Trying to get this to work... (lightbulb function)

[BirdOPrey5]

So working backwards from the threadbit templates I've been trying to figure out the code that controls which status icon is shown on forumdisplay (old posts, old posts locked, new posts, new posts locked...) and I want to use that code elsewhere, specifically on the navnar so I can show a notice if a particular forum has an unread message in it.

I've tracked this down to the forum_fetch_lightbulb function in the functions_forumlist.php file. The function takes 3 parameters, two of which are the forum id of the forum and one of which is an array which also is the forum id and the parent id of the forum... why this function needs 3 things with the same info I'm not sure but that isn't the issue.

I am passing it the correct info (I believe) but I'm always only getting the same return value: "old" - Even when there are new posts in the forum with the id I specify. I confirm this by going to forumdisplay and seeing the "new posts" status icon is indeed there.

Any thoughts on what I might need to get this to work? I am temporarily outputting the text to the navbar for now but will obviously be doing something more with it once I can get it to work.

plugin code:

include('includes/functions_forumlist.php'); 

//set forumid
$checkfid = $checkfid2 = 4;
//build array
$checkarray["forumid"] = $checkfid;
$checkarray["parentid"] = 1;

$sico = fetch_forum_lightbulb($checkfid, $checkarray, $checkfid2);

eval('$template_hook[navbar_buttons_left] .= "' ."<td>" .$sico.  "</td>" . '";');