Help! Please review this code: Trying to get "latest topics" to show on front page.

I have been trying to implement this hack, but since it's so scattered, I am having a hard time applying it.

If you can spare a moment, please tell me what I am doing wrong.

1. I've created "active.inc.php" file and uploaded into forum/admin.

<?php
// Set this to the max number of threads to display
$maxthreads = 5;

require("http://www.anesthesiaforums.com/forums/admin/config.php");
$db=mysql_connect($servername,$dbusername,$dbpassword);
mysql_select_db($dbname);
$query = "SELECT * FROM thread ORDER BY lastpost DESC LIMIT $maxthreads";
$resultlatest = mysql_query($query,$db);
while ($latest_array = mysql_fetch_array($resultlatest)) {
echo "<FONT SIZE=\"2\" FACE=\"Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"> ?
<A HREF=\"http://www.anesthesiaforums.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=$latest_array[threadid]\">$latest_array[title]</A></FONT><BR>";
}
 
?>

2. Now on my homepage, "default.htm", I've added:

<?php           
include("http://www.anesthesiaforums.com/forums/admin/active.inc.php");
?>

Within the body tags where I would like the information to dispay.

The problem is, nothing is showing up.
Thanks
-Hideki

SELECT * FROM thread LEFT JOIN forumpermission ON (forumpermission.forumid=thread.forumid) WHERE forumpermission.canview=1 AND forumpermission.usergroupid=2 ORDER BY lastpost DESC LIMIT 0,$maxthreads

Maybe that

[Evoir]

I do appreciate your help, but, it isn't working still.

when I changed it with your last suggestion, I get no output. Still hoping to find an answer for this. I can't believe this hasn't come up for anyone else using this hack! comon and help me out. I promise to be nice

[Evoir]

Ok, it took me this long to find it, but I did. My solution lies in tubedogg's fabulous last10 hack.

I wish I had known that yesterday! So, for those of you who don't know what I am talking about, tubedogg made this really cool, really customizable hack. here it is .

Thanks tubedogg!

[Evoir]

ok, even though I very much like tubedoggs last10 hack, it doesn't show html tags properly in a mac environment. I cant change the text color or size or type in Nescape, and in IE, I cant change the color of the text.

So, I am back to this hack.

This one I can controll the html tags really simply. So, is there anyone who can help me? I'd like to add a line that excludes whichever forums I list by number. That could make it simpler...no?

[Evoir]

I really liek the simplicity of this particular version of this hack. (that is it a simple list of the last threads.) I must, however, protect my private forums.

I have come up with this:

<?php
// Set this to the max number of threads to display
$maxthreads = 5;

require("http://www.mysite.com/forum/admin/config.php");
$db=mysql_connect($servername,$dbusername,$dbpassword);
mysql_select_db($dbname);
$querylatest="select * from thread where forumid in ('113','120','97','98','112','114','117','122','93','95','107','110','101','102','103','104','105','111','100','96','99','94','116','108','115','118','123','106') order by lastpost desc limit $num_active";

$resultlatest = mysql_query($query,$db);
while ($latest_array = mysql_fetch_array($resultlatest)) {
echo "<FONT SIZE=\"2\" FACE=\"Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"> ?
<A HREF=\"http://www.mysite.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=$latest_array[threadid]\">$latest_array[title]</A></FONT><BR>";
}
 
?>

This shows nothing on the page. The thing I changed was:

$query = "SELECT * FROM thread ORDER BY lastpost DESC LIMIT $maxthreads";

Which showed it perfectly (but also showed private forums)

to:

$querylatest="select * from thread where forumid in ('113','120','97','98','112','114','117','122','93','95','107','110','101','102','103','104','105','111','100','96','99','94','116','108','115','118','123','106') order by lastpost desc limit $num_active";

based on what I could figure out from another thread on this topic.

I really like the output of this script (simple) but I must be able to control the private forums. Please help me?