How to: User defined exclusion from new messages
 

Applies to vBulletin 4.2.0

By default, vB has two links in the navigation bar that link to new messages.
One link is under Forum tab and a "copy" of it is under What's new? tab.
Both of them have the following URL defined in Navigation manager:
Code:
search.php?{session.sessionurl}do=getnew&contentty pe=vBForum_Post
Let's suppose that you want to offer your users the ability to exclude certain forums from the new message listing.
In order to do this, follow the steps below.

Create a new user profile field named "Excluded forums".
Title: Excluded forums
Description: Enter the forum IDs you don't want to appear in new messages list. Separate forum IDs by comma (e.g. 1,2,3).
Profile Field Category: According to your setup
Default Value: Leave blank
Max length of allowed user input: 100 (default)
Field Length: 20 (default)
Profile Field Type: Single-Line Text Box
Display Order: According to your setup
Field Required: No
Field Editable by User: Yes
Private Field: Yes
Field Searchable on Members List: No
Show on Members List: No
Regular Expression: ^[,0-9]+$ (IMPORTANT)
Which page displays this option?: Edit profile

The new field will have a name like fieldX, where X will be a number.

Next, go to Navigation Manager and edit the menu items for New messages.
Replace:
Code:
search.php?{session.sessionurl}do=getnew&contentty pe=vBForum_Post
With:
Code:
search.php?{vb:raw session.sessionurl}do=getnew&contenttype=vBForum_P ost&exclude={userinfo.fieldX}
Make sure you have the correct fieldX value

That's it, now your users can define their own forum exclusion list for new messages.

Important note: According to AusPhotography when 4.2.1 becomes available, the new messages link should become:
Code:
search.php?{vb:raw session.sessionurl}do=getnew&contenttype=vBForum_P ost&exclude={bbuserinfo.fieldX}
Credits:
AusPhotography for this post.
Zachery for this thread.