action.subscribeURL.gid

[ArthurC]

I have a couple of questions:

1. If I use the token {action.subscribeURL.gid} in a bulk mail to contacts, it puts up a page on which a user wishing to subscribe to a particular group must enter an email address, causing the system to send an email to that address where the recipient can then confirm (again, I'd argue) that she wants to subscribe. On the other hand, the token {action.optOutURL} puts up a page on which the user can simply confirm directly that she wants to opt out of future bulk mail at this address. The opt out process does not require the extra email/reply steps. The subscribe process cannot behave like the opt out because it does not have the extra information to know who it is talking to. Why do the two action tokens behave differently? Is there a way I can make a subscribe action token that behaves like the opt out token?

2. The opt out URL sets a field on the contact, whereas the signup joins a group. I'm using the signup to a group as a workaround to what I'd really like, which is an "opt in" or consent  token that would set a custom opt in field associated with the contact. Can you point me to, give me, a guide to how to make that happen?

3. When the user is brought to the opt out URL or the subscribe URL, I would like her to land on a CiviCRM page that I have made look like it belongs to our main website. Is there a way I can customize the appearance of one or more of these landing pages?

Thanks, Arthur