So far we've talked about making modifications to a vBulletin installation, and we've looked at four different ways to modify the installation. So far we've called the changes 'modifications', but the term that you are more likely to see used on the web is 'hacks'. Whenever a board is modified, it is said to be hacked (not to be confused with 'hacked' as in the security being compromised by a hacker), and modifications are known as hacks as in "hacks to a board". Basically, any change that alters the underlying code of the forum is looked upon as a hack. Changing the CSS and style settings through the interface is not generally thought of as a hack because these are expected and they don't change the underlying functionality of the board. However, making changes to the templates and the PHP code is definitely considered to be hacking the board. Making changes to the phrases that control the board is considered by many to be hacking too, though some just look at this as part of the customization process, similar to changing the stylesheet.
A hack can be one change or a hack can be many changes. So far we've looked at some very simple hacks, but in later chapters we'll go much deeper. However, before we do that, let's look at the pros and cons of hacking a board.
As with everything in life, there are pros and cons when it comes to hacking a vBulletin board. When you are considering a hack, you have to decide whether or not it is worth the potential downsides. There are a number of pros to carrying out hacks on your vBulletin installation.
Below are a few positive points to consider:
Hacking can also remove unwanted functionality. There are, in fact, more cons to hacking than pros. However, you have to balance things out—a hack that adds a spellchecker or allows you to display advertisements in the forum is quite a powerful pro point. Against these pros you balance out the cons.
Typical cons include:
As a forum administrator, you must balance out these cons against the benefits. However, if you take care when carrying out a hack (by, for example, documenting your changes and ensuring you have a recent forum backup in case things go wrong), you should be fine.
So, where does the typical forum administrator find hacks? There are a few options:
Once you have found a hack, you have to install it. However, there's no one single way to install a hack. In fact, there is almost as many ways of installing a hack as there are hacks!
Generally a hack consists of code and installation instructions. Instructions are generally quite clear and straight forward following the following format:
xyz.php
.xx
add the following code: yyy
.These instructions are usually detailed, but it is recommended that you work through the instructions before making any actual changes to the files—this way, if there are any ambiguities in the instructions, you have a chance of spotting them first.
Be on the lookout for problems. If the instructions ask you to find some particular code or highlight a line of code that you cannot find, then first make sure that you are looking in the correct file. If you still cannot find the code, then there may be a problem somewhere. For example, you might have already made changes to that file, or perhaps a later version of vBulletin has removed the line referenced in the instructions. Either way, don't make guesses at where the code should go, as this could be disastrous. Check for an updated version of the hack, or get in touch with the author of the hack. (If you found the hack on a forum, this should be easy.) Installing a hack is easier if it contains an install script—you just upload the files to the appropriate location on the server (usually specified in the instructions) and then run the install script, which will make all the changes for you. When done, you normally delete the installation file to prevent it being rerun by some other, unauthorized person.
Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by a hack that has an installation script—things can nonetheless go wrong, so make sure that you have an up-to-date backup of the forum and of the database just in case things don't go according to plan.
After installation, test the hack thoroughly. Since each hack is different, it's impossible to offer detailed advice on how to do this, but if you've installed a spellchecker, then test that it works; if you've installed a hack that makes moderating easier, then test this. Work methodically, and be on the lookout for problems. Don't tolerate error messages—if you see any, find out what the problem is. Don't ignore them—they will only get worse!
There are two levels of backup for hacks.
So far, I've just mentioned free hacks or hacks specially created for someone. There are also a number of commercial hacks available. Sometimes it may be disputed whether they are hacks at all, but if they integrate into a vBulletin installation and add features, then they are hacks, albeit generally bigger and packing much more functionality.
Support
Another element to commercial hacks is support—when you buy software, you normally get support, and this can be very useful indeed. You can generally get good support all the way from installation to troubleshooting.
There are a number of commercial hacks available for vBulletin—far too many to list them all here. However, here are a few of the more popular ones:
Treat commercial hacks in the same way as free hacks:
For more details on commercial hacks for vBulletin, visit the official vBulletin site (http://www.vbulletin.com).