New pm alert (a replacement for pm popup)

This hack will change the way pm pop works on your forums. Frist of all it will no longer be a pop up, instead the info is placed in a new table under the navbar. Also the avatar of the member that sent you the pm is displayed.

This is dirty but it works, if everything checks out in this beta release I will update the template to use phrases and post a new thread in the full release forum

[apokphp]

Does this work for rc2? Doesn't seem to for some reason.

[Brad]

Yes, this was made for and works with RC 2

[apokphp]

I'm only testing it by sending pm's to myself. Does it read self-sent pm's?

[Brad]

Originally Posted by apokphp

I'm only testing it by sending pm's to myself. Does it read self-sent pm's?

Log into a test acount or have someone send you a pm, I had to get someone to send me about 20 test pm's to get this working

[apokphp]

It worked. 3 requests/ideas though.

1) If someone hasn't selected an avatar, no graphic displays, perhaps there is a way to use a default graphic instead of nothing? This way brings attention to the pm.

2) Anyway to keep the notice there until the pm is read? If you leave the forum and come back, or if you refresh, or if you move around in the forum, the notice disappears, and you missed the pm notice.

3) What about adding a blinker to it? Or a blinking or highlighted text to alert the member a pm is waiting?

[Brad]

Originally Posted by apokphp

It worked. 3 requests/ideas though.

1) If someone hasn't selected an avatar, no graphic displays, perhaps there is a way to use a default graphic instead of nothing? This way brings attention to the pm.

2) Anyway to keep the notice there until the pm is read? If you leave the forum and come back, or if you refresh, or if you move around in the forum, the notice disappears, and you missed the pm notice.

3) What about adding a blinker to it? Or a blinking or highlighted text to alert the member a pm is waiting?

1: Change:

PHP Code:

        if (empty($pm_avaurl))
        {
            $showpm_ava = false;
        }
        else
        {
            $showpm_ava = true;
        } 


To:

PHP Code:

        if (empty($pm_avaurl))
        {
            $pm_avaurl = 'path/to/default/avatar.gif';
            $showpm_ava = true;
        }
        else
        {
            $showpm_ava = true;
        } 


2: *code removed* will cause un-disired results, I will update the hack with a better version of this soon

3: you can do so by editing to pm_new_globals to your liking, I made this because I dis-liked the blink, but there is no reason why you can-not add it

[Brad]

Ok, if you want the pm alert to stay on top until the pm is viewed do this.

In global.php find:

PHP Code:

$DB_site->shutdown_query("UPDATE " . TABLE_PREFIX . "user SET pmpopup = 1 WHERE userid = $bbuserinfo[userid]", 'pmpopup'); 


Remove it.

In the pm_new_globals template replace:

<a href="private.php?$session[sessionurl]">Click here to enter your private message area</a>

Replace with:

<a href="pmgateway.php?$session[sessionurl]">Click here to enter your private message area</a>

And upload the attached php file to your /forum directory

[apokphp]

Yes, that worked great! Thanks.

And if you don't mind (hehe), if I wanted to, what about just having a default image for ALL notices of a pm? Instead of having it be the sender's avatar...what would it be if I wanted a graphic to display in its place, for all members who get a pm. Not sure if I would do this, but it seems like it may come in handy.

[Brad]

Remove:

PHP Code:

        require_once('./includes/functions_user.php');
        $pm_avaurl = fetch_avatar_url($newpm['fromuserid']);

        if (empty($pm_avaurl))
        {
            $showpm_ava = false;
        }
        else
        {
            $showpm_ava = true;
        } 


Then in the template find:

PHP Code:

$pm_avaurl 


And replace it with the image you want to show, also find:

<if condition="$showpm_ava">
	<td class="alt1" width="100%">
			<div class="smallfont"><img src="$pm_avaurl" alt="$newpm[username]'s avatar" border="0" /></div>
		</td>	</if>

Replace with:

<td class="alt1" width="100%">
			<div class="smallfont"><img src="$pm_avaurl" alt="$newpm[username]'s avatar" border="0" /></div>
		</td>

[apokphp]

very nice, thanks. As I expected, it was a little more than I had thought. I needed the help.