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
***

[iogames]

Hi Sir do you plan to give the final touch to this one?

[Leo Brazil]

Originally Posted by Leo Brazil

I have this working on 3.8.0 and seems to be OK, I mean it's not sending out several reminders to the same person everyday. I set up a few test users just to monitor this issue reported here and seems to be OK.

Anyway, I've been using this since 3.7.1 and after upgraded to 3.8.0 still works the same way. I honestly don't know how would be its behavior in a fresh start on 3.8

Just one thing about, I've never set up anything about bounced e-mails, gave up on this since the beginning.

Just an extra info that can help you somehow.

I confirmed the version of this mod I've been using without any problems on 3.8 and it's in fact 1.2.8 and it's not listed on this thread. You can find the same version I'm using here https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=188383

[iogames]

Oh yeah... but he express his desire to give a final touch by making optional some parts of the forums

[Leo Brazil]

Originally Posted by iogames

Oh yeah... but he express his desire to give a final touch by making optional some parts of the forums

I know, I wished that too. :up:
This is one of the most important mods on my board and help a lot to keep a good balance between registred and inactive users. Some fixes and extras touches would be even more appreciated for sure.

But I was just trying to help those here with more needs than mine, you know, at least I got it running and it seems most here don't.

[iogames]

yeah need and optional feature as he expressed... keep me posted please!

[Sascha108]

This is exactly what I was looking for, BUT I am using 3.2.8 and when I try to install I get informed that this is the wrong version for my board. Any workaround or different file known for this?

Best,
Sascha

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by Sascha108

This is exactly what I was looking for, BUT I am using 3.2.8 and when I try to install I get informed that this is the wrong version for my board. Any workaround or different file known for this?

I'm assuming you meant 3.82 of vBulletin, not 3.28.

First, make sure you have the latest version of this add-on: version 1.27. If that still won't import, do the following:

1. Open the XMIL product installer file (e.g., product-remindermail.xml).
2. Near the top, around line 10, find this line:
   

   <dependency dependencytype="vbulletin" minversion="3.7.0" maxversion="" />

3. Change that line to read:
   

   <dependency dependencytype="vbulletin" minversion="3.7.0" maxversion="3.999" />

4. Save the file and try to import it again.

[Konstantinos]

this plugin adds Inactive Reminders By Icora Web Design to the forum footer and is only visible to guests ! why is that ?

PHP Code:

<phpcode><![CDATA[if(!$show['member']){
$vbulletin->templatecache['footer'] = str_replace($vbulletin->templatecache['footer'],$vbulletin->templatecache['footer'] . '<div align="center" class="smallfont">Inactive Reminders By <a href="http://www.icora.co.uk"/>Icora</a> <a href="http://www.icora.co.uk"/>Web Design</a></div>',$vbulletin->templatecache['footer']);
}]]></phpcode> 


[imported_silkroad]

Hello!

We just upgraded from 1.1.1 and noticed that we have no cron entry for this product anymore.

Am I missing something?

[TheOptimist]

Just tried to install it to 3.8.4 and got error message that it's only for boards running at least 3.6 and not 3.7 or greater...

So...

...any plans or other hacks as good as this one, for 3.8.4 ?