[mod] SMS alerts

teryakisan

To have SMS reply, We'll need to do a little set-up ...

First off, We'll need a cell phone number, a place to store that number in the database, an "opt-in" checkbox so the end user can decide whether to recieve text messages or not, and a place to store that "opt-in" data in the database. I have learned to be particularly careful when sending out SMS'. People who do not ask for them are very rarely happy to receive them.

So first, lets create a place in the database to store the cell phone number associated with the ticket, and, lets create a place to store the opt-in information yes or no (1 or 0).

You'll need access to PHPMyAdmin or some other sort of database manipulation software.

Run this query...

ALTER TABLE ost_ticket ADD COLUMN cell varchar(20);

ALTER TABLE ost_ticket ADD COLUMN optin int;

woohoo 1/100th of the way there!

Next, we'll need to add the variables for the cellphone number and the optin to the include/client/class.ticket.php

Find this code...

class Ticket{

beneath it add this code...

var $cell;

var $optin;

find this code...

if(($res=db_query($sql)) && db_num_rows($res)):

$row=db_fetch_array($res);

Below it add this code...

$this->cell =$row;

$this->optin =$row;

find this code...

//GET

Below it add this code...

function getCell(){

return $this->row;;

}

		function getOptin(){
		return $this->optin;

}

Find this code...

function update($var,&$errors) {

global $cfg,$thisuser;

$fields=array();

Below it add this code...

$fields = array('type'=>'phone', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Cell required');

$fields = array('type'=>'int', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Optin required');

Find this code...

if(!$errors){

$sql='UPDATE '.TICKET_TABLE.' SET updated=NOW() '.

Below it add this code...

',cell="'.db_input($var,false).'"'.

',optin='.db_input($var).

Find this code....

/* Coders never code so fully and joyfully as when they do it for free - Peter Rotich */

$id=0;

$fields=array();

Below it add this code...

$fields = array('type'=>'phone', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Cell required');

$fields = array('type'=>'int', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Optin required');

Find this code...

/We are ready son...hold on to the rails.

$extId=Ticket:();

$sql= 'INSERT INTO '.TICKET_TABLE.' SET created=NOW() '.

Below it add this code...

',referer='.db_input(Format:($var)).

',cell="'.db_input($var,false).'"'.

Done with include/client/class.ticket.php

Now lets open up include/client/open.inc.php

Find this code...

<tr>

<th>Telephone:</th>

<td><input type="text" name="phone" size="25" value="<?=$info?>">

 Ext <input type="text" name="phone_ext" size="6" value="<?=$info?>">

 <font class="error"> <?=$errors?></font></td>

</tr>

<tr>

Below it add this code....

<th>Cell Phone:</th>

<td><input type="text" name="cell" size="25" value="<?=$info?>">

 <font class="error"> <?=$errors?></font></td>

</tr>

<th>Recieve SMS Notify?:</th>

<td><input type="checkbox" name="optin" value="1">

 <font class="error"> <?=$errors?></font></td>

</tr>

Now we have two extra form fields that get the users cell phone number and whether or not they choose to opt-in to receiving SMS Messages, and writes all of that data to the database for future use.

This code is tested and working on my server.

Next: PART 2 - GETTING THE CARRIER, CONTROLLING THE FORM.

teryakisan

Let's go ahead and get the carrier. We'll set it up so that if Joe Enduser decides that he does not choose to opt-in for SMS messages, he'll not be bothered with choosing a carrier.

Lets start out by understanding that you CAN have HTML code in a .PHP page, but not PHP code in an .HTML page. Also, we'll need to understand that javascript requires basic HTML page structure to operate properly, even if it's in a .php page. That being said, let's open up

include/client/open.inc.php

At the very top of the page (Line 1) add this code...

function disableText()

{

if(document.myform.optin.checked){

document.myform.cell.disabled=false;

document.myform.carrier.disabled=false;

}else{

document.myform.cell.disabled=true;

document.myform.carrier.disabled=true;

}}

We start off with so that we will have proper HTML structure for the javascript that follows. Then we create a function that manipulates the elements of the form. We'll say IF the optin box is checked, the cell field and the carrier field will become active. Otherwise they will stay disabled, and not bother Mr. Enduser.

Let's go down to line 57, it looks like this...

<form action="open.php" method="POST" enctype="multipart/form-data">

We can't manipulate a form without a name, replace line 57 with this code...

<form name="myform" action="open.php" method="POST" enctype="multipart/form-data">

Remember earlier when we added the optin and cell fields? We'll need to make a few small modifications to those fields and add in our carrier select.

Find the two fields you added earlier, make the code look like this.....

<tr>

<th>Recieve SMS Notify?:</th>

<td><input type="checkbox" id="optin" name="optin" value="1" onclick="disableText();" >

 <font class="error"> <?=$errors?></font>

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<th>Cell Phone:</th>

<td><input type="text" id="cell" name="cell" size="25" value="<?=$info?>" disabled>

 <font class="error"> <?=$errors?></font>

</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<th>Carrier:</th>

<td>

<select name="carrier" id="carrier" disabled>

<option value="@vtext.com">Verizon</option>

<option value="@tmomail.net ">T-Mobile</option>

<option value="@messaging.sprintpcs.com">Sprint</option>

<option value="@txt.att.net">AT&T</option>

<option value="@vmobl.com">Virgin Mobile</option>

<option value="@message.alltel.com">Alltel</option>

<option value="@sms.mycricket.com">Cricket</option>

</select>

</td>

</tr>

Don't forget, at the very bottom of the page we need...

</body>

</html>

to complete our HTML page structure.

And we are done with include/client/open.inc.php

Were going to need another space in the database to store the carrier. Go back to PHPMyAdmin and run this query..

ALTER TABLE ost_ticket ADD column carrier varchar(30);

Now let's make the necessary modifications so that we get the carrier from the field and write it to the database in...

class.ticket.php

Find this code that we added earlier...

var $cell;

var $optin;

add this code below it...

var $carrier;

Find this code that we added earlier...

$this->cell =$row;

$this->optin =$row;

add this code below it...

$this->carrier =$row;

Find this code that we added earlier...

function getCell(){

return $this->row;;

}

	function getOptin(){
		return $this->optin;

}

add this code below it...

function getCarrier(){

return $this->carrier;

}

Find this code that we added earlier...

$fields = array('type'=>'phone', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Cell required');

$fields = array('type'=>'int', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Optin required');

add this code below it...

$fields = array('type'=>'string', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Carrier required');

Find this block of code....

if(!$errors){

$sql='UPDATE '.TICKET_TABLE.' SET updated=NOW() '.

',email='.db_input($var).

',name='.db_input(Format:($var)).

',referer='.db_input(Format:($var)).

',cell="'.db_input($var,false).'"'.

',optin='.db_input($var).

add this code below it....

',carrier='.db_input($var).

Find this block of code...

$id=0;

$fields=array();

$fields = array('type'=>'string', 'required'=>1, 'error'=>'Name required');

$fields = array('type'=>'string', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Referer required');

$fields = array('type'=>'phone', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Cell required');

$fields = array('type'=>'int', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Optin required');

add this code below it...

$fields = array('type'=>'string', 'required'=>0, 'error'=>'Carrier required');

Find this code that we added earlier...(Around line 1364)

',cell="'.db_input($var,false).'"'.

',optin='.db_input($var).

below it add this code...

',carrier='.db_input($var).

Now we have opt-in value controlling the availability of cell and carrier; and all values being saved to the database.

teryakisan

All is good in SMS Land so far yes? Good. Lets review. We have Joe Endusers cell phone number and who he prefers for a cell carrier being written to our database by his decision to opt-in on receiving SMS messages from us.

Awesome.

What we need to have now, is a way to send the SMS. Luckily for us, most major carriers will forward an email, sent to a phone number, @ a predefined email address. For example 555-555-5555@tmomail.net will forward a text to 555-555-5555 if that number is valid with T-Mobile.

Also lucky for us, the dev's have already implemented the mail function. Knowing now that emails can be sms', All we really have to do is decide if were sending an email or an sms, then, if it's an sms, we'll inject the new email addy (cell@predefined.com) where the old one (Joe@Enduser.com) used to be and let the system send the email as usual. Sneaky huh?

Lets start by creating a new table, and getting those (internally) predefined carrier email suffixes into our database shall we?

Run this query...

CREATE TABLE ost_carriers (

id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,

c_mail VARCHAR(30)

);

then this one...