vB Mail Reply

vB Email Reply 0.7BETA


What it does:
This allows your members (and you of course) to reply to threads by email. All they have to do is wirte to a specific email address (that you specify) and include a special code in the email subject.

How it works:
A script (vbemailreply.php) is run using the vB3 Cronsystem every minute. This checks a pop3 or imap account for emails and then processes these emails, inserting the data into the database. Then a reply is sent to the sender, stating that either the post/thread got entered correctly or that there was some kind of error.

Is it complicated?
Actually no. There is an install script that does most of the work as well as two small file changes. If you do have problems installing it, contact me for help.

Changes:
New files (2):
/includes/cron/vbmailreply.php
/includes/mimeDecode.php

Changed files(1):
/includes/functions_newpost.php

New database fields/tables(1):
New userfield added by installscript

New templates(0):

Changed templates(0):

New phrases(3):
emailreplyerror
emailreplydone
emailnewthreaddone

Changed phrases(1):
notify

Screenshots:
none

Credits:
The idea and small parts of the script are based on Chen 'FireFly' Avinadav's Email posts into forum hack, found here: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...threadid=40595

Instructions:

• Backup all your files as well as your database.
  For help backing up your database, look here: http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/m...atabase_backup
• Upload vbmailreply.php to your /includes/cron/ folder
• Upload mimeDecode.php to your /includes/ folder
• Open the file /includes/functions_newpost.php in your favourite PHP editing program.

• FIND (around line 196):
   
  $post['poststarttime'] = trim($post['poststarttime']);
   
  ADD BELOW:
   
  if ($post['isemail']) { $bbuserinfo = $post['userinfo']; }
   
   
  FIND (around line 273):
   
  if ($vboptions['logip'])
   
  REPLACE WITH:
   
  if ($vboptions['logip'] AND !$post['isemail'])
   
   
  FIND (around line 321):
   
  if ($prevpostfound)
  {
   
  ADD BELOW:
   
  if ($post['isemail'])
  {
  return ('dupepost');
  }
  else
  {
   
   
  FIND:
   
  }
  else
  {
  if ($parentid == 0 AND $type != 'thread')
   
  REPLACE WITH:
   
  }
  }
  if (!$prevpostfound)
  {
  if ($parentid == 0 AND $type != 'thread')
   
   
  FIND:
   
  	$useremails = $DB_site->query("
  		SELECT user.*, subscribethread.emailupdate
  		FROM " . TABLE_PREFIX . "subscribethread AS subscribethread, " . TABLE_PREFIX . "user AS user
  		LEFT JOIN " . TABLE_PREFIX . "usergroup AS usergroup ON (usergroup.usergroupid = user.usergroupid)
  		WHERE subscribethread.threadid = $threadid AND
  			subscribethread.emailupdate IN (1, 4) AND
  			subscribethread.userid = user.userid AND
  			user.usergroupid <> 3 AND
  			user.userid <> " . intval($userid) . " AND
  			user.lastactivity > " . intval($lastposttime['dateline']) . " AND
  			(usergroup.genericoptions & " . ISBANNEDGROUP . ") = 0
  	");
   
  REPLACE WITH:
   
  	$useremails = $DB_site->query("
  		SELECT user.*, userfield.*, subscribethread.emailupdate
  		FROM " . TABLE_PREFIX . "subscribethread AS subscribethread, " . TABLE_PREFIX . "user AS user
  		LEFT JOIN " . TABLE_PREFIX . "userfield AS userfield ON (userfield.userid = user.userid)
  		LEFT JOIN " . TABLE_PREFIX . "usergroup AS usergroup ON (usergroup.usergroupid = user.usergroupid)
  		WHERE subscribethread.threadid = $threadid AND
  			subscribethread.emailupdate IN (1, 4) AND
  			subscribethread.userid = user.userid AND
  			user.usergroupid <> 3 AND
  			user.userid <> " . intval($userid) . " AND
  			user.lastactivity > " . intval($lastposttime['dateline']) . " AND
  			(usergroup.genericoptions & " . ISBANNEDGROUP . ") = 0
  	");
   
   
  FIND:
   
  $evalemail["$languageid"] = '$message = "' . str_replace("\\'", "'", addslashes(iif(empty($email_text[PHRASETYPEID_MAILMSG]), $emails['-1'][PHRASETYPEID_MAILMSG],$email_text[PHRASETYPEID_MAILMSG]))) . '";'.
   
  ADD ABOVE:
   
  $touserfieldcode = "field".$vboptions[mailserver_profilefieldid];
  $subjectcode_reply = "[thread-".$threadinfo[threadid]."-".$touser[$touserfieldcode]."]";
  $subjectcode_newthread = "[newthread-".$foruminfo[forumid]."-".$touser[$touserfieldcode]."]";

• Add the following as a translation of the phrase notify:
  

  Hello $touser[username],
   
  $bbuserinfo[username] has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - $threadinfo[title] - in the $foruminfo[title] forum of $vboptions[bbtitle].
   
  This thread is located at:
  $vboptions[bburl]/showthread.php?t=$threadinfo[threadid]&goto=newpost
   
  ~~~~~ NEW ~~~~~
  New at $vboptions[bbtitle]!
  You can now reply to the thread by replying to this message. All you need to do is to make sure this code appears in the email subject:
  $subjectcode_reply
  You should also remove this text to ensure your reply is readable by other forum users.
  Additionaly, you can start a new thread in the $foruminfo[title] Forum simply by sending a mail to $vboptions[mailserver_emailaddress] with this code in the subject: $subjectcode_newthread
  ~~~~~ NEW ~~~~~
   
  Here is the message that has just been posted:
  ***************
  $pagetext
  ***************
   
  There may be other replies also, but you will not receive any more notifications until you visit the forum again.
   
  Yours,
  $vboptions[bbtitle] team
   
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Unsubscription information:
   
  To unsubscribe from this thread, please visit this page:
  $vboptions[bburl]/subscription.php?do=usub&t=$threadinfo[threadid]
   
  To unsubscribe from ALL threads, please visit this page:
  $vboptions[bburl]/subscription.php?do=viewsubscription&folderid=all

• Upload the file vbmailreply_install.php to your admincp folder
• Be sure to either have a POP3 or IMAP email account ready before running the installation. The data will need to be entered.
• Open your browser and go to http://www.yourforums.com/admincp/vb...ly_install.php and follow the instructions.
• Delete the vbmailreply_install.php file from your webserver.

Donations:
This hack will always be free, however your donations are kindly accepted and will help towards further development. If you donate, please leave me some info (either your forum site or username at vB.org) so that I can thank you.

Install:

Don't feel like donating, but still want to thank me for my work? Click the install button to show your appreciation. As a great side effect, you'll get an email update once there is a bigger update or important security fix!

Updates:

09.08.2004 - I've updated the vbemailreply_install.php file, as there was an wrong value while entering the settings.

Also added support for SSL (untested)
Fixed the whole install routine.
03.11.2004 - Updated the installation as well as the vbemailreply.php file.

[sabret00the]

can i ask why is this still in beta?

[Colin F]

Originally Posted by sabret00the

can i ask why is this still in beta?

I've still got some things to fix up, and there was also something I wanted to add, allthough I can't remember what it was at the moment

[Lionel]

Colin, a stupid question does this hack deals with sessions? I was able to successfuly send a thread once, this after I recreated my sessions database. Also, I have been trying to send all the emails while I was online (webmail). Maybe because it knew I was online on the site and that couldn't be me sending an email? I know that's silly, but I must explore all the possibilities....

[scottct1]

Ok I just tried installing this...

When an email is being sent out from the server it comes from the email address specified in my vbulletin options, not the special email box I setup for replies to go to.

I want users to be able to click reply and reply to their messages not have to remove the address in the to box and then use the correct address.

How do I fix this?

Thanks!

[KidCharlemane]

I'm also getting blank emails from the forum when my posts are updated. Also no subject line. I've changed both instances of the notify phrase to match the required text but still nothing. Any ideas?

[Lionel]

Originally Posted by KidCharlemane

I'm also getting blank emails from the forum when my posts are updated. Also no subject line. I've changed both instances of the notify phrase to match the required text but still nothing. Any ideas?

try to update your phrases ...

[Lionel]

More and more puzzling to me. It works from outlook express, but not from webmail based on same server... like I posted above. Does this make sense?

question... why adding a new userfield for a email, when users already have their email embeded in their userinfos ?!

i don't see the use of a second email added to the userfields, using these userfields is always a crap... why not simply use the actual email, or add a new field in the user table for a secondary email ?!

anyway, i may make the change myself (personal thoughts, so personal use!)

[Colin F]

Originally Posted by nexialys

question... why adding a new userfield for a email, when users already have their email embeded in their userinfos ?!

i don't see the use of a second email added to the userfields, using these userfields is always a crap... why not simply use the actual email, or add a new field in the user table for a secondary email ?!

anyway, i may make the change myself (personal thoughts, so personal use!)

nexialys, it seems you didn't look through the code all the way. There isn't any email in the additional userfield, what's added is a emailpassword.


Also, I don't see why you say the userfields are crap... To me they're one of the best things in vB3!

nah, maybe it's useful, but badly built... you need to geopardise the field# instead of having a hardcoded name or id...

and email password or new email, i don't see why you don't just give it a try in the user table itself... would make less management from the system, and anyway... it's my own point of view.. you have yours..