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

[G-man]

New problem now. I got the return email addy to change by using the -f command in the control panel but now all the emails going out are sent with the webmaster email and not the vbouncer email. I think the hook fell out that engaged the vbouncer email. How can I get it back in?

[G-man]

OMG it works!! I imported the plugin and it works.... Thanks

[dutchbb]

Problems:

Status:

No bounce collection method defined, exiting. Bounce collection failed, exiting.

What to do?

[G-man]

I spoke too soon. When Cron runs vBouncer it errors out and I get:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: imap_close() in /home/djchat/public_html/boards/includes/cron/vbouncer-collect.php on line 162

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by Triple_T

What to do?

You need to setup your vBouncer options in vBulletin Options -> vBouncer.

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by G-man

I spoke too soon. When Cron runs vBouncer it errors out and I get:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: imap_close() in /home/djchat/public_html/boards/includes/cron/vbouncer-collect.php on line 162

This means your PHP does not have IMAP functions. You need to either recompile with IMAP support, or use the file spool method instead.

[dutchbb]

Originally Posted by tamarian

You need to setup your vBouncer options in vBulletin Options -> vBouncer.

Hm I did that. Maybe I forgot something. Some options I don't even understand so it wouldn't surprise me.

But there is no "collection method" option or something like that.

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by Triple_T

Hm I did that. Maybe I forgot something. Some options I don't even understand so it wouldn't surprise me.

But there is no "collection method" option or something like that.

Collection method mehod is either IMAP or a spool file. Make sure you check the diagnostics option in the vBouncer menu, to see if there are any errors.

[dutchbb]

Originally Posted by tamarian

Collection method mehod is either IMAP or a spool file. Make sure you check the diagnostics option in the vBouncer menu, to see if there are any errors.

Ok "IMAP/POP connection"

To be honest, I'm not sure what to fill in there.

Here are a few examples, replace the domain name with your own:
For local IMAP: {localhost:143}INBOX
For local POP: {localhost:110/pop3}INBOX
For remote POP: {myisp.com:110/pop3}INBOX

{localhost:110/pop3}INBOX didnt work
do i need to change the numbers or something?
Sorry if these are dumb questions...

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by Triple_T

{localhost:110/pop3}INBOX didnt work
do i need to change the numbers or something?
Sorry if these are dumb questions...

These values are based on your email account setup. Think of them like any new account you setup for your server. Instead of local host, put the URL of the domain used for the email, and make sure you put the email username and password in the rest of the fields.