Help Please!!! Variable for number of image comments

[alfex68]

Hi,
I would like to add the number of comments an image has in the album_picturebit template.
I've been looking all over for this and it has me stumped.
I have tried all combinations of conditionals and variables...

I know the data I'm looking for is here in the picturecomment_commentarea template:

<if condition="$show['inlinemod']"><a id="inlinemodsel">&nbsp;</a></if>
<phrase 1="$messagestats[start]" 2="$messagestats[end]" 3="$messagestats[total]">$vbphrase[showing_pcs_x_to_y_of_z]</phrase>

So all I need is $messagestats[total] and a way to encapsulate the return to each thumbnail,
but I can't get it to work in album_picturebit

Help!!!

--------------- Added [DATE]1237252309[/DATE] at [TIME]1237252309[/TIME] ---------------

nothing on this?