Improved PM Popup JavaScript

What's it do?
Simple: it checks to see how many new PMs a user has. If they've only got one (which is usually the case...I don't think many people get tons of new PMs), the popup JavaScript alert displayed to them will let them know who sent them the message, what it's title is, and, rather than take them to the Inbox, it'll take them directly to the message.

If there's more than one, it'll display a more vague message, letting them know just how many new messages they have, and redirecting them to their Inbox (which is where the current popup directs you). Anyway, here's the hack:


Open global.php. Around line 266 you should see the following:

$newpmmsg=1;

RIGHT below it, place this (REPLACE your current code for this hack with the code below, if you happen to be one of the few people who actually intalled this originally from the Beta Hacks forum. )

  $latest_pm = $DB_site->query("SELECT p.privatemessageid AS pm_popup_id, p.title AS pm_popup_title, u.username AS pm_popup_username FROM privatemessage p, user u WHERE messageread = 0 AND p.userid = $bbuserinfo[userid] AND p.fromuserid = u.userid ORDER BY dateline DESC");
  $hack_pm_total  = $DB_site->num_rows($latest_pm);
  
    if ($hack_pm_total > 1) {
      eval("\$pm_popup_text = \"".gettemplate('pm_popup_multiple')."\";");
      eval("\$pm_popup_url  = \"".gettemplate('pm_popup_url_multiple')."\";");
    } else {
      extract($DB_site->fetch_array($latest_pm));
      eval("\$pm_popup_text = \"".gettemplate('pm_popup')."\";");
      eval("\$pm_popup_url  = \"".gettemplate('pm_popup_url')."\";");
    }

Now, create the four new templates. I've attached a file to this post containing the names of the four templates, and the text I've used to populate them -- which will probably be the same text and such you'll want to use. Don't be intimidated...they're all very small.

After that, edit your head_newpm template to make use of the new variables. Here's my use of it (highly suggested):

<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
function confirm_newpm() {
	input_box = confirm("$pm_popup_text");
	if (input_box == true) { // Output when OK is clicked
		second_box = confirm("Open in new window?\n\n(Press cancel to open your $inboxname in the current window.)");
		if (second_box == true) {
			window.open('$pm_popup_url','pmnew','width=600,height=500,menubar=yes,scrollbars=yes,toolbar=yes,location=yes,directories=yes,resizable=yes,top=50,left=50'); 
		} else {
			window.location = "$pm_popup_url";
		}
	} else {
	// Output when Cancel is clicked
	}
}
-->
</script>

Enjoy.

[TheComputerGuy]

I installed it, its just what the dr. ordered!!

I want to know whats it about prior to reading it!

[TWTCommish]

Glad you like it. Thanks very much. People saying they like it, and using it, is very rewarding!

[squawell]

Originally posted by TWTCommish
Hmmm -- did you install the templates, too?

i'm sure i have created those templates~~

[Lionel]

but the pm are coming in normally like before...

[Lionel]

maybe my mistake. I just discovered a mistake in template name. By accident I had cut the full line.

[Lionel]

I can't get this hack to work. I am going to try by removing _txt in intructions

eval("\$pm_popup_text = \"".gettemplate('pm_popup_multiple')."

[TWTCommish]

Removing what? I've got no idea what you're talking about.

[Lionel]

shouldn't that:

eval("\$pm_popup_text = \"".gettemplate('pm_popup_multiple')."

be:

eval("\$pm_popup_multiple = \"".gettemplate('pm_popup_multiple')."

[TWTCommish]

No. That won't work. The value of $pm_popup_text is what goes in the head_pm template. The value is either from the one template, or the other. There are two variables that need to be filled before the head_pm template is called...the var names, therefore, are identical in the if() half, and the else half.

Maybe I can help: what's gone wrong? Have you gone over the steps again to make sure you did them all correctly?

[Lionel]

well this a fairly simple hack... I placed in global as instructed and cipy and pasted the four templates. double and triple check templates and did cut and paste for global.