Mini Mods - Email reminder for inactive users

Inactive reminder emails. This mod was designed to send out a reminder to inactive members to try and win them back.

***1.2.7 Update***
This update includes built in support for bouncing emails. The script will automatically detect the bounced mail, mark it as bounced so the user is not to be contacted again so as to avoid spam, and then move that user into a seperate usergroup. This plugin is still in it's testing stages, but I have addressed the bugs mentioned previously regarding the emailing side of things.

This is important so keep reading
To install this plugin and take advantage of the bounced email features you are going to need to follow these instructions very carefully. I can not gaurentee that they will work to the letter as this will be based on each persons individual hosting settings.

Step 1: Pre Install
Before you touch this product you need to do the following

• Create an "inactive" usergroup
• Set up a "bounce to" email address
  Pick an email address that you want to use as your bounced email address. Im using "bounce@icora.co.uk". feel free to use whatever you wish.
• Add a email message filter
  This is the hard part. You need to set up a filter that will 'pipe' an email sent to the above email address.
  I am using Cpanel 11 and this is how i have mine set up:
  Rules: 'To' 'Equals' 'bounce@icora.co.uk'
  Actions: 'Pipe to program' with the setting: |/usr/local/bin/php /home/icora/public_html/forum/bounce.php
  This will depend entirely on your settings and structure so you may have to do a little research. It would be very helfull if people who have to use diferent configurations would post them on here.
• Go into vBulletin options, and find the options for 'Emails'. there is a setting asking you if you want to use '-f'. set this to yes.
• While still inn the email options set the 'Bounce Email Address' to your above address.

Step 2: Install
Remove all previous trace of this modification, and upload all the files in the "upload" folder to your base directory of the server.
Go into your product management section and add a new product. upload the XML file with overwrite selected.
Refresh your admin CP to load the new menu items. Just under the "users" group you will find an "Inactive Reminders" group. open that up and click on settings.
Play with these settings and options to suit for the most part. when you come down to the bounce settings you MUST use the same email address as the one you created above.
Set to active and save.

I must re-iterate that this version has not been widely tested, but the simulations i have ran have worked. I look forward to your feedback!

Features:

• Select the period of time before a user is considered inactive.
• Select how many emails to send to each inactive user per inactivity period
• Choose weather inactivity is based on members "Last Post" or their "Last Visit"
• Specify how often followup emails are sent
• Specify alternative emails to send to reduce repetition
• Keep a log of all inactive users contacted

Planned Updates:

• More detail in reports
• ...such as
• Which useres returned
• Effectivness stats
• Email validity

**1.2.1 Update***
Added more detail to the reports section. You can now see the email address, and quickly indicate which emails were invalid. You can link directly to that user to edit as you wish.
I have fixed some errors which have been crashing people's database. Please post any problems if you can.

**1.2.3 Update***
Fixed several problems with escaping strings
Stopped database errors locking up site
***

**1.2.4 Update***
Added a "From Email" so you can specify your own email address to send the reminders from.
Fixed potential bug for people who do not use the mail queue.

Anyone having problems with sending emails out too fast, and multiple emails being sent need to consider changing their email settings in vbulletin options.
People with emails going out too fast - edit Number of Emails to Send Per Batch to a lower amount
People with multiple emails sending - edit Use Mailqueue System to "Yes, with locking"
***

**1.2.5 Update***
Added more stats in the reports page, also added a "Send test email" option so users can test the functionality of the mod
***

[Arbit3r]

Jesus i get emailed about updates to this product almost everyday its driving me crazy. I clicked uninstall and im still getting emailed about updates. Anything i can do to stop it?

[Leo Brazil]

Originally Posted by C Braithwaite

I fudged up. lol ignore that- it really is 1.2.4.

I've just upgraded to 1.2.5 and you forgot at this one too, still giving me 1.2.2....lol....

I've noticed in this new version 1.2.5 we have 2 reminderemail.php file, one in Admincp folder and another that was supposed to be uploaded to the forum root, correct ? I checked and both contents are different despite of same name.

Originally Posted by C Braithwaite

checking the reports page should show inactive users almost instantly - unless you have zero inactive users. but this is almost never the case. would it make it easier for you if i were to make the data displayed more organised? ?in all honesty i dont think there are many bugs in the code and you should assume it is working properly. I could add a devdebug message to show you what is happening each page but that would mean you have to enable debug mode (which isnt the best idea for a live board). Im open up to suggestions as to what information you wish to be displayed?

is it only showing their userrname? you need to update the php files and it will show you id, username, email and valid address.

Reports screen is fine, good info. It's just tough because you'll have to believe if all those users there really received their reminders....lol.... Anyway, the report list means all the users received a reminder indeed, correct ? I've noticed that some users appears on this report twice, is that correct ?

Originally Posted by C Braithwaite

are you sure you have updated the product with overwrite selected? it;s deffinately been added.

I've got now when I upgraded to 1.2.5. What happens if I let the field "E-mail From" blank ? The mod will consider to use the Admin e-mail set on Vb Options ?

Tks

[Osama11]

thxxx C Braithwaite
i have upgraded now..

lol how would i know its working fine with my email adress.. when am i goona recive a inactive email..

i didn't change any setting ,except urgroup 1 n email adress 1.

[Leo Brazil]

First Issues...but at least I got confirmation that's working fine because I got some e-mails "returned to sender".

One of those returned one was because this user has the simbol & in his name and this messed up with his e-mail address.

Other issue was the reminder message is kind of messy, some characters like \r\n\r\n are showed between the words.

Just a tip: Why not include a field like on settings like: Send a Test Reminder to:
This way you could click "sent" the the e-mail you inform and system sent it as a test to the address you give, this way you can check the system and check also how good is your message.

Edited: Just a few e-mails returned: Spam Policy - Empty E-mail Header

[iogames]

Why 1.2.5 has 2 files named remindermail.php???

[C Braithwaite]

Originally Posted by Arbit3r

Jesus i get emailed about updates to this product almost everyday its driving me crazy. I clicked uninstall and im still getting emailed about updates. Anything i can do to stop it?

Sorry. Is all I can say.

Originally Posted by Leo Brazil

I've just upgraded to 1.2.5 and you forgot at this one too, still giving me 1.2.2....lol....

I've noticed in this new version 1.2.5 we have 2 reminderemail.php file, one in Admincp folder and another that was supposed to be uploaded to the forum root, correct ? I checked and both contents are different despite of same name.



Reports screen is fine, good info. It's just tough because you'll have to believe if all those users there really received their reminders....lol.... Anyway, the report list means all the users received a reminder indeed, correct ? I've noticed that some users appears on this report twice, is that correct ?





I've got now when I upgraded to 1.2.5. What happens if I let the field "E-mail From" blank ? The mod will consider to use the Admin e-mail set on Vb Options ?

Tks

The only remindermail that should be there is the one in the admincp. dont know how that other one got there. delete it.

Originally Posted by Leo Brazil

First Issues...but at least I got confirmation that's working fine because I got some e-mails "returned to sender".

One of those returned one was because this user has the simbol & in his name and this messed up with his e-mail address.

Other issue was the reminder message is kind of messy, some characters like \r\n\r\n are showed between the words.

Just a tip: Why not include a field like on settings like: Send a Test Reminder to:
This way you could click "sent" the the e-mail you inform and system sent it as a test to the address you give, this way you can check the system and check also how good is your message.

Edited: Just a few e-mails returned: Spam Policy - Empty E-mail Header

not sure why \r\n are being displayed.. i have an idea however.

I am also going to add bounced emails today too. i've researched it and will have a go today.

Originally Posted by iogames

Why 1.2.5 has 2 files named remindermail.php???

i messed up (again)

i really need to take more care with my work

[iogames]

:O
But still see a Remindermail.php for Forum Root and other Remindermail.php for AdminCP?

[C Braithwaite]

Originally Posted by iogames

:O
But still see a Remindermail.php for Forum Root and other Remindermail.php for AdminCP?

delete forum root one

[iogames]

Ok everything seems Ok altough I don't see the 'test mail' Option...'
but can I add HTML Code or Adsense on the eMails?

[C Braithwaite]

Originally Posted by iogames

Ok everything seems Ok altough I don't see the 'test mail' Option...'
but can I add HTML Code or Adsense on the eMails?

ill make sure everything is up to date and tidied up for next release.

you can use html, however i dont expect adsense code to work - just due to the way email readers display the email..