Update Subscriber Link

Hi aschaevitz,

We removed the section of the error with the link because the MailChimp API doesn’t return a link, but instead returns plain text. So the user would have received the error with “Click here to update your profile.” , but not part of it would have been clickable to do so, which would have confused the user a bit.

I will look into what can be done about re-including that section of the error and getting it to have the link clickable. Look out for an upate in the coming days that should have things resolved.

Thanks,
Evan

Hi Evan,

Thank you for your very prompt response. I will eagerly look forward to that update. Thank you very, very much!

Alan

Hi Aschaevitz,

I just pushed out version 5.1 of the plugin. Take a look and let me know if the ‘Update Info.’ link works for you. Once the user fills out the form and retreives the ‘…user is already subscribed’ error, they are given the option to go ahead and update the info associated with the form based on the new information in the form.

Thanks,
Evan

Hi Evan,

I did get the “Update My Info” link displayed when I entered an existing email. However, when I hover over that link, the link info in the browser footer says “Go to # on this page”. Then, when I click on the link, two things happen and one doesn’t:
1. The form is replaced with text that says “Thanks, your information has been successfully updated.”
2. It then transfers to my redirect page (the same one I have set to go to on a successful submit of the form).
3. That’s it. No email is ever received at the identified email mailbox so that updates can be done.

If you want to test using my development site, I’d be happy to give you that info in a private email.

I really appreciate your working on this issue. It is quite important.

Ragards,
Alan

Hi Alan,

That was the intention of the link. The user fills out the form only to find out they have previously subscribed which at that point they can either direct themselves away from the page or re fill out the form and re-submit the information to be updated on mailchimps side.

To generate an “update” link you need to grab the users mailchimp id, the form id and some other string of numbers that I’m not sure where it comes from. This is the best I could come up with at the moment. I’ll need to look into what the link actually consists of to see if I can replicate it with the data the API has provided.

Thanks,
Evan

Hi Evan,

Ah! I hadn’t seen what was happening. I just did a test and, indeed, if you click on the Update link, it does update the subscriber with the info in the form.

While that does work, I’m not sure it is the proper way to go. The reason is security of the subscriber’s information. The MailChimp widget actually sends an email to the email address which contains a link to the subscriber’s info page. That two step process insures that it is, indeed, that subscriber who is doing the update. It also allows the subscriber to see what info is on file rather than just blindly changing it.

With your method, anyone who knows the email address can change the subscriber’s information at will (everything except the email address itself) without the actual subscriber ever knowing. That is rather risky don’t you think?

Regards,
Alan

Hi Alan,

Yea I can see how that is a security concern. I will remove the functionality tomorrow and try and figure out an alternative method.

Evan

Hi Evan,

I presume you are still working on a solution for this problem? The reason I ask is that the item is showing as “Resolved” in the list.

Thanks,
Alan

Hi Alan,

Yes I’m still working on a solution. It will be included in the 5.2 version or earlier. I have it on the feature list over on github.

Evan

Hi Evan,

Just looked at the 5.2 feature list and don’t see this feature. I do see generating an unsubscribe email but not an update email.

Alan

Hi Alan,

I have updated the feature list. Sorry it wasn’t on there.

Evan

Alan,

If you’d like to email me at [email protected] I can let you test out the 5.2 beta that I have been working on. At the moment you can add/remove fields and interest groups from forms and you can send the update profile email from a link clicked.

I would be interested in your thoughts on the implementation. It took a bit to come up with, so before I go further down that road I’d like your feedback. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Evan