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
***

[airborneCAL]

Originally Posted by C Braithwaite

each member will only receive 1 email despite being a member of multiple. it will send out to them if they are secondary members of your specified usergroups.

does this cause a problem?

I don't think so - my main concern was preventing duplication of emails based on multiple group memberships.

[SCRIPT3R]

unadvertised hotlinking/self-promotion is SPAM IMO... as much as i hate it, it's done rather often with hacks released here. i always just remove the occurance if i decide to use the hacks... AND rate negatively appropriately.

[djbaxter]

All this seems like a gross overreaction to me.

I think this is a useful add-on, bugs and all (which the author seems to be gradually working out). Between this and the EZ Bounce add-on, it has made the job of bringing back old members and deleting defunct members a whole lot easier. For that, the author should be commended.

I don't get the carping - if you don't like it, don't use it. Or create your own as a competitor. Or do as the author said and edit out the link if it shows up.

[C Braithwaite]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

All this seems like a gross overreaction to me.

I think this is a useful add-on, bugs and all (which the author seems to be gradually working out). Between this and the EZ Bounce add-on, it has made the job of bringing back old members and deleting defunct members a whole lot easier. For that, the author should be commended.

I don't get the carping - if you don't like it, don't use it. Or create your own as a competitor. Or do as the author said and edit out the link if it shows up.

I like you.
Right attitude.

[Snake]

Haha I can tell you that he's an idiot.

Anyway, thanks for the update, C. Seems to work just fine for me.

[carpefile]

I kinda resent the "carping" reference

Seriously, this is one of the most useful hacks I've ever installed. I mean its no IbProArcade or VBA, but it has shown to be very effective in doing its job. In the last few days, my lately very slow board has had tons of renewed activity.
I credit this hack for it, and don't mind a little link at the bottom that for the most part only search engines ever even see. I mean if your users are constantly scrolling to the footer of your pages to see what copyright links and what not are there, your board has bigger issues to deal with (like perhaps a lack of more engaging content).
Thanks Chris, I give this a MOTM nomination.:up:

[WEBDosser]

hehe.. this is great

[C Braithwaite]

Originally Posted by carpefile

I kinda resent the "carping" reference

Seriously, this is one of the most useful hacks I've ever installed. I mean its no IbProArcade or VBA, but it has shown to be very effective in doing its job. In the last few days, my lately very slow board has had tons of renewed activity.
I credit this hack for it, and don't mind a little link at the bottom that for the most part only search engines ever even see. I mean if your users are constantly scrolling to the footer of your pages to see what copyright links and what not are there, your board has bigger issues to deal with (like perhaps a lack of more engaging content).
Thanks Chris, I give this a MOTM nomination.:up:

Thankyou.

[PinkDaisy]

I've had TONS of members come back because of this!! I love it and it really shows the community that you really do miss them around the boards - at least on my board members do!

[C Braithwaite]

Originally Posted by PinkDaisy

I've had TONS of members come back because of this!! I love it and it really shows the community that you really do miss them around the boards - at least on my board members do!

I'm over the moon that people are not only using it, but finding it useful.