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
***

[blogtorank]

Originally Posted by Chachacha

You need to check your attitude at the door.

"At the door" WTF I have pixels and resolutions...

Let's drop the whole thing and stay on topic, use the search function period!

[Chachacha]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

Another one who can't read or who is too lazy to read... and this one has the audacity to suggest that some else has an attitude problem...

More false accusations of rudeness. I was NOT rude at all. Its called "constructive criticism".

Originally Posted by djbaxter

Don't like the add-on? Don't install it. Nobody here will mourn your loss.

Did I even suggest that I don't like the add-on? No. I DID however state that I don't like one specific aspect of it ...and I have a right to do so. I was not rude about it.

Originally Posted by djbaxter

Don't like the footer link? The add-on contains an option to delete it... but of course you don't read instructions so you missed that...

The "instructions" to remove the link is a JOKE. Heres what the "instructions" say: "You have the option to remove the link via the admincp". Now if thats what you call "instructions" ...then your mommy dropped you on your empty head one too many times when you were a baby.

Originally Posted by djbaxter

Let me be blunt here: Sometimes the explosion of lazy "gimme gimme and don't expect anything in return" morons on this planet over the past couple of decades fills me with despair for the future of our species.

Now let ME be blunt: You and your little crony (deezelpope) need to take some mydol and change your tampons ...because your pre-menstrual attitudes are nauseating. It has nothing to do with laziness. I read and re-read everything ...and there are no REAL instructions for removing the link from the footer. Also, RDX1 is right, you shouldn't jump somebody for not reading through hundreds of posts. Just because you're coders doesn't mean that YOU are the only ones who have a lot of other things to do and don't have a lot of time to work with. Get off your high horse and grow up. Being a jerk will get you nowhere.

EDIT: I found the option to remove the footer link. I guess I missed it when I investigated the options for this add-on. My mistake ...but you still need to handle things more maturely. Calling people names and insulting them is not the way to handle criticism.

[djbaxter]

Please just go away before you embarrass yourself even further.

You don't like the mod. We get it. Move on.

You can't understand the instructions, even though they're written in straightforward English. We get that too. Move on.

[Chachacha]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

Please just go away before you embarrass yourself even further.

You don't like the mod. We get it. Move on.

You can't understand the instructions, even though they're written in straightforward English. We get that too. Move on.

I like the mod. Where did I say that I DON'T like it? Not once did I say that.

An oversight is not embarrassing. You're the one who should be embarrassed ...due to your lack of maturity.

You learn how to be civilized and I'll move on. Thanks.

[RDX1]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

Let me be blunt here: Sometimes the explosion of lazy "gimme gimme and don't expect anything in return" morons on this planet over the past couple of decades fills me with despair for the future of our species.

Let me be blunt here: Sometimes the explosion of egotistic maniacs and "children who want to be know it all" morons on this planet over the past couple of decades fills me with despair for the future of our species.

Thanks for the defense Chachacha. This is one of the exact reasons I don't feel like spending 25 minutes reading through every post for all of the hacks I have installed. Unlike some people that may or may not post in these threads, I don't have the time or mindset to argue with children.


Also it seems that the modification has also stopped working since I upgraded to 1.10. I thought upgrading would fix the problem I was having, atleast know that I know what the problem was I may revert back. This hack has increased user activities, been getting 1,500-2,000 more posts a day due to it and 150+ more active members.

[C Braithwaite]

rar.. too many arguments.

okay. vBulletin does not send out HTML emails, so all emails need to be sent out in plain text - im sure this isn't a problem for most as it's only reminder. sorry to anyone who is sending out super fancy html rich reminders. I will somehow sort out the html, but that may be a case of creating a separate plugin. I dont know.

Since the update the plugin is still working, however it is working in a different manner. It only runs once per day, at 1 minute past 1am, and then adds all of the messages to the mail queue.

It is then down to the vBulletin mail system to send out the emails.

I will make minor modifications to the product for the default template.

[blogtorank]

Here's an HTML e-mail hack

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=137593

[Paul M]

Time for you all to grow up in this thread. No more childish arguments and posts please.

[Mrdby]

updated!!!!

[carpefile]

Thanks for the update Chris.

Sorry your support thread has turned into a soap opera.