Blinking notifier in welcome bar when receiving a new pm

Don't you just hate it sending a pm to someone and he/she never reads it untill some weeks later? Using the build in pop-up bar from vB that problem is easily solved, but has to be turned on by the user since it is not a default setting.

VB.org offered me two sollutions, but were both (sound on pm, or that ugly blinking red message that is used by this forum) a bit over the top. I then found JohnBee's cleaner version which did the trick in Internet Explorer, but didnt function when using Firefox. Plus there was a lot of code that needed to be added, so even though I had zero experience in Javascript, i started crafting one myself.

Now this version works both in Internet Explorer as in Firefox, they look exactly the same (as in speeds) plus only 17 lines of code are added to one single template style. You can change the blink color to any color you like and also change the speed of the blinking. (setInterval("doBlink()",500, where 500 is the speed in milliseconds)

installation
In AdminCP, in your navbar template, find

ht = document.getElementsByTagName("html");
	ht[0].style.filter = "progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.BasicImage(grayscale=1)";
	if (confirm('$vbphrase[sure_you_want_to_log_out]'))
	{
		return true;
	}
	else
	{
		ht[0].style.filter = "";
		return false;
	}
}
//-->

After add

<!-- [Fusion's `ing PM mod :: http://ut2004.titaninternet.co.uk] -->
function doBlink() {
  var blink = document.all.tags("blink")
  for (var i=0; i<blink.length; i++)
    blink[i].style.visibility = blink[i].style.visibility == "" ? "hidden" : ""
}

//fix by Piglet
function startBlink() {
	window.preblinkonload();
	setInterval("doBlink()",500)
}

if (document.all && ! window.preblinkonload){
	window.preblinkonload = window.onload;
	window.onload = startBlink;
}

//-->

In the same template, find

<if condition="$show['pmstats']"><br /><phrase 1="$vbphrase[unread_x_nav_compiled]" 2="$vbphrase[total_x_nav_compiled]" 3="$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[private_messages_nav]</phrase></if>

Replace with

<if condition="$show['pmstats']"><br />
			<if condition="$bbuserinfo['pmunread']">
			<phrase 1="<blink><font color=#ff0000>$vbphrase[unread_x_nav_compiled]</font></blink>" 2="$vbphrase[total_x_nav_compiled]" 3="$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[private_messages_nav]</phrase>
			<br />
			<else />
			<phrase 1="$vbphrase[unread_x_nav_compiled]" 2="$vbphrase[total_x_nav_compiled]" 3="$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[private_messages_nav]</phrase><br /></if></if>

This gives you a red (#ff0000) blinking message when having a pm in your box, after which you are done.

---------------------------optional---------------------------

Alternatively, if you just want blinking text (so text with default font color blinking on and off) simply skip the last step and do this one in stead.

In the same template, find

<if condition="$show['pmstats']"><br /><phrase 1="$vbphrase[unread_x_nav_compiled]" 2="$vbphrase[total_x_nav_compiled]" 3="$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[private_messages_nav]</phrase></if>

Replace with

<if condition="$show['pmstats']"><br />
			<if condition="$bbuserinfo['pmunread']">
			<phrase 1="<blink>$vbphrase[unread_x_nav_compiled]</blink>" 2="$vbphrase[total_x_nav_compiled]" 3="$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[private_messages_nav]</phrase>
			<br />
			<else />
			<phrase 1="$vbphrase[unread_x_nav_compiled]" 2="$vbphrase[total_x_nav_compiled]" 3="$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[private_messages_nav]</phrase><br /></if></if>

The end result should look like this, in your own board colors ofcourse.

Dont forget to press install if you like this little mod.

Update (26-5-2005): This mod had a conflict in IE with an other mod, namely a 2nd breadcrumb we've added at the bottom for easy scrolling, which caused us to have an overflow error in Internet Explorer. So basicly, this mod should have worked for other forums, it just gave us specificly a slight hickup cause of the nature of our board. Still, the code has been updated so that it works now for both us and other forums that may have messed with the onload command.

[Nuckolsc.com]

Nice one man. Just used it on my 2 forums! Thanks

[Clayton]

nice going ... installed

nice to see a community work together

[Rickie3]

thankyou
*clicks install*

[Strike3ForumsMH]

I was looking for something like that as well. Thanks!

[jeanne]

I am attempting this hack but when I get to step two look for

<if condition="$show['pmstats']"><br /><phrase 1="$vbphrase[unread_x_nav_compiled]" 2="$vbphrase[total_x_nav_compiled]" 3="$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[private_messages_nav]</phrase></if>

my coding is

<if condition="$show['pmstats']"><tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="private.php?$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[private_messages]</a></td></tr></if>
<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="subscription.php?$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[subscribed_threads]</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$bbuserinfo[userid]">$vbphrase[my_profile]</a></td></tr>


How do I modify? this doesn't seem right...

[ccplim]

Originally Posted by jeanne

I am attempting this hack but when I get to step two look for

<if condition="$show['pmstats']"><br /><phrase 1="$vbphrase[unread_x_nav_compiled]" 2="$vbphrase[total_x_nav_compiled]" 3="$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[private_messages_nav]</phrase></if>

my coding is

<if condition="$show['pmstats']"><tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="private.php?$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[private_messages]</a></td></tr></if>
<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="subscription.php?$session[sessionurl]">$vbphrase[subscribed_threads]</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$bbuserinfo[userid]">$vbphrase[my_profile]</a></td></tr>


How do I modify? this doesn't seem right...

Try searching further down. I remember encountering a similar case while I was trying out (can't really remember clearly as I was working on a few hacks at that point of time).

[unnetboardguy]

Thank you kindly. install clicked

our users thank you too
Michael
-unnet.net

[atxhorn]

nice mod..thanks m8...click installed

[mkdevo]

excellent, quick, and subtle! thanks!

fyi, i've ported this to vBPortal, giving you full credit:

http://www.phpportals.com/forums/sho...4095#post84095

the vBP navbar is a little different and required some other changes, which i added.

thanks again!

[Dr.Jeckyl]

way cool! installed.