[kh99]

Given that it has "LIMIT 1" in the query, I think I would have used query_first instead like

$devebd = $db->query_first("

(I know that was the original dev and not you),

and then I think the rest would just be

$devebd['trimmed'] = fetch_trimmed_title($devebd['fth'], 43);
$templater = vB_Template::create('threadoftheday_day2');
$templater->register('devebd', $devebd);
$template_hook['totd'] .= $templater->render();

without the "while". Or, if you wanted the entire template to disappear in the event that the query returned nothing you could enclose it all in an "if".

Anyway, I guess it's been kind of slow during the holidays, but there's got to be someone around who knows vB4.