Integration with vBulletin - Text Messaging (SMS) for vBulletin 4.0

June 2014: I just realized that this thing was still around after getting a random PM about it - I may have some short-term plans to redo this, but for now I'm pulling the files because it's been so long and I have no idea if anything still works. At one point I bought a vB Suite license for 4.1 (at the time, I have no idea where vB is at now) so I'll poke around and see if it'll be practical to update this.

Original description text still below.

Text Messaging for vBulletin does what it implies - adds text messaging functions to your forums! Users can set up their cell phone number and sign up for notifications of a new private message or visitor message received. The forum will send them a text message in close to real time, letting them know about their new message wherever they might be.

Updated 2-15-2010 6:30AM GMT to add support for T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile.

This is being brought back from when I retired it in 2008 from vB 3.7, I think it was. It's been redesigned from scratch to be more reliable, as well as compatible with vB 4.0. It is not yet compatible with vBulletin 3.8 - I'll be working on downgrading it within the next week or so.

This version supports Alltel, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Verizion cell phone numbers. It is a light version of a bigger modification - you can learn more about the full version here. Please note that I will only answer question or otherwise discuss the full version modification via my website.

Features:
- Compatible with Alltel, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Verizon cell phones
- Allows users to receive text messages when they receive a new PM or visitor message
- PIN verification ensures number ownership and saves forum resources
- Users can be reached by your forum wherever they are, any time of day
- Nearly fully phrased (including the text of the text messages), making translation easy

Live Demo:
A live demo can be found on my Demonstration Forums at this link. Please note that registration is required to set up text messaging, as there's no way to store your user info as a guest, obviously.

Screenshots:
Attached to this post. Also, I thought the picture with my phone turned out cool. And as for the 2016 date, it's an HTC phone plagued by a Windows Mobile date display glitch... haha.

Support:
I will provide support whenever I can - I've been pretty good about it lately. Please click Install before asking for support.

I also appreciate it when you support me by purchasing the full versions of the free products you get a lot of use out of.

[robwoelich]

Originally Posted by GrossKopf

The Text Messaging section is not appearing in my User CP.

This is most likely because you have another modification breaking the template hook for the User CP links (YAFB is one of them). Try changing the execution order of the User CP plugins for the Text Messaging modification in your Plugin Manager. :up:

[BlackJacket]

Originally Posted by robwoelich

Possible, yes, but not yet implemented.

For the first example, I would have to set up settings for users to specify which forums they wanted texts about/on new threads versus new replies/etc. This will probably be practical within the next version or two of Text Messaging.

For the second example, one of my originally intended notification types/methods was to send a text in accordance with thread subscriptions, i.e. whatever your thread subscription settings were to trigger an email, they would also trigger a text. The problem with that, though, is that the way the subscription notifications are set up with vBulletin, the messages would have to be modified to be text-friendly (160 chars). Until I could figure out a good way to do this, particularly with daily and weekly subscriptions where multiple threads are listed in an email, I decided to hold off. This will also probably be added at some point.

I'd like to find a lot more notification methods/options to add in future versions, and started with the general ones that I thought would be useful. As new versions of Text Messaging come out, though, you're likely to see more notifications options/methods.

Maybe have an option when creating a thread that allows the thread creator to check a box at the bottom of the page (under "Automatically convert links into videos" or "Disable smilies in text" etc... This way they do not have to subscribe to every thread they create.

Also instead of sending the entire message as a text (which most wouldn't fit the 160 limit) you could send a message stating "New reply to your (thread link)."

Some idea's i thought would be helpful.

[GrossKopf]

Originally Posted by robwoelich

This is most likely because you have another modification breaking the template hook for the User CP links (YAFB is one of them). Try changing the execution order of the User CP plugins for the Text Messaging modification in your Plugin Manager. :up:

Do you know which entry I'd change? I found "User CP Text Messaging Options" and changed the execution order in there to a lower number than "Profile Start (profile.php)" in YAFB but it didn't work. Any idea which entry in YAFB I should change?

EDIT: I disabled YAFB temporarily and the options showed up in my profile. I put in my phone number and selected Verizon, entered the pin but didn't get the notification that I received a PM when I sent myself one. I did select the option to notify me on new PM's.

[robwoelich]

Originally Posted by GrossKopf

Do you know which entry I'd change? I found "User CP Text Messaging Options" and changed the execution order in there to a lower number than "Profile Start (profile.php)" in YAFB but it didn't work. Any idea which entry in YAFB I should change?

EDIT: I disabled YAFB temporarily and the options showed up in my profile. I put in my phone number and selected Verizon, entered the pin but didn't get the notification that I received a PM when I sent myself one. I did select the option to notify me on new PM's.

In this case, you need to set the "User CP Navbar" plugin execution order to be higher than YAFB (i.e. 6). YAFB basically erases anything in that menu area before it puts the YAFB menu there, so the Text Messaging menu has to be set up after YAFB.

[GrossKopf]

Originally Posted by robwoelich

In this case, you need to set the "User CP Navbar" plugin execution order to be higher than YAFB (i.e. 6). YAFB basically erases anything in that menu area before it puts the YAFB menu there, so the Text Messaging menu has to be set up after YAFB.

I did that but it didn't work. I set that to 3. Also, I'm not getting the messages on my phone. I selected my company and entered my phone number. I made sure everything was checked to enable...

[DBStattoo]

hi me am whit bell mobility i cant see this compagny i see at&t and verizon im in canada its possible to add bell mobility, telus and rogers ???? this compagny its the most populair in quebec, canada

thanks

[robwoelich]

Originally Posted by GrossKopf

I did that but it didn't work. I set that to 3. Also, I'm not getting the messages on my phone. I selected my company and entered my phone number. I made sure everything was checked to enable...

See my post in the YAFB modification for instructions on how to fix it.

I also updated the product ZIP file here to fix the problem with texts not sending. Anyone having issues should try the new file.

[utahraves]

I had a problem sending PMs after installing this. Uninstalled out of frustration and didn't have time to fix - great idea if the free version offered more providers.

[Mrquarter2]

Originally Posted by robwoelich

See my post in the YAFB modification for instructions on how to fix it.

I also updated the product ZIP file here to fix the problem with texts not sending. Anyone having issues should try the new file.

It still does not work and I used the updated version.

[rickrichards82]

the subscription is outragiously expensive!