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ListMessenger FAQ's

Sales-Type Questions:
  1. How can I purchase your program; PayPal is not available to me.
  2. Can I install ListMessenger Pro on multiple websites?
  3. Will I get the source code for ListMessenger if I download / purchase it?
  4. Can I send Spam using ListMessenger?
  5. Can I use the free version on my commercial website?
  6. What is the difference between the Light and Pro versions?
  7. Why is ListMessenger so cheap compared to other mailing list managers?
  8. If I buy ListMessenger Pro, do I get upgrades for free?
  9. If I buy ListMessenger Pro, will you install it for me? How much?
  10. Can I call a toll-free number for tech support? I want to talk to you.
  11. What is a "Domain name" when I'm trying to assign my Pro key?
  12. Can I get a refund if I no longer want / can not run ListMessenger Pro?
Support Questions:
  1. How do recipients choose between text and HTML e-mails?
  2. I'm getting an error when I compose a new message with quotes.
  3. I'm not able to log into ListMessenger 0.9.4 after it's installed.
  4. I'm getting a MySQL error in 0.9.4 when I try to subscribe using a form.
  5. I just changed hosting providers and I can't log into ListMessenger now.
  6. How many e-mails or lists can ListMessenger handle?
  7. What type of sending methods does ListMessenger support?
  8. How does ListMessenger handle bounced e-mails?
  9. How do I prune the Queue Manager in ListMessenger 0.9.4?
  10. How do I resend confirmation e-mails from ListMessenger?
  11. Why doesn't the Spell Checking show up in my version of ListMessenger?
  12. Why does the Import tool only have Excel files not CSV or raw CSV upload?
  13. Why does my version of ListMessenger not have the Import tool?
  14. How do I modify the confirmation e-mails?
  15. What is the MX Lookup in the end-user tools for?
  16. ListMessenger is sending messages very slowly; what's wrong?
  17. Why do get PHP warnings when I'm using ListMessenger 0.9.4?
  18. How can I change the message encoding type to something else?
  19. Can the Spell Checker check other languages spelling?
  20. Can I assign multiple administrators to ListMessenger?
  21. Can ListMessenger be multi-lingual at all?
  22. How do I create my own language pack for the end-user tools?
  23. How can I add file attachments to my messages?
  24. What are e-mail variables and how do I use them?
  25. ListMessenger is giving me an error about not being able to find a file.
  26. Can I send e-mails in batches then wait for a bit and send more?
  27. How do I make the backups, tmp, files and images directories writeable by PHP?
  28. What is the default username and password? I can't login!
  29. Can I use a Flash form to subscribe to ListMessenger?
  30. Is it possible to offset my servers default timezone?


All the Answers:
  1. How do recipients choose between text and HTML e-mails?
    Messages with ListMessenger are sent using multi-part alternative, which means that if the end-user's e-mail client both supports and has enabled messages to be displayed as HTML; they will be displayed as HTML.

    If a user's e-mail client either does not support, they have HTML messages disabled or there is no HTML version of the message present, e-mails sent with ListMessenger will be displayed as plain text.
  2. I'm getting an error when I compose a new message with quotes.
    Make sure that your PHP installation has something called magic_quotes_gpc enabled. If it doesn't and you use quotes in a message you may get an error that states: "Sorry, that message could not be found".

    To see if you have magic_quotes_gpc enabled you can create a new file (eg, test.php) and put the following code in it:
    <?php
    if(ini_get("magic_quotes_gpc")) {
         echo "Magic Quotes are enabled.";
    } else {
         echo "Magic Quotes are not enabled.";
    }
    ?>
    If the above code returns "Magic Quotes are not enabled.", then you'll need to enable this using either .htaccess or though your Apache configuration file (httpd.conf / vhost.conf) because as of PHP 4.3.3 you are not able to set magic_quotes_gpc using ini_set().
  3. I'm not able to log into ListMessenger 0.9.4 after it's installed.
    If when you attempt to log into ListMessenger it just keeps returning you to the login screen and does not state any error messages such as "Invalid username or password", this has historically occurred when your hosting provider's session support is not setup correct, or is setup in a way that ListMessenger has trouble using.

    What I recommend doing is if you can create and use .htaccess files, create one and put the following in it:
    php_value magic_quotes_gpc 1
    php_value allow_url_fopen 1
    php_value register_globals 0
    php_value session.cookie_lifetime 0
    php_value session.cookie_secure 0
    php_value session.name PHPSESSID
    php_value session.referer_check 0

    If you cannot use .htaccess files, you can put the following code at the top (just below <?) of these files: index.php, about.php, messagesend.php and messagesend_worker.php.
    @ini_set("magic_quotes_gpc", 1);
    @ini_set("allow_url_fopen", 1);
    @ini_set("session.cookie_lifetime", 0);
    @ini_set("session.cookie_secure", 0);
    @ini_set("session.name", "PHPSESSID");
    @ini_set("session.referer_check", "");

    If you are getting "Invalid username or password", ListMessenger 0.9.4's default username and password are: admin / password as stated in the installation instructions. The default username and password for ListMessenger 0.9.5+ are your database username and password.
  4. I'm getting a MySQL error in 0.9.4 when I try to subscribe using a form.
    This has been historically caused by the user entering a URL instead of the full path to the ListMessenger installation directory. The $lm_path variable should be set to something like, /home/websites/domain.com/httpdocs/listmessenger/ not http://www.domain.com/listmessenger/.
  5. I just changed hosting providers and I can't log into ListMessenger now.
    If you've either just changed hosting providers and your paths have changed or ListMessenger can't find the files that it needs to run, you will get errors like:
    - Unable to find error document.
    - Please run the setup program to continue

    To resolve this, you'll need to use PHPMyAdmin or another sort of database administration tool (such as command line) and run the following query:
    UPDATE `preferences` SET `preference_value`='/my/new/path/to/listmessenger/' WHERE `preference_id`='14'

    You'll need to replace /my/new/path/to/listmessenger/ with your actual new path to the ListMessenger directory. Finally, I suggest closing then reopening your browser so as you have a new session all ready to go.
  6. How many e-mails or lists can ListMessenger handle?
    This is a very open ended question and is very much dependant on your hardware, mail server and restrictions set outside the scope of the program. In theory the current maximum number of e-mail addresses that ListMessenger can handle is the maximum number of MySQL inserts that your server can do within the set maximum execution time. There are many different ways to benchmark this number; however, I can give some real life examples.

    The maximum known number of subscribers is with a company that supplies fire and emergency services departments with their tools of the trade. Their most recent number of users was over 950,000. I know they have powerful server farm running their setup; however, with little to no modifications they have successfully sent out several mailings.

    There are other users that have mentioned to me that they have a large subscriber base and haven't had any troubles sending 80,000 or 90,000 messages out.

    While these are large scale examples, there are many websites using ListMessenger to send out to smaller subscriber bases such as 50 - 150 users and beyond.

    Please keep in mind, ListMessenger is not a Spam tool and I take this very seriously. There are advanced tracking systems build into the program that make it easy for me to identify the individual and reseller behind any spam messages. Not only will your account and keys be black listed; I will sleep better knowing that a) Your personal information was posted on Spamcop b) I have reported you to every authority that would do anything about your Spam :)
  7. What type of sending methods does ListMessenger support?
    ListMessenger currently uses the PHPMailer mailing class to send mail. The PHPMailer mailing class currently support messages being sent by PHP's mail() function, Single and Redundant SMTP connections as well as Unix Sendmail.
  8. How does ListMessenger handle bounced e-mails?
    ListMessenger currently does not have an automated bounce handling system, although future versions of the program will contain this feature.

    ListMessenger does have an administrator definable "Errors To:" e-mail address that can be set in the ListMessenger Program Preferences. Any bounced messages will be automagically returned to this address for either manual processing or for /dev/null'ing.
  9. How do I prune the Queue Manager in ListMessenger 0.9.4?
    ListMessenger 0.9.4 does not have an automated way to "prune" or delete old messages that are located in the Queue Manager. You'll need to do this manually using PHPMyAdmin or another database administration utility (such as the command line).

    The MySQL query to do so would be:
    DELETE FROM `email_queues`
  10. How do I resend confirmation e-mails from ListMessenger?
    Having the administrator resend e-mail confirmations is currently not possible within ListMessenger, although future versions of the program will support such actions.
  11. Why doesn't the Spell Checking show up in my version of ListMessenger?
    The text message spell checking requires that you have pSpell support compiled with PHP. If you do not have pSpell support compiled with PHP, the "Spell Check" button will not be available to you.
  12. Why does the Import tool only have Excel files not CSV or raw CSV upload?
    The CSV file and raw CSV import data methods of importing are only available to users who use PHP 4.3+. This is due to the fact that the enclosure parameter for the fgetcsv() function was not added until PHP 4.3.0.

    Users who need to import their lists are encouraged to open your CSV file in Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice's Calc and save their file as a .xls to import into ListMessenger.
  13. Why does my version of ListMessenger not have the Import tool?
    Only the Pro and higher versions of ListMessenger support list importing, the free versions do not. This is not because it is a selling point, but because of the possibility of abuse that importing e-mail addresses can pose.
  14. How do I modify the confirmation e-mails?
    In ListMessenger 1.0+ you can modify the confirmation e-mails by logging into ListMessenger, clicking Control Panel, Preferences, End-User Preferences and editing "Opt-in Request Message" and "Opt-out Request Message". Please be sure that if you modify these messages that you include the [name], [url], [abuse_address] and [from] variables in order for all the data to be sent to the user.

    If you're using an earlier version of ListMessenger you will have to edit code manually in the listmessenger.php file.
  15. What is the MX Lookup in the end-user tools for?
    An MX Lookup (not available for Windows servers) is used to evaluate the e-mail address that the end-user provides. For example, if they enter email@address.com, ListMessenger will check to ensure that address.com has a valid mail exchanger record in their DNS. This is to ensure that the domain that the end-user entered is a) valid b) is able to accept e-mail. This function can possibly slow down the script by a split second or so, but also helps to prevent false e-mail addresses in your list.
  16. ListMessenger is sending messages very slowly; what's wrong?
    This could be caused by a number of reasons beyond ListMessenger's control.

    The first thing I would check is that you have appropriate entries for the "Messages Per Refresh" and "Pause Between Refreshes" settings in Control Panel, Preferences, Program Preferences. Make sure that you don't have ListMessenger trying to send too many messages per refresh or have it waiting too long between refreshes. I recommend the default setting of 55 messages per refresh and waiting 1 second before the next refresh.

    This could also be caused by the setting in which you have ListMessenger sending mail. If the above settings are correct and you are still experiencing the problem, I would recommend changing the method in which ListMessenger sends mail. IE) If you're currently using PHP's mail() function, change to SMTP; if your using SMTP change to Sendmail; etc etc.

    If problems persist, you can try asking in the forum.
  17. Why do get PHP warnings when I'm using ListMessenger 0.9.4?
    This is likely because you have PHP set to display all errors including notices (which is not recommended for production environments) in your php.ini file. You can disable these notices by adding the following code to index.php, about.php, messagesend.php and messagesend_worker.php:
    @ini_set("error_reporting", E_ALL ^ E_NOTICE);
  18. How can I change the message encoding type to something else?
    ListMessenger 2.0+ has the ability for you to set your message encoding type simply by logging into ListMessenger, clicking Control Panel, Preferences, Program Preferences and selecting your encoding type in the drop down box. By default ListMessenger is set to iso-8859-1, but you can set it to whatever you wish.
  19. Can the Spell Checker check other languages spelling?
    Yes, ListMessenger can check the spelling of languages other than English; however, you must make sure that the desired language's dictionary is included with aSpell. You will also need to spellcheck.php and change line 47 from:
    $pspell_link = pspell_new("en", "", "", "", PSPELL_FAST|PSPELL_RUN_TOGETHER);
    to:
    $pspell_link = pspell_new("RP", "", "", "", PSPELL_FAST|PSPELL_RUN_TOGETHER);

    You will need to replace "RP" with the actual 2 letter ISO language code (eg: fr).

    Please note that support will not be provided for installing or configuring aSpell or any language dictionaries as this is beyond our scope of technical support.
  20. Can I assign multiple administrators to ListMessenger?
    Currently this is not possible through ListMessenger, as there is only one assignable administrator username and password. Multiple administrator support is in the pipes for a future version of ListMessenger, please stay tuned for details.
  21. Can ListMessenger be multi-lingual at all?
    The ListMessenger program interface can not be multi-lingual as the program in it's current state was not designed for this; however, a future version of ListMessenger may support this (this feature has been talked about, but has not yet reached planning stages).

    The End-User tools (IE, the part of ListMessenger that the end-user would use, like the sign-up messages and what-not) as of 1.0 are multi-lingual capable and use language files that are located in the public/languages directory.
  22. How do I create my own language pack for the end-user tools?
    If you would like to create and maintain your own language pack for the ListMessenger end-user tools you are more than welcome to. Simple take the default english.lang.php file located by default in the public/languages directory and copy it to [language].lang.php (eg. spanish.lang.php). Then all you need to do is carefully edit each line maintaining any specified [variables]. Once you've completed this you can log into ListMessenger, Control Panel, Preferences, End-User Preferences and select your new language from the "Language File" select box.

    If you're interested in maintaining your language file for future versions of ListMessenger, please let us know in the forum and we will include your language in future versions of ListMessenger Light & Pro!
  23. How can I add file attachments to my messages?
    ListMessenger 2.0 Pro has the ability to send file attachments with any message. If you would like to distribute PDF documents, Text files, etc with your e-mail you are able to do this by either uploading the file from your computer or adding a file which you've previously uploaded.
  24. What are e-mail variables and how do I use them?
    The term "e-mail variables" referrers to key words wrapped with square brackets (eg: [name]) that you can use in your messages or HTML templates, which will be replaced by actual user-specific data when the message is sent.

    You can currently use [name], [date], [email] in either your message or your e-mail template and you could use them like:
    Hello [name],
    This message is being sent on [date] to [email].
    Thanks very much,
    My Mailing List
    would be received by the user as:
    Hello Bob Smith,
    This message is being sent on Oct 14th 2003 5:34am to myemail@address.com.
    Thanks very much,
    My Mailing List

    ListMessenger 2.0+ also has custom e-mail variables, so you can create your own variables and replace them with data that is specific for each subscriber. (e.g. [age], [sex], [address], [city])
  25. ListMessenger is giving me an error about not being able to find a file.
    If you are getting a PHP error stating that ListMessenger cannot find a specific file, the first thing I would do is try re-uploading the files from the distribution file to your web server. Chances are that the file either was never uploaded (maybe missed by your FTP client) or you have accidentally deleted it.

    ListMessenger can not accidentally delete one of its own files and trust me, it's not something that magically would disappear (accept if you're a Windows user, then just be quiet and accept it. hehe).
  26. Can I send e-mails in batches then wait for a bit and send more?
    Yes, ListMessenger has the ability to send X number of messages, then wait X number of seconds before sending more messages. These settings can be set by logging into ListMessenger, Control Panel, Preferences, Program Preferences and changing "Messages Per Refresh" and "Pause Between Refreshes".

    Please keep in mind that if you set "Pause Between Refreshes" too high it may result in PHP reaching it's maximum execution time and the sending program will just time out. Setting it to 10-15 seconds should not pose a problem and is more than enough time for a mail server to send 10-100 messages. The default setting is 1 second.
  27. How do I make the backups, tmp, files and images directories writeable by PHP?
    To set these directories to be writable by PHP, you can usually do this by logging into your web server via FTP and setting the directory permissions to 777.

    You can also set this if you have shell access by typing:
    chmod 777 /full/path/to/listmessenger/backups
    chmod 777 /full/path/to/listmessenger/tmp
    chmod 777 /full/path/to/listmessenger/public/images
    chmod 777 /full/path/to/listmessenger/public/files
  28. What is the default username and password? I can't login!
    Version 2.0
    There is no real default username and password... the username and password are assigned by you during the ListMessenger installation.

    Versions 0.9.5 - 1.0.0
    The default username and password is the same username and password you are using to connect to your database (located in config.inc.php).

    Versions 0.5.0 - 0.9.4
    The default username and password for are Username: "admin" and Password: "password".

    In any version it is suggested that you change this through the Control Panel, Preferences, Program Preferences.
  29. Can I use a Flash form to subscribe to ListMessenger?
    Yes, you can use Flash forms as the end-user subscribe forms to post to the listmessenger.php file. Examples of how to do this will eventually be included with ListMessenger and will be shown on the website.

    The following information was provided by "Mark" in the ListMessenger forum:
    Make a text file with the variables named From.txt, which flash sends info and passes it onto php simple!! hee hee. Enter this into the text file!

    submit=Proceed&group_ids[]=1&action=&full_name=&email_address=

    Actions in form:
    Form = new LoadVars();
    Form.load("Form.txt");

    Subscribe & unsubscribe:

    on (release) {
         Form.action = "subscribe";
         Form.send("listmessenger.php", "_blank", "post");
    }

    Voila!
  30. How can I purchase your program; PayPal is not available to me.
    First of all, let me apologize for currently only accepting PayPal. I realize that it is not available everywhere and it is unfortunate that you're left out of the automated system.

    Secondly, I do accept other methods of payment including, Western Union, MoneyGram, International Money Order, Cheque, etc. Please contact us via e-mail to arrange payment: sales at listmessenger dot com
  31. Can I install ListMessenger Pro on multiple websites?
    No, ListMessenger Pro can only be installed on one website/domain per licence key, as clearly stated in the terms of service that you agree to when purchasing and installing ListMessenger.

    You may; however, post ListMessenger's end-user forms on as many websites as you desire as long as they all lead back to the single instance of ListMessenger you have installed.

    If you are caught with an illegal version of ListMessenger, unfortunately your key will be black listed and you will not be able to use your copy of ListMessenger. If this happens you can purchase a new key one time; however, if you're caught a second time your account will be banned from our key system.

    If you intend on purchasing more than 2 licences of ListMessenger Pro, please contact "sales at listmessenger dot com" to arrange a reseller agreement where you can receive and additional $10CAD off of the retail cost of a ListMessenger licence key.
  32. Will I get the source code for ListMessenger if I download / purchase it?
    Yes, the source code is included with both ListMessenger Light and ListMessenger Pro.

    Why? Because we believe in Open Source and we believe that leaving the source open results in better code, better products and a better community of users who are all active in the development and implementation of the project.
  33. Can I send Spam using ListMessenger?
    If you clicked on this link hoping to see a positive answer, you're not welcome to use ListMessenger and you are not welcome at this website.

    Using ListMessenger as method to deliver your garbage will not be tolerated. ListMessenger is not a Spam tool and I take this very seriously. There are advanced tracking systems build into the program that make it easy for me to identify the individual and reseller behind any spam messages. Not only will your account and keys be black listed; I will sleep better knowing that a) Your personal information was posted on Spamcop b) I have reported you to every authority that would do anything about your Spam. So just to reiterate, no you cannot send spam with ListMessenger.
  34. Can I use the free version on my commercial website?
    Yes you may! Unlike many other free mailing list applications, you're welcome to use ListMessenger Light on a commercial website. The only restriction being that you may not use ListMessenger to send spam, as some places consider this a commercial industry.

    If you're using ListMessenger Light on a commercial website, we would appreciate knowing about it or would gladly accept a link back to our website from yours (although this is not required)! Enjoy the program!
  35. What is the difference between the Light and Pro versions?
    You can see the differences laid down on our Features page and test out the differences at our Demos page.
  36. Why is ListMessenger so cheap compared to other mailing list managers?
    This is a difficult question to really answer; I think that the cost of the product is a direct reflection of how much it takes to run the company that makes the application. EG, If you have a company with 25 employee's and you need to pay them each $40,000CAD you've got some selling to do.

    ListMessenger was developed mainly by me, Matt Simpson, with the help of programmers, individuals and PHP classes. I personally put roughly 500 hours getting to ListMessenger 1.0; however, all it cost me was time and some smaller expenses. So my cost to the consumer is justifiably less than it would cost a larger company.

    Anyways, this could go on forever, so I'll just say... because I wanted to develop a high-quality, inexpensive solution for individuals and companies to use to manage their valid electronic mailing lists.
  37. If I buy ListMessenger Pro, do I get upgrades for free?
    Yes, when you purchase ListMessenger Pro you will receive free upgrades for all future versions of ListMessenger Pro.
  38. If I buy ListMessenger Pro, will you install it for me? How much?
    Yes, if you purchase ListMessenger Pro basic installation is included and is usually completed within 72 hours of us receiving all required information. Please contact sales as listmessenger dot com to arrange installation after you purchase and have received your licence key.

    The following information is required in order for us to complete your installation or upgrade:
    MySQL Hostname:
    MySQL Database:
    MySQL Username:
    MySQL Password:

    FTP Hostname:
    FTP Username:
    FTP Password:

    Forwarded ListMessenger Licence Key E-Mail.
  39. Can I call a toll-free number for tech support? I want to talk to you.
    No, telephone sales or support is not available. If you need to speak with someone, please use the forum or e-mail and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
  40. What is a "Domain name" when I'm trying to assign my Pro key?
    A domain name is your website address without the http or www. Eg. listmessenger.com is a domain name, while http://www.listmessenger.com or www.listmessenger.com would not be correct. Please input only the domain name when assigning your licence key.
  41. Can I get a refund if I no longer want / can not run ListMessenger Pro?
    Unfortunately refunds for our electronic software are not possible. Users are strongly urged to ensure that they are able to run ListMessenger before purchasing the software. All system requirements can be found on the Downloads page.
  42. Is it possible to offset my servers default timezone?
    ListMessenger Pro 2.0 has the ability to offset your servers default timezone and adjust for daylight savings time. ListMessenger Light 1.0 does not yet have this feature; although it will be available with ListMessenger Light 2.0 when it is released.
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 Latest News
March 25th, 2007
ListMessenger 2.1 has just been released (Pro & Light)! This release adds several new features and resolves all known bugs, making this our most stable release to date. To read the full release announcement, please visit the public forums.
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