Administrative and Maintenance Tools - Commbull (Community Bulletin) 5.1a for vBulletin 4.01

This not the CommBull product itself. This is simply instructions for adapting it to work with vBulletin 4.x.

Download CommBull from: Commbull (Community Bulletin) 5.1a for vBulletin 3.8x

grandeur_69 has released his latest version of CommBull as a free add-on, indicating that he no longer has time to continue developing it. I am posting this here for the benefit of other vBulletin 4.x who don't want to lose the newsletter feature (grandeur_69 has approved this).

At https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....6&postcount=71 a member asks:

Hi, the version 5.1a work fine with vbulletin 4.0.1 ?

My response is posted at https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showpost....5&postcount=72 and reproduced here...

I have the previous (commercial) version, 4.5f, which does run successfully via a cron job, running on 4.01. It required some modification of the installation instructions but it does work. I expect you should be able to get this version running as well, although as the coder noted the cron capability won't work.

1. Edit product-Commbull.xml and find the following line:

PHP Code:

        <dependency dependencytype="vbulletin" minversion="3.6.0" maxversion="3.8.99" /> 


Change to:

PHP Code:

        <dependency dependencytype="vbulletin" minversion="3.6.0" maxversion="4.99" /> 


2. Upload the files and import the product.

3. Now you need to do the template edits so that members can opt-in or opt-out of your newsletter. The current instructions are as follows:

4. Template modifications
--------------------------------------

Template: "Modify User Option" -> "modifyoptions"

After:

PHP Code:

                    <tr>
                        <td><label for="cb_adminemail"><input type="checkbox" name="options[adminemail]" value="1" id="cb_adminemail" $checked[adminemail] />$vbphrase[receive_email_from_bulletin_board_staff]</label><input type="hidden" name="set_options[adminemail]" value="1" /></td>
                    </tr> 


Add:

PHP Code:

                    <tr>
                        <td><label for="commbull"><input type="checkbox" name="commbull" value="1" id="commbull" $checked[receivebulletin] />$vbphrase[receive_email_from_commbull]</label><input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivebulletin]" value="1" /></td>
                    </tr>
                    <tr>
                        <td><br />$vbphrase[newsletterformat]<br /><label for="commbull_type"><input type="checkbox" name="commbull_type" value="1" id="commbull_type" $checked[receivebulletin_type] />$vbphrase[type_email_from_commbull]</label>
<input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivebulletin_type]" value="1" /></td>
                    </tr> 


Now, obviously this won't work in 4.x. These need to be modified as follows:

1. Edit Template: "Modify User Option" -> "modifyoptions"

FIND:

PHP Code:

<vb:if condition="$show['friend_email_request']">
                    <li>
                        <label for="cb_receivefriendemailrequest"><input type="checkbox" name="options[receivefriendemailrequest]" value="1" id="cb_receivefriendemailrequest" tabindex="1" {vb:raw checked.receivefriendemailrequest} /> {vb:rawphrase receive_friendship_req_email}</label>
                        <input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivefriendemailrequest]" value="1" />
                    </li>
                </vb:if> 


ADD AFTER:

PHP Code:

<vb:if condition="$show['receiveemail']">
<li>
    <label for="commbull"><input type="checkbox" name="commbull" value="1" id="commbull" tabindex="1" {vb:raw checked.receivebulletin} />{vb:rawphrase receive_email_from_commbull}</label>
    <input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivebulletin]" value="1" />
</li>
</vb:if> 


That first part (above) is the option to receive or not receive the newsletters.

Next would be the option for HTML or plain text emails, which should be:

PHP Code:

<vb:if condition="$show['receiveemail']">
<li>
    <label for="commbull_type"><input type="checkbox" name="commbull_type" value="1" id="commbull_type" tabindex="1" {vb:raw checked.receivebulletin_type} />{vb:rawphrase type_email_from_commbull}</label>
    <input type="hidden" name="set_options[receivebulletin_type]" value="1" />
</li>
</vb:if> 


Update:

This now works. I had a ( instead of a { on the previous code. Thanks to grandeur_69 for pointing this out!

Notes:

1. The product is not mine so I can't offer any support for CommBull itself. However, I have been using the paid versions of this mod for some time and I'm happy to offer what support I can for making the changes necessary to get it running on 4.x.
   
   
2. I have been in communication with grandeur_69. He has indicated that he has no objections to this thread and that as he gets time he will be trying to develop this add-on further as a free product.

Update July 12, 2010: Product XML file provided by grandeur_69 for vBulletin 4.x.

NOTE:

1. If you have already done the manual edits, do NOT use the XML file. And if you import the XML file, you should not need to do the manual edits.
   
2. Some people are encountering problems using the XML file. If you are one of them, uninstall the product and use the manual edits. Those seem to work just fine.

Update July 14, 2010: Error in XML file corrected.

[djbaxter]

Is this a new install or was it working before?

Did you select usergroups to receive the newsletter?

Did you select forums for content?

[StarBuG]

fresh install, yes and yes
I can see the newsletter in preview but when I click send it gives the above error.
I use commbull 5.1a

[djbaxter]

Can you post this over at https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=230359 for grandeur_69 to respond?

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by StarBuG

fresh install, yes and yes
I can see the newsletter in preview but when I click send it gives the above error.
I use commbull 5.1a

One thought: Did you use the product XML file from this thread? or the one supplied with the 3.x version?

[StarBuG]

Tried both, same problem

Ok, I removed all files, reinstalled it again and now it works.
Strange.

Anyway thanks for your quick help

EDIT: Found the real Problem. The Error occurs when I select a Forum to post the Newsletter in. Without it, it works.

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by StarBuG

Tried both, same problem

Ok, I removed all files, reinstalled it again and now it works.
Strange.

Anyway thanks for your quick help

EDIT: Found the real Problem. The Error occurs when I select a Forum to post the Newsletter in. Without it, it works.

Oh. I have never used that feature.

Glad you got it working.

[joeychgo]

How do we get the css like in the screencaps? I really hate the look of the last version's html. I tried to instal the previous version but all the css seems to be stripped out.

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by joeychgo

How do we get the css like in the screencaps? I really hate the look of the last version's html. I tried to instal the previous version but all the css seems to be stripped out.

I'm still using a 4.x version myself. I do know that earlier versions would not work properly if you have the CSS stored in the file system. You might try checking that setting.

Otherwise, for 5.1b support, you'll need to ask at https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=230359

[Scalemotorcars]

Took a ton of editing on the HTML template but it is working for 4.1.4

Thanks...

[Scalemotorcars]

Just a note. After about a weeks searching and a major hassle with my host we both were able to conclude that this mod on VB4 overloaded the servers. If you use this mod......

Be sure to do 3 things.

#1 Be sure to set up a bounce email. (this is an absolute must on any board)
#2 Send notices out in small amounts. Maybe 100 or less.
#3 Set a delay between sending out your emails. 2-3-5 or so minutes apart so you dont overload the server.

Great mod for a small to medium boards but large boards should look into a 3rd party service.