SMS Notify
 

Mod Version: 0.1 BETA
vB Version: 3.8.0 or higher (probably works on lower versions, but untested)

Description:

When users subscribe to threads in a forum you specify, they can be automatically SMS'd when there is an update. Only sends the most recent post.

Let me try and explain how this works. It uses the forums for it's integration, there are no custom pages, etc. This allows you to use all of vBulletins usergroup/forum settings to manage the access and whatnot.

I have a category called "SMS Notifications" Under that I have two forums. In the mod options, you set the PARENT forum ID. Basically any forums with this parent ID will be processed. This is the structure that I use.

SMS Notifications (category)

• Commanders (forum)
  • SMS - We're meeting reminder! (Thread)

• Members (forum)
  • SMS - We're under attack! (Thread)
  • SMS - We're all safe now! (Thread)
  • SMS - Servers status update (Thread)

I then set permissions for who can post and who can reply, etc on the forums as you normally would. Just in this case when you're doing it, think about who can send and SMS message. So basically only a few people have POST/REPLY and various people have READ.

The mod will hook events for replies only.

So, I create a separate thread for each "event" that people might need to be alerted about. The members then subscribe to the threads they would like to get a text message about.

Anytime a thread is replied to, all subscribers will get only the latest reply's text sent to them. The way it's setup with the forums also allows you to keep track of who is doing the paging, for what, etc. This doesn't interrupt the standard subscription emails from going out either. That way those without SMS can still get whatever updates if say they have email alerts on their phones or simply just want email subscriptions like normal.

Installation:

Create a new user profile field, this field will be used to contain your members SMS email address.

Import the product as normal.

Edit the options for the mod (Under vBulletin Options -> SMS Notify) in the Admin CP.

Make sure it's on.

Set the parent forum ID

Set the full variable name that you created earlier that holds the SMS email addresses.

Please note, this *IS BETA*. I use it currently, but there may be issues, etc. Please kindly report them here and I'll do my best to correct them. This is only my second vB mod and the other one was just a tweak of someone else's. I'm still learning and if you have tips/pointers, please feel free to suggest things!

What sms service does it use and what countries will it work?

Can you send a message to members anyways? i.e. events news or something?

There is no service that it uses as it uses email to send the alerts. So it's only sending out from the forum email server. So.. as far as I know, it should work with anyone with an SMS email address. I know we've tested, AT&T, Sprint and a few others.

Currently, there is no way to manually select something and SMS everyone with an SMS address. I did this at first, but thought it was better to only send messages to those that have subscribed as not everyone has unlimited text messages, etc.

this is Free ? Or we have to pay per SMS ?

Lg

It sends a message via email. So it depends on each person that gets the message, not the sender. The sender (you, if you're running the forum) only sends out an email, there's no special SMS magic behind it. =)

looks good.

Gonna test it now

Interesting... this may have alot of potential... let me have a beer and think about how I can use this... thanks!

Hello Trek and thanks for this mod! I'm having trouble installing it though.

I created the "new user profile field" then imported the xml per your instructions, but I'm not seeing any vBulletin Options for "SMS Notify". The product is set to "Active". Any ideas?

Hmm, I'll see what I can find. Did you go into the actual vBulletin Options section in the Admin CP? It's not it's own item on the lefthand nav, but listed under the vBulletin Options.

Thanks for the quick reply! I did go into the actual vB Options as you described. In fact I expanded the vB Options view and looked at every item line by line thinking it could have been placed within one of the top level options.

Let me know what you find. I too will be digging around this issue this afternoon so I'll let you know if I find anything. Cheers! --Josh