vBouncer: reduce server load by unsubscribing bouncing members from threads

vBouncer is a handy tool for busy forums (or those that do not require email verification) to control the amounts of bogus emails sent from and to your server.

What vBouncer does: vBouncer monitors your mail spool file, and identifies members responsible for large amounts of bounced emails. It then issues a PM warning, and when the unsubscribe threshold is met, it will will unsubscribe them for all threads, and sets them to the "no email" subscription level.

After a couple of runs, this should significantly reduce your server load.

Features:
o Manual or auto processing option
o Collect logs via IMAP/POP or mail spool file
o Custom filters to match patterns in bounced emails
o Uses vB's cron files (Scheduled tasks)
o Uses encrypted header for authentication (suggested by Paul M).
o Stats on members with bouncing emails, and error codes
o Tuning options
o Verbose cron logs for diagnostics
o Option to send PM warning prior to reaching the limit
o Option to send PM notifications after reaching the limit
o Option to change the member's subscription default
o Option to all thread subscriptions to "no email"
o Option to all forum subscriptions to "no email"
o Option to move offenders to a different primary usergroup
o Option to process 5.0.0/550 errors (email unknown) upon a single email, isntead of observing the bounce limit

Installation:
1. Extract the files into the corresponding directories (admincp => admincp, includes => includes)
2. Run the installation script in the admincp
3. Fill out the settings menu in the vBouncer section of the admin panel (see the how-to post below)
4. Import and activate the plugin file through the plugin manager.
5. Once ready, add the cron scripts to your scheduled tasks: vbouncer-collect.php (should be run daily, or more frequently) and vbouncer-clean.php (weekly, equal to Bounce limit period)
6. If you are using vB's SMTP email option, make sure to also enable the "-f" option.

Change log:

- August 12, 2005 v1.3 Update to the cron files to match new changes in vB's cron/tasks. To upgrade, just re-upload the contents of includes/cron.

- July 11, 2005 v1.2 Bug fix for some server/PHP setups; resolve aliases for return keys, otherwise some aliases would be considered forged.

- July 5, 2005 v1.1 Bug fix in standard report pattern matching

- July 4, 2005 v1.0 Added encrypted header for authentication (suggested by Paul M).

- July 3, 2005 v0.9.1 fixed a bug preventing IMAP/POP log collection.

- July 2, 2005 v0.9 added IMAP/POP option and custom filters file vbouncer.ini

- June 27, 2005 v0.5 Added custom header setting option, for re-written headers.

- June 26, 2005 v0.4 Found a way to make it work as a plugin, without code edits (thanks to Paul M)

- June 26, 2005 v0.3 No changes, just removed the plugin

- June 25, 2005 v0.2 Added NDR/Reply code errors to stats, and option to act upon 5.0.0/550 (user unknown)

- June 21, 2005: v 0.1 Initial release. Marked beta, but it's working fine on PostFix and SendMail. Need to hear from those who tried on QMail and Exim

[BabyU]

IS there a way of catching bouncing emails that were sent via admincp? I have about 700 sitting in my inbox right now and I'm really not looking forward to taking care of them manually. Is there a similar hack that would support these bounces as well?

[heynurse]

I'm stuck in the install at step 4.

4. Import and activate the plugin file through the plugin manager.

Can someone be more specific as to the exact steps? I'm not understanding what to do? what plug in file? How do you active it, what are the steps? Thanks

Thanks

[heynurse]

How do I activate the plugin file through the plugin manager? I've installed hundreds of hacks in the past without much problem, but this line has me confused, can anybody give me more specific info on this?

4. Import and activate the plugin file through the plugin manager.

I really would like to get this hack installed and running properly. Thanks again!

[tamarian]

The plugin manager is part of vB's adminCP, use the plugin import menu option, and import the file located in the import directory of the zip file.

[mclark2112]

Took a little playing, and a lot of reading this thread, but it works, and works great!!!! Thanks.

[Dennis B]

Excelent hack, thanks for sharing. :up:

[CommunityZ]

vBouncer Collect

Warning: fclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /includes/cron/vbouncer-collect.php on line 317

Warning: fopen(/var/spool/mail/forum_notify): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /includes/cron/vbouncer-collect.php on line 319

Warning: ftruncate(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /includes/cron/vbouncer-collect.php on line 321

Done

How to fix it?

[hugh_]

Could someone help me? I'm trying to get this running on a server where IMAP's running on port 993 but it's not working for reasons that I don't get.

Thanks...

hugh
---

Setting:

{domain:993}INBOX

Diagnostic:

Test Result

Valid vBouncer email account (subscriber-notify) Failed
vBouncer email account (subscriber-notify) differs from webmaster account Failed
vBouncer Spool File Diagnostics (ignore if using IMAP/POP)

Test Result

vBouncer email spool file (/var/mail/subscriber_notify) exists Failed
vBouncer email spool file (/var/mail/subscriber_notify) is writable Failed
vBouncer email spool file (/var/mail/subscriber_notify) is readable Failed
vBouncer pattern config file diagnostics

Test Result

vbouncer.inc file exists Passed
vbouncer.inc file is readable Passed
vBouncer IMAP/POP Diagnostics (ignore if not using IMAP/POP)

Test Result

Your PHP installation supports IMAP/POP Passed
Your IMAP/POP settings can connect Failed

[NxTek]

I'm assuming this works for mass mails as well?

[SpankMe]

I've found that the sender email address isn't changed if vB to configured to use the Mailqueue System. Not sure if this is a problem with this mod or the server setup.

Any ideas?