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

[merk]

use a @ before the function

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by Paul M

Um, okay - it's a bit distracting getting an error message for something I don't use.

Anyway, the diagnostics show this ;

vbouncer.ini file exists = Passed
vbouncer.ini file is readable = Passed

But the cron log shows this : vbounce.ini not found, or empty. Only processing standard reports.

The file in the zip, which I uploaded appears to be called vbouncer.inc (not ini)

Ah, just the text is wrong, but the code reads and looks for vbouncer.inc. The file should be in includes/cron, and readable. Did the task run from the admincp task manager, or via regular cron?

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by merk

use a @ before the function

Yes, I just thought since the script is being run by admins, it's best not to hide any errors, since it might help explain problems if/when they occure.

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by tamarian

Ah, just the text is wrong, but the code reads and looks for vbouncer.inc. The file should be in includes/cron, and readable. Did the task run from the admincp task manager, or via regular cron?

From the task manager. I can't repeat it though, strange.

[tamarian]

- July 4, 2005 v1.0 Added encrypted header for authentication (suggested by Paul M).

To upgrade, uninstall, then re-install and re-upload all files.
Also, delete the existing plugin, and then re-import it, if you want to use the encrypted header.

[pran]

This is really a neat idea! Well, I download the package and installed it to an 3.5.0 RC2 board. Everything went fine except when running the cron jobs. I get this error:

Fatal error: Call to a member function on a non-object in /forums/includes/functions.php on line 4240

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

This is really a neat idea! Well, I download the package and installed it to an 3.5.0 RC2 board. Everything went fine except when running the cron jobs. I get this error:

Fatal error: Call to a member function on a non-object in /forums/includes/functions.php on line 4240

Do you also get this error when running other vB cron tasks? This error seem to occur whenever I run any task from the task manager.

[pran]

Hmm... yes, I get this error when I run other vB cron tasks. What could be wrong?

[Boofo]

It seems to be a vb bug, from what I have seen on the com.

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by pran

Hmm... yes, I get this error when I run other vB cron tasks. What could be wrong?

It's a vB bug, and here's the fix:

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/bugs3...=931&status=20

Also, I will need to make a change to the vBouncer cron files to mach the new vB cron changes, I'll upload them shortly as v1.3