Close user registration in phpBB2

[Curio]

Anyone know how to close user registration in phpBB2 - exactly how not a theory about removing links to the registration script please. I want to be able to set up a bulletin board for a group of users then only the admin can allow the addition of any more users, just as a security precaution. The user base is unlikely to change more than once or twice a year. There is a routine which checks to see if a user name is already in use - perhaps that could be subverted to always evaluate to true?

If the process can be turned on/off from the AMC that would be even better.

If you know of some decent BB software based on Apache/MySQL/PHP that has this functionality built in and doesn't cost a fortune I would also be interested. Thank you for your help.

[Reverend]

In vBulletin there is a setting "Allow New User Registrations" Yes or No

I haven't used phpBB,but i would assume there must be a similar setting.

[hotmale]

I guess this should work:
Go to ACP
Select "Disallow names" from "User Admin"
Then disallow the usernames: *, **, ***, ****, *****...
I'm not sure, but common sense tells me it should work :D

[tarun]

There isnt any such option in phpBB and I searched for a mod, but there isnt one.

Simple Machines (http://www.simplemachines.org/smf/features.php) is a free board software - Disable member registration completely (allowing only moderators to register people).

[Curio]

SMF I got a feeling I downloaded it last week but I have been testing so many things I may have skimmed over it. I like phpBB2 and it's just that one option that is stopping me. Disallowing all user names using *,** etc...... I might try it but I feel it could also affect existing members. Maybe revoking some permissions from the MySQL table for users would prevent successful additions without stopping the board from working?

[hotmale]

Disallowing names shouldn't affect existing members:Please note that you will not be allowed to specify any username that has already been registered. You must first delete that name then disallow it.
It depends how often you'll be adding members. Disallowing names should work fine if you're going to add few users every once in a while.

Or may be you could just password-protect the registration page if it's possible.

I also noticed the "Enable account activation" feature in General Admin > Configuration. Select the value "Admin". That might be an alternative.

[Curio]

Woohoo well done Hotmale that was just what I wanted - although it doesn't stop the account being created it can't be used and that is good enough for what I want.

Thank you.

[Reverend]

Similar setting in vBulletin.

Moderate New Members: "Allows you to validate new members before they are classified as registered members and are allowed to post."

[hotmale]

Woohoo well done Hotmale that was just what I wanted - although it doesn't stop the account being created it can't be used and that is good enough for what I want.

Thank you.You can always count on me, dude :D

[carloc]

Why don't you simply remove the register link in the "index.php" page?:D

[hotmale]

Why don't you simply remove the register link in the "index.php" page?:DToo easy to bypass.

[Reverend]

Too easy to bypass.Carloc was joking in reference to Curio's first post. "not a theory about removing links to the registration script please"

[carloc]

LOL... just joking!:p

Have you searched here? http://www.phpbbhacks.com/

Anyway... I asked to a friend of mine and he told me it's quite difficult to do without using the mysql db directly.
In the db you should find a table named "phpbb_users" in which each registered user has an own progressive ID. Here you can find the Anonimous user which has ID set to -1. If you delete it, any new user that attempts to register will prompt a message that he/she is already registered. This means that the Administrato can't create new users too!! So you will need to manually edit the db. I'm not sure this procedure can work properly but it could be a tip...;)

[hotmale]

Carloc was joking in reference to Curio's first post. "not a theory about removing links to the registration script please":o

When I posted that reply, it was probably late. So, I guess you'll have to let me get away with it this time :p

[hotmale]

although it doesn't stop the account being created it can't be used and that is good enough for what I want.I just saw that phpBB 3 (under development), will also have the choice "Disable" for "Enable account activation".