UBB.Developers Forums UBB.classic V6.4 - 6.7 Modifications V6 Mod Ideas Active Topics Email Hack?

I have a political and News related board.

I just thought that it would be nice to have a function to allow a modified version of Active Threads/Topics that would email the last 5,10, or 25 topics to the members overnight or throughout the day. I have a modified version of the script running via SSI on my front page.

I think this hack should have an "opt-out" or option to "unsubscribe" or "subscribe" upon registration to comply with spam laws, and to have choices of times to be emailed in "preferences" along with the opt-out.

My PERL skills suck, but I can do the html mods to the CP script and the "preferences" part of ubbmisc.cgi.

The mod to active.cgi would have to write the topics and links to them in text since not everyone has html enabled email.

I believe this hack would be beneficial to many boards out there no matter what subject matter they focus on.

This should be compliant with 5.39-5.47e too.

So, what do you all think??

My modified active.cgi can be seen here:

http://www.alliedconservatives.com

Thanks in advance!

Bump for thoughts/answers.

Anyone? Please?

I would be interested in this hack too
My coding skills aren't that great either
vBulletin has this feature, I wonder....

I'm happy someone else likes this idea! Thanks!

i don't think there would be a whole lot of major coding to be done, and this could certainly bring back members who haven't posted in a while as well as keep a high interest in many boards out there.

Come on PERL wizards....PLEASE help us out here.

Do you mean that the system automatically the new topics sent away as soon as 25 topics were provided??
Or is the user always to a defined time the last 25 topics dispatched gotten (by Cron job)??

Around the whole to realize one would have special would list put on around the topics beyond one day available to have...

-- cut --
Meinst Du dass das System automatisch die neuen Themen verschickt sobald 25 Themen erstellt wurden??
Oder soll der User immer zu einer definierten Uhrzeit die letzten 25 Themen zugeschickt bekommen (per Cron-Job)??

Um das ganze zu realisieren müsste man spezielle liste angelegt um die Themen über einen Tag hinaus verfügbar zu haben...
-- paste --

NBAustin
I'm a member a couple of vbulletin boards, I get a email once a week. I cannot see this hack to be all that hard
I was thinking about switching to vbulletin, even if its a copycat of ubb. vbulletin has many more built in hacks and cheaper to boot.

I don't see it being hard either....

It just seems the die hard 5.xx folks have been left here to rot. Even the mods pay no attention here anymore.

This COULD be a GREAT UBB hack. I have SOME of it in place.

I'll do what it takes to make it happen.....anyone with me????

What can I do to help ?

Well, we need coding help.

I believe ubbmisc.cgi will have to be modified for much of the code, and so will the modified active.cgi.

The rest is pretty all much cosmetic and links in the cpanel files.

If you think you can code some of this, I'll send my modified active.cgi file that I use via ssi on my front page.

To be honest dude, I wouldn't know where to start...

We could sure use a kind PERL wizard to help us out.

Could someone please jump in and help us make this happen?

NBAustin look at PM...

Thanks joking down!

I've sent the file to your kids-hotline email address.

Whoo hoo!

I'm excited about this hack!

joking-down,

Did you get the file I sent, and if so, how's it coming along?

NBAustin look @ your mailbox

the first version is ready...

joking down,

Your email was unreadable by my email program. It wouldn't even let me reply to you. I believe it is corrupted.

Please resend to [email protected]

Thanks!

i send the mail again...

OK Folks....

We have this hack almost ready to go....

All we need is some code in the script to have the UBB send the threads at times the user specifies, or at predetermined times.

If we want the user to specify, we'll need time zone variables, otherwise we can just have choices like every hour...every 4 hours..etc.

Help! We're almost there!!

I think we can use a modified ubbmail.cgi and require mail-lib.pl in the main script and make it work.

Here's what we have so far on the script:

http://www.alliedconservatives.com/emailtopics.txt

All we need is a way to have the user specify a time for the ubb to send the threads, and actually make the UBB send them.

My suggestions are to give choices such as:

Every Hour
Every 4 hours
Every 8 hours
Every 12 hours
Every 24 hours

Anyone have way to make this fly?

To see how this script looks as of now, go here:

http://www.alliedconservatives.com/ubbcgi/mailActive.cgi?action=config

I'll post a link to show a demo of the "Preferences" changes whenthe script is working properly.

Looks like we may have to utilize a cron job to make this fly unless we can come up with a sub routine that will make the UBB send the threads.

NBAustin,

I mailed you V1.04...

Thank you joking down!

Folks,

I'm testing this with some cron jobs to send the email that joking down wrote.

As soon as we iron out the bugs, this should be ready for release.

This will be the best hack for 5.xx to come around in a long time! It will really boost interest in you boards IMO!

For a peek at it, go here:

http://www.alliedconservatives.com/ubbcgi/ubbmisc.cgi?action=setprefs

Click "configure" to see joking-down's script in action.

I've added some things particular to my site, and did some centering and font changes, but I will be documenting a generic version for you all when it's bug free and set to go.

Feedback anyone?