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

[wolfyman]

Originally Posted by wolfyman

hi wolfyman! What are you doing in this thread?!

hoping somebody will show me the way! Thanks for noticing, can I get you something? Beer? Wine? Some cheese, perhaps?

[Kihon Kata]

*Waits for a detailed reply to DannyITR. I have the same server setup as Danny with qmail.

[DannyITR]

Not to worry. I sent tamarian the email headers so hopefully he will be able to diagnose the problem

[Kihon Kata]

Originally Posted by DannyITR

Not to worry. I sent tamarian the email headers so hopefully he will be able to diagnose the problem

Thanks

[DannyITR]

ok I just realized that I never installled and activated the plugin. Man I'm stupid.

I did a test and the bounced emails stopped however the test user I used didn't recieve a PM telling him to change his email and he is still subscribed to threads.

How do I test the program? I have limits set to one offence only.

[wolfyman]

Originally Posted by wolfyman

when I try to import the xml file it is telling me it is an invalid file. What am I doing wrong?

Please for the love of all that is spam compliant READ MY QUOTE. I have no idea what I am doing wrong, and apparently neither do you. None of you have ever experienced this in your life. I am all alone in this small tiny internet, and - is this really happening?


Will somebody please help me here?!!!

[tamarian]

wolfyman, what file are you trying to import, and where are you trying to import it from?

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by DannyITR

I did a test and the bounced emails stopped however the test user I used didn't recieve a PM telling him to change his email and he is still subscribed to threads.

How do I test the program? I have limits set to one offence only.

Check the statistics, to see if they were caught. Then check the cron times when the task will be run, or run it from the cron manager.

[wolfyman]

Originally Posted by tamarian

wolfyman, what file are you trying to import, and where are you trying to import it from?

Thank you for your response

I am trying to import the xml file attached in this thread from my desktop.

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by wolfyman

Thank you for your response

I am trying to import the xml file attached in this thread from my desktop.

The attached file should be copied to the includes/xml directory.

The file that needs importing in step 4 is the plugin xml file included in the package.