Digest Option

[ademanuele]

I have moved to SMF from a mail-based discussion forum system. SMF is a major improvement, but one feature that it (does not seem to) have is the ability for a member to subscribe to digests so that they can get a digest of postings at a frequency of their choice e.g. daily, weekly etc...

[Kindred]

that is because SMF is a forum, not a mail-based discussion.... 
digests are part of email mail-lists, not forums....

[ademanuele]

In SMF a user can opt to get a copy of a posting rather than just a notification (When sending notification of a reply to a topic, send the post in the email (but please don't reply to these emails) (this is set in Profile > Modify Profile > Notifications )). This combines the best features of a forum and mail-based discussion group.

I have been operating a mail-based system since 1994 with over 30,000 subscribers. I know that many will not like the web-based option alone but mail-based discussions are not flexible enough and most users will prefer a SMF, however, I would like to provide an option where users can still receive postings by email (they can get single messages with SMF but not digests). I do believe that this would be a valuable feature for some users and provide additional flexibility.

[Arantor]

It's built in. Seriously.

When someone requests notification on topics/boards, it will normally do that as soon as it happens. But you can also set it to daily or weekly from your own profile > Notifications, so you can get whatever works best for you personally.

[ademanuele]

Thanks, I have only been using SMF for a couple of weeks but it is truly amazing....

[Missizippi]

I can't make the notifications do what I want them to do. Perhaps you could help Arantor. I am not an expert in SMF but am more familiar with PHPBB forums.

I want to be able to receive a digest (either weekly or daily) by email, that gives me a summary of any threads where there have been new postings.
I want this to be set as a default for all new users with options of setting the digest to weekly or monthly and also an opt out policy. This would be in addition to receiving a notification of a reply to a post that I am interested in.

One of the best things about this digest (which I use on a number of PHPBB forums) is that it reminds users who don't log into their forum very often, that posts have been made. They can simply delete the e-mail if not interested or click on the topic header link to access that thread directly and log into the forum.

As an administrator of the forum I would want the digest daily first thing in the morning for ALL threads showing where any new posts had been made. (to delete any rogue or abusive posts for example)

If SMF can do this already can you please help me fathom out the best way of setting this up and the best way to amend the default for existing users to receive notifications on any topics that they have access to?

[Kindred]

no....   despite what Arantor said, it won't do what you describe.

You can set the notification to be immediately, daily or weekly... but it will not send a summary.
And there is no option to set notifications like that for users.

Finally...   sending notifications of all threads? oh, hell no. That could quickly kill your server.
Additionally, you only get notifications if you (the user) did not read the thread... if you've read it online, you won't get notified (unless you have it set to immediately).


Basically...  SMF is a forum - not a mail-list-server....   What you are asking for is a mailing-list.

[b0tze]

Hi smf people!
I hope it's ok to continue here despite the 120 days warning above... but I think this thread reflects request, since it was allready expressed kind of what I am looking for:

I want to be able to receive a digest (either weekly or daily) by email, that gives me a summary of any threads where there have been new postings.
I want this to be set as a default for all new users with options of setting the digest to weekly or monthly and also an opt out policy. This would be in addition to receiving a notification of a reply to a post that I am interested in.
One of the best things about this digest (which I use on a number of PHPBB forums) is that it reminds users who don't log into their forum very often, that posts have been made. They can simply delete the e-mail if not interested or click on the topic header link to access that thread directly and log into the forum.

I don't get why it would crash a server, there could be a misunderstanding: Not one notification as one mail for every thread that is new to every member, but a newsletter to all members, that did not log in for a week. It should not be a problem since it is possible to send mails to all members. The content should be: Hey, User, since there has been activity in the forum in Board X and Y (with links). Blabla, see you soon...

I did this once manually:
1. Define a period of time
2. Check all new topics during that time
3. Check all old topics with new replies during that time
4. Check all the users that did not log in for that time
5. Send a newsletter to the passive users, telling them about what they are missing out.

I think that should be machine-work and would make a great mod :-)
But my developing skills are even worse than my english... (sorry for that) so I hope someday someone comes up with someting like that.


Cheerio!
b0tze

[Kindred]

because.... take a fourm like this one.
If I do not log in for a week, then I would have several THOUSAND (if not million) messages to sort through. This would alreayd put a strain on the server if it had to not only FIND, but extract and form an email of these messages...   Now, multiple this by a thousand users.....   or 20,000 users!

THAT is what a "digest" is.
What you are asking for is not a digest... What you are asking for is an admin written email sent to members who have not logged in. That is completely different

[b0tze]

Ok, thanks for the answer. I see your point and I dont want a digest then.

Still, I don't think thik this has to be overloaded. I agree that my old manual query would not be adequat for a forum of this size. But if possible, it could be restricted to a certain size, because my desired email does not have to be individual. It should be a routine that just finds lets say the 3 latest posts from each board from since 7 days ago, so the email should have maximum the number of boards * 3 links. This schould be written into a html email that goes to all members, that did not log in since 7 days. I would find it perfect, if one coul run it like one task of the maintenance routines or even better: switch it to automatic, so it goes every week or so.

Should I start a new request with this, and is this the right place or rather a feature development request?

[Arantor]

the 3 latest posts from each board from since 7 days ago, so the email should have maximum the number of boards * 3 links

There is actually no efficient way to do that, which means either a much larger (and much more computationally expensive) query and filtering it down from there, or you do a query per board.

The sad reality is that doing this, no matter how 'lightweight' you think it will be, it almost certainly won't be.

[Kindred]

And most importantly... SMF MUST be built to be scalable.

It needs to work for a forum with 2 million posts and 20,000 members just as well as it works on a forum with 20 members and 200 posts.

So no... what you ask will probably never be included as a feature. You may be able to find someone to build you a personal mod for it... but be prepared to pay since it is not something that can really be leveraged beyond your individual needs.

[b0tze]

It seems there is a mod. I should have searched for newsletter in the first place...

For all that are interested: http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=3334 - looking good, but I don't get the preview working so I will see the result in 7 days...

Cheers!
b0tze