version 2.2

Both programs combined offer unique options and versatility other free-to-use and purchased programs do not... E-Lists with its multiple format list saving for personalised merged mail-outs via PC or Browser, and ListMerge with the rare ability to merge and send large mail-outs in batches to appease host services or avoid crashes on "cgi run-time limited" mail servers. Each program is described on its own page.

NOTE: "E-Lists", "ListMerge", "ennyForms", and "VizBook" mail list options are now FULLY compatible. E-Lists and ennyForms allow user selected "plain text" or "HTML" subscribing mail lists compatible with ListMerge mail merging.

E-Lists Perl 5 CGI is a versatile free e-mail contact list generator created for both on-line AND the mail merge utilities built into many "local pc" e-mail programs. Excellent for allowing your visitors to register for upgrade notification, newsletter registration, new product reviews etc etc - and you can allow people to UN-Subscribe themselves simply by adding two radio buttons to the form, and select (and later change) mail "html/plain" formats; this is a clever little program with the five personalising options....

Easily prepare the list via admin, then add a new form!
Only requiring simple setup pre planning (common lists name-extension), a minor change to each simple form used on your site enables registration to as many different lists as you require. List creation is via admin (now protected via an admin list of allowed lists). Each visitor entry receives an auto response confirming registration OR requesting confirmation, and EACH list be can mail-merge configured for:
  • address only,
  • address and name,
  • name and address,
  • address and date/time
  • address and name and date/time
    - field delimiting character pre-set in config.

• Just add a checkbox to any form allowing the user to select whether they want to receive mailouts as Plain Text OR HTML formatted - "ListMerge" compatible! - OR they can return and change over at any time if the HTML option does not work with their mail program - or visa versa!

NOTE: notice the above E-Lists exclusive "user choice Plain Text OR HTML" option. Other programs now offering text / HTML mailouts either only let the webmaster decide at mail-out time which it is to be, or send both!!!. 1) Many mail list members do NOT like HTML e-mail (historical fact) or their email client cannot parse HTML email. 2) Some PC email client programs when sent HTML email offer the receiver a choice of viewing as text or HTML browser - but texts viewed can be unreadable due to "richtext" conflicts (ie yellow or white!! text etc from the html code). E-Lists exclusively lets your list member choose which they want to receive AND INDIVIDUALLY return and change their preference at any time..... (also a "remote change" option DIRECT from your subscriber forms AND ListMerge newsletters.. the original programs to support this unique feature).

• All generated response pages can be easily edited to make the pages match your site - even the unique redisplay of form; with input - input errors.

• Deactivate/Reactivate any mail list via admin. just remove them from the new secure "allowed" process or permantly delete a complete list and dat files.

• Exclusive: Test your subscription forms at any time without actually subscribing!.... useful option when checking mail response texts and html edits etc.

• An option not all users will need is the ability to have a form submissions address mailed on to an existing auto-subscribe mechanism - many hosts supply subscribed list facilities accessed simply via an address....
E-Lists allows site commonality by using E-Lists forms for these subscriptions too! - no list is added to by the program and no mail is sent back to the subscriber - that would be handled by the existing receiving auto subscribe / responder mechanism.

Two Subscribe Verification options
1. user confirms via auto-response mail link - ensures legitimate user/address has been submitted.
   AND/OR
2. E-Lists can compare TWO address inputs (similar to familiar double password verification) to lessen the number of address spelling mistakes.

On-line OR Off-line!
five list formats - If you use a PC program like the excellent Pegasus Mail's PC based mail merge facility, the securely FTP down loaded list file can be easily integrated into formatted and personalised e-mail contacts with your registered visitors. For web mail merging try our "ListMerge" program.

professional installations
for those willing to support my free-to-use programs.

Rejection Lists
Each E-Lists list can have its own rejection list admin created/edited rejecting:
• full addresses - imself@hisherdomain.name
• full domains - hisherdomain.name
• part domains - hisherdomain.
....setup this way to also allow rejection of "free" mail addresses etc

• Each E-Lists list can have its own webmasters Address, webmasters Name, and Organisation stamp in the response headers.

• All Ron Woolley's admin supported programs have ALWAYS required double (two) passwords for access and editing (if you do not appreciate why, find it bothersome, and don't care that you may often allow other sites to discover your single passwords to various admin applications editing... we even discover same occassionally via our own version of LogCount... then please do not complain!)

If syntax errors are detected:
Original release exclusive: E-Lists still regenerates a form with users input data for correction; ie does not just generate an error message.
.....If the "forced name" entry option is used then both an address AND name box will appear in this new window.

 
LINK to working samples - opens new window.

Using LnkinLite for mail list mail-out Promo Tracking
Don't just add links to your mail-outs! - if using ListMerge to mail-out to the E-Lists lists, then by also creating named links via the LnkinLite program the link code is generated suitable for including it in the ListMerge (or any other) mail texts. You can then have a "response check" by counting the response success rate for any number of return or promo links included in mail-outs.

LnkinLite integration ready
• E-Lists admin will display an access button to "LnkinLite" if that program is installed; for easy counted link generation and pasting in to an E-Lists form response text - also created/edited via admin.

Search and Delete
Addresses can be removed individually, OR by search matching and selection. The search facility will find matches in addresses, names, even dates.

List Viewing
Although this option soon becomes redundant with large lists, the admin page for each list does include the ability to display address list contents.

Admin Access.
Unlike early versions, admin is now a complex separate program allowing access to each lists rejection list, search/delete, view, auto response text, and the secure enabling of "allowed" lists, site matching/editing of generated pages, etc
("allowed" lists supports the temporary or permanant shutting down of list subscriptions - even copied forms cannot later be used to subscribe!!).

Export Lists to .txt or .csv files
E-Lists admin does allow you to save a copy of any list to delimited vertical lists should the default file extension not be suitable for spreadsheet/database importing. Either .txt or .csv extensions can be used, quote wrapped fields option, selected delimiter.

A Unix Perl program using Sendmail
There are several configuration 'require' files attached and although the 'works' are fairly straight forward, E-Lists generates fully formatted administration pages accessed via an 'access' password. Deleting from the e-mail lists and script setup is then protected by a second encrypted password, and both passwords can be changed via the admin page.

Upgrades
NOTE: versions 2.2 onwards: This is the same program as before but rewritten; with enhancements. Previous forms will have to be changed (simple tag changes) and the auxiliary file structure is very different. BUT original mail lists will not have to change!!

NOTE: These scripts are created as working programs for webmasters, and not the common "play with and learn" free scripts found on some sites. If you are affronted by this, then please use someone else's programs.