mem plugins with 4.5.x

dF · 2013-03-01 12:26:56

@colak
Thank you for your reaction. We started to like the latest TXP. A real ‘bummer’!
Do you know what is the newest TXP version still allowing mem_postmaster to work?

Thanks in advance.

colak · 2013-03-01 12:34:05

I’m using it with a hacked txp. 4.4.1 so as to make it work with newer specs servers. I could send you the 2 edited files if the normal release does not work for you.

dF · 2013-03-01 13:17:29

@colak
Thanks for your offer, I have to consult my partners, believe it’s best to go back to the working 4.0.8 version for now though.

colak · 2013-03-01 13:29:59

I think that it is best to update as there are a lot of security patches. 4.0.8 is just too old and very insecure in today’s standards

dF · 2013-03-01 14:54:23

Just a thought: I could export the newest subscribers list, copy the new newsletter, backup SQL dbase, downgrade dbase and TXP to old version 4.0.8, then import the newest subscribers list and the newsletter in the old TXP version, send the newsletter (should work!) and finally upgrade dbase and the new TXP again.
This lousy workout is a lot of work and has to be done overnight as the site is to be worked on every day.
I hope I have to do this just this time since the next newsletter will be released in only a few months and hope by then manfre’s developing is done. What do you think?

colak · 2013-03-01 15:22:37

Another way which i think that I’ll start using is to keep the latest version of txp and then in a directory (you could call it subscribe or whatever) keep an old 4.4.1 install to collect subscribers and send newsletters. just an idea:)

dF · 2013-03-01 15:40:41

Hmmm. There’s a limit of only one SQL dbase on our server.

dF · 2013-03-04 14:34:46

dF wrote:

I could export the newest subscribers list, copy the new newsletter, backup SQL dbase, downgrade dbase and TXP to old version 4.0.8, then import the newest subscribers list and the newsletter in the old TXP version, send the newsletter (should work!) and finally upgrade dbase and the new TXP 4.5.4 again.

And so I did at 4AM this morning :-(
Worked fine though, all march 2013 newsletters were send successfully and TXP 4.5.4 is up and running again.

Any way we can help or support Michael Manfre developing the mem_postmaster plug-in?

Bloke · 2013-03-04 14:50:04

dF wrote:

Any way we can help or support Michael Manfre developing the mem_postmaster plug-in?

As Manfre himself says, the code is quite scary, being based on something, based on something else, based on a once-clever concept from years ago. It really does need to be brought up to date and rethought for today’s Textpattern. Software wears out and sometimes it needs a rethink to make it good again instead of endless patching.

OT(ish): Perhaps a good starting point is to figure out where the postmaster concept could be improved as that might lend itself to either hacking lumps of it out or re-engineering parts that have seen better days. Or simply using the exercise to figure out what people need in such a plugin, perhaps instead writing a new plugin to hook into a 3rd party mass mailer instead of doing it all in-house.

colak · 2013-03-04 15:51:03

When I first started using newsletters I experimented with phpmail which was (I guess it still is) a powerful software but it lucks support of standards which results in non html valid pages. When postmaster came to the scene I thought that centralizing everything was a good idea… I still do. :) Fewer installs to worry about.

I think that what postmaster offers (including the latest non released version as I understand it) is very good for most people’s needs. The only things I would add are

option to send emails to more than one list at the same time (with subscribers who are in more than one list receiving only one email) – I understand this is the case for the last unreleased version
Option for a subscriber to receive an html or a plain text email to be included in the subscription process
A bug fix. When a subscribe check box is included in the zcr contact form the poster is included in the database regardless if the check box is not ticked.
A 2nd bug fix: Please somebody make this compatible with the latest txp release:)

dF · 2013-03-04 21:17:43

Our non-profit organization sends (6x a year) HTML newsletters to local and some professional national subscribers. Our (2x award winning) graphical HTML newsletter design looks and ‘feels’ amazingly the same in most e-mail programs, on webmail like gmail and on our website. New subscribers are automatically listed. An un-subscribe function automatically places an un-subscribe link in the mail and by clicking subscribers are automatically unlisted. The structure of TXP allows us to compose the newsletter in multiple stages. Before sending there are some basic HTML skills involved to implement some valid HTML e-mail standards though.
It’s worth the trouble, everybody likes our newsletter and our site of course. And so we love TXP.

jstubbs · 2013-03-05 01:40:25

Just wondering why not simply use a dedicated service like MailChimp or Mailjet for this purpose?

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#13 2013-03-01 12:26:56

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#14 2013-03-01 12:34:05

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#15 2013-03-01 13:17:29

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#16 2013-03-01 13:29:59

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#17 2013-03-01 14:54:23

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#18 2013-03-01 15:22:37

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#19 2013-03-01 15:40:41

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#20 2013-03-04 14:34:46

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#21 2013-03-04 14:50:04

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#22 2013-03-04 15:51:03

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#23 2013-03-04 21:17:43

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

#24 2013-03-05 01:40:25

Re: mem plugins with 4.5.x

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