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.

[tubedogg]

Sorry about the $50 thing.

[tubedogg]

Originally posted by RobAC
Also, the hack works well in sending out the bulletin, but when you assign a copy to be saved in a particular Forum number, it doesn't save it. I assigned my username and in my profile, it shows that the bulletin is my last post, but when you click on the link, it can't find it.

That's really odd. I've gone back over the code and tested it a few more times and it works on mine. Make sure the forum you put in is a forum, not a category. That's the only thing I can think of.

[Mark Hewitt]

Instead of just number of users since last update it could list the names of all the users.

Each post mentioned would be better with the forum name added as I have posts such as "Your thoughts on the last race" which could well be for any forum.

The ability to go through each forum individually and list the most popular threads in each, rather than just overall for the whole board.

Make the thing template driven so no code edits are needed to alter the standard layout.

[tubedogg]

Originally posted by Mark Hewitt
Make the thing template driven so no code edits are needed to alter the standard layout.

I'll look into the others, but this bugged me.
It isn't template driven per se, but you can edit any of the text in the preview box so it looks however you want it to look. You can change the look of the whole thing without touching one bit of code.

[Mark Hewitt]

Originally posted by tubedogg
I'll look into the others, but this bugged me.
It isn't template driven per se, but you can edit any of the text in the preview box so it looks however you want it to look.

Oh yes I know this. However I'm lazy and I want to be able to send out the bulletin with as little work as possible.

There are many standard things I like to have in my bulletin but I don't like having to put them in every time I send it out.

I installed it and eveything worked except...

I sent 500 at once.. and the link at the bottom said sent more for the next 5 hundred.. and the code is wrong for the input button. For some reason it is set to resend the first 5 hundred and I cannot figure out how to go and post the next 500
Thanks
Chris

[tubedogg]

Well, I found the problem. This should have caused a parse error in the first place (and it would have been caught before this then, too ). Anyway, easy fix. You can either make the change yourself or download the updated commbull.zip file from the first post in this thread.

If you want to do it yourself, open commbull.php and find

PHP Code:

    if ($page = 1) { 


and change it to

PHP Code:

    if ($page == 1) { 


I'm not sure but i think,and it's my opinion, , than tubedogg will be soon in the dev team hehe

Good works man

[amykhar]

Stupid question time (Don't worry guys, eventually I will get a clue). I have it installed, and it sent out the bulletin beautifully.

Question is, will it send one out automatically every week, or do I have to go manually remember to do it? If it is a manual process (which I suspect it is) how much time would it take to make the hack so that it stays configured the way I set it, and then runs once a week?

Amy (the lazy one)

[tubedogg]

For right now you must do it manually. I'm going to work on some way for it to work by itself in the future.