editing a file

I have a hack I want to install, and I think I know how to do it, but wanted to ask here, in the directions it says to edit 2 files:
--incudes/adminfunctions.php
--login.php

Now I realize I can use filezilla to edit the file, but I was not sure if this was the correct way to do it, or should I be doing this through the adminCP, and if so where?

If I am to do it through filezilla, do I have to change the properties of the files first which are -rw-r-r-?

I usually down a file into Notepad, or another text editor, SAVE A COPY PRIOR TO ANY EDITING, make the necessary edits and then upload the file by overwriting the original.

If you save a copy of the original file, you are virtually guaranteeing you will never need it. ;)

I'm with Mike, I usually open the file in either Notepad or Wordpad and do the edits, save and upload, overwriting the original file.

Just a word of warning tho - be oh-so-careful when editing a php file, as you can screw up your entire forum if you make one little wrong edit, such as leaving out a , or adding one too many 's.

I loathe installing a hack with php file edits and most of the time run, not walk, the other way.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone, and I can see where it can get scary too.
I banned a mod for various reasons, and he was trying to log in last night to the modCP,
He was also able to post a few days ago, after being banned somehow.

I don't know how he's doing this, but I've taken every precution I can think of,
the last of which is this hack:

What does this modification do?
When someone tries to login to your Admin CP or Mod CP, you will get an email that contains the username they tried, the password they tried, their IP address, hostname, number of strikes, referrer, script, and the date & time of the attempt. It also will now distinguish itself in the message subject between a failed Admin CP attempt and a failed Mode CP attempt, so you will know right off which CP they tried to login to.

i usually use Dreamweaver, but like Peggy and Mike said, i always have a copy of the original incase i do something wrong......

Thanks everyone, and I can see where it can get scary too.
I banned a mod for various reasons, and he was trying to log in last night to the modCP,
He was also able to post a few days ago, after being banned somehow.

I don't know how he's doing this, but I've taken every precution I can think of,
the last of which is this hack:

What does this modification do?
When someone tries to login to your Admin CP or Mod CP, you will get an email that contains the username they tried, the password they tried, their IP address, hostname, number of strikes, referrer, script, and the date & time of the attempt. It also will now distinguish itself in the message subject between a failed Admin CP attempt and a failed Mode CP attempt, so you will know right off which CP they tried to login to.

sounds like a good add-on to have.

Can you point us to the hack?

Go to cpanel and password protect the admin and mod folders.

Give each mod and admin a seperate login to get to the acp login screens.

Then you don't need a hack. No one will get there.

just post the link ;)

You can't repost hacks like that, you have to link to them.

I'm so sorry about that, I did the search and found the link for eJM
Here it is:
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=96921&highlight=Email+notification

That's better. It works out better that way. The author gets proper credit and the code always comes from a reliable source and is current.

I'm so sorry about that, I did the search and found the link for eJM
Here it is:
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=96921&highlight=Email+notification
It's ok hun, don't worry about it. Now you know ;)

Hey eJM, for what it's worth, I did the install of this hack, and it was fairly easy to do, just do as the others have advised and backup the files in case you mess up.

Having said this, it works like a charm!
I tested it and received an email notice immediately.