Show most popular thread on index page

This is probably too small to qualify has a hack but i've seen one or two posts looking for it. This finds the most popular thread on the board.

Open index.php and before

// get total posts
$countposts=$DB_site->query_first('SELECT COUNT(*) AS posts FROM post');

add either of the following depending on what you want to be picked as most popular.

//Most Popular Thread by Replies 
$popular=$DB_site->query_first("SELECT * FROM thread ORDER by replycount DESC LIMIT 1");

//Most Popular Thread by Views 
$popular=$DB_site->query_first("SELECT * FROM thread ORDER by views DESC LIMIT 1");

then below that add the following

eval("\$popularthread = \"".gettemplate("popular_thread")."\";");

save index.php and upload.

Then within the control panel click add templates.

Template name is popular_thread
and the code should be this

Most popular thread is <a href="showthread.php?s=$session[sessionhash]&threadid=$popular[threadid]">$popular[title]</a>

Then in either of your forumhome templates place $popularthread and the text "Most populat thread is THREADTITLE"
the threadtitle will be a link to the title.

[Scott MacVicar]

Is the nonvb page Perl, PHP or ASP??
or are you wishing to call it via SSI.

[pgowder]

I would prefer a ssi call, but I can make the page php if I need to.

[Scott MacVicar]

simpliest way is if the page is php

PHP Code:

//connect to database
mysql_connect("localhost", "YOURUSERNAME", "YOURPASS");
mysql_select_db("YOURFORUMSDATABASE");
//select thread information
$popular=mysql_fetch_array(mysql_query("SELECT * FROM thread ORDER by replycount DESC LIMIT 1"));
mysql_close();

$popular="Most popular thread is <a href=\"http://forums.site.com/showthread.php?s=$session[sessionhash]&threadid=$popular[threadid]\">$popular[title]</a>"; 


then just place $popular somewhere on your page and it will say like
Most popular thread is Some Title Here and the title will be a link to the thread.

[pgowder]

That did it.

Now, how could I have it include the top 5 most popular??

I want to have a box on my front page with the top 5 threads.

thanks

[Scott MacVicar]

PHP Code:

//connect to database
mysql_connect("localhost", "YOURUSERNAME", "YOURPASS");
mysql_select_db("YOURFORUMSDATABASE");
//select thread information
$query=mysql_query("SELECT * FROM thread ORDER by replycount DESC LIMIT 5");
while($pop=mysql_fetch_array($query)) {
$popular.="<a href=\"http://forums.site.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=$pop[threadid]\">$pop[title]</a><br>";
}
mysql_close(); 


Use $popular list the top 5 threads with a line break seperating them adjust as you wish.

[cityofangelus]

Great hack really like this one.

Work perfectly thanks

[Lesane]

Great Hack PPN, i luv it but i had the "Show most popular thread" in a table and my most popular thread has a very long title, more then 40 characters so i reduced it 2 25. If someone is interested, here it is:

root/index.php

find:

PHP Code:

$popular=$DB_site->query_first("SELECT * FROM thread ORDER by replycount DESC LIMIT 1"); 


Under that add:

PHP Code:

    if (strlen($popular[title]) > 25) { 
        $title = substr($popular[title],0,25);
        $title .= "...";
    } else { 
        $title = $popular[title];
    } 


Then find in popular_thread thread:

PHP Code:

Most popular thread is <a href="showthread.php?s=$session[sessionhash]&threadid=$popular[threadid]">$popular[title]</a> 


and change it to:

PHP Code:

Most popular thread is <a href="showthread.php?s=$session[sessionhash]&threadid=$popular[threadid]">$title</a> 


Now with this there will be 25 characters displayed of the Most Popular thread, ofcourse you can change that to your size.

[musicfreak12399]

Is there a way to do this hack for any specific forum? Because that would be really great for my board if there was a way to do that

[Chris M]

Sounds like a great hack!!!

Nice PPN...

And great idea Lesane!!!

Definately installing this one...

Satan

[musicfreak12399]

no one has ansewer to my question? im sure there is a way to do it, but i do not know how...

Is there a way to do this hack for any specific forum? Because that would be really great for my board if there was a way to do that