How to randomly cycle content displayed on front page (section manager)?

[Mikhailtech]

Is there a way to randomly display content in a section each time the front page is loaded? I don't see it as an option in the "display order" dropdown.

I was told at the vb forums it would have to be some sort of modification. Has anyone tried this?

[Mikhailtech]

bump ... anyone?

[Dead Eddie]

I'm a little confused. Are you looking to display content from a random section each time the home page loads? Or display content in a random order?

[Mikhailtech]

Display content in a random order within a section (regardless of category). There's no option to display in random order right now.

[Dead Eddie]

Create a new plugin that hooks into vbcms_collection_section_querydata and add the following code:

PHP Code:

//comma separated list of nodeids to apply this to
$sections = array(1,5);

if(self::QUERY_BASIC == $required_query && in_array($this->filter_node_exact, $sections))
{
$this->sortby = ' ORDER BY RAND()';
} 


Edit the section(s) you want to apply it to at the top, and you're good to go.

[summytinc]

Wow, that works great. Any ideas how to get it to work on the home content or in sections which include sub-section content? Thanks.

[Dead Eddie]

Originally Posted by summytinc

Wow, that works great. Any ideas how to get it to work on the home content or in sections which include sub-section content? Thanks.

By default, your "home content" is at node 1. If you've changed that, you'll have to set it for the node you've designated as your home page.

This does work on sections that includes sub sections.

[Mikhailtech]

I can't get this to work. Did as you said, I'm guessing you have to select the section in the array(x,x) part? I tried putting in different numbers and it's not working.

I have Home > Articles (section) > (categories) of articles > actual content.

See attachment.

What am I doing wrong? And how do I figure out what "node" my home content is in (if it's not 1 because that doesn't seem to work)?

[Dead Eddie]

Originally Posted by Mikhailtech

I can't get this to work. Did as you said, I'm guessing you have to select the section in the array(x,x) part? I tried putting in different numbers and it's not working.

I have Home > Articles (section) > (categories) of articles > actual content.

See attachment.

What am I doing wrong? And how do I figure out what "node" my home content is in (if it's not 1 because that doesn't seem to work)?

1. Yes, you need to put the actual nodeids of the sections you want to randomize there. Those are the numbers in the url (1-Index).

2. If you want to see what node controls your homepage, go to admincp -> Settings -> Options -> Content Management -> Default Page

3. What do you mean when you say it's "not working"? It's not randomizing the content? It's giving you a blank page? It's doing something else unexpected?

4. What version of vBulletin?

[summytinc]

Thanks for your help on this. Can this be set up with a cache so that it doesn't run a new query when paginating through articles in that section?