Tell A Friend

Here is a Tell A Friend hack. I have provided 2 screen shots. You have a button that only a registered member can click on, to tell a friend about your forum.

Notes:
As the admin, you will get an email every time someone uses your Tell A Friend hack.
Only registered members of your forum can use this.
The hack is secure from spammers.
Clicking the Tell A Friend button will open a pop up window.
The hack is VERY VERY easy to install.
The installation instructions are included.
This hack is very flexible.


For Example -

You can place the code for displaying the T-A-F button in the side column on your forum home. When the button is clicked and the email sent, the hack will pull the url of your forum home and send with the email.
You can place the code for displaying the T-A-F button in the side column on your homepage (portal or html). When the button is clicked and the email sent, the hack will pull the url of your homepage and send with the email.
You can place the code for displaying the T-A-F button in your postbit or postbit_legacy template, next to the Edit button. When a user clicks on the T-A-F button in a thread, it will send an email with a link to that exact thread. So a user can tell a friend about a thread, without having to type up an email.Enjoy!

UPDATE 10/8/2007:
Added a close this window link to the thank you page. (Thanks wenchupover for the idea) Just download the hack again and only upload the thankyou.html page to overwrite the current one you have on your host.


This hack was made available with code contributions from:
Michael Bloch
http://www.tamingthebeast.net (http://www.tamingthebeast.net)
Web marketing and ecommerce resources

This really could not be any easier to install. You have to edit a php file, just to put your email address in. Then you upload the folder. Then you do one template edit.

And WAA LAA! I had it installed in less than 3 mins.

Thanks Peggy. Glad it was easy to install.

I am installing this, love the idea!

Amthough, I am a little confused on step 2.

I'm not sure I understand the difference between my root dir and my forum root dir?

Look for Public_html in your ftp program. That is where you need to upload the files to. That is your root directory. I have attached a screen shot of what you need to look for.

why does this have to go to the root directory, and not forum? how can we incorporate this to fit the style of the forum and use vb code to pull variable from the database, such as username, and insert them automatically?

Ok, I feel so stupid now.
I've looked and looked Xhris, even I understood public_html, I just don't see it.

Here is what I see

On cpanel, public_html is your web root folder.

In your screen shot, you are at / which is root. So, you are in the proper place it would seem to take the action.

When you visit your site, your home page-root page- is forum home, right?

Yes, that is correct, thank you!

When you visit your site, your home page-root page- is forum home, right?

Cool let us know it works out. I'm sure Xhris will appreciate the feedback.

why does this have to go to the root directory, and not forum? how can we incorporate this to fit the style of the forum and use vb code to pull variable from the database, such as username, and insert them automatically?

Because that is how the script is setup.

As far as fitting the style. Are you talking about the button or the pop up window. You can change the button to what ever you like. If you are referring to the actual pop up window then you can play with the code if you like. I use standard white page so it is a basic look for all forums.

I can look into your suggestions for the next update. I like the idea of automatically inserting the user name, but the question is would the person you send the info to know you by your user name? That is why it is as it is now. Just type in your name.

Thanks for the suggestions.

On cpanel, public_html is your web root folder.

In your screen shot, you are at / which is root. So, you are in the proper place it would seem to take the action.

When you visit your site, your home page-root page- is forum home, right?

Thanks noppid for jumping in and helping out. I appreciate it.

Yes please let us know how it works out.

Thanks

Works great, installed and tested.
Thank you!

Glad to hear this. Thanks for letting me know. Oh and your welcome. :D

Thanks will give this a try :D

Wow Works Like a Charm great hack thanks :)

Thanks will give this a try :D

Your welcome. Hope you like it.

Wow Works Like a Charm great hack thanks :)

Your welcome and thanks for the comment.

See? pretty useful little hack Chris. :yes:

LOVE this hack. So easy to install and works great. Good job Chris *thumbs up*

Suggestion: A close button on the thank you page. Will just round it off with nothing else to do. I just think it looks tidier then going for the X.

LOVE this hack. So easy to install and works great. Good job Chris *thumbs up*

Suggestion: A close button on the thank you page. Will just round it off with nothing else to do. I just think it looks tidier then going for the X.

Done I added a link that will close the window once it is clicked on. :D Thanks for the idea.

You're welcome :)

I was actually excited that I finally had something useful to offer hahahaha YAYYYYYYY me for the little things in life :p

Will the emailed link sent include the referrer code in the URL?

Not at this time Dave. The email send the link of the page that the hack is on.

I will look at seeing if I can make a little code a user can add to the hack to do that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Just keep passing the userid from script to script and put the referrer in the url sent in the email.

Easy as pie. You'll add it in a few minutes.

I cannot install it as in the folder for this hack I cannot even open tellafriend.php, it seems as it is an invalid or damaged folder. It tells me I must select an appropriate program to open it and none of my programs open it.

What should I do? My board is at www.yourmagic.neomagician.com

You're not supposed to open the tellafriend.php. You're supposed to upload it with your ftp program, like the instructions say to do.

If you read the instructions closely, it's a very easy hack to install. :)

I cannot even open tellafriend.php,
If you're really curious and want to read the code, use Wordpad.

How do I download this hack?

In the first post, click on the Install button on the right. Then you'll see the zip file

Great hack. Looking forward to installing it.

Was wondering if you could include the PSD of the red button so that we can change the red to another color that might better suit our style / color palette??

Hang tight with me fireproof. I am working anywhere from 65+ hours a week at my job. So when I get some free time I will throw together a PSD file of the button or of a button for you. Don't let me forget. :D BUMP this thread if it goes a week with out a reply.

You got it. Thanks very much. I can edit a color in photoshop, but am clueless in creating things from scratch that look nice. :D

I thought it might be handy for others too. Whenever you get time - no rush. ;)

This is a great hack. I really like it.

But how come you can only see it if you're logged in? How do I get it so people can see it even if they are not logged on?

Thanks!

This is a great hack. I really like it.

But how come you can only see it if you're logged in? How do I get it so people can see it even if they are not logged on?

Thanks!

Your welcome and glad you like it. :D

It is like this so to control non registered users from spamming with it.

Awesome hack, this is exactly what I've been looking for, in vain, on vB.org.

Installed and working perfectly :D

Im completely LOST, where is it exactly? i cannot find it at all....

Awesome hack, this is exactly what I've been looking for, in vain, on vB.org.

Installed and working perfectly :D

Glad you like it. Thanks for the comment to. :D

Im completely LOST, where is it exactly? i cannot find it at all....

You must click on install and then the zip file will appear for you to download it.

Glad you like it. Thanks for the comment to. :D
You're welcome, I love hacks but I always worry which ones I can trust, with this one I know I can trust it 100% :)

I'd like to move/add my button to the left of my Edit, Reply, Quote buttons though and I'm not sure how to align the button left. Just looking into it now. Using Postbit Legacy.

Installed it. Everything works fine except that the emails end up in the spam folders

Installed it. Everything works fine except that the emails end up in the spam folders

I can't control that part of it. :) I have not had any of mine show up in the spam folder yet for me though. So you might have some higher spam settings on your email.

Has anyone tested this on vb 3.7?

thank you

Your welcome.

Installed it, but it seems no emails get send? (using vb 3.7.0) I'm getting to the thankyou.html but no email appears in my inbox?

Greets

This modification isn't coded for 3.7