simple plugin question
 

If I make a simple plugin that contains just $hello = "hi there"; and select showthread_start hook. If I place $hello in the showthread template, it should print out "hi there"?

<a href="https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=119933&highlight=include+template +plugin" target="_blank">https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showt...emplate+plugin</a>

I don't think I need to make a custom template do I? I just have some variables with data I need to display in the postbit template

You don't need to have a template, doing so would just make life easier. But that purely depends on what the variable will contain. To answer your first question though, yes declaring the variable in that plugin would allow you to use the variable in that template.

i see, so perhaps I have the wrong hook. how do I find the right one? I just know what template I want to use.