vBulletin Forum Sideblocks - VC_Countdown (FORUM BLOCK)

D E S C R I P T I O N

Countdown timer for forum sidebars that is configurable from the admin control panel. This countdown timer will calculate the remaining time left to reach your targeted event according to the GMT Time Zone Offset that you have pre-set in the admincp (VC_Countdown options). This countdown will expire at the same moment in time for all viewers, regardless of their separate time zones.

You can count down to any future month/day/time within the next 12 months.

This countdown timer is ideal for counting down to:
- have competitors meet at the same time for tournaments on gaming servers (which is what I have used it for)
- for fixed term offers
- for items available in X days
- for sale begins in X days time
or for whatever else tickles your fancy.

This is a no-frills countdown timer but there are no files to upload to your server and there is no need to fiddle around with templates and codes to adjust the countdown expiry date.
You can easily adjust this countdown display to suit forum sidebar widths from 165px to 300px.

I N S T R U C T I O N S

1. Import Product
Plugins & Products / Manage Products / Add/Import Product
Import: product-vc_countdown.xml

2. Create Forum Block
Forums & Moderators / Forum Blocks Manager / Add Block

Select Block Type: Custom HTML/PHP
Title: Event Timer (or whatever you prefer)
Description: VC_Countdown Event Timer
Content Type: HTML
Content: <div></div>
Template to use: block_VC_Countdown

3. Configure VC_Countdown
Admincp / Settings / Options / VC_Countdown

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PLEASE NOTE: I have only tested this as working on 4.0.8 PL4.
Confirmed working well on 4.1.3 by rammieone

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Updates:
v1.0.3
Removed superfluous css
Added css to enable proper font-color control over all four strings of text
Added ability to include background image
v1.0.4
Added 4 levels of bgimage transparency
Added bgimage 100% height & width of forum block container
Removed option for image:repeat
Added padding options for between (Event Name & top of forum block) and (Event Name & Countdown Numbers)
v1.0.5
Removed "X Days from Now" option (If you don't experience save/default problems using version 1.0.4 there is no need to update to 1.0.5)

[Mr_Running]

Yes, I have it installed.
I had read that post but forgot about it. Thanks

I have installed others mods with the Latest Status Block enabled.
VC_Countdown was first mod I had seen the warning displayed.

Installed.
Cheers,

[Merjawy]

Installed on 4.1.10 and works great, only one issue for RTL boards, the numbers don't align with the tags..

seconds numbers are aligned with Days which is really weird to see the number of days change by the second

I guess I will have to edit the code


EDIT: Fixed the issue by editing the template to align the numbers with the right tags.. Works great so it looks...

Thanks

[Mr_Running]

TARGET DAY

When selecting
of the month
it works but when going back to the settings it defaults to
days from now

It Appears it may not take Daylight Saving Time into effect?
and
what about a leap year? 2012

[midnz]

Originally Posted by Mr_Running

TARGET DAY
When selecting
of the month
it works but when going back to the settings it defaults to
days from now

Yes, I did notice that too. Eg; When selecting 24th of the month it defaults to 24 days from now (after saving the settings). The countdown isn't affected unless you press the save button again after it defaults to that different option. I don't know why it does that yet but it annoys me enough that I'll look in to it further when time permits.

Originally Posted by Mr_Running

It Appears it may not take Daylight Saving Time into effect?
and what about a leap year? 2012

Daylight Saving Time:
I haven't tried counting down from standard time to a period within daylight savings time. Have you tried doing this and found the calculation not to be accurate?
Leap Years:
Calculations made, prior to Feb 29th of a leap year, that expire beyond Feb 29th should still be accurate.

[Mr_Running]

Yes, it appears to be off by one day and one hour.

[midnz]

Originally Posted by Mr_Running

Yes, it appears to be off by one day and one hour.

Cheers for that.
Changing your GMT Offset option to that which will be accurate at the completion of the countdown should work. Maybe it would be wise for me to simply add that instruction.
Likewise, an instruction advising the consideration of an extra day to compensate for a calculation made prior to Feb 29th of a leap year and expiring after Feb 29th of a leap year should fix that issue. I'll look at adding an option that adds one day to the calculation where Feb 29th becomes an issue, knowing that I will need to do that before 2016.

[tommyxv]

Originally Posted by midnz

Yes, I did notice that too. Eg; When selecting 24th of the month it defaults to 24 days from now (after saving the settings). The countdown isn't affected unless you press the save button again after it defaults to that different option. I don't know why it does that yet but it annoys me enough that I'll look in to it further when time permits.

Daylight Saving Time:
I haven't tried counting down from standard time to a period within daylight savings time. Have you tried doing this and found the calculation not to be accurate?
Leap Years:
Calculations made, prior to Feb 29th of a leap year, that expire beyond Feb 29th should still be accurate.

Any fix for this yet...It gets me everytime, when i edit it.

[midnz]

Originally Posted by tommyxv

Any fix for this yet...It gets me everytime, when i edit it.

No sorry, I haven't had the opportunity to look at it yet. I'll try to make some time this weekend (it's Thursday night at the time of posting this) to resolve the issue.

[tommyxv]

Ok, cool. Thanks

[midnz]

Originally Posted by Mr_Running

TARGET DAY
When selecting
of the month
it works but when going back to the settings it defaults to
days from now

Originally Posted by tommyxv

Any fix for this yet...It gets me everytime, when i edit it.

Version 1.0.5
Removed the "X Days from Now" option to fix this issue.