NNTP Gateway for Usenet ( Newsgroups ), Mailing Lists

The latest version: V3.5.0Alpha 1 (21 Jul 2005)

What is it?

This hack provides a gateway from vBulletin forums to the USENET. It allows forum members to read newsgroup messages as well as to send posts to the newsgroups. In a nutshell, it turns vBulletin forums into a basic function news reader.

For an added bonus, this package also supports mailing list archive and forum to mailing list gateway. The software retrieves messages from a pop3 account and import them into the forums threaded. It also allows a forums user to send messages to the mailing list by the forum posting interface.

Why?

The gateway will be appreciated by forum members who do not know how to set up a news reader, or people who do not have port 119 open in their network. A forum interface to read and post news are often considered to be better than a news reader.

The gateway adds more contents to your forums and allows the members to interact with wider audience. It is common to see new users signing up to use this feature.

History

This hack was originally coded by Gilby for vB2. I modified the hack to work with vB3 and have been maintaining and improving the hack. I have now done the modification for this to work with vB3.5.

The very original hack by Gilby can be found here:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...7&page=1&pp=15

The vB3 version can be found here:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=65152

Features

Some of the features and improvement include:

• Handles both newsgroup posts and mailing lists.
• Handles MIME encoded messages and attachment.
• Handles UUEncoded messages.
• Two Admin Control Panels for all settings.
• Automated installation.
• Correct thread implementation. All imported messages and posts sent to newsgroups will be threaded correctly according to References and Message-ID headers.
• Optional setting to thread by subject for mailing lists that strip references header.
• Imported messages will be searchable just like normal forum posts.
• Similar threads are built when the messages are imported if the system setting is on.
• Multiple attachments importing.
• Save attachment to database or file according to vB setting.
• Thumbnail created while importing image files.
• Multiple attachment post to newsgroup is also supported.
• Selectable X-No-Archive header honouring system.
• Light on system resources.
• Global Killfile to filter out unwanted messages. Killfiles can have OR and AND effectiveness.
• Strip footer by setting for incoming messages. Strips out repeated message footers.
• Built options to disable signatures and footers for out going messages.

Future development

• Traditional "> " lead posting interface.

What do you need and do not need?

You do not need to edit vB php files.
No need to manually run SQL.

Installation

Basically the AdminCP interfaces take care of installation as well as upgrade in the background. Back up your database first. The scripts can modify your database without alerting you!

Please follow the instructions in the readme.txt file for more details.

It is not a must to click "INSTALL" for this hack if you use it, I do try better answering the questions from people who do.

Support

Please post your support questions to this thread. Please check the FAQ in the second post within this thread first. It may be surprising, but it is possible your question is answered in the adminCP NNTP settings.

Please always provide more details about your problem. Examples and debug messages will certainly help. Well, if you don't even try to have some effort to compose your question, the answer you get may also not include much effort.

================== UPDATES ======================
Jul 21 2005 (release version 3.5.0 Alpha 1)

AdminCP xml file is written by Kadence.

• Ported to work with vB3.5.
• Existing bug fixes.
• Debug message can be sent by email or logged in vB Tast Scheduler.
• Known problem: image attachment thumb nail creation still needs work.
• Needs to be done: Documentation.

Quick installation instruction:
1) Upload files to their correct directory
2) Enter AdminCP, click on NNTP Settings once to install/upgrade. Change settings to your like.
3) Click on NNTP Groups once to install/upgrade.
3a) For new install. Run once
http://www.yourdomain.com/setlastmsg.php

Delete this file afterwards.
If you are upgrading from an older version. There is no need to upload this file. Actually this file should not be there except brand new install.

4)
Manually run in debug mode: http://forums.yourdomain.com/gateway.php?debug=1

[KW802]

Originally Posted by AWS

I am having no problems with this script at all. Everything works and has always worked. No problems with bbcode, images, attachments or anything else that others in this thread have problems with. The only time I ever had a problem is when the usenet provider purges one of the groups. This is fixed by running setlastmessage.php after the run dies.

And the "functions_image.php" file that is included from functions_nntp.php and works with this version running on vB 3.5.x was acquired from where? As I said above, that file is NOT included with the zip file attached to this thread, is NOT a standard vB 3.5.x file, and the vB 3.0.x version will NOT work as-is.

Have you verified lately that outgoing quotes are working since the upgrade to 3.5?

[srpompon]

Great script!! GREAT! im to happy...

attachs dont work.. but is great!

why in some forums like http://www.cyburbia.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19169 the attachs work?

please sorry for my bad english.

Ivan

[AWS]

Originally Posted by KW802

And the "functions_image.php" file that is included from functions_nntp.php and works with this version running on vB 3.5.x was acquired from where? As I said above, that file is NOT included with the zip file attached to this thread, is NOT a standard vB 3.5.x file, and the vB 3.0.x version will NOT work as-is.

Have you verified lately that outgoing quotes are working since the upgrade to 3.5?

I changed that block of code to use the new image class that vbulletin has although I do actually have the function image file. Must be leftover from an older version after upgrade. Forgot I had modified that part of the script.
Outgoing qutes do show. I read the newgroups with a news reader and all posts from my forums have quoted text sent from my forums.
It is possible that I have made more changes to this hack then I remember. Whenever I install a hack I always have to change something to make it work since I run on IIS and use .phtml extension.
I guess I should document them in the hack threads, but, in reality most would be of no use if you don't run IIS.

[Deepdog009]

Hi all, just wanted to advice everybody that this week I received a FLAGG from Usenet. Why I received it Im not sure, well they say in the email because of spamming, Im innocent I tell you.

They're looking into it and will get back to me when they finish the investigation. Holy crap Batman.

Don't know if other members or one of the groups has singled me out 4 pain.

I posted less than several times using this script, all posts were related to groups content and no spamming. Maybe it was the links (userid and forumid).
To make a long story short I can't post anymore until they give me an anwser.

Has anybody had any problems posting to the groups? (exporting).

F_ck!!!

[srpompon]

please sorry for my bad english.

Now the attachs work in my 3.5.3, for this i copy a functions_image.php file from another old vb instalation to my includes.

And i comment some lines in the file incliudes/functions_nntp.php

// if (!$forumperms)
// {
// logging("This forum does not allow attachments, therefore attachment ignored.");
// }
// else
// {
$forumperms2 = true;
// }

i dont know php i only know C, this is a very uggly solutions buts work.
if anyone know php please solve this in a good way.

in some attachs whit names like "dirty monkey.jpg" the filename parcer fails at the space and say "unknow extencion" this is the only problem.

thanks,

MrPompon

[srpompon]

This is the filename error:

Successfully connected to the 'pop3.orchidswamp.com' pop3 server.
Retrieving 1 E-mails from the 'pop3.orchidswamp.com' pop3 server.
Getting message number 1:
extensions are not accepted, as currently set up in the control panel.
extensions are not accepted, as currently set up in the control panel.
'[orquidea] BC. HIPPODAMIA' from Carlos Keller. New thread.

the filenames are:
filename="Bc. Hippodamia 'Kelvin Lucky' AM.AOS, 01 (ID).jpg"
filename="Bc. Hippodamia 'Kelvin Lucky' AM.AOS, 02 (ID).jpg"

anyone know howto solve this?

thanks!

MrPompon

[srpompon]

new error on some attachs

<b>Fatal error</b>: Call to a member function on a non-object in <b>/www/docs/orchidswamp.com/public_html/includes/functions_image.php</b> on line <b>224</b><br />

8-)

[Grinler]

Can someone tell me what the purpose of setlastmsg.php is for? I did not run it first..is that going to be a problem? I do not appear to be having any probs. Also did anyone port the advanced hack instructions over to 3.5.3?

[srpompon]

i dont run the setlastmsg.php and work fine in my 3.5.3

[Grinler]

On another note, has anyone who uses this script ever had a problem with any usenet providers when they found out what you were using the script for? Did they cancel your service or tell you that it was not allowed? Are there any known services that know about this script and do not care if you use it?