10 more custom fields? (Modify lm_users table?)

[DW]

This has been suggested a few times but will require modifying the ListMail users database table.  Such a change -will- break plugins and custom scripts that insert users into the ListMail database -  this is why it hasn't been done yet.

I've created this post/poll to receive input about this change.

Please take the time to vote!

[idealizm]

Just a thought - couldn't the additional fields be stored in a new table?

[DW]

I'm developing ListMail 2.0 as we speak and have been tossing around such ideas.  Theoretically yes, all user data could be stored in a separate table to provide for unlimited custom fields.  This will likely be how the feature is implemented in the future.  For 2.0, with advanced link tracking and numerous other improvements. I am not sure if additional custom fields will make it unless I do it the "easy" way which is this thread's topic.  Thanks for your input!

Regards

[funston]

26 June 2007 01:48:51 Central Daylight Time

Dear Dean,

I just read Dave Isaacs' and Aaron Leighton's "How to Get Other People To Build Your List For You"

On page 35 they talk of making an appealling email course, promoting your product or service, then sending your affiliates a customized signup form for the email course about your product or service

On page 38 it talks about using custom fields then making it a hidden field so that when people sign up to your list, preferrably ListMailPro, your affliates put their affilate link into the hidden field. "Make the custom fields "hidden", tell people where to insert their affiliate id's, then ask them to upload your form to their site(s)."

The result is that your affiliates help you build a double optin list and they get credited with an affiliate commission if a person buys your product.

With only 10 custom fields I could only have 10 affiliates or am I mistaken ?

Thank you for your attention to the above request and please have a pleasant day!

Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
Frank F Eckdall
ffunston@swbell.net
P.D.They noted in their nice article that GetResponse allows up to 10 custom fields and that Aweber.com gives you 25 different custom fields.

[DW]

Hi Frank,

On page 38 it talks about using custom fields then making it a hidden field so that when people sign up to your list, preferrably ListMailPro, your affliates put their affilate link into the hidden field. "Make the custom fields "hidden", tell people where to insert their affiliate id's, then ask them to upload your form to their site(s)."

This can be done with ListMailPRO.  Basically your HTML page should be able to process PHP, which can be achieved in .html files if necessary via an .htaccess file:

Code: [Select]

RemoveHandler .html .htm
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php .htm .html
Next, instruct your affiliates to browse to a particular URL, ie:

http://example.com/subscribe.html?r=affiliateID

In a ListMail signup form in subscribe.html pass the "r" variable via a hidden custom field and embedded PHP:

Code: [Select]

<input type=hidden name=user1 value="<?php echo $_GET['r'&#93;; ?>">

You should only need one custom field to store the referrer of each user.  A simple custom MySQL query run in a program like PhpMyAdmin could list top referrers by counting the users they have referred:

Code: [Select]

SELECT user1, count(*) AS referred FROM lm_users WHERE list = '1' GROUP BY user1 ORDER BY referred DESC
Please let me know if you have further questions on this

Regards

[funston]

Hi Dean,

Thank you very much for your response!

I understand everything except what does the URL do and where in phpMyAdmin would I put the custom query? Just bring up my database then SQL tab and paste the query code there or do I select the lm_users table then paste the query code? I just want to make sure.

Correct me if I am mistaken the URL. ie,
http://example.com/subscribe.html?r=affiliateID
would essentially be a different one, i.e. changing only the affiliateID. for each affiliate but I would only need to make one subscribe form, making sure of course that it can process php via the .htaccess injection into apache. Is this correct?

Essentially, just send each affiliate the same basic URL but with their affiliateID so they don't have to make their own form?

I can't thank you enough for your help, thanks again!

Kind regards,
Frank Eckdall
P.D. If this is correct I could let my affiliates use a free cloaking service that I have put up and they wouldn't have to worry about potential customers seeing their affiliateID. http://rewriteurl.com

[DW]

Frank,

I understand everything except what does the URL do and where in phpMyAdmin would I put the custom query? Just bring up my database then SQL tab and paste the query code there or do I select the lm_users table then paste the query code? I just want to make sure.

You must select the ListMail database or a table in the ListMail database then, yes, click "SQL" and paste the query there.

I would only need to make one subscribe form, making sure of course that it can process php via the .htaccess injection into apache. Is this correct?

Yes, that's right.  Additionally, if your subscribe form file is named something.php or your server is set to process PHP in .html files you won't need the .htaccess modification.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance!

Regards

[Charybdis]

I wonder, what is the Listmail 2.0 release date???

[DW]

Sorry, all I can say is "when it's ready"... I'm set on this year at the latest...  :lol: but it should just be a couple months at the very most (even if I choose to rewrite it all

From the results of the poll in this thread it looks like I'll be adding more custom fields, too.

Regards

[DW]

I take it back. After another client asked me the same question I got to working again on LMP as my top priority. If you're interested in some of the stuff I've been working on check it out here. Hang in there!

[HLT]

Dean dont worry about it.  I know what its like to have a thousand things to do, and not enough time (or even motivation) to do it.  On top of that, finding things that fill the hours in your day with actual *HOURLY INCOME* can make updating ListMail at the bottom of the priority totem pole.  I wonder if development would speed up if you had some income hourly on it?