Administrative and Maintenance Tools - Commbull (Community Bulletin) 5.1a for vBulletin 4.01

This not the CommBull product itself. This is simply instructions for adapting it to work with vBulletin 4.x.

Download CommBull from: Commbull (Community Bulletin) 5.1a for vBulletin 3.8x

grandeur_69 has released his latest version of CommBull as a free add-on, indicating that he no longer has time to continue developing it. I am posting this here for the benefit of other vBulletin 4.x who don't want to lose the newsletter feature (grandeur_69 has approved this).

At https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....6&postcount=71 a member asks:

Hi, the version 5.1a work fine with vbulletin 4.0.1 ?

My response is posted at https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....5&postcount=72 and reproduced here...

I have the previous (commercial) version, 4.5f, which does run successfully via a cron job, running on 4.01. It required some modification of the installation instructions but it does work. I expect you should be able to get this version running as well, although as the coder noted the cron capability won't work.

1. Edit product-Commbull.xml and find the following line:

PHP Code:

        <dependency dependencytype="vbulletin" minversion="3.6.0" maxversion="3.8.99" /> 


Change to:

PHP Code:

        <dependency dependencytype="vbulletin" minversion="3.6.0" maxversion="4.99" /> 


2. Upload the files and import the product.

3. Now you need to do the template edits so that members can opt-in or opt-out of your newsletter. The current instructions are as follows:

4. Template modifications
--------------------------------------

Template: "Modify User Option" -> "modifyoptions"

After:

PHP Code:

                    <tr>
                        <td><label for="cb_adminemail"><input type="checkbox" name="options[adminemail]" value="1" id="cb_adminemail" $checked[adminemail] />$vbphrase[receive_email_from_bulletin_board_staff]</label><input type="hidden" name="set_options[adminemail]" value="1" /></td>
                    </tr> 


Add:

PHP Code:

                    <tr>
                        <td><label for="commbull"><input type="checkbox" name="commbull" value="1" id="commbull" $checked[receivebulletin] />$vbphrase[receive_email_from_commbull]</label><input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivebulletin]" value="1" /></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                        <td><br />$vbphrase[newsletterformat]<br /><label for="commbull_type"><input type="checkbox" name="commbull_type" value="1" id="commbull_type" $checked[receivebulletin_type] />$vbphrase[type_email_from_commbull]</label>
<input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivebulletin_type]" value="1" /></td>
                    </tr> 


Now, obviously this won't work in 4.x. These need to be modified as follows:

1. Edit Template: "Modify User Option" -> "modifyoptions"

FIND:

PHP Code:

<vb:if condition="$show['friend_email_request']">
                    <li>
                        <label for="cb_receivefriendemailrequest"><input type="checkbox" name="options[receivefriendemailrequest]" value="1" id="cb_receivefriendemailrequest" tabindex="1" {vb:raw checked.receivefriendemailrequest} /> {vb:rawphrase receive_friendship_req_email}</label>
                        <input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivefriendemailrequest]" value="1" />
                    </li>
                </vb:if> 


ADD AFTER:

PHP Code:

<vb:if condition="$show['receiveemail']">
<li>
    <label for="commbull"><input type="checkbox" name="commbull" value="1" id="commbull" tabindex="1" {vb:raw checked.receivebulletin} />{vb:rawphrase receive_email_from_commbull}</label>
    <input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivebulletin]" value="1" />
</li>
</vb:if> 


That first part (above) is the option to receive or not receive the newsletters.

Next would be the option for HTML or plain text emails, which should be:

PHP Code:

<vb:if condition="$show['receiveemail']">
<li>
    <label for="commbull_type"><input type="checkbox" name="commbull_type" value="1" id="commbull_type" tabindex="1" {vb:raw checked.receivebulletin_type} />{vb:rawphrase type_email_from_commbull}</label>
    <input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivebulletin_type]" value="1" />
</li>
</vb:if> 


Update:

This now works. I had a ( instead of a { on the previous code. Thanks to grandeur_69 for pointing this out!

Notes:

1. The product is not mine so I can't offer any support for CommBull itself. However, I have been using the paid versions of this mod for some time and I'm happy to offer what support I can for making the changes necessary to get it running on 4.x.
   
   
2. I have been in communication with grandeur_69. He has indicated that he has no objections to this thread and that as he gets time he will be trying to develop this add-on further as a free product.

Update July 12, 2010: Product XML file provided by grandeur_69 for vBulletin 4.x.

NOTE:

1. If you have already done the manual edits, do NOT use the XML file. And if you import the XML file, you should not need to do the manual edits.
   
2. Some people are encountering problems using the XML file. If you are one of them, uninstall the product and use the manual edits. Those seem to work just fine.

Update July 14, 2010: Error in XML file corrected.

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by Dragonsys

There is another problem with the xml file (both versions). I posted it here - https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....&postcount=162

Thank you. Attached file updated in first post.

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by Dragonsys

With your manual edits to modifyoptions above, the problem is, if the Admin does not allow members to email other members, these options will not show in the UserCP. I think that since the Newsletter will usually come from an Admin, the options should be available regardless of the Members being able to email each other. To correct this the <vb:if> statements should be removed (they are not included in the xml file either).

Also, IMHO, it looks better if you put a space in between the check box and the label. To do this, you just need to insert a space before the phrase. I have included the code for both items above, in the below box (this is both check boxes):

					<li>
						<label for="commbull"><input type="checkbox" name="commbull" value="1" id="commbull" tabindex="1" {vb:raw checked.receivebulletin} /> {vb:rawphrase receive_email_from_commbull}</label>
						<input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivebulletin]" value="1" />
					</li>
					<li>
						<label for="commbull_type"><input type="checkbox" name="commbull_type" value="1" id="commbull_type" tabindex="1" {vb:raw checked.receivebulletin_type} /> {vb:rawphrase type_email_from_commbull}</label>
						<input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivebulletin_type]" value="1" />
					</li>

Thank you. The reason I used the if statements is because I don't want the member to be receiving the newsletters if s/he's unchecked the "Receive Email from Administrators" checkbox.

I've never had the email other members option disabled - I'll look further into this.

[Dragonsys]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

Thank you. The reason I used the if statements is because I don't want the member to be receiving the newsletters if s/he's unchecked the "Receive Email from Administrators" checkbox.

I've never had the email other members option disabled - I'll look further into this.

That is what I figured. from the looks of it though, it looks like Commbull supports and complies with the Admin Email option. So if (if I am reading it right) they have that option off, they won't get the newsletter anyway (unless you check the box to ignore this option).

[khalled]

Can Commbull run via cron job

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by khalled

Can Commbull run via cron job

I run CommBull 4.5f using a vBulletin cron job (schedfuled task) to send out the newsletter automatically every Wednesday.

I assume the same is true of CommBull 5.1, the version released here as a non-commercial vBulletin product.

[khalled]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

I run CommBull 4.5f using a vBulletin cron job (schedfuled task) to send out the newsletter automatically every Wednesday.

I assume the same is true of CommBull 5.1, the version released here as a non-commercial vBulletin product.

what version of vBulletin you used

i run vb4.0.4 but the cron job not run

[djbaxter]

It's been working for me on 4.01, 4.02, 4.03, 4.04, and now 4.05.

[khalled]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

It's been working for me on 4.01, 4.02, 4.03, 4.04, and now 4.05.

i follow the procedure you mention but the cron job not work with me

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by khalled

i follow the procedure you mention but the cron job not work with me

For that, you'll have to ask the CommBull creator at https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=230359

[asuccar]

Hey guys,

I downloaded & installed this great mod without a hitch...I configured the html to look exactly as I wanted it to.

When I was ready, I went to the send page and clicked on the 'send' button below...then the mod done its thing and listed all my user (blu blu...user...html ok) and way at the bottom it says 'All Done!.

Problem: None of my users got the email! And there's no way (that I know of) to verify delivery (something like 'sent mail')...can anyone tell me what's going on?