vBulletin CMS Widgets - Countdown to Calendar Event

This widget picks up the next 2 events from a calendar of your choice.

It displays a countdown to the first event then once the first event has arrived it begins a countdown to the second event. The only reason for picking up two events is that someone may visit the page close to the end of the first event then see the no event message. By picking up two events such a visitor will see the countdown to the second event start.

To install...

From the ZIP file, extract eventcountdown.js and copy it to your site.

Navigate to AdminCP -> Style & Templates -> Style Manager -> Edit Template
Double click the headinclude template to edit it and add the following just above the first <script tag you find...

<script src="scripts/eventcountdown.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

...the above assumes you have copied eventcountdown.js file in to a folder called scripts. Adjust the src path to wherever you have placed the .js file.

Navigate to AdminCP -> CMS -> Widgets.
Create a PHP Type Widget and paste the below code.

PHP Code:

ob_start();
global $db,$vbulletin;
$event_calendarid="1";
$no_events_message="<div style='width: 100%; text-align: center; font-weight: bold'>There are no events.</div>";
$today_date = mktime(0, 0, 0, date(date("m")), date(date("d")),  date(date("y")));
$and=" and dateline_from > '".$today_date."'";

$getevents=$db->query_read("SELECT eventid, title, dateline_from from " . TABLE_PREFIX . "event WHERE calendarid='".$event_calendarid."' $and order by dateline_from ASC LIMIT 2");
$count=1;
if(!$db->num_rows($getevents))
{
echo $no_events_message;
} 
else
{
echo "<script type='text/javascript'>\n";
WHILE ($events=$db->fetch_array($getevents))
{
$event_title=$events['title'];
$event_date = vbdate('U',$events['dateline_from'], false,true,false,true)-vbdate('U');
if($count==1)
{
echo "var CountDownTimer=new CountDown('CountDownToChange',1,'".$event_title."<br />','".$event_date."','ywdhms',1)\n";
}
else
{
echo "CountDownTimer.AddNewEvent('".$event_title."<br />','".$event_date."','ywdhms',".$count.")\n";
}
$count++;
}
}
echo "CountDownTimer.DisplayTime(FormatResults)\n";
echo "</script>\n";
$db->free_result($getevents);
unset($events);
$output=ob_get_contents();
ob_end_clean(); 


To create a forum block...

1. Navigate to AdminCP -> Forums & Moderators -> Forum Blocks Manager
2. Click the Add Block button
3. From the drop down list select Custom HTML/PHP
4. Click the Continue button
5. Give the block a title (e.g. Event Countdown) and a short description
6. Set the cache time to 1 minute
7. In Content Type select PHP
8. In Content paste the PHP code above in to the text box
9. Click the Save button

You can set the value for $event_calendarid to the calendar that you want countdown events to come from. Change $no_events_message to the HTML you want to have appear when there are no events left in the selected calendar.

This is the first widget I've written so if you spot any errors or improvements that can be made then please let me know.

If you have an all day event in the calendar the countdown is to the begining of that day. Add a ranged event to the calendar for an exact time. Also, allow for any changes that may occur if a change to or from DST occurs.

Added ob_start(); to beginning of script (17th Oct, 2010)

To have a picture make the Title of the event in the calendar the HTML to display the picture. For example...

Your Event<br /><img src="images/picture.gif" width="140" height="130" alt="">

...which shows as the text above in the calendar title, but displays as text and a picture in the countdown.

[sadiq6210]

Thanks ..

[betts02]

Hey buddy,

You're missing an ob_start at the front of this script. Recommend you add it in, otherwise the block will break the script that started before it as well as itself.

[ahmedipa]

nice one thank you very much

[trophyrider]

The script works fine in the forum block area if you add:

ob_start();

at the beginning of the php script.

[trophyrider]

Originally Posted by trophyrider

The script works fine in the forum block area if you add:

ob_start();

at the beginning of the php script.

See example at http://www.sporttouring.us

[CharlieDelta]

Originally Posted by trophyrider

See example at http://www.sporttouring.us

I can confirm this works as well.
Thank you.

[betts02]

Originally Posted by betts02

Hey buddy,

You're missing an ob_start at the front of this script. Recommend you add it in, otherwise the block will break the script that started before it as well as itself.

Originally Posted by trophyrider

The script works fine in the forum block area if you add:

ob_start();

at the beginning of the php script.

Originally Posted by trophyrider

See example at http://www.sporttouring.us

As i stated then ?

Also looking more into this

If you post and event it shows up
But if you then post an event before the first event it does not display

Will get it working myself anyway mate cheers

[JohnKF]

Thanks for that advice about ob_start();
It's my first script you know

[JohnKF]

Originally Posted by betts02

As i stated then ?

Also looking more into this

If you post and event it shows up
But if you then post an event before the first event it does not display

Will get it working myself anyway mate cheers

I think it may be because it's cached the first event. I usually clear the CMS cache whenever I change anything just to be sure. If you find another cause though please let me know; thanks.

[betts02]

Something is not correct here

I have an event in 2 days time, Yet its showing the event is due NOW

Will look into this myself but if you manage to figure it out post up dude