The quick 'n' dirty ultra simple vBulletin SEO hack

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The quick 'n' dirty ultra simple vBulletin SEO hack

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Join Date: Feb 2002

Location: Lawn Guylen, NY

Posts: 10,873

Reputation: cscgal is just really nice

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cscgal

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The Queen of DaniWeb

The quick 'n' dirty ultra simple vBulletin SEO hack

Nov 10th, 2005

This is a very quick 'n' simple vBulletin SEO hack. It's easy to apply and it's the one I have been using here on DaniWeb for the past couple of months. I was going to wait until we went vB 3.5 to release it but I might as well do so now ... Disclaimer: This is for vBulletin 3.0.x. It should not be too complicated to port to 3.5 with their hooks system, but I have no experience with 3.5 and therefore don't want to say one way or another. If you use this hack, please link to DaniWeb in your footer. This is a free hack, and it can make or break the traffic to your site. I don't know of any other freely available hacks like this one. Please help us out in exchange for releasing this!

STEP 1: Create an .htaccess file in your forum directory and put the following into it:

Help with Code Tags

htaccess Syntax (Toggle Plain Text)

Options +FollowSymLinks
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^getdaily.html$ search.php?do=getdaily [L]
RewriteRule ^getdaily([0-9]+).html$ search.php?do=getdaily&f=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^unanswered.html$ search.php?do=process&replyless=1&replylimit=0&dontcache=1     [L]
RewriteRule ^unanswered([0-9]+).html$ search.php?do=process&replyless=1&replylimit=0&dontcache=1&forumchoice=$1&childforums=1 [L]
RewriteRule ^forum([0-9]+).html$        forumdisplay.php?f=$1         [L]
RewriteRule ^forum([0-9]+)-([0-9]+)-([a-z]+)-(.*)-([0-9]+)-(.*).html$ forumdisplay.php?f=$1&page=$2&sort=$3&order=$4&pp=$5&daysprune=$6 [L]
RewriteRule ^forum([0-9]+)-(.*)-([a-z]+)-([a-z]+).html$    forumdisplay.php?f=$1&daysprune=$2&order=$3&sort=$4     [L]
RewriteRule ^announcement([0-9]+).html$     announcement.php?f=$1     [L]
RewriteRule ^announcement([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).html$    announcement.php?f=$1&announcementid=$2 [L]
RewriteRule ^thread([0-9]+).html$     showthread.php?t=$1     [L]
RewriteRule ^thread([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).html$    showthread.php?t=$1&page=$2     [L]
RewriteRule ^getnew.html$ search.php?do=getnew [L]
RewriteRule ^getnew([0-9]+).html$ search.php?do=getnew&f=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^printthread([0-9]+).html$    printthread.php?t=$1     [L]
RewriteRule ^sendthread([0-9]+).html$    sendmessage.php?do=sendtofriend&t=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^referthread([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).html$ showthread.php?t=$1&referrerid=$2    [L]
RewriteRule ^lastpostinthread([0-9]+).html$ showthread.php?goto=lastpost&t=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^newpostinthread([0-9]+).html$ showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^nextnewesttothread([0-9]+).html$    showthread.php?t=$1&goto=nextnewest    [L]
RewriteRule ^nextoldesttothread([0-9]+).html$    showthread.php?t=$1&goto=nextoldest    [L]
RewriteRule ^post([0-9]+).html$     showthread.php?p=$1     [L]
RewriteRule ^post([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).html$    showpost.php?p=$1&postcount=$2    [L]
RewriteRule ^post([0-9]+)-([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).html$ showthread.php?p=$1&page=$2&pp=$3    [L]
RewriteRule ^thread([0-9]+)-([a-z]+).html$ showthread.php?mode=$2&t=$1    [L]
RewriteRule ^post([0-9]+)-([a-z]+).html$ showthread.php?p=$1&mode=$2    [L]

Options +FollowSymLinks
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^getdaily.html$ search.php?do=getdaily [L]
RewriteRule ^getdaily([0-9]+).html$ search.php?do=getdaily&f=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^unanswered.html$ search.php?do=process&replyless=1&replylimit=0&dontcache=1     [L]
RewriteRule ^unanswered([0-9]+).html$ search.php?do=process&replyless=1&replylimit=0&dontcache=1&forumchoice=$1&childforums=1 [L]
RewriteRule ^forum([0-9]+).html$        forumdisplay.php?f=$1         [L]
RewriteRule ^forum([0-9]+)-([0-9]+)-([a-z]+)-(.*)-([0-9]+)-(.*).html$ forumdisplay.php?f=$1&page=$2&sort=$3&order=$4&pp=$5&daysprune=$6 [L]
RewriteRule ^forum([0-9]+)-(.*)-([a-z]+)-([a-z]+).html$    forumdisplay.php?f=$1&daysprune=$2&order=$3&sort=$4     [L]
RewriteRule ^announcement([0-9]+).html$     announcement.php?f=$1     [L]
RewriteRule ^announcement([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).html$    announcement.php?f=$1&announcementid=$2 [L]
RewriteRule ^thread([0-9]+).html$     showthread.php?t=$1     [L]
RewriteRule ^thread([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).html$    showthread.php?t=$1&page=$2     [L]
RewriteRule ^getnew.html$ search.php?do=getnew [L]
RewriteRule ^getnew([0-9]+).html$ search.php?do=getnew&f=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^printthread([0-9]+).html$    printthread.php?t=$1     [L]
RewriteRule ^sendthread([0-9]+).html$    sendmessage.php?do=sendtofriend&t=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^referthread([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).html$ showthread.php?t=$1&referrerid=$2    [L]
RewriteRule ^lastpostinthread([0-9]+).html$ showthread.php?goto=lastpost&t=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^newpostinthread([0-9]+).html$ showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=$1 [L]
RewriteRule ^nextnewesttothread([0-9]+).html$    showthread.php?t=$1&goto=nextnewest    [L]
RewriteRule ^nextoldesttothread([0-9]+).html$    showthread.php?t=$1&goto=nextoldest    [L]
RewriteRule ^post([0-9]+).html$     showthread.php?p=$1     [L]
RewriteRule ^post([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).html$    showpost.php?p=$1&postcount=$2    [L]
RewriteRule ^post([0-9]+)-([0-9]+)-([0-9]+).html$ showthread.php?p=$1&page=$2&pp=$3    [L]
RewriteRule ^thread([0-9]+)-([a-z]+).html$ showthread.php?mode=$2&t=$1    [L]
RewriteRule ^post([0-9]+)-([a-z]+).html$ showthread.php?p=$1&mode=$2    [L]

STEP 2:

In the includes/functions.php file, below

 Help with Code Tags 
 php Syntax (Toggle Plain Text) 
function print_output($vartext, $sendheader = 1)
{
global $pagestarttime, $query_count, $querytime, $DB_site, $bbuserinfo;
global $vbphrase, $vboptions, $stylevar, $_REQUEST;
function print_output($vartext, $sendheader = 1)
{
global $pagestarttime, $query_count, $querytime, $DB_site, $bbuserinfo;
global $vbphrase, $vboptions, $stylevar, $_REQUEST;

in 3.0.7 (in another version of 3.0.x, just put the code below the global declarations in the print_output function) add:

 Help with Code Tags 
 php Syntax (Toggle Plain Text) 
 // do Dani's SEO optimization
global $session;
 
$search_array = array(
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;sort=") . '([a-z]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;order="). '([a-z]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;pp=") . '([0-9]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;daysprune="). '([^"]*)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;daysprune=") . '([^"]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;order=") . '([a-z]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;sort=") . '([a-z]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;pp=") . '([0-9]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;daysprune=") . '([^"^&]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;order=") . '([a-z]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;sort=") . '([a-z]*)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;daysprune="). '([^"^&]*)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;pp=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]goto=lastpost&amp;t=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]goto=newpost&amp;t=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"printthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"sendmessage.php?$session[sessionurl]do=sendtofriend&amp;t=") . '([0-9]+)"#', 
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;goto=next"). '([a-z]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]p=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]p=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;pp=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showpost.php?$session[sessionurl]p=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;postcount=") . '([0-9]+)"#', 
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]mode=") . '([a-z]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;t=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]p=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;mode=") . '([a-z]+)\##', 
 
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"announcement.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;announcementid=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"announcement.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
 
// sanitizing
'#<a ([^>]*)href\=\"([^"]*)&amp;page=([^"]*).html"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href\=\"([^"]*)&amp;highlight=([^"]*).html"#',
 
// other
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getdaily&amp;f=") . '([0-9]*)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getdaily") . '"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=process&amp;replyless=1&amp;replylimit=0&amp;dontcache=1&amp;forumchoice=&amp;childforums=1") . '"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=process&amp;replyless=1&amp;replylimit=0&amp;dontcache=1&amp;forumchoice=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;childforums=1") . '"#'
 
);
$replace_array = array(
'<a \1href="forum\2-\3-\4-\5-\6-\7.html"',
'<a \1href="forum\2-\7-\5-\4-\6-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="forum\2-\3-\4-\5.html"',
'<a \1href="forum\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="forum\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="forum\2.html"',
'<a \1href="thread\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="thread\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="thread\2.html"',
'<a \1href="lastpostinthread\2.html"',
'<a \1href="newpostinthread\2.html"',
'<a \1href="printthread\2.html"',
'<a \1href="sendthread\2.html"',
'<a \1href="next\3tothread\2.html"', 
'<a \1href="post\2.html"', 
'<a \1href="post\2-\3-\4.html"', 
'<a \1href="post\2-\3.html"', 
'<a \1href="thread\3-\2.html"', 
'<a \1href="post\2-\3.html#', 
 
'<a \1href="announcement\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="announcement\2.html"',
 
// sanitizing
'<a \1href="\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="\2-\3.html"',
 
// other
'<a \1href="getdaily\2.html"',
'<a \1href="getdaily.html"',
'<a \1href="unanswered.html"',
'<a \1href="unanswered\2.html"'
 
);
$vartext = preg_replace($search_array, $replace_array, $vartext);
 // do Dani's SEO optimization
global $session;
 
$search_array = array(
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;sort=") . '([a-z]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;order="). '([a-z]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;pp=") . '([0-9]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;daysprune="). '([^"]*)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;daysprune=") . '([^"]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;order=") . '([a-z]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;sort=") . '([a-z]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;pp=") . '([0-9]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;daysprune=") . '([^"^&]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;order=") . '([a-z]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;sort=") . '([a-z]*)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;daysprune="). '([^"^&]*)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"forumdisplay.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]*)' . preg_quote("&amp;pp=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]goto=lastpost&amp;t=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]goto=newpost&amp;t=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"printthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"sendmessage.php?$session[sessionurl]do=sendtofriend&amp;t=") . '([0-9]+)"#', 
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]t=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;goto=next"). '([a-z]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]p=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]p=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;page=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;pp=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showpost.php?$session[sessionurl]p=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;postcount=") . '([0-9]+)"#', 
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]mode=") . '([a-z]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;t=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"showthread.php?$session[sessionurl]p=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;mode=") . '([a-z]+)\##', 
 
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"announcement.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;announcementid=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"announcement.php?$session[sessionurl]f=") . '([0-9]+)"#',
 
// sanitizing
'#<a ([^>]*)href\=\"([^"]*)&amp;page=([^"]*).html"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href\=\"([^"]*)&amp;highlight=([^"]*).html"#',
 
// other
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getdaily&amp;f=") . '([0-9]*)"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getdaily") . '"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=process&amp;replyless=1&amp;replylimit=0&amp;dontcache=1&amp;forumchoice=&amp;childforums=1") . '"#',
'#<a ([^>]*)href' . preg_quote("=\"search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=process&amp;replyless=1&amp;replylimit=0&amp;dontcache=1&amp;forumchoice=") . '([0-9]+)' . preg_quote("&amp;childforums=1") . '"#'
 
);
$replace_array = array(
'<a \1href="forum\2-\3-\4-\5-\6-\7.html"',
'<a \1href="forum\2-\7-\5-\4-\6-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="forum\2-\3-\4-\5.html"',
'<a \1href="forum\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="forum\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="forum\2.html"',
'<a \1href="thread\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="thread\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="thread\2.html"',
'<a \1href="lastpostinthread\2.html"',
'<a \1href="newpostinthread\2.html"',
'<a \1href="printthread\2.html"',
'<a \1href="sendthread\2.html"',
'<a \1href="next\3tothread\2.html"', 
'<a \1href="post\2.html"', 
'<a \1href="post\2-\3-\4.html"', 
'<a \1href="post\2-\3.html"', 
'<a \1href="thread\3-\2.html"', 
'<a \1href="post\2-\3.html#', 
 
'<a \1href="announcement\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="announcement\2.html"',
 
// sanitizing
'<a \1href="\2-\3.html"',
'<a \1href="\2-\3.html"',
 
// other
'<a \1href="getdaily\2.html"',
'<a \1href="getdaily.html"',
'<a \1href="unanswered.html"',
'<a \1href="unanswered\2.html"'
 
);
$vartext = preg_replace($search_array, $replace_array, $vartext);

Please do not duplicate all or part of this code elsewhere. Thanks should go out to Xenon for suggesting to me that I can rewrite URLs from within this function. Thanks!! ... And, please, give credit where credit is due - if you use this hack, please link back.

Last edited by cscgal : Mar 21st, 2007 at 2:36 am. Reason: Updated to use new code tags

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DaniWeb Home > Forums > Web Development > Existing Scripts > The quick 'n' dirty...

The quick 'n' dirty ultra simple vBulletin SEO hack

The quick 'n' dirty ultra simple vBulletin SEO hack

The quick 'n' dirty ultra simple vBulletin SEO hack