SMF Mailing List - Discussion and Feedback

[pftq]

Discuss the SMF Mailing List script for SMF Forums here.  I'm still testing and cleaning up the script where needed, but it seems otherwise fully functional so far.  Feel free to download and let me know any suggestions!

Any news of updates to the mod will be posted here:
SMF Mailing List Mod - Updates
(feel free to subscribe to that topic for emails)

FAQ / Common Questions

Why am I getting Failed Delivery bouncebacks with messages like "Notice:  Undefined index:..."?
- This is from the mod's text strings not being loaded.  If you are using a custom theme, remember to copy the changes to your language files as explained in the readme (or install page).

Why are there options in Features with no text descriptions?
- This is the same issue as the text strings mentioned above.  If you think you installed it correctly, you may also want to check that you copied the changes to the correct language files.  Even if you think you are using English, it could be that you are using english-utf8, for example.

I keep getting Mail delivery failed with "Error in argument 1, char 3: option not found <"
- Please unzip the download package before uploading to your server and installing.  Sometimes the unzipping function on the server does not preserve linebreaks properly, if for example you are uploading from Windows to Linux.  If the mod is already installed, unzip the package on your computer and reupload emailpost.php to your forum directory (replacing the corrupt one).

Replies aren't going to the board.  There are no errors or if debug is enabled in emailpost.php, only 2 lines show up.
- Some users have reported that disabling guest browsing is the cause.  It might be the case that SMF rejects the mod (initiated from an email reply and "technically" a guest) if guest are not allowed to view the board, so try enabling guest browsing and just disallowing guests on a board-by-board basis.

[dakotaroar]

It's going to take me longer than I thought to make changes for SMF 2.0, but I will try to keep at it.

The major difference is the structure of the database functions (getting rid of db_query()), and I still haven't figured out exactly how to rewrite them without wasting lots of time.

[pftq]

I see - it sounds like SMF2 completely throws out a lot of the structure from SMF1.  There's no rush to get this done though, as there doesn't appear to be that much demand for it yet from within the SMF community.  A lot of people I currently work with who are not familiar with forums seem to prefer mailing lists though, which is why I went to the effort to implement this.

I'm still finding occasional mail clients that get past the filter I set up for isolating replies, so I am currently just tweaking that.  Another thing that bugs me is the links created for quoted replies (by SMF's BBC parsing).  It's not all that urgent, but the links can get a bit distracting.  I am currently trying to decide whether to modify that as well.

[pftq]

Made a few changes to the mod, namely:
- Quoted replies in the notifications look much nicer now (no link, just the author and date like a regular email).
- Enabling notifications for announced topics is an option now.
- Having announcements sent from the poster's name instead of the forum is also an option (it was commented out previously but I found there were a few sites where it'd be useful to have/not have).
- chmod function added to the setup, so the user doesn't necessarily have to change the emailpost.php permissions.  Not a major change but it's convenient.

The only two files that changed are emailpost_setup.php and the modifications.xml - I think emailpost.php is pretty solid as far as tweaking goes (just need to refine the reply isolating).

Also, I just went ahead and subscribed you to this topic so you can kind of see how the emails come out.  Feel free to unsubscribe as I don't at all mean to spam you.

[dakotaroar]

No worries.  How did you subscribe me, anyway?  I've never known how to do that, unless it involves digging into the database.

[pftq]

https://www.pftq.com/smf-notifygroup/ One of my mods.

[dakotaroar]

That's weird, because I'm not getting updates.Caught in the Gmail spam filter.

Anyway, here are the SMF 2.0 database functions: http://dev.simplemachines.org/smcfunctions.php

[pftq]

Just an update that the mod is pretty solid now (I've basically rewritten the way it handles the email messages).  It handles both HTML and plaintext so you can keep the formatting if you want to; it even allows message forwarding.

https://www.pftq.com/smf-mailinglist/

The only thing I have not looked into is attachments, but I'm not too sure I want that (security reasons as well as just being too much load on the server to parse the email).  However, if the email does contain an attachment, the script disposes of it properly so the reply is still kept.

I've uploaded the mod to the SMF site.  It seems to have gotten reviewed but I need the original author's permission before they'll approve it.  Just waiting for the author's response now.

I might start on the SMF2 version when I get some more time.  Just wondering, but did you manage to start on a SMF2 version or should I start porting it from scratch?

Thanks

[Roswenthe]

Hi, this mod was EXACTLY what I was looking for! I do have a question, though. I gather SMF 1.1.12 is the best choice for this? It doesn't matter, as I haven't set it up yet, but just wanted to make sure first before I installed a new forum.

[pftq]

Hi I started off this mod with SMF 1.1.10 and upgraded along the way to 1.1.12, so 1.1.11 should be fine.  I'd recommend just installing the latest SMF 1.1.12 though since you're installing from scratch anyways.

[Roswenthe]

LOL, I went back an edited because I realized I wrote the wrong one. I've been on 2.0+ for everything else for awhile now, so I forget which 1.1+ they're on.  I will set it up and suggest it to my group.

[Roswenthe]

OK, I encountered a problem. Went I tried to setup the email forward, cpanel said it was not a valid email address.

[pftq]

There should be an advanced link on the Add Forwarders page that lets you input the address of a file to pipe to.
For me there is a field that actually says "Pipe to a Program".

[Roswenthe]

Yeah, it's heavily customized, and I think they've removed it. I have been attempting to use smtp2web, but I don't think I've set it up correctly.

[pftq]

I am not familiar with smtp2web, but if I understand its services correctly, it sends data via $_POST which is not what this mod uses.

Are you sure you don't have the ability to pipe emails at all? The function might still be there even if not displayed in cPanel; I would try asking the host to add the address for you.