NNTP Gateway for Usenet ( Newsgroups ), Mailing Lists

The latest version: V3.5.0Alpha 1 (21 Jul 2005)

What is it?

This hack provides a gateway from vBulletin forums to the USENET. It allows forum members to read newsgroup messages as well as to send posts to the newsgroups. In a nutshell, it turns vBulletin forums into a basic function news reader.

For an added bonus, this package also supports mailing list archive and forum to mailing list gateway. The software retrieves messages from a pop3 account and import them into the forums threaded. It also allows a forums user to send messages to the mailing list by the forum posting interface.

Why?

The gateway will be appreciated by forum members who do not know how to set up a news reader, or people who do not have port 119 open in their network. A forum interface to read and post news are often considered to be better than a news reader.

The gateway adds more contents to your forums and allows the members to interact with wider audience. It is common to see new users signing up to use this feature.

History

This hack was originally coded by Gilby for vB2. I modified the hack to work with vB3 and have been maintaining and improving the hack. I have now done the modification for this to work with vB3.5.

The very original hack by Gilby can be found here:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...7&page=1&pp=15

The vB3 version can be found here:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=65152

Features

Some of the features and improvement include:

• Handles both newsgroup posts and mailing lists.
• Handles MIME encoded messages and attachment.
• Handles UUEncoded messages.
• Two Admin Control Panels for all settings.
• Automated installation.
• Correct thread implementation. All imported messages and posts sent to newsgroups will be threaded correctly according to References and Message-ID headers.
• Optional setting to thread by subject for mailing lists that strip references header.
• Imported messages will be searchable just like normal forum posts.
• Similar threads are built when the messages are imported if the system setting is on.
• Multiple attachments importing.
• Save attachment to database or file according to vB setting.
• Thumbnail created while importing image files.
• Multiple attachment post to newsgroup is also supported.
• Selectable X-No-Archive header honouring system.
• Light on system resources.
• Global Killfile to filter out unwanted messages. Killfiles can have OR and AND effectiveness.
• Strip footer by setting for incoming messages. Strips out repeated message footers.
• Built options to disable signatures and footers for out going messages.

Future development

• Traditional "> " lead posting interface.

What do you need and do not need?

You do not need to edit vB php files.
No need to manually run SQL.

Installation

Basically the AdminCP interfaces take care of installation as well as upgrade in the background. Back up your database first. The scripts can modify your database without alerting you!

Please follow the instructions in the readme.txt file for more details.

It is not a must to click "INSTALL" for this hack if you use it, I do try better answering the questions from people who do.

Support

Please post your support questions to this thread. Please check the FAQ in the second post within this thread first. It may be surprising, but it is possible your question is answered in the adminCP NNTP settings.

Please always provide more details about your problem. Examples and debug messages will certainly help. Well, if you don't even try to have some effort to compose your question, the answer you get may also not include much effort.

================== UPDATES ======================
Jul 21 2005 (release version 3.5.0 Alpha 1)

AdminCP xml file is written by Kadence.

• Ported to work with vB3.5.
• Existing bug fixes.
• Debug message can be sent by email or logged in vB Tast Scheduler.
• Known problem: image attachment thumb nail creation still needs work.
• Needs to be done: Documentation.

Quick installation instruction:
1) Upload files to their correct directory
2) Enter AdminCP, click on NNTP Settings once to install/upgrade. Change settings to your like.
3) Click on NNTP Groups once to install/upgrade.
3a) For new install. Run once
http://www.yourdomain.com/setlastmsg.php

Delete this file afterwards.
If you are upgrading from an older version. There is no need to upload this file. Actually this file should not be there except brand new install.

4)
Manually run in debug mode: http://forums.yourdomain.com/gateway.php?debug=1

[mzeitler]

Hi,

I am pretty happy with the add-on. However some of the threads are duplicated since the usenet poster crossposts into multiple groups.

Is there a way to prevent this duplication from happening?

Since I compbine multiple usenet groups into one master group on my site, this is really annoying.

Matthias

[amaarvell]

hi guys

I am still having the problem I posted on reply 499
the anoying thing is occasionally the odd post gets through (3 so far)
this is wracking my head .. please help me someone

[bkaul]

Originally Posted by bkaul

Attachment 63669

The link is to showthread.php?p=0#post0 rather than the actual post number, when the post is one that is generated by the gateway. Any ideas on what modifications would be necessary to fix this bug?

Clarification: I think this is only true of the initial post in a newly created thread, before any replies. Replies to existing threads appear to work properly.

[tadast]

Originally Posted by panda1

Rik,
Invalid SQL:
UPDATE nntp_settings
SET value = WHERE varname = 'last_postid';

MySQL Error : You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE varname = 'last_postid'' at line 2
Error Number : 1064
Date : Wednesday, April 18th 2007 @ 04:59:06 PM
Script : http://forums.networkingland.com/adm...cron&cronid=19
Referrer : http://forums.networkingland.com/admincp/index.php
IP Address : 212.35.77.232
Username : admin
Classname : vB_Database

There are ' missing in the gateway.php code, change

		SET value = " . ((empty($get_max_postid))?(0):

($get_max_postid['postid'])) . " WHERE varname = 'last_postid'

to

		SET value = '" . ((empty($get_max_postid))?(0):

($get_max_postid['postid'])) . "' WHERE varname = 'last_postid'

That would fix the problem.

[panda1]

Originally Posted by tadast

There are ' missing in the gateway.php code, change

		SET value = " . ((empty($get_max_postid))?(0):

($get_max_postid['postid'])) . " WHERE varname = 'last_postid'

to

		SET value = '" . ((empty($get_max_postid))?(0):

($get_max_postid['postid'])) . "' WHERE varname = 'last_postid'

That would fix the problem.

Thank you tadast for the help!


Now I have this NTTP newsgroup hack working fine with VB 3.5.6 in my new forum http://forums.networkingland.com.

But I am still facing posting problems, I am using www.teranews.com news server with posting allowed.


Frankly speaking, I am very happy with this hack, it saved me months of work! many thanks to the coder who created this hack in the first place and to all of you fellows for the help.

[amaarvell]

Guys I have this installed but I cant get it working

Gateway debug says its fine
but the cron fails every time

vbulletin say its nothing to do with them and my web host says its nothing to do with them

the script appears to be installed correctly
and my head is in bits trying to sort it

please help

[amaarvell]

Originally Posted by panda1

Now I have this NTTP newsgroup hack working fine with VB 3.5.6 in my new forum http://forums.networkingland.com.

you are running the gateway on the same usenet groups as me and on the same vb version .. any idea what i am doing wrong ... www.vistareadygames.com

cheers

[X-Man70]

when i start the gateway in debug mode 1, i become an erreo msg. can someone help me ?

Datenbankfehler in vBulletin 3.6.5:

Invalid SQL:

SELECT post.*, thread.*,
post.dateline AS postdateline, post.msgid AS postmsgid,
thread.title AS threadtitle, post.visible AS postvisible,
thread.visible AS threadvisible
FROM post as post LEFT JOIN thread as thread
ON (thread.threadid = post.threadid
AND post.userid = thread.postuserid
AND post.postid = thread.firstpostid)
WHERE post.isusenetpost = 0
AND post.postid > 0
AND thread.forumid = 40;

MySQL-Fehler : Lost connection to MySQL server during query
Fehler-Nr. : 2013

[panda1]

Originally Posted by amaarvell

you are running the gateway on the same usenet groups as me and on the same vb version .. any idea what i am doing wrong ... www.vistareadygames.com

cheers

Hi Amaarvel,

You are right we are running the same VB version 3.6.5 and the same newsgroup server!

It wasn't a staright forword job, actully it took me some time to fix it ( I am not a coder)

Which satge you are stuck in ?

Can you post the debug log if you reached that stage.

More details will help both of us.

[amaarvell]

Hi Panda
as far as i know its set right
if i use the debug it says its gateway'ed open

but thats it
the cron runs the gateway script every 15 minutes
but in the last 10 days i have got 4messages through

I know its a microsoft server but it should be a whole lot faster than that

any help i get will save the samaratins a head ache