node_reply

Module Description

The node_reply module allows site administrators to add a contact form to any node type. The form can be used by site visitors to send a message to the content author in response to the posting.

This module uses the 'messaging framework', thus the messages can be sent to authors using any messaging method that you have configured on your site using the messaging framework.

Messaging methods include among others, email, user messaging system using privatemsg, SMS, twitter. For a better list of available methods and its extensibility visit the messaging project page.

Dependencies

• token
• messaging : I wrote this module using 6.x-4.0-beta8 and have not tested for any earlier versions.

Installation

Installation is simple. Just download and enable the module. Also make sure you have downloaded the messaging module.

Configuration

The configuration is pretty simple too. When editing a node type there is a new section called 'Node Reply' under the workflow fieldset:

'Add a reply form to the node' checkbox : turns the message form on for that node type.

'Mandatory Messaging Methods' checkboxes : Is a list of enabled messaging methods that will always be used to send a message to the author, despite their preferences. For example, I built this because I wanted a message to always be sent to the node author using the internal private_msg module on my website. On top of this, whichever method the author chooses as their default messaging method in their user profile settings will also be used. So if a user has set their default to 'mail' then they will both get the message emailed to them and it will show up under their messages tab in their user profile.

There is now much more configuration and I should come up with a better documentation page when I get some time. In the meantime help is totally welcome if you feel like it. Mainly its the following:

• name, subject and email fields can be enabled/disabled from the form.
• all form field labels, descriptions can be configured.
• tokens may be used in form labels and descriptions.
• you can control if the node_reply form appears in a collapsible field set or not.
• user options control how a logged in user's account affects the from and reply-to addresses in messages as well as associating sender accounts to internal messages like in the case of privatemsg. You can set it to always use a user account if available, allow the user to override their email address if they choose, or only use the form entered value.

Quirks to be worked out

At the moment even if a user is logged in and uses the form to send a message to a node author, a message sent using the private_msg method appears to be from anonymous. I will keep this module in alpha/beta state until this quirk is worked out. I am open to suggestions if you have time to look yourself.

fixed with: #1392262: Email field is not actually being used as reply-to address

Further development

This project is likely to be deprecated with drupal 6. There are other modules in d7 that can help you achieve this same functionality. Check out Reply and Rules.

Also, the messaging module is not being actively maintained and not all its features were ported to d7 so barring a complete rewrite of this module to use a different framework it will not be ported to d7. Unless someone feels like creating a patch and I will gladly add it to the repo.

peace,
Jesse Payne