vBulletin LTS

[1e2] Gravatar as Default Avatar for users without image: auto generate random avatar
Mod Version: 1.1.1, by galerio

With this very sipmple plugin you can display a http://en.gravatar.com/ icon as default avatar for users that don't have any avatar saved or selected. But if an user has its own avatar, this one will be used instead of Gravatar. So you can continue to use your forum's avatar system, and this plugin will be used only when an avatar is not present.

The Gravatar is unique and automatically genereted based on registration email address choosen by the user. And the avatar created is used in every other website that use this method, like Wordpress blogs.

Users that are registered to gravatar.com can upload their avatar image so that every website that uses Gravatar will display the uploaded personal image! So you can save your personal avatar one time and have it spreaded everywhere Gravatar system is used.

Images are hosted on gravatar.com website, so you don't have any increase to your server load or bandwidth.

In this way every user (old users and new users) will have an avatar image, and to recognize the author of a post will be simplier for all because unique images are assigned to each one.
Your forum will be more userfriendly and nice looking!



How To

1- Go to Plugins & Products -> Manage Products -> [Add/Import Product], then select the xml file downloaded, click Yes for Allow Overwrite and click Import button

2- Go to Settings->Options->User Picture Options and you will find three new option at the end of the page (see screenshot) where you can:

* Choose the Gravatar Type (choose between different Gravatar icon):

• 404: do not load any image if none is associated with the email hash, instead return an HTTP 404 (File Not Found) response. But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.
• mm: (mystery-man) a simple, cartoon-style silhouetted outline of a person (does not vary by email hash). But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.
• identicon: a geometric pattern based on an email hash. But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.
• monsterid: a generated 'monster' with different colors, faces, etc. But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.
• wavatar: generated faces with differing features and backgrounds. But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.
• retro: awesome generated, 8-bit arcade-style pixelated faces. But if an user has its own avatar saved on gravatar.com, that image is displayed.

* Choose the Gravatar Dimension from 1 to 512 pixel square (default is 80) accordingly to your theme. You must write only numbers without characters or punctuation (so for example 120 and not 120px nor 120,5).

*- Choose the Gravatar Ratings. All images are rated default as "g":

• g: suitable for display on all websites with any audience type.
• pg: may contain rude gestures, provocatively dressed individuals, the lesser swear words, or mild violence.
• r: may contain such things as harsh profanity, intense violence, nudity, or hard drug use.
• x: may contain hardcore sexual imagery or extremely disturbing violence.

Note: uninstall Geekydesigns default avatar hack to make work.

As soon as I have time, I will create more options to include Gravatar also in widget, CMS and blog.


The plugin adds a footer link to author website as copyright mark, but I don't require you to keep it. To remove the copyright info just disable the plugin for footer link:
go to Plugins & Products->Plugin Manager and search the plugins for Gravatar as Default Avatar and delete or disable the one named "Profile Hooks". Consider a donation if you do so.

Changelog:
v 1.0 Initial release
v 1.0.1 corrected a bug that makes the gravatar all the same in user profile
v 1.1.0 Added a rudimental menu option to choose gravatar type, dimension and ratings
v 1.1.1 Improvements in option menu to prevent errors and make it easier