Commbull (Community Bulletin)

[grandeur_69]

[PURPOSE]
send a newsletter to all subscribed members (html or txt) notifying them of various going-ons in the forum:
- new threads
- hot threads
- b-days
- events
- etc

No longer commercial ... latest version: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=230359

[INSTALL]
- upload 3 files
- import plugin

[MODS]
- 1 template mod (modifyoptions)
- 2 fields added to user table

[IMPORTANT - SUPPORT]
problems relating to the commercial version are not suported here and will be deleted by the mods.

[nymyth]

interesting...any chance its coming out for 3.6?

Peace

[grandeur_69]

it already is, but i've had to make it a paid version (with scheduled tasks - details are explained in the actual thread). However, since it is a paid option, i'm not allowed to tell you where it is, as that would be considered spamming. But, a search might turn up better results :D

[Stingray27]

or just check your signature ;)

[grandeur_69]

shhhh ;)

[Lionel]

on the other thread you mentioned a yearly fee... and zend optimizer. Does that mean we have to pay you every year?

[Ramsesx]

(with scheduled tasks - details are explained in the actual thread).
In which thread? On your homepage it's only a paypal button without any description of features. Thanks.

[grandeur_69]

please post comments about 3.6 in the other forum. I would like to keep the support for this one and the other seperately.

... no. The license does not expire. My thoughts were that I would allow for updates for a year after the purchase for any changes that I do ... upgrades, security, etc.

[grandeur_69]

In which thread? On your homepage it's only a paypal button without any description of features. Thanks.

... in the thread where you found the link to the script.

[bashy]

Is this the same as what noppid coded?
If so i already have this installed, it looks almost identical???

[Ramsesx]

... in the thread where you found the link to the script.
The thread I found the link to here was https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/portal.php, the box on the upper right box.
Thanks for your kind answer.

[grandeur_69]

sorry. i'm just trying to avoid getting this deleted as SPAM, so i can't post a link to the old thread.

This one is very similar as we worked on it together. But, the plugin has been updated, code cleaned up a bit. Most of the time has been spent on making it work for 3.6. If I have time, i will ad some of the new features from 3.6 to 3.5.4 if they are major (and easy to adapt), but, for the most part, this is only here to allow people who haven't upgraded the opportunity to use it (as nopid removed it).

[bashy]

Ah, ok m8 no worries....I have the 3.5.4 version working on 3.6 (upgraded is why)
Would i be better of uninstalling and using the 3.6 version or might as well stick with whats working alright

[grandeur_69]

there were a couple security fixes (minor) and the new one will run as a cron (schedule task). If you do decide to upgrade, there is no need to uninstall ... just upload (and import) over top of the previous install.

[Snake]

I just don't get it why you wanna charge money for the 3.6 version of this hack.

[grandeur_69]

as i mentioned in the original post, it's not by choice. The client that has paid for most of the developing for the original hack (he has over 50 forums), didn't want the hack to be public because he didn't want his competitors to use it. I told him that I didn't think that was fair and this is the compromise that we came up with. If it is popular enough, this will also allow me to spend more time on it (like adding the cron ability).

I appologize, as i know it should be free. I'm happy to bow down if someone builds one better.

[COBRAws]

I dont know why are you charging for something that cant be customized. I mean, the old hack lacked of a lot of optiones needed to be a really good newsletter, and if this is a port... :rolleyes:

Besides, you dont include the full specs of this hack, how would we pay for something not explained? ;)

[steelerwatch]

as i mentioned in the original post, it's not by choice. The client that has paid for most of the developing for the original hack (he has over 50 forums), didn't want the hack to be public because he didn't want his competitors to use it. I told him that I didn't think that was fair and this is the compromise that we came up with. If it is popular enough, this will also allow me to spend more time on it (like adding the cron ability).

I appologize, as i know it should be free. I'm happy to bow down if someone builds one better.


Did you sign a contract wit this person?

[bada_bing]

Question I am running the version Nopid created and since you mentioned this has some security fixes and the code is cleaned up a bit do you recommend upgrading to this version. I have two sites one running vb 3.5.3 & 3.5.4 and no plan to upgrade to 3.6 for a long while.

If you suggest upgrading how do I do so without breaking anything.

[Zia]

arg..guyz got business minded.......

[grandeur_69]

the main features are essentially the same as 3.5.4 with the exception that you can run it as a scheduled task (which was probably the biggest request over the old version) ... if you are sticking with 3.5.4 and don't want the cron, then there is no reason to upgrade, just yet.

no, haven't signed a contract, but i've been working with the guy for 7 years and he supplies most of my work ... not going to burn any bridges.

[NeutralizeR]

I may consider installing this hack later as i'm already having issues with hotmail servers (banned two times before and signed up a few programs like JMR to prevent being banned again) and i think anybody codes-builds-designs something may request money for their works. I can't see anything wrong about this, you should respect their decisions.

[grandeur_69]

anyone that is installing this as a fresh version, i forgot to include commbull_phrases.php (goes in ./admincp/) ... i have added this to the downloadable files above ... i also have a german version, if requested.

[Paul M]

Please note:

This thread is for support of the free 3.5.4 version, not discussion or reporting problems with the commercial version. Please contact grandeur_69 by PM or e-mail to discuss that. Further posts not related to this version are liable to be removed.

Thanks.

[grandeur_69]

problems relating to the cron functionality or problems with installation due to Zend Optimizer or IonCube should be PM'd to me as they pertain to the commercial version. Any other problems can be reported here as they affect 3.5.4 as well.

[grandeur_69]

[bug] I have noticed that the headers are being sent incorrectly to text, even for the HTML version. I will be checking into this problem ASAP and update the package. This affects 3.5+

[grandeur_69]

[fix]Update plugin named: "Commbull Email Headers" ... hookname: mail_send
to:

if($vbulletin->options['commbull_html'])
{
$headers = str_replace("vBulletin Mail via PHP",$vbulletin->options['bbtitle'],$headers);
if($vbulletin->options['commbull_html'] == '1')
$headers = str_replace("text/plain","text/html",$headers);
}

... but, commbull.php also must be updated, so please download the package again.

[navjotjsingh]

Thanks updated without hitch!

[soletrader]

So this doenst work with 3.6 at all?

[criscokid]

When I go to /forums/admincp/commbull.php and click on the [Perform Installation] button the following generated:

Altering user Table... Failed (Already Exists)
Altering user Table... Failed (Already Exists)
Altering user Table... Failed (Already Exists)
Phrase table updating [receive_email_from_commbull] sucessfully.
Phrase table updating [type_email_from_commbull] sucessfully.
Phrase table updating [newsletterformat] sucessfully.
Phrase table updating [commbull] sucessfully.

There's no 'send community bulletin' link in my admincp either.

Where is 'Receive Community Bulletin Newsletters ' and 'Format of the Community Bulletin Newsletters' for each user in the admincp?

[grandeur_69]

[criscokid] the "send community bulletin" link should be under your user options ... check your phrases for "commbull". The other two options don't show up in the admincp, only in the usercp ...

[soletrader] no, this mod doesn't work with 3.6

[criscokid]

[criscokid] the "send community bulletin" link should be under your user options ... check your phrases for "commbull". The other two options don't show up in the admincp, only in the usercp ...

I checked before making my posting - and they don't appear there. The 'commbull CP Phrase' exsists. Another thing... when I go into /forums/admincp/commbull.php the combull page takes up the entire screen... ie: no CP menu down the left hand side of the screen.

"The other two options don't show up in the admincp, only in the usercp..." - not a very good idea... people are lazy and find it easier to fire off an email with the words 'unsubscribe' than do it for themselves. With the mod as it it is there isn't even the ability for an admin to do this on a users behalf.

[grandeur_69]

i'm working on some of the phrase problems ... we had similar problems with the 3.0.1 version.

[juanchi]

Something is wrong with my installation althought everything seems to be working o.k. no one receives the email.

[grandeur_69]

i'm assuming this is for 3.5.4 ... the mail may be queued if you have that turned on. Other than that, check your mail log to see if they are getting sent out.

The only thing that I have ever encoutered with this, is that debugging was turned on, but i just double-checked the included package and it's not.

[jblackburn]

Should this work with 3.5.5? I'm getting the following error when trying to set the prefs with commbull.php:

Database error in vBulletin 3.5.5:

Invalid SQL:
INSERT INTO datastore VALUES ('commbull','$includedate = 1; $numtopics1 = 5; $topicorder1 = "dateline"; $hotonly1 = 0; $reuse1 = 0; $numtopics2 = 5; $topicorder2 = "dateline"; $hotonly2 = 0; $reuse2 = 0; $numtopics3 = 5; $topicorder3 = "dateline"; $hotonly3 = 0; $reuse3 = 0; $numtopics4 = 0; $topicorder4 = "dateline"; $hotonly4 = 0; $numpolls = 0; $numevents = 10; $numbirthdays = 10; $dostats = 0; $newlines = 1; $douserinfo = 0; $mail_subject = "Concerto Networks Community Forum Update"; $calendarid = "0"; $sc = "-"; $rsc = 75; $lic = "o"; $fixcss = "0"; $extramaterial = \'\';$def_calendar["1"] = 0; $def_forum["1"] = 0; $def_forum["14"] = 1; $def_forum["16"] = 0; $def_forum["13"] = 1; $def_forum["15"] = 0; $def_forum["2"] = 1; $def_forum["20"] = 0; $def_forum["4"] = 1; $def_forum["17"] = 0; $def_forum["24"] = 1; $def_forum["8"] = 1; $def_forum["7"] = 1; $def_forum["23"] = 1; $def_forum["12"] = 1; $def_forum["11"] = 1; $def_forum["10"] = 1; $def_forum["6"] = 1; $def_forum["26"] = 1; $def_forum["18"] = 0; $def_forum["3"] = 1; $def_forum["25"] = 1; $def_forum["43"] = 0; $def_forum["44"] = 1; $def_forum["19"] = 0; $def_forum["9"] = 1; $def_forum["21"] = 0; $def_forum["5"] = 1; $def_forum["49"] = 1; $def_forum["29"] = 0; $def_forum["30"] = 0; $def_forum["37"] = 1; $def_forum["38"] = 1; $def_forum["39"] = 1; $def_forum["40"] = 1; $def_forum["41"] = 1; $def_forum["42"] = 1; $def_forum["32"] = 0; $def_forum["54"] = 1; $def_forum["55"] = 1; $def_forum["56"] = 1; $def_forum["57"] = 1; $def_forum["33"] = 0; $def_forum["50"] = 1; $def_forum["51"] = 1; $def_forum["52"] = 1; $def_forum["53"] = 1; $def_forum["31"] = 0; $def_forum["45"] = 1; $def_forum["46"] = 1; $def_forum["47"] = 1; $def_forum["48"] = 1; $def_forum["28"] = 0; $def_forum["27"] = 0; $def_group["1"] = 0; $def_group["2"] = 0; $def_group["3"] = 0; $def_group["4"] = 0; $def_group["5"] = 0; $def_group["6"] = 1; $def_group["7"] = 0; $def_group["8"] = 0; $def_group["9"] = 0; $def_group["10"] = 0; $def_group["11"] = 0; $auto_nextpage = 1; $auto_timer = 1; $save_prefs = 1; $postcopy = 0; $pfid = 0; $pftype = 0; $pcu = "0"; $open = 1; ');

MySQL Error : Column count doesn't match value count at row 1
Error Number : 1136
Date : Thursday, October 5th 2006 @ 03:23:58 PM
Script : http://www.address.com/forum/admincp/commbull.php
Referrer : http://www.address/forum/admincp/commbull.php
IP Address : xx.xx.xx.xx
Username : name
Classname : vb_database

[grandeur_69]

hmm, looks like they may have made a change. I'll update the db query to fix this. You can redownload the package, but just overwrite the one /admincp/commbull.php file.

[jblackburn]

hmm, looks like they may have made a change. I'll update the db query to fix this. You can redownload the package, but just overwrite the one /admincp/commbull.php file.

The fix worked for me on 3.5.5 on the header issue, but still have these two problems (1 minor, 1 major):

1. Major - the email doesn't send (no one receives it). The screen looks like this after a send:

User: - () .... text ok
User: - () .... text ok
User: - () .... text ok
User: - () .... text ok

2. Minor - There's no listing in the Admin CP User section to send newsletter.

PS: If buying this would help, I'll gladly spend the 10 bucks.

[grandeur_69]

ok ... i see. Something that i had done to fix one problem created another. I am uploading the new version right now. Just give me 10 minutes from the post time so that i can upload it before you get to it.

... however, if you do end up upgrading to vb3.6, you will need to have someone hack the file to make it work or purchase the licensed version.

[klaush]

The fix worked for me on 3.5.5 on the header issue, but still have these two problems (1 minor, 1 major):

1. Major - the email doesn't send (no one receives it). The screen looks like this after a send:

User: - () .... text ok
User: - () .... text ok
User: - () .... text ok
User: - () .... text ok

2. Minor - There's no listing in the Admin CP User section to send newsletter.

PS: If buying this would help, I'll gladly spend the 10 bucks.

Same Problems here. So i think no emails could be send?

Thanks for helping!

[klaush]

Fixed with the new version! Thanks!

[jblackburn]

ok ... i see. Something that i had done to fix one problem created another. I am uploading the new version right now. Just give me 10 minutes from the post time so that i can upload it before you get to it.

... however, if you do end up upgrading to vb3.6, you will need to have someone hack the file to make it work or purchase the licensed version.

Excellent, that worked!

Only minor issue left is no entry in the Admin CP for sending the newsletter. A search of phrases for commbull shows:

receive_email_from_commbull Standard Phrase Receive Community Bulletin Newsletters
type_email_from_commbull Standard Phrase HTML if checked. Plain Text if unchecked.

Jim

[grandeur_69]

ok, found that problem too. re-upload the product-commbull.xml. It should re-upload the phrases. If it doesn't, you may have to manually add it to:
"Control Panel Home Pages" (cphome)
var: commbull
phrase: Send Community Bulletin

[jblackburn]

grandeur_69,

Thanks a million - that worked perfectly!

Regards,
Jim

[FLMom]

This was very easy to install and is working great on my test run!

I do have a question though, is there anyway to add a header or logo to this? If there were a way to add my sites header then it would make it look more professional. I am satisfied either way and appreciate all of your hard work with this :D

[grandeur_69]

you can add HTML (that would link to your logo) to the HTML version on the preview page or add it to the personlization section on the 1st page.

[criscokid]

2. Minor - There's no listing in the Admin CP User section to send newsletter.
I also have this problem running vb3.5.3

[FLMom]

Ah ok! I got the graphic in there! Thanks :D

[grandeur_69]

Please do not post problems with the commercial version in here. They will not be answered. Use: http://www.octanedev.com/support/

[tormodg]

I gave this a shot after basically giving up on Combull a while back. I reinstalled it but the same thing happens. I have 8,000 members, but after about 243 it just stops. Nothing more happens. Any clues as to what can cause this?

I wish someone would write a real mailer for vBulletin - it would be worth so much more than $10 for us.

[grandeur_69]

the problem isn't the mailer, it's your servers ability to handle it. We have one forum that we send the mail out to 32,000 people and another we send to 40,000 every weekend and it sends out fine.

[marlita]

Your first shot is in German, so I don't understand it - would you please post an english version? Also, the third shot isn't clickable, so I can't really tell what this does. It seems like it mails out the threads to everyone ... ? How is this different than the reminders when people subscribe to threads? Is this kinda like a forced subscription to the forums?

[laskos]

hi

how can i edit the complete layout of the newsletter sent ?

thanks

paul

[tormodg]

the problem isn't the mailer, it's your servers ability to handle it. We have one forum that we send the mail out to 32,000 people and another we send to 40,000 every weekend and it sends out fine.

Strange. I have a dedicated box (AMD Athlon 64 3200+) with 2GB RAM running only 2 sites. My forums have on average about 100 concurrent users.

What do I need to tweak on the server to improve the mail sending ability?

[Robru]

Works perfect with 3.6.2 :)

[grandeur_69]

Strange. I have a dedicated box (AMD Athlon 64 3200+) with 2GB RAM running only 2 sites. My forums have on average about 100 concurrent users.

What do I need to tweak on the server to improve the mail sending ability?

send it at non-peak hours, like 2am.

[grandeur_69]

hi

how can i edit the complete layout of the newsletter sent ?

thanks

paul

if you understand PHP, you can go into the commbull.php and change the html ... otherwise, nothing. The commercial version has a template version though, but you will have to discuss that elsewhere.

[Bison]

Why does my version say 3.5f in the control panel?

[voteforbird]

Can I get some support in the official 3.6 support forum, please? You were very eager to accept my payment but now I'm not permitted to ask for 3.6 support here and can't get it elsewhere. Hello??

[laskos]

is there anyway it can feed out the forum name instead of the forum id?

[JulianWolf]

There is an information about the commercial version, that I would DEFINITELY would like to have gotten BEFORE I had bought it.

The php-files are secured with a software named "zend". I cannot use commbull without this software.
To get this software I have to register there and I have to give them all personal data, including the adress and the telephone-numer.

Well, I understand it, that coders want to make theire code save. But on the other side ... I want to have the choice about that and I want to know that BEFORE I pay the software.

Hopefully I will get a solution without giving this zend-devils all my data. I don´t think I will install this software if this is the onliest way. But please: TELL THIS YOUR CUSTOMMERS IN ADVANCE SO THEY CAN DECIDE!

Best wishes, Julian!

[JulianWolf]

... and I can´t install zend. I only have FTP to my server and I would have to pay about the 10th of what commbull costs just to get it installed.

As I said ... I am pissed that you don´t communicate this in advance. Please give me another way without the need of changing something directly on the server.

Best wishes, Julian!

[grandeur_69]

if you had read either the post about the commercial version or the post immediately below the "buy" button, you would have figured this out. Besides that, there is also a IonCube version which allows you use with only FTP access. Besides all that, there are very few hosting companies that I have run into over the years that doesn't support one or the other ... try asking.

[JulianWolf]

I did ask.
I am on a shared machine and the hoster declines to install something that he doesn?t know and that has an effect on the whole machine.

Even the FTP-Version need some changes on the server directly, I didn?t find a way to install IonCube with the access I have.

if you had read either the post about the commercial version or the post immediately below the "buy" button, you would have figured this out.

Okay, you?re right about the information below the "buy"-button. I didn?t see it. But there is no thread about the commercial-version and you also block any support for the commercial version here.

The pissing-thing is that to get this software to run I need to pay much more then the product costs, I have to spent muche more time in it and so on. For a software that costs 10 Dollars, which is very little money, for my opinion this is very respectless to the custommers. Even any note in this (!) thread is missing about Zend or IonCube.

It also surprises me that you communicate, that the only reason why you?re taking money for the hack is because of the company you developed it for. You personally would share it for free. I don?t understand why this hardcore copyright-saving is needet for a software that you personally would share for free.

I personally would prefear to pay much more, but also to get a thing that is worth the money. 10 Dollars for something that isn?t working or that isn?t working for me without paying 100 Dollars more on it is just to much money. Even the 10 Dollars is to much for me. On the other hand ... 100 Dollars for a working software would be okay, if I knew it before.

Another thing: My most reason to buy this license was to find out if it works the way I want to have it working. And as a kind of respect to the work you do. This is the way that feels good to me to be respectfull.

However ... I think I over-reacted. On the other hand ... I don?t see a way to get this software running for me, so I think this is just another 10-Dollar-Loss for me for no reason. Bad Luck.

Best wishes, Julian!

[JulianWolf]

By the way ... what about using the old php-file at a new commercial-installation. It seems to me like the onliest file, that is protected, is the one php-file. Is the commercial version also working with the old php-file?

[grandeur_69]

if you are referring to the 3.5x version, no, that wouldn't work because it has been largely re-written (mostly cleaned up) and so the other files wouldn't even be used by the new program.

Also, i'm not even supposed to be discussing any of these issues in here because it is a commercial version and vb.org has deleted these posts already once and has warned me that any discussion of the commercial version has to take place elsewhere ...

[JulianWolf]

Okay, everybody, I mean it serious:

I apologize for the trouble I made!

Grandeur found a good solution for me and I am very thankfull for that. I think in the last months I just had too many bad experiances with some programmers, that promised a lot and didn?t do anything.

In this case, I reacted to fast, I gave Grandeur much to less time to solve my problem and he is still friendly and did solve it for me.

On this point, also, I believe that the non-discussion about the commercial version is a rule that comes from outside. Please, Grandeur, just forget about the bullshit I wrote before. ;-)

Best wishes, Julian!

[HUMMERh3]

How do you get the gradients to show up as the right color. My forum has purple gradients..however when I send the email it shown as the default blue...is there an option to change this?

THANKS

[grandeur_69]

the style information that is used is based on what you have set as the default as your forum, whether it is a file or the full CSS.

It is possible that you have your forum set to use the original style as the default, but have your profile set to use a custom template.

[Bison]

the style information that is used is based on what you have set as the default as your forum, whether it is a file or the full CSS.

It is possible that you have your forum set to use the original style as the default, but have your profile set to use a custom template.

But it doesn't bold the table headers like you see in the default style that you set. I liked the way it was formatted the 3.0 version ... what template can I edit to change this?

I will send you a copy of the newsletter so you can see for yourself how this version is making the newsletter look like a bunch of colored words in tableless columns on a *bland* background.

[grandeur_69]

all the templates can be edited in the commbull_template_html and ..._txt.php files in /admincp/

[Allan]

Thanks for this hack :)

File Attach: French phrases ^^

[Booth]

I purchased the full version of this but haven't received an email saying that there's been an update for VB version 3.6.4. Has this been released yet?

[GNDI]

how long does it take to get the hack from payment? I have been waiting two days now

[grandeur_69]

@GNDI:
there is only one person pending to receive the hack and that is because they didn't give me their URL at the time of payment. The hacks usually get sent out each evening (on business days), depending on the time of receiving them.

@booth:
if your email address that you used to make the payment for commbull is not active or has a heavy spam filter, then there is a possibility of not receiving the updates. Make sure that you can receive emails from the domain octanedev.com and that they don't end up in your JUNK or SPAM folders.

[storpappa]

I was reviewing this after getting one of these emails from another site. I would have popped it on the site if it was a normal hack. The cost on the other site is $25 not the other number mentioned above.

While I have no problem with people charging for their services, I do think the commercial version is way over advertised here. This entire thread is full of wink wink nudge nudge remarks.

I won't bother registering on the other site - especially since the link for information about the product takes you to a page with no information, no feature details and no price, just a paypal button.

Has anyone modified this hack to get it working on 3.6?

From reading the thread it seems the cron jobs are not there - not that much of a deal.

Since this is the free hack, it would be good to see more discussion about it with the latest version, or a suggestion to a 3.6 version.

[grandeur_69]

Cron's do work, this thread just hadn't been updated.

For full details on the commercial version, you must visit the forum (as most people figured out).

The differences between the two versions are now quite vast (and hence the charge of $25 instead of $10 because I have spent a lot of time adding in things that people have requested).

It would probably only take 3-4 hours to get a beta version of this 3.4 hack to work with 3.6. I know there was one at one point, but quite a few of the options also didn't work properly and it was discontinued (and it was a pain to give support too, i heard).

[michaelsilvia]

If you order 3.6 be prepared to be annoyed. I have ordered a second license and still waiting almost a week for the script. I do everything legal and get to wait. One of the worst business minds I have dealt with in my entire experience with vb products.

[grandeur_69]

If you order 3.6 be prepared to be annoyed. I have ordered a second license and still waiting almost a week for the script. I do everything legal and get to wait. One of the worst business minds I have dealt with in my entire experience with vb products.

1) it's been 4 days
2) check your email from which you payed for it ... you may then hit yourself in the head after realizing that it was sent approximately 12 hours after purchase to the email account that is attached to your paypal account ...

[michaelsilvia]

Not there. So fun!

[grandeur_69]

it has been sent again.

[michaelsilvia]

Alright got this one.

[dbirosel]

So many pages... Can anyone confirm if 3.5 works well with 3.6? What is the difference in the 3.5 and 3.6 version?

Thanks.

[grandeur_69]

So many pages... Can anyone confirm if 3.5 works well with 3.6? What is the difference in the 3.5 and 3.6 version?

Thanks.

no, the free version does not work with 3.5. there have been a lot of changes between this version and the commercial version for 3.6 ... to check out features, comments, current problems, etc, go to: http://www.octanedev.com/support/

[ORP]

None of the links to http://www.octanedev.com/commbull.php
or http://www.octanedev.com/support/ work. The site does not appear to be down, but all I see is a little dot. I've tried with IE and FF.

[grandeur_69]

quite strange. there haven't been any problems with the site or server of late ... not that i'm aware of anyway.

[Dave Hawley]

grandeur_69, this hack is excellent! What a brilliant idea!

[grandeur_69]

grandeur_69, this hack is excellent! What a brilliant idea!

Note: i did not pay him to say this! :)

also, this hack was created by a guy named Keir for vb2. I took over for vb3, then noppid took over for vb3.5. But, with all the changes by vB, it was getting quite hard to keep up with all the changes, so i rewrote it over the course of 3 or 4 months ... and, it is an ongoing project. I've probably put in over a month of full time work since it's inception ... put, it's always a good challenge.

[Dave Hawley]

You told me the check was in the mail ;) Nah, of course not. HUGE thanks to all the were invloved in this.

Ok, now I have primed the pump :) How and what would I modify the make the default option plain text (unchecked)?

[grandeur_69]

two things are needed and they both involve database queries.

1) change the database default for when vB creates a user (PHP may not have "ALTER" permissions, so this may have to be done directly in the database)
ALTER TABLE user CHANGE receivebulletin_type receivebulletin_type SMALLINT( 5 ) UNSIGNED NOT NULL DEFAULT '0';

2) update all the current users
UPDATE user SET receivebulletin_type = 0;

[Dave Hawley]

Thanks grandeur_69, I'm going to try this in the morning...just in case :)

[grandeur_69]

i'm assuming you didn't have any problems with running the SQL?

[Dave Hawley]

Ran like clockwork, thanks!

[LinkBliss_com]

I may consider installing this hack later as i'm already having issues with hotmail servers (banned two times before and signed up a few programs like JMR to prevent being banned again) and i think anybody codes-builds-designs something may request money for their works. I can't see anything wrong about this, you should respect their decisions.

Amen. By the way, I just bought it. A bit tangential, but I also recently just installed vBAdvanced. I am having some problems with it. In the back of my mind I was thinking I wish it was commercial -- maybe it would be better!
Eric

[LinkBliss_com]

By the way, I sent a test post to myself and now I have this phantom post on my board in vBAdvanced (http://www.mapforums.com) as well as the Advanced Statistics (at the bottom of http://www.mapforums.com/forum.php). Any suggestions? I can go into phpMyAdmin and delete something if that is the way to go. Thanks! Eric

[Derek Chai]

I would like to buy iot but why is it like 30 dollars now..

[DeeperImage]

So the 3.6.x version is only available for $30? Nice hack but why would you offer it free to 3.5.x users and charge 3.6.x?

$30 is quite a bit for this hack.

[tormodg]

$30 isn't the world but I'd be suspicious of this as the purchase page has not been updated in ages.

The previous version of CommBull is free and can still be made to work but not without hurting some animals in the process, not recommended.

They have simply killed this wonderful hack as far as I'm concerned.

[DeeperImage]

$30 isn't the world but I'd be suspicious of this as the purchase page has not been updated in ages.

The previous version of CommBull is free and can still be made to work but not without hurting some animals in the process, not recommended.

They have simply killed this wonderful hack as far as I'm concerned.

That's a shame because I really want this feature.

[bigcurt]

I am interested in purchasing the 3.6 version but I want to make sure that you are still selling it/have active support for it.

[DeeperImage]

I am interested in purchasing the 3.6 version but I want to make sure that you are still selling it/have active support for it.

According to many posts in this thread you should buy it as they have fallen off the face of the earth.

[mpadc]

Hi

i got this installed thanks
one thing though can anyone explain to me why when you send an email through combull if you say leave the FROM email field like "Bobby" (i.e dont put any email address
when a user recieves the email the from field shows something like

"Bobby"@theircompanydomain.com

[grandeur_69]

If you have any questions about this hack, feel free to PM me. I have been working on this hack since vb2.0 with others.

This mod has taken a ton of work. If I was to charge a company for this work, it would be well over $1000 by now ... that is why I charge $30. The new mod for the pretty newsletter that is forum independent (removing problems with web based programs accepting CSS, etc) has taken 30 hours by itself.

I had originally kept all the previous mods up-to-date till 3.5, but with the mod changing to a plugin, it required a month of free time work just to convert it. The difference between 3.5 -> 3.6+ is quite a lot, especially since I have been fulfilling 95% of the users requests for additions / changes / etc. Most mods for vbulletin are now reaching $100+, so I didn't think $30 was much ... but, that is subject, i guess.

[bplinson]

I am having major problems with the paid version of this hack since upgrading to VB 3.6.8 PL2. I gladly paid $30 for this hack because it had served a great purpose for me. I have used this hack for years.

Basically when I run commbull since the upgrade to 3.6.8 PL2 it slows my forum down so much that it might was well be considered crashed. I was running my forum at 3.6.4 up until a few weeks ago and once I upgraded commbull started giving me problems

Now that I am having problems with it since upgrading to 3.6.8 PL2 I am looking for a new bulletin emailing program. I am looking at using phplist from phplist.com . It does not incorporate into VB but is free and robust. I can always create mailing lists in the VB Admin Control Panel.

I have emailed Octane Development a few times for help with the problems I am having but the only response I get is to reinstall it.

So I guess I am getting $30.00 worth of support.

[grandeur_69]

you emailed me once. however, since I am also in Germany and been taking German courses every day, I haven't had a chance to reply till this evening, but thank you for being patient.

[bplinson]

Cool. I am a bit south of Heidelberg. Can you come by my house and help me fix my problem?? :)

[birdie]

No matter what I do I can't get the sender that the email is sent from to be from "Forum Name" and not from the "forum email address".

Anyone got a tip on how to fix that?

[bplinson]

After multiple problems with this product once I upgraded to VB 3.6.8 PL II I have finally made the switch to PHPList to email my weekly bulletin. I currently have close to 17,000 members subscribed to my weekly bulletin.

I can not say enough about how much I like PHPList. It is very robust and lets me have more control over my weekly newsletter.

I still use Commbull to pull the top threads, polls, b-days, events but then copy the HTML source code into PHPList to send the mail.

Now if I can just find someone to bridge PHPList with VB I would be a VERY happy person!

[Alfa1]

Now if I can just find someone to bridge PHPList with VB I would be a VERY happy person!
That would make me happy as well.

[trinkaespinhas]

I have a few problems with this mod too.
Tryed to send to 3.763 and is failing.
Does not send for some usergroups and for other ppl.
Any update?

Im with the 3.5g

Thanks

[cmiller1014]

Did anyone ever make another one of these? I think the concept is great, but the delivery of this one was never great. Anything else out there?

[ams3521]

I was just looking into that myself cmiller, version for 3.7 is currently under development..
http://www.octanedev.com/support/showthread.php?t=161

I'm just going to have a look at thegeeks GAZ and see how that compares, comparison page here..
http://www.thevbgeek.com/showthread.php?t=3429

and if that fails then it looks like phplist is the way to go, just a pity it does not integrate into vbulletin.

[bahattab]

hi
when you are going to make the 3.8.0 ver

can you make it autoTemplate

thanks

[kyle]

Anyone know a Paid or fee solution to get rotating banners or any type of adds (preferably with PHPaddsNew) displayed to recipients?

[grandeur_69]

Latest release: 5.1 - https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=230359

[rcull]

I have had 5.1 installed and something went wrong with the preview pain. It started to bring up an error looking for the admincp/commbull_textarea.php.

I noticed there was a newer version so I have installed it. I found the format has gone back from an independent button in the menu bar to one under Users. I think this is the was it was some time ago.

Any way, I liked being able to click the preview button before sending out the newsletter. That was the only reason I upgraded and it would be nice to have it back.

When I updated the settings I found there was no "Save" button. I suppose this is fine being as it saves when you click "Preview Mailing", but there is still no preview of the html:(

[rcull]

Another important option missing now is the ability to limit the sending to recently active users!