Updated Community Bulletin Generator

SPECIAL NOTE for those upgrading to vBulletin v2.0.0: You will need to make changes to the default RC3 files, as you did with the previous version files. The files are member.php and admin/index.php. After you upgrade to RC3, the link in your Admin CP will no longer be there. In order to find instructions for upgrading, go to http://yoursite/forum/admin/commbull.php and click the link for Instructions. Make these changes to your files, and reupload the two modified files. The link will then be back in your Admin CP.
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With Kier's permission, I am rereleasing this hack. It has been updated, but most of the credit still goes to Kier. I just added a couple things. Namely, I took Kier's starting point for birthdays and reworked it a bit so they can now be included. I also added 3 new sets of Latest Threads input, and added a sorting option to get topics with no replies (aka "Virgin" topics).
I also added a box to change the section separation character (Kier had it as a "-", now you can change it) and the list item character (Kier had it as an "o"). There are also instructions on how to integrate it into your Admin CP.

To install, just upload it to your Admin directory and go to it in a browser.

If you had previously installed Kier's original version, simply overwrite the commbull.php file on your server, and make this change to your admin/index.php file:
Find

<a href="email.php?s=<?php echo $session[sessionhash]; ?>"> Email users </a><br>

and right below it, add

<a href="commbull.php?s=<?php echo $session[sessionhash]; ?>"> Send Community Bulletin </a><br>

Upload your admin/index.php file and go to your Admin CP. You should see the new option under "Users" on the left-hand side.

Hack version: 0.98

Changes since v0.97: Fixed a stupid bug that screwed up the script when you posted a copy to a forum and that forum didn't count posts toward post totals.

Changes since v0.96: Fixed a minor bug that was causing large problems when the number of emails to send was more than it was set to per page.

Changes since v0.95: Minor cosmetic changes; fixed "copy post to board" function so it actually works; added option to exclude threads from being used more than once (if doing multiple blocks); fixed sorting by most replies/most views so they don't return threads with 0 replies or 1 view, respectively;

Changes since v0.93: Option to post a copy of the email to your board, to a forum you specify using a username your specify (If you do this, there is a function to exclude certain parts (for example, the user info section that details username/password etc) and it parses URLs so the message on your board has hyperlinks to the threads/polls/etc); various cosmetic upgrades; minor little things here and there; fixed/changed "Only include threads that have been started or replied to since this date?" so it doesn't defeat the purpose of specifying a date.

For version: v2.0.0

Info for Clean Install -------
Files needed: commbull.php

Files to edit: admin/index.php, member.php

Templates to edit: none

Instructions are in the script itself. When you first run it, it will tell you what you need to do. If upgrading from Kier's original version, see instructions above.
End Info for Clean Install -------

Info for Upgrading from v0.90, v0.91, v0.93, v0.94, v0.95, v0.96, v0.97 ------
Files needed: commbull.php

Files to edit: none

Instructions: Upload the commbull.php file from the commbull98.zip file.
End Info for Upgrading -------

Please do not bug Kier about this hack!
Please also DO NOT contact me via AIM, ICQ, PM, or email about this hack. Post your question/problem here and I will try to help you.

[ethank]

I think you forgot these lines at the top so it updates with prrogress:

PHP Code:

$noheader=0;
$nozip=1; 


[LuBi]

Will this work for 2.0.3 and is the file updated and complete?

[tpearl5]

This may have already been asked:
Is it possible to have the 'Allow Bulletin Board Administrators and Moderators To Send You Email Notices' revert to 'Yes' if the user selects 'Yes' for 'Receive Community Bulletin Email?' ?

Also, it would be cool to have the top x amount of posters and referral getters listed in the stat list. (or another new list)

I'm currently getting my host to update MySQL so I can send calendar and b-day updates. Figures, the cool stuff doesn't work!

[SirSteve]

What about adding top referrals?

[mjames]

Question: What is the best way to edit the mailing that shows up everytime you preview the mailing? I want to edit some things, such as the miss-spelling of "receive" so I don't have to edit it everytime I send it out.

[SirSteve]

Originally posted by mjames
Question: What is the best way to edit the mailing that shows up everytime you preview the mailing? I want to edit some things, such as the miss-spelling of "receive" so I don't have to edit it everytime I send it out.

Simply go into commbull.php and search for whatever you want to fix and edit it. I even made certain options default to NO rather than yes. What I DO NOT like is how you do want to go back and make a change, it resets all the fields.

[KeithMcL]

Would it be possible to get another feature added to this hack to email the admin/mods of the forum the day the bulletin is due to be sent out?

Quick question also to those that use this hack, how often do you send out your community bulletin?

[mjames]

Originally posted by KeithMcL
Quick question also to those that use this hack, how often do you send out your community bulletin?

I try to send out mine weekly... however, I am having a hard time, which brings me to another point.

Does anyone on a dial-up connection have trouble sending the Bulletin? When I try to send it out on the preview mailing screen, it stalls and takes FOREVER to load. I have reduced the number of users it sends to at a time (down to 30 from 500) and I have tried only sending it to one or two user groups at a time, still SLOOOOOOW. It takes all day to send out the Bulletin, as I let it load for 30 minutes at a time while I do other things. Am I alone? Is this a problem with my Internet connection or my host's MySQL server?

[LuBi]

Can this hack work for 2.0.3?

[Bane]

Works fine in 2.0.3