Geek Advertising Banner system RC1

HowdA All.

From the makers of Hydrogen comes the latest mack - GAB (Geek Advertising Banners).

This has come about by needing an advertising system that no other hack seemed to totally fulfill. Personally - I really didnt want to burden myself with supporting another hack - but I felt it was significantly better than other hack systems out there so I thought many would be able to benefit from it.

Whats so freaking cool about it?

1- use flash, normal, text based (google adsense) or rotating banners
2- Decide which scripts run the banners
3- Define which forums run the banners
4- define which usergroups can turn off the banners
5- Make ads stop at x amount of hits
6- Make ads stop at x amount of views
7- Make ads start/stop at certain times
8- track views and/or hits
9- Wipes your bum

Why am I releasing this now? It seems to be hip and trendy to release Banner hacks. In all reality - this has been a very long work in progress that is finally rounding the finsihing stages. The current RC pacakge is considered complete except for the show stats segment (its recording stats, but you cant browse them easily yet).

LIke with any hack (especially a Beta) back up you DB and files needing change (global.php,admincp/index.php).

Known issues:

• Flash ads can not appear on same page as a rotating banner ad.
• After installing for the first time, you will most likely need to edit a phrase (any phrase) and click save to rebuild phrases
• Flash banners hide drop down menus!!! Be careful where you put them or dont use them!

Basic install instructions:

• Upload all files to relevant locations
• chmod the gab and gish folders to 777 (or change the owner of the folders to whatever account your PHP process runs under).
• Run the gab_install.php file in your admincp folder.
• Follow the steps.
• On the file changes - pay close attention to see if certain changes couldnt be made. If any changes could not be made, you need to manually make those changes.
• When complete, move changed files from gish/gab/rc1.0 to their respective locations
• Ad a new cron job to run daily (file: GAB_cron_daily.php)
• Edit each gab category to include the forums you want the ads to appear in.
• Ad $GAB_ads[x] to your templates where ever you want ads to appear (x represents the ad number depending on how many ads are set to run on that script. $GAB_ads[0] is the first ad block, $GAB_ads[1] would be the second, etc...)
• Read The Freaking README!!!!!!!

Quick Upgrade instructions

For users of GAB Beta 2, uninstall it and then install this version. In all reality, you could just revert the file changes and delete the GAB_ tables from yur DB (heck, you dont even need to do that).

To upgrade from RC1.5 to RC1.6, just replace existing files with the latest from the downloaded package and run the template portion of the installer (you can skip the rest of the install steps). You may have to revert your GUSH_main and GUSH_ad_row

Donations

I have never asked for donations for any of the macks I have done - however since I have spent well over 60 hours coding this - I thought I would stick my neck out there. If you like my mack, it brings you some money and you want to keep my fridge stocked with beer and Cheetos, then feel free to drop some cash in my paypal account: geek@thenailgeek.com
If youre having difficulty keeping beer in the fridge yourself - fill yours before you fill mine.
If you think the mack sucks, or youre just a tight git then please dont bother

nJoy

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by visions1

Where exactly are "global" scripts suppose to be ticked and what code is suppose to be in the template.

In settings - you have a choice of script to stick ads in. At least one of those needs to be ticked.

Furthermore, in each banner, you can choose which script it appears on (from the ticked global list). At least one of those needs to be ticked.

Lastly - when you run a test - a script has to be chosen that would have a banner appearing in it. Otherwise no banner gets pulled.

HTHs

[The Geek]

Update.

Thought I would take a minute to update you on the progess. There has been very little - but there has also been a lot

Basically - I have spent the last week re-writting GAL in order to bring it in line with what I am trying to do with GAB. I am almost there and its looking real sweet. However it has caused me to rethink my approach to GAB.

Basically, I am going to finish GAL4.0 and release it. Then I am going to complete GAB as the core banner system. I will then put out a new hack that will tie the two together to allow admins to create packages to sell on their site that consists of GAB banners and/or GAL links.

My question is - do you guys feel that the GAB system operating soley as an admin controlled system works to your liking? If so I should be able to wind up a final version of GAB shortly after GAL is done for final release.
I can then focus on a stand alone module that ties the two together.

Thoughts?

[The Geek]

Hrely or visions - if either of you want to PM me login details with admincp access Ill look into it for you

[Lionel]

Geek, will there be any db changes in GAL 4.0?

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by Lionel

Geek, will there be any db changes in GAL 4.0?

there are several - however I wouldnt sweat it as I am sure I will be able to port everything over.

[Reeve of shinra]

GAL + GAB would be an insanely powerful advertising mangemant tool.

[king zell]

The Geek please help me

I did install it as you said in the read me but I can't see the GAB menu in my admin Control Panel.. why ?

Edit : I solved this problem..

but where exactly should I put the $GAB_ad1 in the navbar template?

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by king zell

The Geek please help me

I did install it as you said in the read me but I can't see the GAB menu in my admin Control Panel.. why ?

did you check the gish folder for changed files?

Reeva - my thoughts exactly - I think its going to be saweet

[king zell]

thank you Geek .. can u answer my other question :

where exactly should I put the $GAB_ad1 in the navbar template?

[The Geek]

Originally Posted by king zell

thank you Geek .. can u answer my other question :

where exactly should I put the $GAB_ad1 in the navbar template?

id put it on the first line of the template so it appears above the navbar/breadcrumb section.
Personally, I think it looks better UNDER the navbar, but if you use any flash ads, it covers the drop downs.