NNTP Gateway for Usenet ( Newsgroups ), Mailing Lists

The latest version: V3.5.0Alpha 1 (21 Jul 2005)

What is it?

This hack provides a gateway from vBulletin forums to the USENET. It allows forum members to read newsgroup messages as well as to send posts to the newsgroups. In a nutshell, it turns vBulletin forums into a basic function news reader.

For an added bonus, this package also supports mailing list archive and forum to mailing list gateway. The software retrieves messages from a pop3 account and import them into the forums threaded. It also allows a forums user to send messages to the mailing list by the forum posting interface.

Why?

The gateway will be appreciated by forum members who do not know how to set up a news reader, or people who do not have port 119 open in their network. A forum interface to read and post news are often considered to be better than a news reader.

The gateway adds more contents to your forums and allows the members to interact with wider audience. It is common to see new users signing up to use this feature.

History

This hack was originally coded by Gilby for vB2. I modified the hack to work with vB3 and have been maintaining and improving the hack. I have now done the modification for this to work with vB3.5.

The very original hack by Gilby can be found here:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthrea...7&page=1&pp=15

The vB3 version can be found here:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=65152

Features

Some of the features and improvement include:

• Handles both newsgroup posts and mailing lists.
• Handles MIME encoded messages and attachment.
• Handles UUEncoded messages.
• Two Admin Control Panels for all settings.
• Automated installation.
• Correct thread implementation. All imported messages and posts sent to newsgroups will be threaded correctly according to References and Message-ID headers.
• Optional setting to thread by subject for mailing lists that strip references header.
• Imported messages will be searchable just like normal forum posts.
• Similar threads are built when the messages are imported if the system setting is on.
• Multiple attachments importing.
• Save attachment to database or file according to vB setting.
• Thumbnail created while importing image files.
• Multiple attachment post to newsgroup is also supported.
• Selectable X-No-Archive header honouring system.
• Light on system resources.
• Global Killfile to filter out unwanted messages. Killfiles can have OR and AND effectiveness.
• Strip footer by setting for incoming messages. Strips out repeated message footers.
• Built options to disable signatures and footers for out going messages.

Future development

• Traditional "> " lead posting interface.

What do you need and do not need?

You do not need to edit vB php files.
No need to manually run SQL.

Installation

Basically the AdminCP interfaces take care of installation as well as upgrade in the background. Back up your database first. The scripts can modify your database without alerting you!

Please follow the instructions in the readme.txt file for more details.

It is not a must to click "INSTALL" for this hack if you use it, I do try better answering the questions from people who do.

Support

Please post your support questions to this thread. Please check the FAQ in the second post within this thread first. It may be surprising, but it is possible your question is answered in the adminCP NNTP settings.

Please always provide more details about your problem. Examples and debug messages will certainly help. Well, if you don't even try to have some effort to compose your question, the answer you get may also not include much effort.

================== UPDATES ======================
Jul 21 2005 (release version 3.5.0 Alpha 1)

AdminCP xml file is written by Kadence.

• Ported to work with vB3.5.
• Existing bug fixes.
• Debug message can be sent by email or logged in vB Tast Scheduler.
• Known problem: image attachment thumb nail creation still needs work.
• Needs to be done: Documentation.

Quick installation instruction:
1) Upload files to their correct directory
2) Enter AdminCP, click on NNTP Settings once to install/upgrade. Change settings to your like.
3) Click on NNTP Groups once to install/upgrade.
3a) For new install. Run once
http://www.yourdomain.com/setlastmsg.php

Delete this file afterwards.
If you are upgrading from an older version. There is no need to upload this file. Actually this file should not be there except brand new install.

4)
Manually run in debug mode: http://forums.yourdomain.com/gateway.php?debug=1

[b00k]

-----------

[dodgez]

Anyone know the fix to run it on 3.7?

Database error in vBulletin 3.7.0 Beta 3:

Invalid SQL:

                       INSERT INTO vb3_cronlog
                               (varname, dateline, description, type)
                       VALUES
                               ('gateway14',
                               1198943338,
                               'Ran NNTP Gateway<br />',
                               0);

MySQL Error   : Duplicate entry '64376' for key 1
Error Number  : 1062

[Amenothep]

Originally Posted by TSR

I have been reading through this thread and haven't seen an answer for this yet.

I'd check postcount ..

[AWS]

Originally Posted by dodgez

Anyone know the fix to run it on 3.7?

Database error in vBulletin 3.7.0 Beta 3:

Invalid SQL:

                       INSERT INTO vb3_cronlog
                               (varname, dateline, description, type)
                       VALUES
                               ('gateway14',
                               1198943338,
                               'Ran NNTP Gateway<br />',
                               0);

MySQL Error   : Duplicate entry '64376' for key 1
Error Number  : 1062

Evidently something changed with the cron scripts in vbulletin. In your cron task uncheck the option to write to log.

[b00k]

-----------

[solokron]

Why would I receive the following:

<form><textarea rows="15" cols="70" wrap="off" id="message">Database error in vBulletin 3.6.8:

Invalid SQL:

			SELECT post.*, thread.*,
			post.dateline AS postdateline, post.msgid AS postmsgid,
			thread.title AS threadtitle, post.visible AS postvisible,
			thread.visible AS threadvisible
			FROM post as post LEFT JOIN thread as thread
			ON (thread.threadid = post.threadid
			AND post.userid = thread.postuserid
			AND post.postid = thread.firstpostid)
			WHERE post.isusenetpost = 0
			AND post.postid &gt; 
			AND thread.forumid = 27;

MySQL Error  : You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'AND thread.forumid = 27' at line 11
Error Number : 1064
Date         : Monday, December 10th 2007 @ 07:00:51 PM
Script       : http://www.mydomain.com/forum/gateway.php?debug=1
Referrer     : 
IP Address   : 000.000.000.000
Username     : admin
Classname    : vB_Database</textarea></form>

forumid = 27 is a valid id and is writable.

[KW802]

Originally Posted by solokron

Why would I receive the following:

... 
            AND post.postid > 
            AND thread.forumid = 27;

...

If you check ACP => NNTP Gateway Options => NNTP Gateway Settings, is there a value for the "The max postid in post table when the script was last run." settings?

[mindfrost82]

I just installed this and so far it is running good, with the exception of 1 problem.

Certain messages will generate a "PHP has encountered a Stack overflow" error. The only way I can figure out to get around it is to go in and manually change the last downloaded message number so that it skips that message.

Any ideas on how to fix this? I'm running a Windows 2003 server. I have already tried increasing the memory limit in PHP and it doesn't seem to have helped.

[solokron]

It's empty.

Originally Posted by KW802

If you check ACP => NNTP Gateway Options => NNTP Gateway Settings, is there a value for the "The max postid in post table when the script was last run." settings?

[KW802]

Originally Posted by solokron

It's empty.

Find the last post ID in your vBulletin and then insert that ID as the value.