain a moot point wink

As for creating a group and setting the sig permission to "0", that does work in the sense that a "newbie" group member would get this message should he set a sig:

"The contents of the Signature field is too long."

That unfortunately would cause him to make an ever shorter and shorter sig until he finally realizes that even just one character in the sig field would cause him to receive that message and thus let him know he simply cannot post a signature at all.

One other point I don't understand is ..

Quote
Then if you wish to promote them to a group with more features after x number of posts.
Goto:
Control Panel » Group Management
You will see a box to add a number of posts to elevate them to.

This will sound dumb, but do I put the "x number of posts" designation in the box for the group I just created? That is, if I created a group called "newbies" and it is the default for new registrations, do I put say "10" in the box for "post count" in the "newbies" group? And if so, what group does it elevate them to? Users?

Thanks, too, for your suggestion, Tim. I may go that route if this makes my cerebellum explode wink

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,560
Likes: 78
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,560
Likes: 78
Well, Whatever floats your boat.
Upgrading within the 7.x series is a simple process. And if it fails could be undone if you make backups. In just a few moments time. Well at least until the new 7.6 version comes out.

As far as the signature goes the message is not the default message that you posted but that can be changed in the language files. So maybe you did change it from the default. So you could edit the language file again and state a note in the profile page that "no signatures are saved until x number of posts".

For elevating groups based on posts.
Newbies would be null or 0
Users would be say 10
So a new registrant would be in the newbies group. Since they have no posts.
Once they exceed more than 10 posts they would be elevated to the user group.
And so on and so on if you build your groups that way.
So you could tier more features available to the user based on number of posts.


Blue Man Group
There is no such thing as stupid questions. Just stupid answers
Joined: Jun 2006
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UBB.threads Developer
UBB.threads Developer
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You could change the wordlet from "The contents of the Signature field is too long." to "You do not have permission to create a signature."


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Quote
As far as the signature goes the message is not the default message that you posted but that can be changed in the language files. So maybe you did change it from the default. So you could edit the language file again and state a note in the profile page that "no signatures are saved until x number of posts"

That is the default signature message I get with my 7.3.1 version of Threads when I go to Control Panel/Site Permissions, select the new group and set the permissions for signatures to 0. I haven't rewritten anything, especially since I wouldn't have a clue where to rewrite it. However, the way it is worded on my site permissions screen is "maximum length of signatures". There is nothing that asks if someone can or cannot post a signature. The closest this version gets is asking is if an image can be posted in their sig field.

Quote
For elevating groups based on posts.
Newbies would be null or 0
Users would be say 10

Sorry, there's no "post count" box for "Users". Only groups I created have a post count box.

Quote
You could change the wordlet from "The contents of the Signature field is too long." to "You do not have permission to create a signature."

Thanks, Gizmo. Where is that located?

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UBB.threads Developer
UBB.threads Developer
Joined: Jun 2006
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Likes: 115
Your version is pretty old, but I'm sure the language editor is probably in the same place in your version, so go to the Control Panel, choose "Languages" under "Display Options" and click "Language Editor" then "Search String" for "The contents of the Signature field is too long.".

As for the other thing you're trying to accomplish; set the default "user group" to have a signature length of 0, then setup a new group and set it to what you want a "Full Member" to be and then set that group to allow users after X amount of posts (20 or so I guess)


I am a Web Development Contractor, I do not work for UBBCentral. I have provided free User to User Support since the beginning of these support forums.
Do you need Forum Install or Upgrade Services?
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Thanks for the info, Gizmo. I tried, but then I got a message that said "changebasic.php is not writeable. Please fix the permissions on this file and try again" so I think I'll just leave it as it is laugh My older version is probably not as editor friendly as the newer versions. I still can't figure out how to make my "quote box" longer to span across the reply screen like it is here in this forum wink But thanks for your help.

Joined: Jun 2006
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UBB.threads Developer
UBB.threads Developer
Joined: Jun 2006
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It's just as editor friendly; it just looks like when you installed your forum you didn't chmod the language/ files 666


I am a Web Development Contractor, I do not work for UBBCentral. I have provided free User to User Support since the beginning of these support forums.
Do you need Forum Install or Upgrade Services?
Forums: A Gardeners Forum, Scouters World
UBB.threads: UBBWiki, UBB Styles, UBB.Sitemaps
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Quote
It's just as editor friendly; it just looks like when you installed your forum you didn't chmod the language/ files 666

Actually I didn't install it, the program installed itself, which was awesome. I had the old style UBB, which was discontinued. That made getting Threads a necessity. As I recall (this was back in 2008) it left a copy of my old board while it did all the work building the new threads board and transferring the quarter million posts from my old UBB board.

That's what made the whole shift to Threads so attractive. It left my old board intact in case anything happened that screwed up the creation of the new Threads board. This is my long, roundabout way of saying I didn't do any of the CHMOD setting of permissions. The UBB Classic-to-UBB Threads program did all that. But, thanks to you I set the file to 666 and now newbies will get the "you don't have permission to create a signature" message.

I'll work on getting up the guts to upgrade to the newest version laugh

Joined: Jun 2006
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UBB.threads Developer
UBB.threads Developer
Joined: Jun 2006
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Likes: 115
There are several of us who offer upgrade services; with large upgrades (talking software wise vs ones usage) such as the db changes with the new version I'd highly advise one to hire out the upgrade as people could try to troubleshoot the upgrade process.


I am a Web Development Contractor, I do not work for UBBCentral. I have provided free User to User Support since the beginning of these support forums.
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