Question about forum boards..

[knightm4r3]

My friend downloaded a script for a specific forum. (Like IPB, VB) and on the bottom footer, it says Copyright <IPB/VB/Forum brand> NULLED BY <nullers name>. We were wondering how to remove this. It isnt only in the footer it is all over, any where there is the companies copyright, there is the "NULLED BY" message.

<If this didnt make sense, Im sorry, I'm trying not to put out a specific forum name, because that would be against the rules>

[pseudo_opcode]

ok i cant help you much on this since the question is specific so dont wanna infringe any copyright rules


Generally this is done when a page say index.php includes something like footer.php like

include('footer.php')

it can be any file and its purpose is generally to display footer
on whatever page you want to display footer just include this line.
To change it you need to edit this file footer.php(it can be any other name but i took 'footer.php' just to make it clear and 90% of time it is this only)

But footer may be displayed in other way too, solely depends upon the choice of programmer

[LaBlueGirl]

ok i cant help you much on this since the question is specific so dont wanna infringe any copyright rules


Generally this is done when a page say index.php includes something like footer.php like

include('footer.php')

it can be any file and its purpose is generally to display footer
on whatever page you want to display footer just include this line.
To change it you need to edit this file footer.php(it can be any other name but i took 'footer.php' just to make it clear and 90% of time it is this only)

But footer may be displayed in other way too, solely depends upon the choice of programmer

In some sort of main or config.php, it will call a variable or a function which is required in all generated pages. The function can be any-freakin'-where....
The rule is easy:
Function returns nothing, page not rendered. (I.E Errors, website doesn't work)
In most cases, the function itself is nested in multi-dim. arrays..

Forum f*cked. Or not useful, take yer pick.

It'd be too easy if copyrighted info is nested in a script apart in the directory tree. The best example and the most difficult to hack is wiki software or CMS due to it creating the copyright info even in *every* newly-generated page which can be with/without a footer.....
The easiest way is to observe the diff's and history of generated pages.

HTH
LBG

[pseudo_opcode]

In some sort of main or config.php, it will call a variable or a function which is required in all generated pages. The function can be any-freakin'-where....

Yes generally in files that are included
so check out require, require_once,include etc

The rule is easy:
Function returns nothing, page not rendered. (I.E Errors, website doesn't work)

Yes but thats not the sure shot way, if before or after '<?php' or '?>' there's a blank,the headers are sent and no error is generated, just a blank page.

In most cases, the function itself is nested in multi-dim. arrays..

Please explain.. i've never heard of that before...thanks...

It'd be too easy if copyrighted info is nested in a script apart in the directory tree. The best example and the most difficult to hack is wiki software or CMS due to it creating the copyright info even in *every* newly-generated page which can be with/without a footer.....
The easiest way is to observe the diff's and history of generated pages.

*Generally* a newly generated page is not 100% fresh, still some parts are repeated, like suppose there may be new para at each page but with same headers,footers and sidebars, a newly generated page has a fixed template(either in php or html) and you need to look for that.

If i change the code, the new pages will be parsed with the new template and thus copyright info will be gone from old pages as well, remember the pages are not stored like HTML but they are always created on the fly. So when a web server gets request it fetches the template, fetches the data from db and responds with the generated page, and it does that everytime it gets the request.[/u]

[Gogeta70]

To be clear, i'm going to explain a multi-dimensional array.

An array in PHP looks like this:

$variable[0] = "a";
$variable[1] = "b";
$variable[2] = "c";

etc.

Generally, $variable can hold different information in each "number". So one variable can hold A LOT of information.

For a more physical interpretation, imagine the variable as a tree trunk, and each branch is a single part of the array.

Now, a multi-dimensional array is the same concept, but can organize data in a better way, which saves you from using many, many, variables.

While $variable[0] is a, $variable[0]['cat'] could be dog.

So basically, one part of the original array is forming another one.

For instance, remember that tree i explained? Those branches coming from the trunk are part of the first array, and the branches coming off of each branch is an array made from those branches of the original array.

So basically, you can make a variable represent an "infinite" amount of variables. That is the best way i can describe it.

For more information, check php.net. http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.types.array.php

[FrankB]

@Gogeta :

Nice illustration, that tree structure, congrats !
Especially fitfull for arrays.
I like to use the idea of a "fence" to explain regular arrays and associative arrays.

With the same 'tree' , you can also explain the next complexity about arrays : `dense' and `sparse' arrays, but hat is something less essential and also for people who use them a lot.

To complete Gogeta :

As you know, arrays can hold any kind of data .. even arrays..in arrays, or functions that point to other arrays. This comes close to a mathematical matrix ( or matrice ).

Typical uses of two-dimensional arrays are a spreadsheet or recordset with rows and colums,

Typical use of multidimensional arrays are a collection of spreadsheets or recordsets with rows and colums

The possibilities are infinite : consider an array that holds collections ot collections of recordsets or spreadheets with rows and columns pointing to values with a unique indx .. yes, then you have a database programme

[knightm4r3]

I finally got it.

Thanks for all of your help everyone. You all wen a bit deeper than needed, but it was a good lesson!

I had to dig down and find where the set was for the copyright in to footer, and in any other copyright area.

After they were modded, it didnt work, I copied the rest of the php files and renamed and made my own with most of the other code as a base.

I then got tons of errors, because I had renamed the files and rewrote some lines.

I changed the index.php and all other dependant files.

And now it works!

That was a whole hell of alot for removing 3 words

Thanks again to everyone, like I said, most of it was all things not really needed for this project, but it was a geat learning experience!

[FrankB]

a great learning experience and an example of a nice dirty `hack'.
Well done !