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.

[RobAC]

Actually, now that I'm thinking of it....Kevin, did you see the other thread that someone released which took this hack and added the HTML or plain text option for the users? That is an extremely handy option to add in if you're going to be updating this one. Some of my members really like the HTML format and some of the members that can't receive HTML email like AOL users like the plain text option and can specify it under Edit Options in their user control panels.

Also, I'm not sure how others would be feel about this, but I'd like to see the forums chosen to include defaulted to NO instead of YES. I tend to pull 10-15 threads out of about 8 forums each. I have 20+ forums. Give me more time....I'm sure I'll think of more options. (kidding)

[tubedogg]

Actually I saw it last night after I wrote my message. That's how it's already set up in mine - there are two previews, one for text, for HTML.

Also as part of the 'saving options' bit, after the first time you select forums, it will save the settings so you don't have to manually change them the next time(s), but you can still change them at any time if you wish.

[FWC]

Originally posted by tubedogg
Hmm...that's an interesting request. Can you explain how you'd like it to work, e.g. do you want textareas on the selection screen, or...? Or do you mean additional templates to use it from time-to-time?

For us a text box would be perfect. We add a section above the bulletin before we send it out. Since it changes each time we send it out, a template isn't necessary.

[Steve Machol]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tubedogg
Hmm...that's an interesting request. Can you explain how you'd like it to work, e.g. do you want textareas on the selection screen, or...? Or do you mean additional templates to use it from time-to-time?

[tubedogg]

I guess I'm still a little unclear...Do you want this to be saved into the database, or just added to the preview? I'm not sure I quite understand what the difference between pasting it into the textbox that appears after selecting options and putting it in a textbox on that first page is. Seems unless it was saved between times it would be the same amount of work?

[Steve Machol]

I'd just like extra text boxes that I could use to add custom sections to the newsletter. Of course these will show in the preview and become part of the newsletter, but it's not necessary that they be saved to the database. Does that make more sense?

[FWC]

Originally posted by smachol
I'd just like extra text boxes that I could use to add custom sections to the newsletter. Of course these will show in the preview and become part of the newsletter, but it's not necessary that they be saved to the database. Does that make more sense?

That is what I was asking for, too. Now it's all clear.

[tubedogg]

That makes perfect sense. My point is just what is the difference between these two situations?

a) You select all of your options, you go to the preview and you paste in some additional content

b) You select all of your options including a box with some additional content and then go to the preview

Now, something I just thought of - do you want it to put it in a table for you? Like you provide the table heading and the actual text that goes in the table and then it builds it for you in a default style table? That makes a lot more sense.

[freakyshiat]

Ok, I uploaded the commbull.php and went through the database table altering step but then after that, decided not to go through with it. So I havent made any changes in admin/member.php How can i reverse the alter table that was done in step 1 of the install? Or should I not worry about it?

[Steve Machol]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tubedogg
Now, something I just thought of - do you want it to put it in a table for you? Like you provide the table heading and the actual text that goes in the table and then it builds it for you in a default style table? That makes a lot more sense.