Put a Column on the Left Side of Every Forum Page

This little PRODUCT will provide you with a template to put content in a column going down the left side of every forum page.

What you put there is limited only by your imagination.

This can easily be combined with the right column product to have a column on both sides.

To use this with the right column product , change the footer code to:

<!-- Right Column Code  -->
</td>
<td width="160" valign="top" align="left">$rightcolumn</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
</table>
<!-- End Right Column Code -->

Changes in 1.1
Some very important changes were made to the header and footer template changes. Please modify your header and footer code to use the new version.

This is now a PRODUCT and not a plugin. Use the product manager to import it. If you are upgrading, copy the contents of your left_column template to notepad BEFORE you install the product. Then, replace the template contents with your backup.

This version now includes sample html in the left_column template. Thanks to iguanairs for that code.

[kall]

Hey Amy.. leftcolumn.txt has a naughty little extra < that has sneaked in before the beginning <table tag.

[Blindchild02]

is there any way i could get...

Registered Members Online,
Guests Online,
Most users ever Online
and the top5 latest threads

into your sidebar?

[cheech4487]

Clicks install, thanx Amy!!! :banana:
Got it installed on 3.5.0

[Anne Lise]

I have changed it to right_column. But at the left_column it is a "blank" column. How do I delete it?

[NemoTech]

Thanks amy. Great work.

One question. I have everything working fine.. I know how to add content to the left column, but.... how do I have it showing the same menus I have for my index page.. I would like my forum pages to have the same left coloum/menus. What changes do I make in the leftcolumn template page... This does not work "$home[leftblocks]" <-- got that from the "adv_portal" template.

[DevilYellow]

There is one thing that I found and it took me awhile to figure it out.

If a variable is given a value say in a plugin at global start and then you reference that variable inside the new left column template it will not function. It took me awhile, but what I did was is put that variable = value; line in the global start left column plug in - ABOVE the code that calls the left column template.

I guess you just cant choose the order the plugins run, maybe its in the order of installation.

[Rich]

I have found that installing this hack on Vb3.5.0 Gold results in your sidebar collumn (left or right) showing fine on forumhome and showthread but NOT for any other page, like search for example. The table cell shows up where your content should be but nothing shows up. I have looked at this for hours...

Anyone else see this happening? Can aomeone step up and support this hack?

I would look your code over again. I am running 3.5 gold and my left column displays perfectly regardless as to what page I am on.

[Clayton]

Originally Posted by iguanairs

I would look your code over again. I am running 3.5 gold and my left column displays perfectly regardless as to what page I am on.

this sounds good

mmm

[artonex]

Ive installed it, thanks for the nice hack my friend

[Scratz]

I have used the right colums and started it under the nav breadcrumb but I was wondering if there was some way to end the column at the last forum and before the users online, birthdays block ?