Approve_Mod 1.0.9

Approve_Mod 1.0.9 README

Thank you for downloading the Approve_Mod 1.0.9. This README will guide through the basics of installation and operation of this mod with phpBB 2.0.6. Please ensure you read this and the accompanying documentation fully before proceeding with the installation.

About the Approve_Mod
Installing the Approve_Mod

Upgrading From Previous Versions

Running the Approve_Mod

Posting Decision Diagram
Administrative Configuration
Approve_Mod Control Panel

Reporting Bugs
Disclaimer

1. About the Approve_Mod

This MOD allows you to moderate posts prior to them being publicly viewable! You have several options & methods for implementing moderation. You can moderate ALL users in a given forum, and choose to moderate from either: All Topics, All Posts, Topic Edits, Post Edits. You alternately can choose to moderate only selected users & topics, and choose to moderate either: All Topics, All Posts, Topic Edits, Post Edits by those users, or within those topics. A list of people can be designated for notification of new posts/topics awaiting moderator approval. You may be notified via email or PM and may choose to include the post itself, and limit it's maximum length. An approval link would be included in the email/pm if you chose to view the contents of the post awaiting approval. You may also choose to notify the user via PM upon topic/post approval & addition/removal from user-moderation or topic-moderation. An admin add-on to this allows listing of all topics & posts awaiting approval, all users & topics under moderation, and adding of users/topics for moderation or auto-approval, and removal of users/topics under moderation or auto-approval.

2. Installing the Approve_Mod

Installation instructions can be found in the MOD document contained in this distribution. To view the MOD file itself, open phpBB2_Approve_Mod.1.0.9.txt with your favorite text editor and follow the instructions. Optionally, if this distribution includes the phpBB2.zip file, you may unzip it and overwrite a new install of phpBB 2.0.6 with the files included in the phpBB2 folder. You may only use this option if this is a new install, and you have a backup of phpBB 2.0.6. If you still wish to use this method, upload the included files & follow the SQL steps in the MOD document to create the necessary tables. You must upload the included files to your phpBB directory, and connect with your browser as an administrator to create the necessary tables.

2.i. Upgrading From Previous Versions

Upgrade instructions from version 1.0.8 can be found in the PATCH document contained in this distribution. To view the PATCH file itself, open phpBB2_Approve_Mod_Patch.1.0.8-1.0.9.txt with your favorite text editor and follow the instructions.

3. Running the Approve_Mod

Once installed, Approve_Mod 1.0.8 can be managed by both admin and chosen moderators via links provided in the forums, and the Approve_Mod Control Panel.

3.i. Posting Decision Diagram

When a user is posting, or editing their post, the system determines whether or not to moderate their post based on the adminstrative configuration. Inserted below is a diagram of this process.

If the user posting is a moderated user, we check the action. If not, we check if the forum is configured for all users & topics, or only chosen users & topics. If all users & topics, we check the action, If chosen topics & users, we check the topic. If the topic is is being moderated, we check the action. If the action is moderated, we moderate the post.

Ex: A forum is is configured for moderation of 'chosen users & topics' on new topics, topic edits, and reply edits. For a user that has not been designated for moderation, posting a new reply in a topic that has been designated for moderation: the post is not moderated. If the user goes to edit this post now, the post is moderated, because: we're in 'chosen' mode, and the topic is moderated, and the user chose a moderated action (reply edit).

3.ii. Administrative Configuration

The administrator can designate a forum for moderation in a variety of ways. We must first designate a forum for moderation. Goto the admin panel, click 'Management' under the 'Forum Admin' section, and click Edit on the desired forum. You will notice a section labeled 'Approve Posts'. This is where we can enable and configure the Approve_Mod. Let's say we want to have a public forum for user-contributed news. In this case, the Approve_Mod can be used as a kind of censorship system.
To begin, let's turn on the approval system, and designate moderation of 'All usera & Topics', this way anyone who posts in this forum will be moderated, except for Adminstrators. Then we must enable the actions we would like to moderate. We would like to be able to review & approve any new news, so turn on moderation for 'New Topics' and, since it's news, and it shouldn't be edited, turn on 'Topic edits'. Now, do we want people to be able to comment on our news without being moderated? If not, turn on 'New Posts' and 'Post Edits'. Now, we need to add some moderators. All admins are moderators already, and have the power to approve/moderate any topics, posts and users. However, only people listed in the 'Moderator(s)' box can recieve notification of new posts/topics. So, let's add the admin. If you've renamed your admin, click 'Find Users' and search for the desired username in the pop-up window. Then click 'Select' when you've chosen the desired name from the drop-down. Once you do this, you'll notice the box next to 'Find Users' has been filled in with the chosen name. They're not yet in the 'Moderator(s)' box yet, so to add them, click 'Add User'.
Your configuration should look like the picture to the right, and your administrator should now be in the 'Moderator(s)' list-box. Now we have the option of sending the user a Private Message when their post has been approved, check the 'Enabled' button next to 'PM User on Approval' to turn this feature on. Next is the ability to disable viewing of un-approved posts and/or topics altogether. By enabling one of these options, a user will not even be aware of a topic or post that hasn't been approved yet. It's recommended to leave these options disabled until you become familiar with the approval system. As was stated earlier, we also have the option of notifying the 'Moderator(s)' for this forum. Click 'Enabled' next to 'Moderator Notification' to turn on this feature. If we enable Moderator Notification, we should choose which actions we want to be notified on. Since this is for news, and we want it to be updated & available as soon as possible, we should be notified on all actions, check 'New Topics', 'Topic Edits', 'New Posts', 'Posts Edits'. Also, we need to choose a notification type, either via E-Mail or via Private Message. Again, this will be something we check often, so the 'Private Message' feature will be sufficient. We can also include the post itself in the notification message, with a link to approve it. To do this, click 'Enabled' next to 'Include Post in Notification'. Next to that is a text box where we can enter how much of the message we would like to include. Enter 0 to include the full message. Your configuration is now complete! Click Update.

3.iii. Approve_Mod Control Panel

	The Approve_Mod comes with an Administrator Control Panel. When you goto the administration section, you'll notice a new category, 'Approval'. Click 'Approve Index' to see the start page for the Approve_Mod. It should look like the picture to the left.
	The Posts page has information about the current posts awaiting approval. The username is a link to the user's profile, the subject is a link to preview the post itself, and the approve link is a direct link to approve the post. There is also a listing of the Page Numbers, and these are links to the corresponding page as well.
	The Topics page has information about the current topics awaiting approval, topics under moderation, and topics with auto-approval enabled. The username is a link to the user's profile, the topic title is a link to preview the post itself, the approve link is a direct link to approve the post, and the remove link is a direct link to remove approval/moderation. The Sub-Links are links to the individual sections, Topics Awaiting Approval, Moderated Topic, and Auto-Approved Topics respectively. There is also a listing of the Page Numbers, and these are links to the corresponding page as well.
	The Users page has information about the current users under moderation and users with auto-approval enabled. The username is a link to the user's profile, and the remove link is a direct link to remove approval/moderation. The Sub-Links are links to the individual sections, Moderated Users, and Auto-Approved Users respectively. There are also links to add a Moderated, or Auto-Approved user which lead to a username form where you can click 'Find Users' and choose the user in the same manner as you chose moderators in the forum configuration.
	The Forums page has information about the current forums under moderation.The Forum name is a link to the forum itself, and the edit link is a direct link to edit the forum configuration.

4. Reporting Bugs

To post a bug, please post a reply to the MOD Release post on phpBB.com under the MOD Release Announcements & Support category. The release topic can be located at: http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=122005

Please follow a these steps before posting a bug:

Firstly determine if your bug is reproduceable, how to determine this depends on the bug in question. Only if the bug is reproduceable is it likely to be a problem with the Approve_Mod (or in some way connected). If something cannot be reproduced it may turn out to have been your hosting provider working on something, a user doing something silly, etc.
Next please read or search through the existing bug postings to see if your bug (or one very similar to it) is already listed. If it is please check it for information on how to repair the bug, or reply and note that you have also experienced this bug, and any details that havn't been mentioned in the initial bug entry.

If you do post a new bug please include the following details:

Your server type/version, eg. Apache 1.2.22, IIS 4, Sambar, etc.
PHP version and mode of operation, eg. PHP 4.1.1 as a module, PHP 4.0.1 running as CGI, etc.
DB type/version, eg. MySQL 3.23.32, PostgreSQL 7.1.2, MSSQL Server 2000 SP1, etc.

Please also be as detailed as you can in your report, if possible list the steps required to duplicate the problem. If you have a fix which you are VERY SURE works (and is consistent with phpBB coding guidelines) and does not introduce further problems or incompatibilities please let us know.