Bypassing Email Digest Type [V2.6]

Bypassing Email Digest Type [V2.6]

by Hugh Edwards -
Number of replies: 7

Hello all, 

Is there any way to bypass a users email digest settings for forum posts? I have a news forum which from time to time I want to email out updates using the Mail Now checkbox. The problem is that if a user's settings are set to a daily digest, it doesn't 'mail now' and instead clumps the email into a daily digest mail for that user. 

Having over 5000 users, the default setting we put in for all accounts is a daily digest to keep SMTP hosting costs down....so all of our users have emails in a daily digest rather than an instant email. The real issue is that moodle creates the digest in the order that posts were written. So if we need to send out something that we actually consider quite important, but we had 5 user posts beforehand and 5 after, then our message to the user is lost in the middle of a digest list, and no-one sees it.

Is there any way to actually make 'mail now' bypass mail digest settings and actually do what it says on the tin....and mail now!!??

Thanks!

Hugh. smile

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In reply to Hugh Edwards

Re: Bypassing Email Digest Type [V2.6]

by Jez H -

there is a new feature in Moodle 2.6 to allow individual settings for different forums, not sure if you still have to edit the URL to get at it:

http://docs.moodle.org/26/en/Forum_FAQ#Can_I_have_different_email_digests_for_different_forums.3F

you may be able to do something with that, taking off the per user digest and adding it to individual forums, not sure if there is another way around this.

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In reply to Jez H

Re: Bypassing Email Digest Type [V2.6]

by Hugh Edwards -

Hi Jez. 

Immediately, that looks amazing, on closer reflection, isn't that setting just per the logged in user? It doesn't read like it affects all members of that forum?

Thanks for the help! 

[Edit: I've noticed that doing this creates an entry in mdl_forum_digests which I guess I could automate to every user for that forum, but it's a little bit of a pain in the arse! an option though if there is no other way...]

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In reply to Hugh Edwards

Re: Bypassing Email Digest Type [V2.6]

by Jez H -

Yes it would be a pain.

maybe something like this would be better particularly if these are sales related, i.e. You are trying to convert users  of free courses to paying customers:

http://connect.mailchimp.com/integrations/moodle-block-for-mailchimp-integration

you can pick up professional email templates for $12 on graphicriver.net

Mailchimp costs money but would be much better for sales related stuff, if indeed that is what you are doing.

 

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In reply to Hugh Edwards

Re: Bypassing Email Digest Type [V2.6]

by Andreas Panagiotopoulos -

You can send a message through participants page of a course (http://docs.moodle.org/26/en/Participants).

Using messaging an email is sent almost immediately (at next cron run) to the participants that you select.

You can use it and write the link of the posting that they have to visit..

 

Andreas

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In reply to Andreas Panagiotopoulos

Re: Bypassing Email Digest Type [V2.6]

by Hugh Edwards -

Hi Andreas - yes but don't you have to select each individual member to message? This would be impractical for me....I'm hoping you know a way of messaging all members of a course at the same time!! smile 

[Edit: I have done some more research, and you can Show All XXXX at the bottom of the participants page, and then click the Select All button, and then choose Send Message....which seems like it's the answer to all my problems...until.....

"A required parameter (formaction) was missing"

...on the resulting page - it won't add them all.... sad 

Is this a known bug?!]

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