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

[bulbasnore]

Have this running in 3.5.4.

It collects the bounces, does the stats, but NEVER logs anything for the cleanup action nor does it actually change anything for the users who should be cleaned up!

Any suggestions to fix this 'inaction problem'?

Yes, I've set it to automode ;=)

UPDATE: OK, despite the fact my forum USES the smtp server, I had to remove -f to make it work.

NEXT QUESTION: Suggestion - how to make it unsub the user from PM notification emails?

[VPREATR]

What's the word on this and vB 3.6.2?

Thanks!

[cerebro]

Hi, i update to 3.6.2....there is some update o i have to change something?

Thanks 3.6.1 can be change to 3.6.2??

Thanks in advance

[globalinsites]

Originally Posted by GNDI

Thanks to the poster of this php to make vbouncer work under vb 3.6.1.

I have collected his script with the original script, for ease of use to the unexspiriense users of vb. I'll hope you all understand my motive.

I with this I'll say it is working with Vbulletin 3.6.1 updated

Can someone tell me if it also works for vB 3.6.2?

[Kihon Kata]

Yep!

Originally Posted by globalinsites

Can someone tell me if it also works for vB 3.6.2?

[GNDI]

well, it's working, but not 100% fake and not working address still comes to your inbox, that was not the issue on earlier versions of VB with vbouncer

[Freezerator]

Originally Posted by GNDI

well, it's working, but not 100% fake and not working address still comes to your inbox, that was not the issue on earlier versions of VB with vbouncer

I have this same issue. Hopefully this can be fixed? Willing to donate if necesary.

[globalinsites]

Originally Posted by GNDI

well, it's working, but not 100% fake and not working address still comes to your inbox, that was not the issue on earlier versions of VB with vbouncer

For me it's important that if a user's e-mail address has bounced for a certain amount of times (so basically when the conclusion may be drawn that the e-mail address no longer exists), the user will be moved to another usergroup, or deleted for all I care. I have too many members to keep it all up-to-date manually, and besides I wouldn't know how to figure out to keep track of how many times an e-mail address has bounced. There is just no way to do this manually, and there are too many users that register with a hotmail account for example that no longer exists after a couple of months.

Does vBouncer still do in 3.6.2 what I want it to do? I didn't totally understand what you said in your post. If fake and not working e-mail addresses would still reach my inbox, then what does this script do??

[GNDI]

It do count the number of bounced mails, but it don't deleted them And it doesn't rewrite the send mail address from your system as supposed

[globalinsites]

Originally Posted by GNDI

It do count the number of bounced mails, but it don't deleted them And it doesn't rewrite the send mail address from your system as supposed

That makes it pretty much useless for 3.6.2, doesn't it? I mean, I can count the bounced emails myself

Does it still do this: '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.'??

Because if it moves the bouncing e-mail addresses to a seperate usergroup (I'm assuming that this happens automatically after an x amount of bounces), then I can remove all the users from that usergroup once in a while. That way I would receive less bouncing e-mails and it would reduce server load.