Updated Community Bulletin Generator

SPECIAL NOTE for those upgrading to vBulletin v2.0.0: You will need to make changes to the default RC3 files, as you did with the previous version files. The files are member.php and admin/index.php. After you upgrade to RC3, the link in your Admin CP will no longer be there. In order to find instructions for upgrading, go to http://yoursite/forum/admin/commbull.php and click the link for Instructions. Make these changes to your files, and reupload the two modified files. The link will then be back in your Admin CP.
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With Kier's permission, I am rereleasing this hack. It has been updated, but most of the credit still goes to Kier. I just added a couple things. Namely, I took Kier's starting point for birthdays and reworked it a bit so they can now be included. I also added 3 new sets of Latest Threads input, and added a sorting option to get topics with no replies (aka "Virgin" topics).
I also added a box to change the section separation character (Kier had it as a "-", now you can change it) and the list item character (Kier had it as an "o"). There are also instructions on how to integrate it into your Admin CP.

To install, just upload it to your Admin directory and go to it in a browser.

If you had previously installed Kier's original version, simply overwrite the commbull.php file on your server, and make this change to your admin/index.php file:
Find

<a href="email.php?s=<?php echo $session[sessionhash]; ?>"> Email users </a><br>

and right below it, add

<a href="commbull.php?s=<?php echo $session[sessionhash]; ?>"> Send Community Bulletin </a><br>

Upload your admin/index.php file and go to your Admin CP. You should see the new option under "Users" on the left-hand side.

Hack version: 0.98

Changes since v0.97: Fixed a stupid bug that screwed up the script when you posted a copy to a forum and that forum didn't count posts toward post totals.

Changes since v0.96: Fixed a minor bug that was causing large problems when the number of emails to send was more than it was set to per page.

Changes since v0.95: Minor cosmetic changes; fixed "copy post to board" function so it actually works; added option to exclude threads from being used more than once (if doing multiple blocks); fixed sorting by most replies/most views so they don't return threads with 0 replies or 1 view, respectively;

Changes since v0.93: Option to post a copy of the email to your board, to a forum you specify using a username your specify (If you do this, there is a function to exclude certain parts (for example, the user info section that details username/password etc) and it parses URLs so the message on your board has hyperlinks to the threads/polls/etc); various cosmetic upgrades; minor little things here and there; fixed/changed "Only include threads that have been started or replied to since this date?" so it doesn't defeat the purpose of specifying a date.

For version: v2.0.0

Info for Clean Install -------
Files needed: commbull.php

Files to edit: admin/index.php, member.php

Templates to edit: none

Instructions are in the script itself. When you first run it, it will tell you what you need to do. If upgrading from Kier's original version, see instructions above.
End Info for Clean Install -------

Info for Upgrading from v0.90, v0.91, v0.93, v0.94, v0.95, v0.96, v0.97 ------
Files needed: commbull.php

Files to edit: none

Instructions: Upload the commbull.php file from the commbull98.zip file.
End Info for Upgrading -------

Please do not bug Kier about this hack!
Please also DO NOT contact me via AIM, ICQ, PM, or email about this hack. Post your question/problem here and I will try to help you.

[BenchRacer]

This is a database error I get if I send the bulletin to all my users. It appears to mail out to everyone but it doesn't update the database.

Database error in vBulletin Control Panel: Invalid SQL: INSERT INTO adminlog (adminlogid,userid,dateline,script,action,extrainf o) VALUES (NULL,'1',993477634,'commbull.php','sent bulletin','')
mysql error: MySQL server has gone away
mysql error number: 2006
Date: Monday 25th of June 2001 10:00:34 AM
Script: /admin/commbull.php

If I send it out to a group that only has one user in it, it works flawlessly.

Any ideas?

Chad

[Kier]

Originally posted by tubedogg
*doh* I thought I fixed that last time I posted this script...anyway replace line 15 (which is currently

	if ($i = $50) {

with

	if ($i = 50) {

sorry

Shouldn't that be

if ($i==50) {

?

[VirtueTech]

Hello tubedogg,

The script times out for me when I try and send the actual email to a usergroup.

any ideas?

[tubedogg]

Originally posted by Kier
Shouldn't that be

if ($i==50) {

?

Yes.

[tubedogg]

Originally posted by VirtueTech
Hello tubedogg,

The script times out for me when I try and send the actual email to a usergroup.

any ideas?

How many are you trying to send at once? Maybe decrease that number?

[VirtueTech]

I tried just sending it to the Admins only...but that didn't work. There are only 3 admins in the "Admin Usergroup"

It must have something to do with the amount of forums or something.

Any other ideas...I'd really love to use this hack.

[tubedogg]

The number of forums shouldn't affect it - by the time you get to the sending screen, it's done gathering info.

Or do you mean it times out when trying to go to the preview screen?

[jarvis]

Not sure if I've missed this in the thread somewhere, but are there plans (or does it already and I'm overlooking) for this to mail automagically on a pre-specified basis?

Thanks, love the hack!!

[VirtueTech]

Oh I didn't realize it was a preview....yes it times out when it tries to preview it.

[webhost]

I have installed and ran for 2 weeks. Hack is great. One question though. When setting info to send out torwards the end you have a option to start a new thread with your email address in it. You put the username in to tell everyone who posted it also input the forum number where you want the new thread to appear. I did this both weeks but the thread never shows up in the mailing list that is sent out or in the forum. Everything else works fine.

Any idea's?

Joey