Use MLM on 2d Computer

[asta]

Can a second computer on the LAN access the MLM database or is the computer that installs MLM the only one that can?

If so, how is the second computer set up to access the remote list, click tracking, etc?

 

[stanbusk]

Yes, you can access the lists from as many computers as you need. For click-through data it is another story. We need to change something in MaxBulk Mailer to allow that or you need to copy the deliveries file to the other computer.

 

[asta]

I was able to access the remote list on my second computer, but when I tried to access statistics I was give a system warning that I do not have permission to access the server. I figured that was a configuration issue between my server and client, not an issue with MLM. My guess is that when I select "statistics," MLM tries to reach the mysql database, but since the second computer never setup MLM it does not have the login/password for the database stored . . . but if that's true, why can it access the remote list? I'm confused.

Anyway, on the second computer I was able to access the remote list and sent a test message from the list. That went fine, but when I tried to look at click-tracking stats I got the permissions error.

I did not try to upload or append names to the database using the second computer. That is not a problem, is it?

I guess my questions are:

1) once MLM is set up on one computer, can a second computer sync addresses to the remote list?

2) can a second computer be configured to get statistics on messages it sends and/or messages sent by the first computer using the same remote list? Or are statistics available only on the computer which sends the message?

3) where can I enter a login/password in MaxBulk or elsewhere to allow a second computer (which did not "set up" MLM) to access statistics stored on the sql database?

Thanks!

 

[stanbusk]

1) once MLM is set up on one computer, can a second computer sync addresses to the remote list?

Yes. Actually there is no such MLM setup on any computer. MLM is only installed on a single server. To connect to MLM from a computer you just need to enter the MLM URL, the User ID and the password into the MaxBulk Mailer preferences.

2) can a second computer be configured to get statistics on messages it sends and/or messages sent by the first computer using the same remote list? Or are statistics available only on the computer which sends the message?

Yes but you have to copy the statistics file from one computer to the other as I told you in my first post. Let me know your OS and I will tell you where that file is located.

3) where can I enter a login/password in MaxBulk or elsewhere to allow a second computer (which did not "set up" MLM) to access statistics stored on the sql database?

In the preferences, second panel.

 

[asta]

10.6.4 client and server.

So, once a message is sent from a remote list, only the sender's computer is able to see statistics for that message, correct?

 

[asta]

3) where can I enter a login/password in MaxBulk or elsewhere to allow a second computer (which did not "set up" MLM) to access statistics stored on the sql database?

In the preferences, second panel.

is that the "admin" log/pass or the sql log/pass?

 

[stanbusk]

It is the admin account ID and password. MaxBulk Mailer doesn't access mySQL but MLM. MLM is the one that will access mySQL.

 

[asta]

so when a user accesses the statistics pane MaxBulk calls the server? i.e., maxbulk tries to connect to the mlm folder on the server?

i thought it went to the sql file since statistics are in a table there

where is the statistics file kept on mac 10.6?

also, for clarity, when i open maxbulk it makes a connection to the server via afp -- i know because i can see it on my server admin page. when i open statistics, it seems to want to access the server again but with a different log/pass. is that right?

so, on my second machine i open maxbulk, it connects correctly to the server and i can open remote lists, but when i try to access statistics, it tells me i have no permission.

 

[stanbusk]

so when a user accesses the statistics pane MaxBulk calls the server? i.e., maxbulk tries to connect to the mlm folder on the server?

MaxBulk Mailer calls MLM, MLM gets the data from the mySQL database and returns it to MaxBulk Mailer.

i thought it went to the sql file since statistics are in a table there

Yes but you don't access the database directly. MLM does it.

where is the statistics file kept on mac 10.6?

I guess you mean the Deliveries file, right? The deliveries file is located here: '~/Library/Application Support/Maxprog/MaxBulk Mailer/Deliveries/Deliveries.log'.

also, for clarity, when i open maxbulk it makes a connection to the server via afp -- i know because i can see it on my server admin page. when i open statistics, it seems to want to access the server again but with a different log/pass. is that right?

I guess you mean a HTTP connection thru port 80. This is to check for unsubscribes for the selected list. That can be deactivated from the preferences. The password is always the same. Whatever you do in MaxBulk Mailer related to MLM, the password and User ID are the one you have set in the lm_settings.php file and you have entered in the MaxBulk Mailer preferences. There is no several passwords, just one.

so, on my second machine i open maxbulk, it connects correctly to the server and i can open remote lists, but when i try to access statistics, it tells me i have no permission.

 

[asta]

ok, but when i click "statistics" maxbulk obviously wants to go somewhere on my server rather than a local folder because i get a warning from my computer (not from maxbulk) that "you do not have permission to access the server"

so, where specifically on the server is maxbulk trying to look when i hit statistics? if it is not going to the sql database, it must be trying to go to the "lm" folder on the host server, in my case a remote xserve on the local network

but, i don't think so because i do have permission to go to lm and access the remote list.

so where is maxbulk going for the statistics? and is maxbulk set to automatically give a login/password to the server when i click statistics? is it trying to get to the folder via ftp? aft? webdav?

 

[stanbusk]

ok, but when i click "statistics" maxbulk obviously wants to go somewhere on my server rather than a local folder because i get a warning from my computer (not from maxbulk) that "you do not have permission to access the server"

Yes, MaxBulk Mailer executes the lm.php script on your server with the delivery number parameter. The lm.php script asks the mySQL data for that delivery data and then returns it to MaxBulk Mailer. Delivery numbers are stored locally, statistics are stored on your mySQL server. I asked you to move the files with deliveries so the numbers are available to MaxBulk Mailer on the left list when you open the statistics panel.

and is maxbulk set to automatically give a login/password to the server when i click statistics?

Yes, when MaxBulk Mailer executes the lm.php script it also passes the admin ID and password parameters. If those parameters are wrong lm.php will abort.

is it trying to get to the folder via ftp? aft? webdav?

MaxBulk Mailer simply calls a PHP file via HTTP on port 80.

 

[asta]

MaxBulk Mailer simply calls a PHP file via HTTP on port 80.

what folder or file is maxbulk calling when i hit "statistics"? is it lm.php or something else?

i can't figure out why my second computer has permission to call MLM to get the remote list but does not have permission to call MLM to get statistics -- so maxbulk must be looking someplace different

 

[asta]

fixed: for some reason trashing all the maxprog preference files and folder in app support, then restarting maxbulk, did the trick. i was able to transfer back the mailing lists and some account preferences. don't know why this worked but it did.

also, be advised that after i changed the account log/pass for mlm i was still able to access the remote list using the old log/pass

 

[elonn]

I just try to do all that post tells us to do and it works perfectly.
I use on a second computer the id and password and url path of the lm.php page.( preference pane )

We can load distants lists from the second computer without any problem.

I copy the deliveries.log from the first to the second computer and all history and statistics appear in the second computer.

But

What happen when we bulk a new message from the second computer. and if we do the same thing from the first computer.

i think we have to be carefull with the synchro of the two delivery.log files.

Is there a mean to work with two computer ( or more ) with the delevery automaticaly sync. (or log onto an sql table )

My two computers aren' t on the same network

I' m ready to pay for a network version of that software.

Thanks for your work.

 

[stanbusk]

Good question, I am already looking into a solution to that. The idea is to be able to get the delivery data from MLM rather than the local file. There is only one problem though, MLM never knows the number of messages that were actually sent, only the number of messages that were supposed to be sent. If those numbers are equal, that is, you haven't clicked on the 'Cancel' button and the delivery has not been fully interrupted, this is not an issue. If those numbers are not the same then you will get percentages based on the number of messages that was supposed to be sent and not on the number of messages that was sent. Perhaps I can add a preference so you can use the local file or the remote info...

 

[gregduguid]

Sorry to hijack this topic, but if you have two computers sending out emails are you not going to duplicate the Delivery Numbers and therefore confuse the stats that are available? Or is there a way to have two computers sending out messages using the same lm.php file without Stats overlap?

 

[stanbusk]

To say the true I did not design MLM nor MaxBulk Mailer to work that way so it is a problem. The only solution would be to have the local data in the remote server. I am already looking at this but so far I haven't found any satisfactory solution.

 

[gregduguid]

Hmmmm..... It seams odd to me then that you offer discounts on multiple copies. That definitely suggests that it is designed for a business to successfully use it on multiple computers. I guess I will need to install MLM in multiple folders on our server - one for each local install, each accessing it's own mysql database.

 

[stanbusk]

Not really, each user sends its messages and access the statistics of the messages he has sent. Logging to MLM with your browser is the only way to see all statistics of all deliveries.

 

[lithoart]

I wonder IF using Symbolic Links from 1 MAIN computer will work?
Rather than copying one file across to the other. This way it is accessing the SAME file.

Or if the Deliveries Folder is SYNC'ed from the MAIN computer to the OTHER computer. (One way direction)

However, it would be ideal if BOTH computers can be used the the same time and using the same MBM files. What files get written to and at what point? Maybe a SYNC could be set up to sync whenever the file or folder changes?