SimpleNews Dynamic List

SimpleNews Dynamic List module provides the capability to use dynamic mailings lists which are created "on the fly" using defined criteria. Normally SimpleNews mails only to fixed lists of subscribers stored in the SimpleNews subscriptions table. SimpleNews Dynamic List provides a module hook (hook_simplenews_dynamic_list) that allows you to define a callback function that returns a list of Drupal user accounts. Any function that returns a list of unique Drupal users will allow that list to be used as the subscription list for the mailer.

SimpleNews Dynamic List was inspired by the need to send mailers to criteria-based lists on a site that includes a Ubercart storefront. We wanted to be able to automatically mail our customers who have placed at least 1 completed order. We considered adding customers to a fixed mailing list but that would only satisfy part of our requirements. We also want to be able to mail special offers to customers who have purchased specific product(s) or product(s) that belong to certain taxonomy terms. In other words we want to be able to select customers based on a variety of criteria, and to be able to turn that criteria into a mailing list without the complexity of importing users into the fixed subscription lists that SimpleNews normally uses for mailing.

Another example use for SimpleNews Dynamic List is to create a mailing list to send notification to All Active Drupal Users. This may be useful if you wish to send technical notices or other information that needs to go out to every users, regardless of their subscription settings.

SimpleNews Dynamic List ships with a sub-module inside it that demonstrates use of the hook_simplenews_dynamic_list for definition of a new dynamic mailing list. It also defines 2 fully function dynamic mailings lists, All Customers and All Users. Note that All Customers dynamic list requires Ubercart Orders.

SimpleNews Dynamic List will create an informational admin page listed all available Dynamic Lists at the path "admin/content/simplenews/dynamic_lists" upon install. This page will list every Dynamic List available and how many of the site users meet the criteria of the list.

SimpleNews Dynamic List integrates with SimpleNews by adding a new setting to the Newsletter add/edit forms under the fieldset "Subscription settings". There is a select list of Dynamic Lists available provided, selection of a Dynamic List will convert the newsletter from using a fixed list to using the selected Dynamic List.

When sending your newsletter that uses a SimpleNews Dynamic List you will find that the process is the same as usual, only the text of the "send now" option on the Newsletter send tab will be changed to read "send to dynamic list %list_name".

The developer wants to add that we do not condone spam or violation of spam laws and this module is not intended to support any such activity. You should consider whether you have implied or direct permission to mail to your users before using this module. In our own implementation of this list, we have gained permission to do some limited mailing to all of our site users because of our registration process. At this point there is no way for users to "unsubscribe", any user matching the criteria of the list will be mailed to. This is a missing feature we hope to address in later versions of the module by creating a "block" list that allows users to be blocked from receiving mail from the dynamic list(s) in use on the site.