Stop Spammer

[ZBWDO]

Cannot locate any, either when I click on the link, or through the database search function.  Oh well, minor inconvenience compared to all the crap of maintaining the forum members and killing the spambots before.

[geekartist]

It dawns on me that the person that originally installed this forum and the various packages, including Stop Spammer, mentioned cleaning up some code from 3rd party installs. While I did go through and eyeball the forum files and compare the parsed code to what is in the files, if changes have been made to the Stop Spammer code that could be the problem.

Which brings me to a potentially bigger problem. Will SMF be able to uninstall Stop Spammer if changes are made to the code? Even if it's just a semicolon here or parentheses there? I didn't check to make sure the code was an exact match. Just "yeah, this looks the same as this". I didn't go line by line, character by character, for an exact match.

Basically, since SMF writes these mods directly to files used to run SMF, are making changes to the mods likely to completely bork the site when we try and run an uninstall? I'm wondering if I pull out Stop Spammer if the whole thing is going to crater on me.

[EL34xyz]

I have modified code on mod packages which sometimes does present a problem when you go to uninstall them.
In order to remember exactly what I did, I always insert comments in the code with my initials.
That way I can search for my initials and look at any comments.

If the person who modded the mod did not leave any notes, it could be tough to uninstall.

It may be better to install SMF stock files and reaqply all the mods again.

[snoopy_virtual]

My apologies.  I *thought* I had.  I'm generally pretty darn good about that.  The only thing I can think of was that I might have had a misspelling in my search, or otherwise screwed it up.  My apologies, and thanks very much.

Once you have approved or killed any (false) positieves it'll be gone as well.

No, sorry.

The bug won't disappear once you approve/delete all . I am still having this bug and I have been using the mod since M-DVD started it 2 years ago.

It occurs only when you delete members from the page "View all members". It never happens if you approve/delete them from the page "Members awaiting approval".

And the problem why I haven't been able to sort it yet is because I was looking for the bug inside the code of this mod, but just recently I have realized this is not a bug coming from this mod, but it's a bug from SMF itself. So I need to look inside all SMF code instead if I want to sort it.

[ZBWDO]

just recently I have realized this is not a bug coming from this mod, but it's a bug from SMF itself. So I need to look inside all SMF code instead if I want to sort it.

Gulp! 

[snoopy_virtual]

I have modified code on mod packages which sometimes does present a problem when you go to uninstall them.
In order to remember exactly what I did, I always insert comments in the code with my initials.
That way I can search for my initials and look at any comments.

If the person who modded the mod did not leave any notes, it could be tough to uninstall.

It may be better to install SMF stock files and reaqply all the mods again.

I always do exactly the same. Always insert comments with my name whenever I modify anything and usually even write a small explanation why I did it. So if I look at it 10 years later I will still understand why I did any change.

@geekartist: Anyway I agree with EL34xyz: The best solution for you will be to start afresh from the beginning.

The order should be:

-Download from SMF the package SMF 1.1.11 "Large upgrade".

-Download also all the latest versions of the mods you want to keep to be sure you have the real files.

-Upload to your server via FTP all the files inside the "Large upgrade" package overwriting the existing ones. That way you will be sure you have all the needed files and all of them are not modified by any mod.

-Update the database just in case this haven't been done lately, using the file upgrade.php included in the "Large upgrade" package. (When you finish this, remember to delete from your server the 3 upgrade files: one php and 2 sql)

-Install the mods using the Package Manager. But be sure, when you do this with every mod, to stop before you press the last button "Install now" and check that all the actions are marked as either "Success" or "Skipping file". At this point the mod has not modified yet any file, so if you see any action marked as "Error" you can stop there.

If any of the mods give you an error when installing you need to leave that mod for later and install it manually using the parsed instructions or modify the mod's files so they will install properly in your forum.

Also, with every mod you need to write down what template files are going to be modified so you can check if you have any of these files inside your particular Theme and modify them using the parsed instructions.

Sorry, forget this last one. I forgot you are using the default Theme.

Anyway I have always Skype, MSN and Yahoo connected while I'm working (that's it, when I'm not sleeping) so if you want, contact me and I can guide you through the process just in case any unexpected problem appears.

[geekartist]

Thanks for all the info and contact info snoopy_virtual and EL34xyz. Oh, how I am not looking forward to this. This forum is a reinstall due to a bugfest the original owner had (lots of packages installed and uninstalled, who-knows-what done to various files, somehow connected to two databases (don't ask me how they managed that one)).

The person who did the work on this forum set up a new database, pulled in the info from the old database, and did a fresh install of the forum. That person finally got it down to just this one round of errors in the error log, then stopped communication and work on the project. We can't reach her.

The forum owner is going to have a cow sideways over the idea of me doing a reinstall and likely having another bugfest in her error log (I was there when the person who did this was working on it...seems like there was always some bug to chase after a package was installed).

I think first, I'll go over the code with a fine-tooth comb and see if I can find what may be causing Stop Spammer to generate these errors. Sadly, no commented code, so...ouch. snoopy_virtual, I may just be in touch. :-P

[snoopy_virtual]

It's not really a re-install.

To do a new installation you will need another database again.

What I'm saying is a lot easier than it looks, because it will be using the same database you already have, just replacing needed files.

I have done it a lot of times and that's why I was suggesting doing it together.

PM me if you cannot find my contact info and let me know what messenger program you use.

[EL34]

yes, it's not that bad as snoop says.
It's not like starting an install from scratch.

I usually look at the file dates on all the smf  .php files and just upload a stock copy of files that were changed after the original installation dates.

Some of the files are still stock and have never been altered by mods, which I can tell by the date.

So, in the case of 1.1.11 files, I only have to maybe upload stock copies of maybe 10 or so files since the forum was upgrade to 1.1.11

[LinuxFanatic]

Sorry, but this mod does not work. I can install it without errors, but in the member list of ACP there are no icons. And I still have every day new spam accounts 

I'm using SMF 1.1.11 with default theme.

[snoopy_virtual]

Sorry, but this mod does not work. I can install it without errors, but in the member list of ACP there are no icons. And I still have every day new spam accounts 

I'm using SMF 1.1.11 with default theme.

Mmmmmmm....   Strange.

With no errors during installation it should be working.

Have you activated the mod after installation?

[LinuxFanatic]

Sorry, but this mod does not work. I can install it without errors, but in the member list of ACP there are no icons. And I still have every day new spam accounts 

I'm using SMF 1.1.11 with default theme.

Mmmmmmm....   Strange.

With no errors during installation it should be working.

Have you activated the mod after installation?

Yes, of course I have activated it after SMF 1.1.11 Upgrade. I also had also no error during installation.

Perhaps makes it a difference, if my forum's language is German ?

[snoopy_virtual]

Inside the file language_full.zip you can find the instructions to translate the mod to German (and a lot more languages) but as far as I know, even if you haven't done that, the mod is supposed to use the English strings if it cannot find those strings in your own language, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Just to check that out, can you read all the mod's configuration strings? and (if so) in what language they appear?

[LinuxFanatic]

Just to check that out, can you read all the mod's configuration strings? and (if so) in what language they appear?

Where can I read these strings ?

[LinuxFanatic]

Just to check that out, can you read all the mod's configuration strings? and (if so) in what language they appear?

Where can I read these strings ?

Oh sorry! It was my difficult thinking ^^^

I looked again - it appears nothing in ACP ... :-/

[snoopy_virtual]

Just to check that out, can you read all the mod's configuration strings? and (if so) in what language they appear?

Where can I read these strings ?

Navigate to: Admin => Members => Registration => Settings => And scroll down the page.

The mod's configuration strings start with "Enable/Disable MOD Stop Spammer:" and finish with: "If you haven't got one just leave it blank and the mod will use the default API key."

Can you see these strings?

If so, In what language do you see them?

[snoopy_virtual]

If you don't see them (or you see them in English) download the file language_full.zip and follow the instructions to translate the mod into German.

Anyway, if you see them please be sure that the checkbox "Enable/Disable MOD Stop Spammer:" is activated.

[LinuxFanatic]

It appears nothing  (see screenshot)

[snoopy_virtual]

It appears nothing  (see screenshot)

If you don't see them download the file language_full.zip and follow the instructions to translate the mod into German.

[LinuxFanatic]

It appears nothing  (see screenshot)

If you don't see them download the file language_full.zip and follow the instructions to translate the mod into German.

Okay I'll try it again ...