Private Messages Enhancements - Limit PMs Sent Per-Day

Description:
Very simple modification to limit the number of private messages sent per day. Useful to significantly limit damage spambots can do whilest not annoying users.

Installation:

1. Download product XML (attached).
2. Optional: Edit the XML to change the configuration variables section to your liking (sorry, no fancy frontend to the tweaks )
3. Upload the product XML: In your AdminCP: Plugins & Products >> Manage Products >> [Add/Import Product] >> Upload.
4. Optional: Edit the phrase 'archivepm_limitexceed' if you want to change it from its default.
5. Test private messaging and limits.

More information on configuration variables:
These are the configuration variables you're interested in:

$arc_limit = 5; // How many PMs in a time period
$arc_timeperiod_secs = 60 * 60 * 24; // How long (One Day)
$arc_exempt_postcount = 50; // How many forum posts until user is considered exempt from this

This configuration reads as "Limit users who have less than 50 posts to making no more than 5 PMs within 24 hours." Tweak to your liking.

Version 1.1 Released (2/25/08):
I've released a small change which correctly handles automated welcome PMs. Special thanks to Adwade for testing & the donation

Boring Legal Disclaimer:

THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE PROGRAM, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE PROGRAM "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION.

IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE THE PROGRAM AS PERMITTED ABOVE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAM TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

[Sim9]

vBulletin apparently has a built-in send pm to user function on sign-up, as that's what class_dm_user is calling, and my plugin wasn't written to handle that (at least when the fromuser switch is on - otherwise it doesn't call my code at all in that function). Let's do an experiment and see if this fixes it. Open up the XML and change this line:

PHP Code:

if ($vbulletin->userinfo['posts'] < $arc_exempt_postcount) 


to this:

PHP Code:

if (isset($vbulletin) && isset($db) && isset($vbulletin->userinfo) &&
$vbulletin->userinfo['posts'] < $arc_exempt_postcount) 


Then reupload the XML and see if you still get errors.

[adwade]

S-W-E-E-T job there Sim9! That little change seems to have fixed things right up for me. :up: Many Thanxx, as this is one MOD I could have used a few weeks ago. It's in place now though, and that's what counts.

[Sim9]

Excellent! I've updated the main download with version 1.1 so new users benefit from this change

[Mark Tomlinson]

KISS principal at work! Excellent.

One thing our forum was discussing is that there is a 10 recipient limit on PMs. Even if a spammer can knock off only one PM, they could possibly send it to 10 members. I've been poking around to see if there is a way to limit the number of recipients, but not having any luck.

Thoughts? If I come up with anything, I'll share it.

[adwade]

Originally Posted by Mark Tomlinson

I've been poking around to see if there is a way to limit the number of recipients, but not having any luck.

Thoughts? If I come up with anything, I'll share it.

In AdminCP, under Usergroups choose Usergroup Manager then select a usergroup and you can specify the Maximum Recipients to Send PMs at a time.(with 0 disabling the feature) Just set it to 1 there and that should impede a spammer's ability to spread messages 10 at a time.

[Mark Tomlinson]

Yeah, I figured this out last night. I was thinking that was something for the mod, but it can be done through permissions.

What I'm going to do is set 'Registered Users' to be able to only PM one recipient at a time. Then I'll create a group called 'Registered Users in Good Standing', and promote people there after a few posts.

Sorry to bother this thread about it.

[adwade]

No bother at all, as threads such as these is where I've learned so many little things about vB. And besides, gives me a chance for another accolade to SIM9 for creating and modify this MOD so I could employ it! THANXX.

[athlon64bit]

It would be nice if this could be brought out for vb4. Happy New Year everyone!

[Sim9]

I haven't gotten around to upgrading my forum to v4 yet (too much custom coding & themeing done on v3), so I'll have to set aside a lot of time to get everything ported over. Once I do, I'll update this thread with a new version of this plugin (assuming of course v4 hasn't made it obsolete!).

[MaKayWeB]

vb4.x ?