Put a Column on the Left Side of Every Forum Page

This little PRODUCT will provide you with a template to put content in a column going down the left side of every forum page.

What you put there is limited only by your imagination.

This can easily be combined with the right column product to have a column on both sides.

To use this with the right column product , change the footer code to:

<!-- Right Column Code  -->
</td>
<td width="160" valign="top" align="left">$rightcolumn</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
</table>
<!-- End Right Column Code -->

Changes in 1.1
Some very important changes were made to the header and footer template changes. Please modify your header and footer code to use the new version.

This is now a PRODUCT and not a plugin. Use the product manager to import it. If you are upgrading, copy the contents of your left_column template to notepad BEFORE you install the product. Then, replace the template contents with your backup.

This version now includes sample html in the left_column template. Thanks to iguanairs for that code.

[amykhar]

There is no way for disabling the product to disable all traces of the sidebar because you have to edit the header and footer template. Products don't track changes to existing templates.

Regarding the second, I'm sure it's an HTML or CSS thing. It's just not something I have researched because I've never had cause to use it.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

To solve 'bug 2':

New header template edit:

<!-- Left Column Code  -->
<if condition="$vbulletin->registry->products[amykhar_080517_l]">
<table border="0" width="$stylevar[outertablewidth]" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" align="center">
<tr>
<td width="160" valign="top" align="left">$leftcolumn</td>
<td valign="top">
<table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td valign="top">
</if>
<!-- End Left Column Code -->

new footer:

<!-- Left Column Code  -->
<if condition="$vbulletin->registry->products[amykhar_080517_l]">
</td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
</table>
</if>
<!-- End Left Column Code -->

PS in the above code the extra '<' of bug 1 is also already removed.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

PS With removing all traces, i ment removing all visible traces (not showing the empty space anymore)

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Oops that code will not work. It will remove the traces alright when the product is disabled, but it will also not show when enabled. Give me a bit to come with a good solution.

[amykhar]

It's a cool idea though, Marco. If we can get that figured out, it will help for a ton of mods.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Sorry i didn't have a look at it now, blame Bobfool for that.

[IFor[You]]

hi, may I know how do we move some components of forum home, like today's birthdays and upcoming events, to the left column?

[amykhar]

It would mean writing some additional code in the plugin to pull the info that you want.

Amy

[ohgenki]

how do we include your hottest forum topics there ? can't seem to add any code there at all.

[amykhar]

No, you won't be able to do it with the plugin because that was designed for forumhome. To get dynamic data in the sidebars, you will have to write code in the plugin to pull the info you want.