Rotating banners

I created this simple and easy hack for a rotating banner block. All you have to do is create a template and add a plugin location and your done.

1. Go to your ADMINCP and create a template called "banner" and insert the attacked code:

PHP Code:

<!-- Begin rotating ad code -->
<script language="Javascript"><!-- 
function image() { 
}; 
image = new image(); 
number = 0; 
// imageArray 
image[number++] = "<a href='http://www.yoursite.net/forum/payments.php'><img src='http://www.yoursite.net/forum/sponsors/donatebanner.gif' border='0'></a>"
image[number++] = "<a href='http://www.hikersupply.com'><img src='http://www.yoursite.net/forum/sponsors/hikersupply.gif' border='0'></a>"
image[number++] = "<a href='http://www.modelt.net'><img src='http://www.yoursite.net/forum/sponsors/modeltbanner.gif' border='0'></a>"
image[number++] = "<a href='http://appalachiantrailservices.com/'><img src='http://www.yoursite.net/forum/sponsors/atservicesbanner.gif' border='0'></a>"
image[number++] = "<a href='http://www.thepacka.com/'><img src='http://www.yoursite.net/forum/sponsors/cedartreebanner.gif' border='0'></a>"
// Carry on adding images - as many as you want
increment = Math.floor(Math.random() * number); 
document.write(image[increment]); 
//-->
</script>
<!-- End rotating ad code --> 


2. Now still in your ADMINCP go to PLUGIN SYSTEM-->ADD NEW PLUGIN
HOOK LOCATION is "global_start"
TITLE is "banner"
PLUGIN PHP CODE:

PHP Code:

eval('$banner = "' . fetch_template('banner') . '";'); 


Do not forget to make the plugin active.

3. Now you can go into any template you want and where ever you put the $banner your rotating banners will appear.

4. Most people want to put this in the top right corner of the forums. If this is what where you want it then. go into you ADMINCP templates and into you header:

Find:

PHP Code:

<td align="$stylevar[right]">
&nbsp; 


Under that insert:

PHP Code:

$banner 


Now you done. All you have to do is edit your template your created with the links and banners you want to use.

You can add more rotating banners then what is in the code. All you have to do in insert more lines with banners in the right location in the code. That should be self explanatory.

Note:
You can make your link open in a seperate browser window by adding the target='ad' in the line as shown below.

PHP Code:

image[number++] = "<a target='ad' href='http://www.hikersupply.com'><img src='http://www.yoursite.net/forum/sponsors/hikersupply.gif' border='0'></a>" 


[attroll]

Originally Posted by mattyk72

how do I cache the template?

Why do you need to cache the template?

[attroll]

Originally Posted by DJCobol

Thanks for this. I've gotten it working on the header, but when I tried adding the "$banner" variable to my right column area it doesnt work. Any help?

What right column are you talking about. Are you referrring to you front page?

[attroll]

Originally Posted by Freak0204

This isn't working for me. Nothing is showing up.

Did you get this working because I am looking at your forums and I see a banner showing?

[TruthElixirX]

Originally Posted by attroll

I have not upgraded my foums to 3.5.4 yet. But I don't understand why it would not work. What is it not doing or is it doing anything?

My board has upgraded to 3.5.4 and I can confirm it is working just like normal.

[KevNJ]

Can we have a link to see this is working order ?

[DJCobol]

Originally Posted by attroll

What right column are you talking about. Are you referrring to you front page?

I have this plugin installed on my board. Whenever I put the "$banner" code snippet in so that it would show up over there, nothing shows up. But it does work in the header. See example here.

[DJCobol]

anything yet, or am I the only one with this problem

[attroll]

Originally Posted by DJCobol

anything yet, or am I the only one with this problem

Sorry it took so long to reply. If you are using CMPS for you front page then you need to go into your ADMINCP-->vBA CMPA-->Default Settings and scroll down until you see PORTAL OUTPUT GLOBAL VARIABLES and in that block put this

banner

[foulplay]

This is not showing on 3.5.4 I followed the steps to the "T"

[attroll]

Originally Posted by ant0nio

This is not showing on 3.5.4 I followed the steps to the "T"

I have it working in 3.5.4 on my test site. So I know it works i=on hte latest version.

On a side not make sure you have edited the right style or all styles. If you add this to a style make sure you are viewing the style you have added it to.