Information Bar for Guests

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=72279 - Original hack for 3.0.x
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=97150 - Hack for 3.5.x

What is this?
This will display an information bar across the top of the browser window that appears to be like the Information Bar that is from Windows XP SP2. When the user clicks it they will be sent to the registration page for your forums. This is not a popup.

If the user is logged in then this will not display at all. This only appears on the page for people who are not logged in.

http://www.veteransresources.org/forums/index.php? - Example Site

How many changes?

• Uploads: 4
  • infobar.css
  • infobar.wav (optional)
  • warning.gif
  • warning2.gif
• File edits: 0
• Template edits: 2
  • headinclude
  • header
• New templates: 0
• Queries: 0

Version History

• 1.05
  • fix for Firefox (Bytecon)
• 1.04
  • added info bar sound (Lionel)
• 1.03
  • no javascript required now
  • works in Firefox
• 1.02
  • removed information bar any browser other than IE
• 1.01
  • removed information bar from login and registration pages (Lionel)
• 1.00
  • initial release

Screenshots
Guest on forums
Guest hovering over info bar

Please click Install this Modification if you like it.

[nnjj.net]

is this mod. work on 3.6.8?

[Khashayar581]

yes, it works fine on 3.6.8

[Khashayar581]

Originally Posted by Khashayar581

great idea. i installed and it works fine...
... but i want to make the whole things right aligned, would u please help me how???

so, where's the support??

[yoyoyoyo]

Originally Posted by Khashayar581

so, where's the support??

you can't expect coders to be on 24 hour call - that is wrong.

Try this in your header template (instead of the code indicated in the install info) to align it to the right:

<if condition="($show['guest']) AND (THIS_SCRIPT != 'register') AND (THIS_SCRIPT != 'login')">
<div id="infobar" align="right"><a href="$vboptions[bburl]/forum/register.php?referrerid=1"><p>It appears you have not yet registered with our community. To register please click here...</p></a><embed src="infobar.wav" autostart="true" loop="0" hidden="true"></embed></div>
</if>

the above assumes that your forum is in the "forum" directory - if it is not then change the URL accordingly.

[Khashayar581]

<if condition="($show['guest']) AND (THIS_SCRIPT != 'register') AND (THIS_SCRIPT != 'login')">
<div id="infobar" align="right"><a href="http://www.forum.persianfinance.net/register.php?referrerid=1"><p>
content goes here</p></a></div>
</if>

as u see, i add the align="right" to the div, but just my texts goes to right, what should i do to make the info icon to right too???!!!

[yoyoyoyo]

Originally Posted by Khashayar581

<if condition="($show['guest']) AND (THIS_SCRIPT != 'register') AND (THIS_SCRIPT != 'login')">
<div id="infobar" align="right"><a href="http://www.forum.persianfinance.net/register.php?referrerid=1"><p>
content goes here</p></a></div>
</if>

as u see, i add the align="right" to the div, but just my texts goes to right, what should i do to make the info icon to right too???!!!

that is defined in the CSS - off the top of my head, without testing it try this:

body {
margin: 0 !important;
padding: 0 !important;
}

/* A fake IE information bar */
#infobar {
font: message-box;
}

/* Please adjust the values if the infobar is not looking good */
#infobar a, #infobar a:link, #infobar a:visited, #infobar a:active {
display: block;
color: #000;
width:100%;
background: #FFFFE1 url(warning.gif) no-repeat right top .3em .3em;
border-bottom: .16em outset;
text-decoration: none;
cursor: default;
}

#infobar a:hover {
color: #FFF;
background: #3169B6 url(warning2.gif) no-repeat right top .3em .3em;
}

#infobar p{
margin:0px;
padding: .45em 0em .45em 22px;
font-size:11px;
}

[HeRmAn'S]

Installed, :up: very nice.:erm:

[Pete C]

*Installed* This is an excellent little hack. I've changed the wording a bit, and added a custom .wav file. This will either improve the registration rate, or annoy the heck out of those who can't be bothered LOL

Thank you, just what my site needed!

Incidentally, the sound plays in both Firefox & IE, which is more than I'd hoped for. A great job, keep up the good work. :up:

[Pete C]

<i>For anyone who may have concerns that the "warning" image gives the false impression of a security risk, you might like to use these instead (see attached). They're just a simple letter "i" in a circle, which I'm sure most folks would interpret as an information logo.</i>

[noppid]

One of the pitfalls of this hack that has been pointed out is that the first thing a search engine sees is this...

<!-- ADDINFO BAR PLUGIN -->
<div id="infobar"><a href="http://www.example.com/forums/register.php"><img style="vertical-align:middle;margin:3px 5px;border:none;float:left;" src="http://www.example.com/forums/images/misc/warning.gif" alt="" /><span>Welcome to <strong>Greatest Forum</strong> - please click here to register. If you are already a member, please log in.</span></a></div>
<!-- END ADDINFO BAR PLUGIN -->

And as a result, many times when you see a site with a welcome message indexed in the search engines with a listing like...

The Greatest Forum
Welcome to Greatest Forum - please click here to register. If you are already a member, please log in.

Not very informative.

So anyway, here's a suggestion.

in the CSS file find:

/* A fake IE information bar */
#infobar {
	font: message-box;
}

Change to:

/* A fake IE information bar */
#infobar {
	font: message-box;
	position:fixed;
	left:0px;
	top:0px;
}

If you have this mod installed, remove the header edit and install this in the footer instead. This goes at the end of the footer template.

<if condition="($show['guest']) AND (THIS_SCRIPT != 'register') AND (THIS_SCRIPT != 'login')">
<div id="infobar"><a href="http://www.example.com/forums/register.php?referrerid=1"><p>It appears you have not yet registered with our community. To register please click here...</p></a><embed src="infobar.wav" autostart="true" loop="0" hidden="true"></embed></div>
</if>

Now the first thing a guest sees is still your welcome message. But the SEs parse the code and the message is the last thing they see before the closing body tag. You'll also notice that the infobar stays at the top even when the member scrolls.

Of course your mileage may vary with the CSS positioning settings thus requiring you to make some adjustments. This can cover stuff up depending on your style. But this is tested on IE and FF and appears to work on a validated XHTML page.