Email Alert Component for Hot Property

[gray]

Hello All,

As I've already mentioned on the forum, I developed an Email Alert Component for Hot Property. By this message I'd like to advertise my work in more details.

So, the main purpose of the component is to send email messages to registered uses about new/updated properties which match his/her criteria.

If a property matched the criteria once, alert will not be repeated regardless of any further updates in property's data.

The alert criteria could be set in two ways:

1) Using advanced search form. ANY advanced search could be used for saving new/updating existing alert.
2) Using the special form
front.JPG

Alert could be disabled/updated/deleted in any moment.
manage.JPG

Back-end Control Panel
CPanel_0_6.jpg

The component requires HP installed, but it works independently - it does not hack either PHP files of tables of Hot Property. It was tested with HP 0.97/0.98 run on Joomla! 1.0.11, 1.0.12 & 1.0.13 and Mambo 4.5.xx and 4.6.xx.

The package includes component, 2 modules for setting/managing alerts and cron mambot which launches verification of the properties in accordance with the schedule set by Admin.

Those interested in purchasing the Email Alert Component for HP, please contact me at justPHP {at} gmail {dot} com.

DEMO is available on http://demo.justphp.net

CHANGE LOG
20-Dec-2007 Version 0.6.0 is released
[*] added "Reply To" email and name for alert messages to reduce
probability of treating the alert message as SPAM[*] added JavaScript validation for sender's name & email, checking period in hours and next checking time & date format
[+] added support of UTF-8 encoded front-end language files (English,
Italian and French lang files are available in both - UTF-8 and
ISO-8859-1 encodings)
[+] new "Force Check (Debugging)" admin feature allows performing the manual alert checking
[+] new "Report Alerts Data" admin feature displays information about
users, their alert criteria and matching records[*] now the component is fully compatible with the subtype hack
[-] fixed several critical errors

20-Nov-2007 Version 0.5.5 is released
- new options to set sender's name and email address for the alert messages if you want them to differ from the email account's settings which does the mailing function
- ability to set date & time of the next check; when
the scheduled check is performed, the checking will be done periodically as set in configs (in hours)
- improved back-end control panel of the component
- improved performance (reduced number of SQL queries, no temp table is used anymore)
- component and its items are compatible with Mambo 4.5.x
- fixed several bugs

17-Oct-2007 Version 0.5.4 is released
- front-end language could be set by admin, or based on HP's setting, or Joomla's settings (compatible with JoomFish)
- added Italian front-end translation (tanks to Guido!)
- improved performance (reduced number of SQL queries, no temp table is used anymore)
- developed optional hack for disaplaying "Update Alert" or "Create Alert" links for unsuccessful advanced searches
- fixed several bugs

15-Sep-2007 Version 0.5.2 is released
- added a procedure displaying all current matches (link "Show All Matches" available in modules for registered users)
- added language selection procedure - component's language will be set the same as HP's language (respective language file should be placed in /com_alerts/lang/ folder)
- French front-end translation is available now (thanks to Jean-Marie)
- the links for adding/managing alerts are integrated into the HP simple search module; either the 'mod_hp_alerts' or 'mod_hp_search' or both could be used
- fixed some bugs & improved performance

Good Luck!

[ssnobben]

Hi

this is a nice feature but should be nice if it could work with e-mail and/or sms also, and with a billing system, auto invoicing!

What should be nice is if you could make a combination to store all the sent e-mail-standard HP requests form on their own listings and sms to the all the listeded companies/agents/(private users etc) and then bill them for how many alerts you have send to them after a period.

I have been asked about this for Nbill but they don't understand what I mean really. Its like a request/lead generation system for a standard quotation... you can say.

Here is some more info from that postings...

http://www.nbill.co.uk/forum-smf/index.php?topic=56.0

http://www.nbill.co.uk/forum-smf/index.php?topic=42.0

[lazysheepmedia]

Hi Gray

This is a great addon for HP and thank you for developing it - I have a couple of questions:

1. Is it possible to have an instant alert of a property being added?

2. When setting up the alert it has a heading that says "Alert Criteria" (See your image) - What is this? - Is it a setting in Admin and if so where do i find it

Thank you

Mark

[gray]

Originally Posted by lazysheepmedia

Hi Gray
This is a great addon for HP and thank you for developing it - I have a couple of questions:

Thanks a lot!

Originally Posted by lazysheepmedia

1. Is it possible to have an instant alert of a property being added?

Yes, just create an alert by selecting all prop types. In this case any new prop-ty will be trigging an alert (only 1 time).
PS. I'll consider adding special option in future releases.

Originally Posted by lazysheepmedia

2. When setting up the alert it has a heading that says "Alert Criteria" (See your image) - What is this? - Is it a setting in Admin and if so where do i find it

Alert criteria - it's just a "note" to user about the settings he/she used in the current alert. In other words it's a list of criteria used for trigging new/updated properties. It appears only after a user set an alert.

[lazysheepmedia]

Alert criteria - it's just a "note" to user about the settings he/she used in the current alert. In other words it's a list of criteria used for trigging new/updated properties. It appears only after a user set an alert.

Thanks Gray - OK I understand thsi a bit better now

What i am still stuck with is I am not getting any alerts by email?

Dop you have an idiots guide for me the idiot

Thanks

Mark

[gray]

First of all enable the cron bot and the component itself.
Then create an alert, let's say by selecting ALL property types.
Then ADD & publish a property (please note that after you receive an alert about this property, it's ID is being registered you not to get "double" messages; in other workds you'll be notified only once).
Then you have two options:
1) wait till the next alerts' verification period (set in hours at the component's back-end)
2) open "Components"->"HP eAlerts"->"Alert Queue" link to see the alert message you are going to get when cron is lauched

[lazysheepmedia]

OK like I said I am an idiot - I forgot to activate the bot

Working as designed!

Thanks again !!

[gray]

New version 0.5.2 of the component is released! Those who purchased the component have aready received the updates.

- added a procedure displaying all current matches (link "Show All Matches" available in modules for registered users)
- added language selection procedure - component's language will be set the same as HP's language (respective language file should be placed in /com_alerts/lang/ folder)
- French front-end translation is available now
- the links for adding/managing alerts are integrated into the HP simple search module; either the 'mod_hp_alerts' or 'mod_hp_search' or both could be used
- fixed some bugs & improved performance

[ssnobben]

Originally Posted by gray

New version 0.5.2 of the component is released! Those who purchased the component have aready received the updates.

- added a procedure displaying all current matches (link "Show All Matches" available in modules for registered users)
- added language selection procedure - component's language will be set the same as HP's language (respective language file should be placed in /com_alerts/lang/ folder)
- French front-end translation is available now
- the links for adding/managing alerts are integrated into the HP simple search module; either the 'mod_hp_alerts' or 'mod_hp_search' or both could be used
- fixed some bugs & improved performance

This is good improvements for HP and hopefully this also could be with integrated in future with a sms feature like the EZ Realty sms functionallity since version 4x with Clickatell sms gateway and other sms gateways as well.

http://www.ezrealty.info/

One example how it works http://www.reginahome.net/index.php?...k=detail&id=25

[ssnobben]

This is an good example how you use the sms system for different purposes

http://www.drutt.com/datasheets/Drutt-MSDP-ProductSheet.pdf

[ssnobben]

Sorry not the correct pdf info here is comes

http://www.drutt.com/datasheets/7%20...s%20060529.pdf

[lazysheepmedia]

Hi Gray

Could you help please

I have installed the new alert component but when i go to the How To Create Alert page it is all out of synch

The site in question

Could you help please?

Thanks

Mark

[gray]

Originally Posted by lazysheepmedia

Hi Gray

Could you help please

I have installed the new alert component but when i go to the How To Create Alert page it is all out of synch

The site in question

Could you help please?

Thanks

Mark

Mark, please contact me at justphp /at/ gmail /dot/ com to get the support.
Thanks.

[lazysheepmedia]

Hi Gray

I have fixed the problem there was a tag missing that I deleted by mistake when doing some edits

I do however get this error

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/sites/lostalab.co.uk/public_html/components/com_alerts/alerts.html.php on line 58

..when I am viewing/updating alerts - I have tried reinstalling the mod/component but no luck

Thanks

[lazysheepmedia]

Hi Gray

I want to be able to setup the alert so it alerts my members of property in the state/county that they choose

How can this be done?

Thanks

Mark

[ssnobben]

Originally Posted by lazysheepmedia

Hi Gray

I want to be able to setup the alert so it alerts my members of property in the state/county that they choose

How can this be done?

Thanks

Mark

Yes this would be a good feature, in conjungtion with the Rajabs CountryManager v1.2 so you can have alerts to country/state(county)/city.

So you can choose from which countries and/or states and/or cities(places) you want these alerts..

Bcs its all about localisation.

[lazysheepmedia]

Originally Posted by ssnobben

Yes this would be a good feature, in conjungtion with the Rajabs CountryManager v1.2 so you can have alerts to country/state(county)/city.

So you can choose from which countries and/or states and/or cities(places) you want these alerts..

Bcs its all about localisation.

Even better suggestion!

[ssnobben]

Originally Posted by lazysheepmedia

Even better suggestion!

An integrated plug in together with this new sms component - "com_mysms" would be great! http://extensions.joomla.org/compone...207/Itemid,35/

[gray]

Hi there!

I started working on the sms feature. I'll do my best to implement it as quick as possible.
Also, I'm thinking other how to enhance the manual alert form.

By the way - you can use ANY combination on the fields in the advanced search form to save an alert.

[ssnobben]

Originally Posted by gray

Hi there!

I started working on the sms feature. I'll do my best to implement it as quick as possible.
Also, I'm thinking other how to enhance the manual alert form.

By the way - you can use ANY combination on the fields in the advanced search form to save an alert.

Thats nice to hear. Now we just missing a kind of monitoring service where a end user can type in what kind of listings he want to monitor like property type/country etc for monitor. Example no 1 property type ttt + Monitor no 2 country xx for him and then when this kind of listing appear a email alert - sms is sent to him that a listing is fitting his need.

[gray]

Version 0.5.4 is released
- front-end language could be set by admin, or based on HP's setting, or Joomla's settings (compatible with JoomFish)
- added Italian front-end translation (tanks to Guido!)
- improved performance (reduced number of SQL queries, no temp table is used anymore)
- developed optional hack for disaplaying "Update Alert" or "Create Alert" links for unsuccessful advanced searches
- fixed several bugs

All who've purchased the component will receive the updated versions!

PS. Now I'll make a try to implement sending alerts by SMS.

[ssnobben]

Originally Posted by lazysheepmedia

Hi Gray

This is a great addon for HP and thank you for developing it - I have a couple of questions:

1. Is it possible to have an instant alert of a property being added?

2. When setting up the alert it has a heading that says "Alert Criteria" (See your image) - What is this? - Is it a setting in Admin and if so where do i find it

Thank you

Mark

Great to see this component to HP (Joomla) progressing Gray! I think many other Joomla users not only HP would love to have a component like this in general.

I like this way of setting up type of "Alert criteria" and if it could being instant too (ajax check?) and it works independently - it does not hack either PHP files of tables of Hot Property..

I just wonder if it could work together with the HPmulticats component that is a MR Lee hack together with Mr Antoine Bernier http://dev.pnumb.com/gf/project/hphacked/http://extensions.joomla.org/compone...292/Itemid,35/ to with different property types, now sales and rent.

There would be fine if there could be a extra setting for city/location for better location integrating not stopping on the country level. If it could be possible to work with country/city/location structure like Rajabs CM 1.3 country manager it would be perfect.

Well Gray, its so many extra options you can do for this component ( sms bidding procedure etc...) in future and I will come back to you about that later but keep up with this good component development, it really solve a core function for people - timing.

[to_]

Originally Posted by ssnobben

[...]with the HPmulticats component that is a MR Lee hack together with Mr Antoine Bernier[...]

Hi ssnobben,

wait wait! You've made a mistake

Like it is written in its JED's description:

Originally Posted by JED

HPmulticats is an *unofficial* hack for the great component mosets HotProperty.

that means it is a totally independent hack, with absolutely no relation with mosets development. And for a good reason: it is a hack!

I know the name of Cher Yeong Lee appears in the project on my forge but it's only to give him an access so he can reread my code and ensure I haven't stolen some of his. I should better rename his account so people doesn't make such confusion.

Cheers,
Antoine Bernier

[gray]

Originally Posted by ssnobben

I just wonder if it could work together with the HPmulticats component that is a MR Lee hack together with Mr Antoine Bernier http://dev.pnumb.com/gf/project/hphacked/http://extensions.joomla.org/compone...292/Itemid,35/ to with different property types, now sales and rent.

I haven't tested the Alert componet with that 'unofficial' hack. My component is really independent - it does not hacks the HP files or tables. But it needs data stored in HP tables.

The alert comoponent is compatible with the subtype hack developed by me. As the HPmulticats creates multi-categories, most probably it will be not compatible with them without addtional hacking.

[to_]

Originally Posted by gray

The alert comoponent is compatible with the subtype hack developed by me.

So I think my hack will be compatible with Email Alert component too since a `parent` field is also used in DB by my hack.

Have to be confirmed...Is your component under free license so I can download it and verify that?

Cheers,
Antoine Bernier

[Igorbimbich]

Yes!
It would be very useful to know, why don't you collaborate to make your components interoperable?
it would add a lot to HP!
Maybe gray could test his alert component with your (freely downloadable, it seems) categories component...

[gray]

Originally Posted by Igorbimbich

Yes!
It would be very useful to know, why don't you collaborate to make your components interoperable?
it would add a lot to HP!
Maybe gray could test his alert component with your (freely downloadable, it seems) categories component...

The hack developed Antoine BERNIER is a commercial product, as well as my alert component. So I cannot test it.
Still, of cause I'll do my best if one of my customers would like to use the multicat hack with my the alert component.

[ssnobben]

Thats good you should share each others products so you can make progress for all to use them together!

Hope you do so soon bcs I am interested of both of them and also the Country Manager by Rajab to work together! just take the first step to contact each other...

[gray]

Version 0.5.5 is released!

- new options to set sender's name and email address for the alert messages if you want them to differ from the email account's settings which does the mailing function
- ability to set date & time of the next check; when
the scheduled check is performed, the checking will be done periodically as set in configs (in hours)
- improved back-end control panel of the component
- improved performance (reduced number of SQL queries, no temp table is used anymore)
- component and its items are compatible with Mambo 4.5.x
- fixed several bugs

All who purchased the component have already received the update.

[ssnobben]

Nice to see Gray. I am interested of your product later just setting up things on new server and will use Multicat and CM too. Just bought CM to support Rajab.

Anyhow I saw this nice email alert functions on this site "http://www.hotproperty.co.uk/

Its really nice how you can make different settings for different email alerts that you want.

Is this something you do today or will have in future release?

rgds