Configuration - Registration

For the registration at component and module there are provides several layouts to simplify the integration with various Joomla!^®-Templates:

• Default
• Bootstrap 2
• Bootstrap 3
• Bootstrap 4
• Cassiopeia

Last one is default.

In this field you can enter a text, which will be shown at the front-end in the registration form of component and module and in the subscription manager as introduction. For the module for registration you may enter the text in its settings.

Here you set, whether the selection for the gender should be shown in the registration form and in the edit form of the subscription. This makes sense if you want to personalize your newsletter more specific. This setting is applies to both, component and module as long as there is nothing else adjusted in the module.

Here you set, whether the fields for last name and/or first name should be shown in the registration form and in the edit form of the subscription. This makes sense if you want to personalize your newsletter.

Here you set, whether first name or last name (or both) are obligatory. If you chose yes, then the appropriate field will be shown in the registration form and the edit form of the subscription, even if it is disabled in the option field above. A registration to the newsletter without obligatory entries is not possible.

Here you set, whether the additional field should be shown in the registration form and in the edit form of the subscription. For example, here you can ask the subscriber for the membership number of an association or a customer ID, if the subscriber has no account at Joomla!^®. This setting is applies to both, component and module as long as there is nothing else adjusted in the module.

Here you set, whether the input of the additional field is obligatory. If you chose yes, then the appropriate field will be shown in the registration form and the edit form of the subscription, even if it is disabled in the option field above.

Here you set, how the label of the additional field shall be. To work also on multi-language websites, you may enter a language string, which is applied in the appropriate override file for the language. It will be used the override file for the back end, the override files therefore resides at <my_joomla_installation>/administrator/language/overrides. If the folder does not exist, simply create. The English override file is called en-GB.override.ini.

If here a language string BWPOSTMAN_ADDITIONAL_FIELD_LABEL is set, then the entry in the override file may look like:

BWPOSTMAN_ADDITIONAL_FIELD_LABEL="membership number"

This setting is applies to both, component and module as long as there is nothing else adjusted in the module.

The additional field may get a tooltip, which will be displayed, if you hover the label with the mouse. Just as well, you may use a language string.

Here you define whether the email format shall be shown in the registration form or not. This setting is applies to both, component and module as long as there is nothing else adjusted in the module.

Here you set the default email format the newsletter will be sent out, when the subscriber has not selected anything. This is the predefined setting for both registration forms, component and registration module. Here also: The registration module may have its own settings.

If this option is switched on BwPostman checks while registration to a subscription, whether the entered email address really exists. To do so BwPostman creates a connection to the mail server of the entered email address and tries to get in contact with the mailbox, that belongs to the email address. If this fails, no registration is processed and the subscriber gets a failure message. Hat exactly failed You can see at the log file of BwPostman. This file is named BwPostman.log and You can find it at the log folder of Joomla!^® at the sub folder bwpostman.

Technical procedure of the verification

I think, this chapter is necessary to catch the following,I will put it simple. Roughly speaking it will be made a pretence of sending an email to the entered email recipient on system level. For that one needs the email address of the recipient obviously, but also the email address of the sender. That is caught from the settings of Joomla!^®. Next we will try to connect to the mail server of the sending email address. To not abuse the sending address for improper things, to send spam by a stranger for instance, the own mail server checks if all goes right and the sender has connected properly.

If the sender is checked successfully, a connection to the mail server of the recipient is established. First is checked, if the domain of the email address exists. If this is okay, then we will see, if the mail server knows the mailbox of the receiving email address. The receiving mail server may return different messages.

The return messages consist of thee-digit codes. 250 means all right, I know the mailbox. The messages of the section 4xx means, the mailbox probably exists, but there occur some problems. The mailbox could exceed the limit and is not able to receive some more mails. The verification interprets messages from this section as success.

Vital is the message 550. That means the mailbox does not exist.

Testing the verification

To test the usability of the verification switch this option on and register for a newsletter/mailinglist at the front end. It's best to use some different real existing email addresses, which You hold be yourself. Essentially is to have access to the mailbox of this email address and this email address is able to receive emails (mailbox not full) to see the incoming activation email. With this You exclude, that the verification of the email address of a recipient,that technically is okay, fails.

If the verification of such a correct email address fails, there are really sure problems with the sending email address. If You for instance find messages of the following manner at the log file of BwPostman, You can't use this option until this problem is solved:

Unread stream data: 550 5.7.1 <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;: Recipient address rejected: Mail appeared to be SPAM or forged. Ask your Mail/DNS-Administrator to correct HELO and DNS MX settings or to get removed from DNSBLs; MTA helo: mydomain.de, MTA hostname: unknown[nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn] (helo/hostname mismatch)

550 indicates, that something is wrong not at all. A few lines above the mail server is named, with which was spoken actually. That is the own mail server, if there are problems with the sender. Hostname unknown … (helo(hostname mismatch), tells You, that DNS and MX not fit and means, that the sender cannot be resolved. The own mail server thinks, there is a stranger at work. This failure rather may occur on local installations only.

If this error occurs at an installation on the web, You should switch of this option, until the problem is solved and contact Your provider.

To fulfil the needs of the GDPR and to give the required information about the newsletter to the subscriber, this switch is implemented. If the switch is set to on, then the description of the mailing list is displayed at registration form.

Here You set, how much characters are displayed at description. With the next character the description is shortened. But to show the subscriber, that the description is longer than displayed, there are three dots displayed, if the description is shortened. The whole description is displayed as tool tip, if one hovers with the mouse.

In the registration form you can display a link to a disclaimer. To do so You set the switch Display Disclaimer to Yes. In this case the subscriber has to accept the disclaimer before sending the registration. In some countries a disclaimer is useful, in Germany it is possibly harmful.

But you may use it as a manner of terms of use for the newsletter, what you may do with the email address you got, or, or, or. For something, the subscriber has to give his okay.

Here you set, where BwPostman will find the disclaimer to use. In the field URL for the disclaimer you enter an URL as source for the disclaimer. Then you have to select URL as Link target.

At article you are able to select an article of Joomla!^®. Then you have to select Article as Link target.

At last you may use a menu item of Joomla!^®. In this case the Link target is Menu item and You select the appropriate menu item at field menu item.

Here you set, if the disclaimer will be shown in the current window/tab of the browser or in a new one.

Since version 2.1.1 of BwPostman here You set, if the disclaimer shall be displayed in a pop-up. This is now default.

Here you set, if the registration form will be secured against robots. This protection will help to get less subscriptions by robots and less error mails because of undeliverable activation mails. Possible values are No, Question or Captcha.

The Question you may select by yourself and should not be too complicated. If will be set in the fields Question and Answer.

Examples:

• How many legs has a horse? (1, 2, …)
• Which colour has a red car?

Captcha is a little Captcha driven maths task.

This setting is used by both, component and subscription module, if there is nothing else set at the module.

If Question is set in Secure registration form, then you have to fill these fields by your question and its answer. The question appears in registration form, the answer is needed by evaluation and will not be shown.