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

[Simon Lloyd]

Server line: msnews.microsoft.com
and newsgroup/mailinglist email : microsoft.public.excel.programming nothing else!

[manuelsechi]

hi

can I supply a date and/or a number of messages to download a limited number of messages as start point? maybe modifing the setlastmessage.php file?

thank you

[TMM-TT]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

Server line: msnews.microsoft.com
and newsgroup/mailinglist email : microsoft.public.excel.programming nothing else!

What happens if you run the script in debug-mode after a post?

Originally Posted by manuelsechi

hi

can I supply a date and/or a number of messages to download a limited number of messages as start point? maybe modifing the setlastmessage.php file?

thank you

If you can access the newsgroup with a newsreader, you can pick the "Xref"-header and set the startpoint by editing the "Last message"-setting in the config for vB. But I don't know if you can limit the number of messages to download. All messages after the startpoint you set will be downloaded, as I know it.

[Simon Lloyd]

Originally Posted by TMM-TT

What happens if you run the script in debug-mode after a post?

Tomas, thanks for taking the time to reply again, i have very little experience so could you tell me what you mean here?

[TMM-TT]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

Tomas, thanks for taking the time to reply again, i have very little experience so could you tell me what you mean here?

Make a post and then use the gatewayscript like this - http://your-forum-url/gateway.php?debug=1 - and see what it says.

[keez]

when will the modification final developed ?

[Simon Lloyd]

Originally Posted by My Debug

Gateway version 2.3.2 17 group(s) gatewayed.

Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.1830 Version: 6.0.3790.1830 Posting Allowed

Info for microsoft.public.excel.programming at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 19098 984384 1003553 microsoft.public.excel.programming


Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.1830 Version: 6.0.3790.1830 Posting Allowed

Info for microsoft.public.excel.worksheet.functions at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 16719 516169 532928 microsoft.public.excel.worksheet.functions

This is what it says for all of the ng's i have set to read, it says posting allowed but the post doesnt reach the newsgroup?

[Simon Lloyd]

Quick update on the debug, i ran it again and got this:

Originally Posted by Gateway Debug

Gateway version 2.3.2 17 group(s) gatewayed.

Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.1830 Version: 6.0.3790.1830 Posting Allowed

Info for microsoft.public.excel.programming at msnews.microsoft.com: 211 19031 984528 1003628 microsoft.public.excel.programming

Can we post? server responded: 340 Continue posting - terminate with period
Posting Message 'Re: VBA code' from Simon Lloyd. Result: 441 (629) Article Rejected -- Ill-formed message id '<Simon.Lloyd.3hivaz@@thecodecage.com>' in field 'Message-ID:'

Connecting to server, server says: 200 NNTP Service 6.0.3790.1830 Version: 6.0.3790.1830 Posting Allowed

[Simon Lloyd]

I fixed the @@thecodecage.com but it still doesnt post to the newsgroups

[TMM-TT]

Originally Posted by Simon Lloyd

I fixed the @@thecodecage.com but it still doesnt post to the newsgroups

Do you get any errormessages or empty answers from the server? I tried to post a testmessage directly on the server and it took a little time before it was propagated.