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

[Eagle Creek]

Originally Posted by TraumTeam

A short help from me for users with the problems of imap/pop access:

I the access does not work and all settings are correct try:
{127.0.0.1:110/pop3/notls}INBOX

There could be a certificate failure with the internal IMAP Access on the server.

Perhaps its interesting for the FAQ ...

Rob

I found this, I'm going to try it out!

Why don't you post this in the first post.

[Eagle Creek]

vBouncer sender email
Test Result
Valid vBouncer email account (notify@soccerquest.nl) Passed
vBouncer email account (notify@soccerquest.nl) differs from webmaster account Passed
vBouncer Spool File Diagnostics (ignore if using IMAP/POP)
Test Result
vBouncer email spool file () exists Failed
vBouncer email spool file () is writable Failed
vBouncer email spool file () 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 Passed

Thank You!

[version2]

Is vbouncer viable anymore? I need it. =] And damn do I not want to hack it myself. =P

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by version2

Is vbouncer viable anymore? I need it. =] And damn do I not want to hack it myself. =P

Not sure in what way you mean by viable, it works for what it's supposed to do.

[version2]

Work with 3.5.4?

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by version2

Work with 3.5.4?

Yes, several 3.5.4 forums are running it.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

In vB 3.6 there has been a chang in the "phrase" & "phrasetype" tables. The previous primary key "phrasetypeid" is remove. Only "fieldname" is now serving to identify the phrasetype (or group).

Attached is a modified installer that will work on 3.6 (only tested install).

Will post later if vBouncer itself works on vB3.6 Beta1

PS Maybe this can easily turned into a product, so there will not be this kind of problems with future releases.

Edit: Seems to work on 3.6 Beta 1

[webgroup]

I have installed the vbouncer and all seems ok, but it never collects any emails, and I know the emails are going to the correct inbox.

Any help?

[Antiblank]

So I got vBouncer installed. It's connecting to my mailbox and when it finds emails in there it will delete them. I tried changing a test account on my boards to contain a bad email address. I triggered emails to that account using buddy adding, pm's, emailing, etc. Since the email did not exsist they ended up inside of the subscriber_notify@mydomain.com address.

Without opening the email, I ran the vBouncer Collect cron, the email vanished and this appeared in my cron log:

vBouncer Collect 01:07, 20th Jul 2006 Status:
Processed 1 emails No bounced emails found.

But whenever I look at the vBouncer Stats section it always appears as:

Quick Stats
Total bounced emails currently logged
Top bouncer [] - -
Last run with results 18:00, 31st Dec 1969

All blank. Any ideas?

[Antiblank]

6 days with no reply No one have an idea here?