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.

[tpearl5]

Originally posted by tubedogg
Actually, read up a few posts. Your version of MySQL does not support SUBSTRING, or does not support using SUBSTRING in a where clause.

Setting it to 0 eliminates using birthdays and therefore solves the problem.

I contacted my host about this. They told me I have mySQL 3.22.32 running on my box and that it supports substring. Eh? What should I tell them?

[tubedogg]

There were apparently changes made to it in 3.23.3 and 3.23.7...which would lead me to believe that how I'm using it was not supported until one of those versions, which is higher than the version you are running.

[webhost]

I installed this hack sometime back and had no problems with it.I have since installed vb 2.0.3. I haven't used it in a month or so. Today I ran the bulletin and everything went find, except I excluded some of the forums by selecting no to them and they still send out threads from those forums.

Any ideas what might be causing this.

[dirgotronix]

Absolutely beautiful hack, but it needs one key element:

Save the settings!!!

I can deal with manually sending it out, but having to go back and double check all my settings is a royal pain in the butt. Although, a small shell script to add to cron would be a very, very welcome addition.

[LuBi]

Yea I also would like to see a SAVE SETTINGS addon to htis hack, great job again though tube. Any chances on the addon

[SirSteve]

Me too! Save settings! Add referral information as well!

[holev]

you know u guys can actualy do all this stuff yourself

[SirSteve]

If I knew how to write PHP, I would!

[LuBi]

Same here. If I knew

Now what would be great was if you could select in the admin control panel what stats you wanted in each issue. Whether it be posts, referrals, views, etc. Referrals is a must!!