NNTP Gateway for Usenet ( Newsgroups ), Mailing Lists

The latest version: V2.3.2 (31 Oct 2004)

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 is basically a hacked vB2 NNTP gateway written by Gilby to work with vB3. The original hack can be found here:

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


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.
• Supports TABLE_PREFIX.
• 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

• AdminCP interfaces. (completed)
• Installation/upgrade script. (completed, coded into AdminCP)
• Traditional "> " lead posting interface.

What do you need and do not need?

You do not need to edit vB php files if you use two bookmarks
You need to edit one vB php file to insert two lines of code if you want direct click links within AdminCP.
No need to 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.

Support

Please post your support questions to this thread. Please check the FAQ in the third post within this thread first.

================== UPDATES ======================
Jul 31 2004 (release version 2.2.0)

• Provided option of not importing attachments
• Provided option of pause between messages
• Provided option of not sending messages to USENET
• Provided mechanism to skip importing a message if it was crashed on it
• Provided "Default Footer" option
• Provided strip_footer function for mailing lists
  (written originally by KevinM)
• Provided Killfile functions with Header/Body/AND/OR settings
• Provided ability to thread messages by subject for mailing lists
• Provided ability to use a single POP3 account for different mailing lists
  (use prefix)
• Merged KevinM's attachment routine, save thumbnail to hard drive
  as vB3.0.3
• Official support to have the script run by Scheduled Tasks
• Many bug fixes

Please note, when you manually run the script, you must turn on the debug mode. Otherwise nothing will be displayed on the screen.

To run as debug mode: http://forums.yourdomain.com/gateway.php?debug=1

25 Oct 2004

• Provided the option of sending posts using the real email address
• Provided the option of sending posts using a fixed email address for
  each group.
• Posts are now held back if they are in the moderating queue
• Scheduled task log is now working
• Provided the option of sending the debug messages to the vB3 cron log
• Bug fixes

31 Oct 2004

Fixed bugs running the gateway by the vB3 Scheduled Tasks

1 March 2004

Uploaded the new zip file. It contains one or two bug fixes.

[trackpads]

You rock! Thanks for all the hard work!!

[Marv]

Originally Posted by trackpads

You rock! Thanks for all the hard work!!

Absolutly - that?s a fact ! Where can I sign this ?

lierduh,
many thanks for the update. One man, one word - good to see you made it !
It?s all working as it should and the eMails now have the real sender eMail-adress in the header. Simply great !

But one thing I?ve got to mention.. - everything I post in the forums now becomes imported to the newsgroups twice. First as a new posting and in the same moment as a reply to it. Here?s the debug-msg:

Info for xxxx.xxxxxx.xxx at xxxx.xxxxxx.xxx: 211 15554 465324 481858
xxxx.xxxxxx.xxx
Posting Message 'Test check ignore' from Marv. Result: 340 Ok, recommended ID <xxxxxxx@xxxx.xxxxxx.xxx>240 Article posted
Posting Message 'Re: Test check ignore' from Marv. Result: 340 Ok, recommended ID <yyyyyyyyy@yyyy.yyyyyy.yyy>240 Article posted

Someone else with that problem out there ? I installed the hack as-it-is out of the box without any changes.

[Andy R]

Originally Posted by Marv

Absolutly - that?s a fact ! Where can I sign this ?

lierduh,
many thanks for the update. One man, one word - good to see you made it !
It?s all working as it should and the eMails now have the real sender eMail-adress in the header. Simply great !

But one thing I?ve got to mention.. - everything I post in the forums now becomes imported to the newsgroups twice. First as a new posting and in the same moment as a reply to it. Here?s the debug-msg: Someone else with that problem out there ? I installed the hack as-it-is out of the box without any changes.

In the NNTP settings in your admin control panel. Check out the option for "organization check". See if that changing your values fixes your issues. It did for me...

[Marv]

Originally Posted by organic-hosting

In the NNTP settings in your admin control panel. Check out the option for "organization check". See if that changing your values fixes your issues. It did for me...

You got me wrong, organic.
The option "organization check" is already set. The problem is, that if I post a new thread in the forums, gateway.php is sending them to the newsgroups and creates not only the single post I?ve written before - it generates a second one too with the same message-ID.
When I take a closer look at these two postings with a newsreader, they appear as two different posts. One as thread starter (i.e. with msg-no. xxxxx1), one as a reply to it (with msg-no. xxxxx2).

In my forums it?s still a single post (and only the "organization check" prevents the re-import to the forums) - but not in the newsgroups. There you?ll find 2 postings. One as thread starter, the other one as a reply to it (marked with the prefix "Re:" ).
Haven?t had this problem before the update and changed non of the new updated files - and I have no clue, what?s going on...

[Lord Brar]

Can someone puhleez tell me - What exactly do I have to do to upgrade?

[SaN-DeeP]

Originally Posted by mrlb.com

Can someone puhleez tell me - What exactly do I have to do to upgrade?

After uploading all the files, you must go to the AdminCP and open the NNTP Gateway Newsgroups page once to complete the upgrade.

[SaN-DeeP]

Hi Lierduh, i still have problems posting messages to newsgroups from my forum but anyway i have given up debugging the same now..
now since the new version has some enhancements in admincp logging. i followed your update as mentioned here:

PS, if you want to inject the debug message into the cron log while using the vB3 Scheduled Tasks, edit the gateway.php file, change $do_cron_log from 0 to 1. It is only advised to use this for debugging purpose. As you may not want to fill the log up with debugging messages.

I noted that degugging messages are only inserted when the task is ran manually else it just adds up entries in admincp like:

8632 Gateway Messages Import 01:45, 26th Oct 2004 Ran NNTP Gateway

Now i ran the script twice manaully, after a user has made 2 new threads in the nntp forums:

 8635 Gateway Messages Import 02:12, 26th Oct 2004 Ran NNTP Gateway
Gateway version 2.3.0 5 group(s) gatewayed.
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed 
Info for microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 16559 1 237054 microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware 
Getting message number 237048: 
Skip, post was sent from our forum.
Getting message number 237049: 
Skip, post was sent from our forum.
Getting message number 237050: 
'Re: Transfer pics from camera to pc?' from Sandman. Thread found by References.
Getting message number 237051: 
'Re: Transfer pics from camera to pc?' from Ron Martell. Thread found by References.
Getting message number 237052: 
'Re: Roxio Easy CD Creator' from Art. Thread found by References.
Getting message number 237053: 
'Re: MICROSOFT WIRELESS MOUSE' from Yves Leclerc. Thread found by References.
Getting message number 237054: 
'Re: Mouse problems - Intellimouse Explorer 2.0' from Yves Leclerc. Thread found by References.
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed 
Info for microsoft.public.windowsxp.games at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 1540 62353 63969 microsoft.public.windowsxp.games 
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed 
Info for microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 12201 1 752536 microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion 
Getting message number 752534: 
Skip, post was sent from our forum.
Getting message number 752535: 
Skip, post was sent from our forum.
Getting message number 752536: 
'Error msg: "Invaild System Disk - Replace disk and then press any' from Alton. New thread.
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed 
Info for microsoft.public.office.misc at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 7593 154671 162397 microsoft.public.office.misc 
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed 
Info for microsoft.public.windows.server.general at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 5714 43867 49640 microsoft.public.windows.server.general 
 
8634 Gateway Messages Import 02:02, 26th Oct 2004 Ran NNTP Gateway
Gateway version 2.3.0 5 group(s) gatewayed.
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed 
Info for microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 14478 1 237047 microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware 
Posting Message 'strange harddrive problem' from bhaskar. Result: 340 Continue posting - terminate with period240 Article Posted OK
Posting Message 'Re: strange harddrive problem' from bhaskar. Result: 340 Continue posting - terminate with period240 Article Posted OK
Getting message number 237046: 
'Re: Disk defragger besides Norton?' from Peter R. Fletcher. Thread found by References.
Getting message number 237047: 
'Re: XP Pro repair problem' from Peter R. Fletcher. Thread found by References.
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed 
Info for microsoft.public.windowsxp.games at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 1541 62350 63969 microsoft.public.windowsxp.games 
Getting message number 63969: 
'Re: Doom3' from Bret Butcher. Thread found by References.
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed 
Info for microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 12109 1 752533 microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion 
Posting Message 'windows 98 and 3d gaming like doom3 ?' from bhaskar. Result: 340 Continue posting - terminate with period240 Article Posted OK
Posting Message 'Re: windows 98 and 3d gaming like doom3 ?' from bhaskar. Result: 340 Continue posting - terminate with period240 Article Posted OK
Getting message number 752532: 
'problem mouse' from bob. New thread.
Getting message number 752533: 
'Re: DVD ROM problem' from Gabriele Hauschild. Thread found by References.
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed 
Info for microsoft.public.office.misc at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 6042 156290 162397 microsoft.public.office.misc 
Getting message number 162397: 
'Re: Transferring MS Office' from Paul Ballou. Thread found by References.
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed 
Info for microsoft.public.windows.server.general at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 5743 43865 49640 microsoft.public.windows.server.general 
Getting message number 49638: 
'Re: Reply' from Matt Witmer. Thread found by References.
Getting message number 49639: 
'Weird permissions issue' from tony adduci. New thread.
Getting message number 49640: 
'Re: Backup Strategy' from Yor Suiris. Thread found by References.

Check the message in red above, now this messages are nowhere on those newsgroups, i am confused and need serious help..

Regards,

[Marv]

Originally Posted by SaN-DeeP

8634 Gateway Messages Import 02:02, 26th Oct 2004 Ran NNTP Gateway
Gateway version 2.3.0 5 group(s) gatewayed.
Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.206 Version: 6.0.3790.206 Posting Allowed
Info for microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 14478 1 237047 microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware
Posting Message 'strange harddrive problem' from bhaskar. Result: 340 Continue posting - terminate with period240 Article Posted OK
Posting Message 'Re: strange harddrive problem' from bhaskar. Result: 340 Continue posting - terminate with period240 Article Posted OK

San-Deep, may be the newsfeed & newsspread isn?t that fast that they show up imediatly. Give them some time.

But - I don?t know if you noticed that by now: as far I can see, you`re running into the the same problem that I have. I had a look into your forums where it is only one single post - not two of them like your gateway.php is posting them to the newsgroups. :ermm:


Btw, what means Continue posting - terminate with period240 ?
I?ve never seen this before in relation to this Add-On.

[lierduh]

Originally Posted by SaN-DeeP

Getting message number 237048:
Skip, post was sent from our forum.
Getting message number 237049:
Skip, post was sent from our forum.
Getting message number 237050:

Regards,

Those messages were sent from your forums. That indicates the posting was successful.

[lierduh]

Originally Posted by Marv

But - I don?t know if you noticed that by now: as far I can see, you`re running into the the same problem that I have. I had a look into your forums where it is only one single post - not two of them like your gateway.php is posting them to the newsgroups. :ermm:


Btw, what means Continue posting - terminate with period240 ?
I?ve never seen this before in relation to this Add-On.

We might be dealing with the same issue but two problems here. The posts are removed from the queue once they are posted. In your case, the script might not realise the message was sent and tried to send it again while in fact the message was already sent. If anything, the problem should exist before the upgrade.

I think it is caused by Microsoft news server. Where it chucks out an 340 before taking the message.

I will check this out and fix.