Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions, and corresponding
explanations. |
I. How to display the number of subscribers on my site? |
To do this, simply insert the following code where you want to display the
number of subscribers. (be carefull to put the right link to the extra.php
file)
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://www.yourdomain.com/rep/options/extra.php?liste=[ID]"></script>
Replace [ID] by the ID number of the list of which you want to display
the number of subscribers. |
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II. WAnewsletter, a multilingual script? |
Since our goal is to make WAnewsletter available to the largest audience,
the script manages different languages.
If you are fluent in a language in which the script has not already been
translated, and if you want to promote WAnewsletter, simply download the
package of your
choice, translate it and send it to wascripts@phpcodeur.net.
The new language version will be made available for downloading, after verification. |
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III. How to be informed of a new version release ? |
To be informed of a new version release, or newly found security
failures
(improbable ? :) ), visit the phpCodeur site every now and then, or simply
subscribe to the WAnewsletter mailing listhere.
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IV. How to import emails ? |
An import utility is available under the "Tools" header of
the administration menu. This utility will allow you, if you have proper
rights, to import subscribers' emails directly either through a text field,
by specifying the address of the emails file on the server, or by uploading
a file containing
the emails, providing your host allows file uploading.
The import utility has been tested with mass imports of up to 2500 email
addresses. This should be sufficient. If not, you can divide to import operation
in
as many smaller parts as necessary to make sure it works.
Another way to import more than 2500 email addresses in one shot consists
in modifying the value of the MAX_IMPORT constant in the constantes.php files,
but this is at your own risks !
The script will check each email address, and will remove doubles. If emails
are rejected, the script will attempt to write a report file in its
temporary folder, which you then may download. |
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V. How to have multiple users manage the script ? |
WAnewsletter can be managed by multiple users.
You can change the users' permissions through each user's profile..
There are two general levels : administrator and user. Administrators have
all rights automatically, whatever the settings on individual rights.
A user will be limited to granted rights (view, edit, delete, send, import,
export, ban, and attach files) for each list.
To add a user, go to the "Users" section and click on the "Add a user" button. |
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VI. But where is the subscription form ? |
There already is a default subscription form, the subscribe.php file (users
of versions 2.0.x or
2.1.x, please note that the name of that file has changed because of its
wrong spelling and is therefore no longer suscribe.php, so do not forget
to change any links pointing to that file).
The subscribe.php file displays a standard form, and a selection list showing
names of all created lists.
The script also has a form generator in the tools section. This will allow
you to generate an adequate form for any given list.
You will then have to place this generated form code where you want on your
site, to place the newsletter.php inclusion code (also created by the Form
Generator) and to indicate in the list's settings the form's absolute address.
One last solution (available from versions 2.2-RC1 and up) consists in having
the visitor send an email to a list's address, with the word "Subscribe"
(case insensitive) on the subject line.
In this case, you must have access to cron (Unix servers or equivalent) or
use the free services of webcron.org to
automate the call to the cron.php file located in the script's options/ folder.
The script will undertake all necessary tasks (subscription, unsubscription,
format change, subscription confirmation, etc.) according to received emails.
To unsubscribe, the subscriber will have to send an email to the list's address
with the word "Unsubscribe" on the subject line. He will then receive
an email asking for a reply with the same subject, his account code, which
he will
already have.
To confirm subscription (if the list is set to require it), the subscriber
will have to send an email to the list with the word "confirmation" on
the subject line. To request a newsletter format change,
the subject line will have to read "setformat".
If many of your distibution lists use the same email address, there is a
risk of conflict, since the script will not be able to identify
to which list the pop account emails are addressed. If such is the case,
you will have to create an email alias on your host's administration panel,
if available (this excludes free hosting servers).
Example :
You have two lists using mailing@domain.com as email address.
You will have to create two aliases forwarded to mailing@domain.com and specify
these aliases in the settings of the lists, eg : mailing-1@domain.com and
mailing-2@domain.com
In the case of the "cron" option, you will have to specify the access parameters
to the list's email adress's pop account and specify the use of the"cron"
option by clicking on the proper radio button, in the admin Lists section.
Finally, cron will have to call an address of this type : http://www.yourdomain.com/rep/newsletter/options/cron.php?liste=[list_ID]
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VII. Why are there two send engines ? |
In order to be accessible to the largest number of users, WAnewsletter
has two send engines.
Certain hosting services limit the number of emails sent daily (ex: multimania/lycos),
or only accept one recipient by email (ex: online).
Using the fist engine (emails in hidden
copy) gives a more professionnal impression (in my personal opinion).
On the other hand, by using the second engine, recipients will see ther email
address in the "To" field. Also, the unsubscribe address will contain the
correct parameters, instead of simply pointing back to the subscription/unsubscription
form.
In the end, it is up to you to choose the engine that suits you best ;-)
P.S: People hosted on "Online" must use the second engine (one subscriber
= one email) |
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VIII. Script's temporary folder, safe mode and open_basedir |
The script's temporary folder, tmp/ by default, can be used by the script
in some specific cases :
- If safe mode in activated on your server, or if there is some restriction
at the open_basedir level, the script must move certain uploaded files
in the tmp/ folder before reading them.
- If you store attached files on a ftp server, the script must put them
in the tmp/ folder during the sending process
- When exporting attached files, or backing up tables, if you
choose the "store the file on the server" option, the script will create
the file in the tmp/ folder.
- When importing email addresses, if some are rejected, the script will
create the report file in the tmp/ folder
If one of theses cases applies to your situation (eg: open_basedir) or you
want to use some of the script's possibilities (eg: storing the export
file on the server), then the tmp/ folder is necessary and must be writeable.
The tmp/ folder's name can be modified, provided you specify its new name
in the admin/pagestart.php file (find the line : $tmp_name
= 'tmp'; ) |
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IX. Cannot attach files to my newsletters ! |
If file upload is authorized by your host, it might be caused by the script
not having writing permissions on the attached files storage folder, or
because the ftp server's access parameters are not properly set (if this
option was chosen).
Check the folder's chmod and/or attributes, or check the ftp's access parameters.
If file upload is not authorized, the script adds the file to the list of
attached files only if it is already on the server, in the attached files
storage folder.
Upload your attached files with your ftp client, before adding them using
the form. |
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X. Using a smtp server to send emails |
Unfortunately, using WAnewsletter's smtp option does not permit to send emails
to recipients other than those whose address is of the same domain as the
smtp server's if you are not identified as part of this domain. This is
a smtp server restriction (relay denial), not WAnewsletter.
Example :
You set smtp.wanadoo.fr as smtp server in the Wanewsletter settings.
If the smtp server does not identify you as being part of the wanadoo domain,
you will only be able to send emails to blablabla@wanadoo.fr type addresses.
The workaround is to have the smtp server that you want to use manage the
authentification, or in other words, that it recognizes the AUTH LOGIN command
(cf : RFC 2554).
In this case, you can specify the server access login and password in the
newsletter settings. |
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XI. Calling the subscription form via a popup window |
Integrating the subscription form to your site by calling it with a popup
window is very simple.
Here is the code :
<a href="#" onclick="window.open('path_to_folder/subscribe.php','mailing','width=400,
height=300, topmargin=2, left=100, top=100, toolbar=0, location=0, directories=0,
status=0, scrollbars=1, resizable=1, copyhistory=0, menuBar=0'); return false;">Newsletter</a>br
/>
In each of the newsletter's settings, you must enter the absolute url to
the form
(eg : (http://yourdomain.com/rep/subscribe.php)
However, when a new subscriber clicks to confirm his subscription, or if
he unsubscribes using the provided link in the newsletter, subscribe.php
will appear on a full page. |
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XII. Methods for addresses email validation |
To verify the validity of addresses emails provided to the subscription,
the script verifies their syntactic validity.
Some characters cannot be present and email must contain arobase sign and
one point for the domain name.
You can adjust the script so that a deepened verification is done. (see configuration)
The deepened validation extracts the name of email domain, after do a research
then over to verify that this domain arranges well
a Mail eXchanger.
If it is the case, the script tempts to connect to the smtp server (if the
connection fails, the script will test the following smtp server...) then
send orders to simulate a consignment.
If smtp server accepts to achieve the consignment (nothing is sent,the script
won't finish with the adequate order), email makes part of his domain.
This last verification is not however guaranteed at 100%.
Smtp Servers refuse a demand of an outside entity in general (the script in
this case) to their domain for the consignment of an email to an outside
address to his domain, but this is not still the case. (We speak in this
case of smtp server accepting the relaying).
The best validation remains to send an email to confirm the demand.
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XIII. Statistics directory name change |
To change the directory name tstats/, it's easy, edit the functions.stats.php
file and find cherchez the following line :
define('WA_STATS_PATH' , $waroot . 'stats/', true);
Replace"stats" by the name of your choice. |
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XIV. Send newsletters with cron |
The script gives the possibility to achieve your consignments of newsletters
with cron.
It's very easy, call the following address : http://www.yourdomaine.com/rep/options/cron.php?mode=send&liste=[ID]
The part that is not put in bold is to adjust by your cares.
You also must there replace [ID] by identifying of the concerned list.
Note:
- You can change the name of the cron.php file very well. (recommanded)
- It is your turn to adjust cron so that it achieves to calling the script
so cron is not available on your server, you can use for exemple the
free services of webcron.org
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