Subscribe2 4.0

Version 4.0 of the Plugin is now available for download.

Version 4.0 is for WordPress 2.3.x users only! This version has been tested on WordPress 2.3.

Users of WordPress 2.0.x should download Version 2.22 of Subscribe2. Users of WordPress 2.1.x and 2.2.x should download Version 3.8.

Bleeding Edge!

For those of you who like to be at the bleeding edge of WordPress development I guess now is an exciting time with the imminent release of WordPress 2.3.

If you also use Subscribe2 you’ll need to update the plugin to Version 4.0. I’ll post a more complete release in a few days tme, in the meantime consider this my release candidate for the plugin. Post any problems below.

Subscribe2 2.22 and 3.8

Versions 2.22 and 3.8 of the Plugin are now available for download. These will be final release for WordPress 2.0.x and 2.1.x.

Note: Although I am feeling somewhat better, I’m not 100% so please check this site fully before posting a comment for support

Version 3.8 is for WordPress 2.1.x and WordPress 2.2.x users only! This version has been tested on WordPress 2.2.3.

For users of WordPress 2.0.x, please download Version 2.22 of Subscribe2. As previously stated, Subscribe2 for WordPress 2.0.x is no longer being actively developed. Only bug fixes will be back ported.

Testing Mail

By far the majority of requests for help are something to do with emails - either not sending or sending duplicates. With this in mind I have posted a Test Mail plugin in comments but WordPress.com replaces quotes with smartquotes resulting in errors when you try to copy and paste into a file.

So, try the following. This test plugin should result in an email being sent to the address you define on line 12 each time your website is loaded. So, don’t leave the plugin activated for long or you’ll fill your inbox!

You can copy and paste the code or download this file and rename it as a *.php file.

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Mail Test
Description: PHP Mail Function Tester
Author: Matthew Robinson.
Version: 1.0
Author URI: http://subscribe2.wordpress.com
*/

function mail_test() {
//Define the following as your email address
$myemail = 'email@email.com';
// Leave the following alone
$subject = 'WordPress Email Test';
$mailtext = 'This email was sent from your WordPress blog by the Mail Test Plugin - your emails are working for simple mail';
$headers .= "MIME-Version: 1.0\n";
$headers .= "Content-Type: text/plain; charset=\"". get_bloginfo('charset'  . "\"\n";
$headers .= "From: " . $myemail . "\n";
$headers .= "Return-Path: " . $myemail . "\n";
$headers .= "Reply-To: " . $myemail . "\n";
$headers .= "X-Mailer:PHP" . phpversion() . "\n";
$headers .= "Precedence: list\nList-Id: " . get_option('blogname'  . "\n";
@mail($myemail, $subject, $mailtext, $headers);
}

// Run our code after the plugins have loaded.
add_action('plugins_loaded', 'mail_test');
?>

Subscribe2 2.21 and 3.7

Versions 2.21 and 3.7 of the Plugin are now available for download.

Note: Although I am feeling somewhat better, I’m not 100% so please check this site fully before posting a comment for support

Version 3.7 is for WordPress 2.1.x and WordPress 2.2.x users only! This version has been tested on WordPress 2.2.1.

For users of WordPress 2.0.x, please download Version 2.21 of Subscribe2. As previously stated, Subscribe2 for WordPress 2.0.x is no longer being actively developed. Only bug fixes will be back ported.

Next Version and Support

You may have noticed that there has been quite a gap since the last release based on previous release history. You may have also noticed that my response times to support comments posted on here is not what is has been.

The reason for this is that I am struggling with my health at the moment. One day I’m fine, the next I feel exhausted. I have been diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease for some 10 years now and I’ve coped pretty well so far.

Unfortunately, over the last three or four months I have not been doing as well and therefore have not been able to spend much time on my hobbies (this plugin being one of them!).

Please bear with me, I fully intend to recover and get back to coding this plugin soon. Also, if anyone out there wants to offer some help offering support to users on this site please post a comment below and I’ll get in touch when I can.

Thanks for you patience

Holiday Break

I’m not going to be around for the next week or so because I’m going on holiday with my family! I won’t be checking in on my emails or this site very often (if at all) so try to avoid posting requests for help.

Have a good search on here, use google and try the WordPress forums. If you still feel the need to post on here or help bear in mind that I’ll be catching up on my return so please be patient.

Subscribe2 2.20 and 3.6

Versions 2.20 and 3.6 of the Plugin are now available for download.

Version 3.6 is for WordPress 2.1.x and WordPress 2.2.x users only! This version has been tested on WordPress 2.1.3 and 2.2.1.

For users of WordPress 2.0.x, please download Version 2.20 of Subscribe2. Note: Subscribe2 for WordPress 2.0.x is no longer being actively developed. Only bug fixes will be back ported.

This version contains the following improvements:

• Fixed a typo in Content-Type mail headers
• Fixed Auto Register functions to obey Excluded Categories
• Added option to check WP-Register checkbox by default [Version 3.6 only]

If you use this plugin make a donation to support future development!

Download Version 3.6, recommended for users of WordPress 2.1.1 and above.

To install correctly:

1. Deactivate your exisiting Subscribe2 Plugin
2. Use FTP software to delete the old plugin and upload the new version
3. Activate the new version of the plugin

Subscribe2 3.5

Version 3.5 of the Plugin is now available for download.

This version is for WordPress 2.1.x and WordPress 2.2.x users only! This version has been tested on WordPress 2.1.3 and 2.2.

For users of WordPress 2.0.x, please download Version 2.19 of Subscribe2.

This version contains the following improvements:

• Fixed a bug in the upgrade function that was messing up the options settings
• Updated the include.php file to preset recently introduced option settings

If you use this plugin make a donation to support future development!

Download Version 3.5, recommended for users of WordPress 2.1.1 and above.

To install correctly:

1. Deactivate your exisiting Subscribe2 Plugin
2. Use FTP software to delete the old plugin and upload the new version
3. Activate the new version of the plugin

Troubleshooting Failed emails

Okay folks, I get a lot of queries on here about the plugin and this is fine - to be expected in fact. The vast majority of them are about emails not arriving though so I thought I’d give you all some pointers.

Subscribe2 sends email notifications when you make a new post, it sends the email to you and puts all your subscribers email addresses into the BCC header of the email.

Now, the big problem with this is that this is a trick that SPAMMERS use! And for this reason a great deal of hosting provider impose limits on out going emails. Yes they still let you send emails and yes they give you a path to sendmail, but they only ley you send so many emails per minute or hour and they restrict the number of recipients in the BCC header.

Also, Subscribe2 follows the RFC2822 standards for email header formatting, some MTAs don’t follow it as strictly and this is where other problems arise.

Given the huge variety of hosting solutions (different web servers, web platforms, mail agents, blog setups and hosting limitations) you first port of call for failed emails (total or partial) should be your hosting provider.

They have access to your web log files and they should be able to tell you where and why your emails are being blocked. Armed with this information you will most probably be able to fix the issue or at least provide me with enough information to point you in the right direction!

As a footnote, I use Subscribe2 on my main blog site for work. I am now on VPS hosting because shared hosting repeatedly failed to send emails for my site due to anti-SPAM restrictions. Now I’m on VPS it works flawlessley without any edits to the Subscribe2 code.