Links to recent threads in list form on 'static' page.

[destalk]

Hi

I wonder if anyone here can help me with this.

I want to be able to have a list of between 5-15 links of the most recent threads that have been started in my forums appear in a static page elsewhere on my site. (not posts - because I want the link to go to the top/root of the thread, not to a message within that thread).

Someone helped me to do this with most popular threads like this;

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   <?php

$array = ssi_topTopicsViews(25, array(), 'array');
foreach ($array as $topic)
echo $topic['link'], '<br />';

?>

And I had to put the following code in the first line of the static page;

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<?php require("/home/user/public_html/website/SSI.php");  ob_start('ob_sessrewrite'); ?>

But I have been unable to find out how to do this with most recent threads.

Any help would be truly appreciated.

Thanks.

[destalk]

Anyone?

[Rudolf]

try:
$array = ssi_recentTopics(25, array(), 'array');

[destalk]

Thanks Rudolf.

But unfortunately, that just goes to the most recent post. Not the most recent thread.

E.G. It goes here; http://www.domain.com/forum/index.php/topic,2237.msg7669.html#new

And I need it to go here; http://www.domain.com/forum/index.php/topic,2237.0.html

[Rudolf]

Sorry, I don't have a live forum now to try it out.
You want the most recent threads as when they were started, or the most recent updated threads?
I guess the first.
Probably, you will have to write your own ssi_ function for that. You can start with the recentTopics and modify it. I'm surprised no one did it already, maybe something in the search would come up.

[Rudolf]

Open up the SSI.php and modify (replace or duplicate) the ssi_recentTopics(); function.
Changing the query a bit should give you what you want.
Search for (in that function):

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// Find all the posts in distinct topics.  Newer ones will have higher IDs.
$request = db_query("
SELECT
m.posterTime, ms.subject, m.ID_TOPIC, m.ID_MEMBER, m.ID_MSG, b.ID_BOARD, b.name AS bName,
IFNULL(mem.realName, m.posterName) AS posterName, " . ($user_info['is_guest'] ? '1 AS isRead, 0 AS new_from' : '
IFNULL(lt.ID_MSG, IFNULL(lmr.ID_MSG, 0)) >= m.ID_MSG_MODIFIED AS isRead,
IFNULL(lt.ID_MSG, IFNULL(lmr.ID_MSG, -1)) + 1 AS new_from') . ", LEFT(m.body, 384) AS body, m.smileysEnabled, m.icon
FROM ({$db_prefix}messages AS m, {$db_prefix}topics AS t, {$db_prefix}boards AS b, {$db_prefix}messages AS ms)
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}members AS mem ON (mem.ID_MEMBER = m.ID_MEMBER)" . (!$user_info['is_guest'] ? "
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}log_topics AS lt ON (lt.ID_TOPIC = t.ID_TOPIC AND lt.ID_MEMBER = $ID_MEMBER)
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}log_mark_read AS lmr ON (lmr.ID_BOARD = b.ID_BOARD AND lmr.ID_MEMBER = $ID_MEMBER)" : '') . "
WHERE t.ID_LAST_MSG >= " . ($modSettings['maxMsgID'] - 35 * min($num_recent, 5)) . "
AND t.ID_LAST_MSG = m.ID_MSG
AND b.ID_BOARD = t.ID_BOARD" . (empty($exclude_boards) ? '' : "
AND b.ID_BOARD NOT IN (" . implode(', ', $exclude_boards) . ")") . "
AND $user_info[query_see_board]
AND ms.ID_MSG = t.ID_FIRST_MSG
ORDER BY t.ID_LAST_MSG DESC
LIMIT $num_recent", __FILE__, __LINE__);


Replace with:

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// Find all the posts in distinct topics.  Newer ones will have higher IDs.
$request = db_query("
SELECT
m.posterTime, ms.subject, m.ID_TOPIC, m.ID_MEMBER, m.ID_MSG, b.ID_BOARD, b.name AS bName,
IFNULL(mem.realName, m.posterName) AS posterName, " . ($user_info['is_guest'] ? '1 AS isRead, 0 AS new_from' : '
IFNULL(lt.ID_MSG, IFNULL(lmr.ID_MSG, 0)) >= m.ID_MSG_MODIFIED AS isRead,
IFNULL(lt.ID_MSG, IFNULL(lmr.ID_MSG, -1)) + 1 AS new_from') . ", LEFT(m.body, 384) AS body, m.smileysEnabled, m.icon
FROM ({$db_prefix}messages AS m, {$db_prefix}topics AS t, {$db_prefix}boards AS b, {$db_prefix}messages AS ms)
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}members AS mem ON (mem.ID_MEMBER = m.ID_MEMBER)" . (!$user_info['is_guest'] ? "
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}log_topics AS lt ON (lt.ID_TOPIC = t.ID_TOPIC AND lt.ID_MEMBER = $ID_MEMBER)
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}log_mark_read AS lmr ON (lmr.ID_BOARD = b.ID_BOARD AND lmr.ID_MEMBER = $ID_MEMBER)" : '') . "
WHERE t.ID_FIRST_MSG >= " . ($modSettings['maxMsgID'] - 35 * min($num_recent, 5)) . "
AND t.ID_FIRST_MSG = m.ID_MSG
AND b.ID_BOARD = t.ID_BOARD" . (empty($exclude_boards) ? '' : "
AND b.ID_BOARD NOT IN (" . implode(', ', $exclude_boards) . ")") . "
AND $user_info[query_see_board]
AND ms.ID_MSG = t.ID_FIRST_MSG
ORDER BY t.ID_FIRST_MSG DESC
LIMIT $num_recent", __FILE__, __LINE__);

Then you simply change the link displayed to go to the first post instead of the new.
Search for:

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'link' => '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?topic=' . $row['ID_TOPIC'] . '.msg' . $row['ID_MSG'] . '#new">' . $row['subject'] . '</a>',

Replace with:

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'link' => '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?topic=' . $row['ID_TOPIC'] . '">' . $row['subject'] . '</a>',

This is just theory for now, because I can't try it out. I'm at work.

[destalk]

Thanks Rudolf. That's great.

I'll have to try that on a spare forum installation, as I don't really understand this stuff very well.

And yes, I want the list of links to display the new threads as they are started. Essentially, it would be like listing threads as they are listed in each board, but gathering the most recent ones from across all the boards of a forum.

[destalk]

Although, I'm kind of concerned as to whether this will mess anything up with the main forum?

I thought that there may have been a really simple solution to this.

[destalk]

OK. I tried it.

1. I changed the SSI code.

2. I changed the "link displayed"

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'link' => '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?topic=' . $row['ID_TOPIC'] . '.msg' . $row['ID_MSG'] . '#new">' . $row['subject'] . '</a>', in the two places I could find it in SSI.php

3. I changed the code on the 'static' page to this

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$array = ssi_recentTopics(25, array(), 'array');

But unfortunately, I got the following error;

Unknown column 'lt.ID_MSG' in 'field list'
File: /home/user/public_html/forumdirectory/SSI.php
Line: 301

Actually, I get that error even if I don't change the "link displayed" code.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[Rudolf]

Here is the function you should have after applying the modifications.
Put it in your SSI.php file then use it as you would use the recentTopics function. (Edit: works only with 1.1 RC2 and 1.1 RC3)

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// Latest topic list:   [board] Subject by Poster Date
function ssi_latestTopics($num_recent = 8, $exclude_boards = null, $output_method = 'echo')
{
global $context, $settings, $scripturl, $txt, $db_prefix, $ID_MEMBER;
global $user_info, $modSettings, $func;

if ($exclude_boards === null && !empty($modSettings['recycle_enable']) && $modSettings['recycle_board'] > 0)
$exclude_boards = array($modSettings['recycle_board']);
else
$exclude_boards = empty($exclude_boards) ? array() : $exclude_boards;

$stable_icons = array('xx', 'thumbup', 'thumbdown', 'exclamation', 'question', 'lamp', 'smiley', 'angry', 'cheesy', 'grin', 'sad', 'wink', 'moved', 'recycled', 'wireless');
$icon_sources = array();
foreach ($stable_icons as $icon)
$icon_sources[$icon] = 'images_url';
// Find all the posts in distinct topics.  Newer ones will have higher IDs.
$request = db_query("
SELECT
m.posterTime, ms.subject, m.ID_TOPIC, m.ID_MEMBER, m.ID_MSG, b.ID_BOARD, b.name AS bName,
IFNULL(mem.realName, m.posterName) AS posterName, " . ($user_info['is_guest'] ? '1 AS isRead, 0 AS new_from' : '
IFNULL(lt.ID_MSG, IFNULL(lmr.ID_MSG, 0)) >= m.ID_MSG_MODIFIED AS isRead,
IFNULL(lt.ID_MSG, IFNULL(lmr.ID_MSG, -1)) + 1 AS new_from') . ", LEFT(m.body, 384) AS body, m.smileysEnabled, m.icon
FROM ({$db_prefix}messages AS m, {$db_prefix}topics AS t, {$db_prefix}boards AS b, {$db_prefix}messages AS ms)
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}members AS mem ON (mem.ID_MEMBER = m.ID_MEMBER)" . (!$user_info['is_guest'] ? "
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}log_topics AS lt ON (lt.ID_TOPIC = t.ID_TOPIC AND lt.ID_MEMBER = $ID_MEMBER)
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}log_mark_read AS lmr ON (lmr.ID_BOARD = b.ID_BOARD AND lmr.ID_MEMBER = $ID_MEMBER)" : '') . "
WHERE t.ID_FIRST_MSG >= " . ($modSettings['maxMsgID'] - 35 * min($num_recent, 5)) . "
AND t.ID_FIRST_MSG = m.ID_MSG
AND b.ID_BOARD = t.ID_BOARD" . (empty($exclude_boards) ? '' : "
AND b.ID_BOARD NOT IN (" . implode(', ', $exclude_boards) . ")") . "
AND $user_info[query_see_board]
AND ms.ID_MSG = t.ID_FIRST_MSG
ORDER BY t.ID_FIRST_MSG DESC
LIMIT $num_recent", __FILE__, __LINE__);
$posts = array();
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($request))
{
$row['body'] = strip_tags(strtr(parse_bbc($row['body'], $row['smileysEnabled'], $row['ID_MSG']), array('<br />' => '')));
if ($func['strlen']($row['body']) > 128)
$row['body'] = $func['substr']($row['body'], 0, 128) . '...';

// Censor the subject.
censorText($row['subject']);
censorText($row['body']);

if (empty($modSettings['messageIconChecks_disable']) && !isset($icon_sources[$row['icon']]))
$icon_sources[$row['icon']] = file_exists($settings['theme_dir'] . '/images/post/' . $row['icon'] . '.gif') ? 'images_url' : 'default_images_url';

// Build the array.
$posts[] = array(
'board' => array(
'id' => $row['ID_BOARD'],
'name' => $row['bName'],
'href' => $scripturl . '?board=' . $row['ID_BOARD'] . '.0',
'link' => '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?board=' . $row['ID_BOARD'] . '.0">' . $row['bName'] . '</a>'
),
'topic' => $row['ID_TOPIC'],
'poster' => array(
'id' => $row['ID_MEMBER'],
'name' => $row['posterName'],
'href' => empty($row['ID_MEMBER']) ? '' : $scripturl . '?action=profile;u=' . $row['ID_MEMBER'],
'link' => empty($row['ID_MEMBER']) ? $row['posterName'] : '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?action=profile;u=' . $row['ID_MEMBER'] . '">' . $row['posterName'] . '</a>'
),
'subject' => $row['subject'],
'short_subject' => shorten_subject($row['subject'], 25),
'preview' => $row['body'],
'time' => timeformat($row['posterTime']),
'timestamp' => forum_time(true, $row['posterTime']),
'href' => $scripturl . '?topic=' . $row['ID_TOPIC'] . '.msg' . $row['ID_MSG'] . ';topicseen#new',
'link' => '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?topic=' . $row['ID_TOPIC'] . '">' . $row['subject'] . '</a>',
'new' => !empty($row['isRead']),
'new_from' => $row['new_from'],
'icon' => '<img src="' . $settings[$icon_sources[$row['icon']]] . '/post/' . $row['icon'] . '.gif" align="middle" alt="' . $row['icon'] . '" border="0" />',
);
}
mysql_free_result($request);

// Just return it.
if ($output_method != 'echo' || empty($posts))
return $posts;

echo '
<table border="0" class="ssi_table">';
foreach ($posts as $post)
echo '
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top" nowrap="nowrap">
[', $post['board']['link'], ']
</td>
<td valign="top">
<a href="', $post['href'], '">', $post['subject'], '</a>
', $txt[525], ' ', $post['poster']['link'], '
', $post['new'] ? '' : '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?topic=' . $post['topic'] . '.msg' . $post['new_from'] . ';topicseen#new"><img src="' . $settings['images_url'] . '/' . $context['user']['language'] . '/new.gif" alt="' . $txt[302] . '" border="0" /></a>', '
</td>
<td align="right" nowrap="nowrap">
', $post['time'], '
</td>
</tr>';
echo '
</table>';
}


Usage:

Code Select Expand


$array = ssi_latestTopics(25, array(), 'array');
foreach ($array as $topic)
echo $topic['link'], '<br />';


[destalk]

Hi Rudolf

Thanks very much for your help.

Would you mind please clarifying something for me though. I'm confused as to where exactly I paste the above code in the SSI.php file? Do I add this in addition to the ammendments that I made earlier? Or do I simply paste this into a clean SSI.php file? If so, where does it go and what does it replace?

Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question, but I'm not really a coder.

Thanks again for taking the time to help me with this.

[Rudolf]

Paste it simply at the end of the file.

Code Select Expand


}

?>


Right before the "?>" part, but after the last "{".
Restore the original SSI.php before, if you can.

[destalk]

Thanks Rudolf

I now seem to be getting this error;

Unknown column 'lt.ID_MSG' in 'field list'
File: /home/user/public_html/forum/SSI.php
Line: 1450

[Rudolf]

What version of SMF using? It works for me on RC2 and RC3.
Use this for 1.0.7 and 1.0.8

Code Select Expand


// Latest topic list:   [board] Subject by Poster Date
function ssi_latestTopics($num_recent = 8, $exclude_boards = array(), $output_method = 'echo')
{
global $context, $settings, $scripturl, $txt, $db_prefix, $ID_MEMBER, $user_info, $modSettings;

// Find all the posts in distinct topics.  Newer ones will have higher IDs.
$request = db_query("
SELECT
m.posterTime, ms.subject, m.ID_TOPIC, m.ID_MEMBER, m.ID_MSG, b.ID_BOARD, b.name AS bName,
IFNULL(mem.realName, m.posterName) AS posterName, " . ($user_info['is_guest'] ? '1 AS isRead, 0 AS logTime' : '
IFNULL(lt.logTime, IFNULL(lmr.logTime, 0)) >= GREATEST(m.posterTime, m.modifiedTime) AS isRead,
IFNULL(lt.logTime, IFNULL(lmr.logTime, 0)) AS logTime') . "
FROM ({$db_prefix}messages AS m, {$db_prefix}topics AS t, {$db_prefix}boards AS b, {$db_prefix}messages AS ms)
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}members AS mem ON (mem.ID_MEMBER = m.ID_MEMBER)" . (!$user_info['is_guest'] ? "
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}log_topics AS lt ON (lt.ID_TOPIC = t.ID_TOPIC AND lt.ID_MEMBER = $ID_MEMBER)
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}log_mark_read AS lmr ON (lmr.ID_BOARD = b.ID_BOARD AND lmr.ID_MEMBER = $ID_MEMBER)" : '') . "
WHERE m.ID_MSG >= " . ($modSettings['maxMsgID'] - 8 * $num_recent) . "
AND t.ID_FIRST_MSG = m.ID_MSG
AND b.ID_BOARD = t.ID_BOARD" . (empty($exclude_boards) ? '' : "
AND b.ID_BOARD NOT IN (" . implode(', ', $exclude_boards) . ")") . "
AND $user_info[query_see_board]
AND ms.ID_MSG = t.ID_FIRST_MSG
ORDER BY m.ID_MSG DESC
LIMIT $num_recent", __FILE__, __LINE__);
$posts = array();
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($request))
{
// Censor the subject.
censorText($row['subject']);

// Build the array.
$posts[] = array(
'board' => array(
'id' => $row['ID_BOARD'],
'name' => $row['bName'],
'href' => $scripturl . '?board=' . $row['ID_BOARD'] . '.0',
'link' => '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?board=' . $row['ID_BOARD'] . '.0">' . $row['bName'] . '</a>'
),
'topic' => $row['ID_TOPIC'],
'poster' => array(
'id' => $row['ID_MEMBER'],
'name' => $row['posterName'],
'href' => empty($row['ID_MEMBER']) ? '' : $scripturl . '?action=profile;u=' . $row['ID_MEMBER'],
'link' => empty($row['ID_MEMBER']) ? $row['posterName'] : '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?action=profile;u=' . $row['ID_MEMBER'] . '">' . $row['posterName'] . '</a>'
),
'subject' => $row['subject'],
'short_subject' => strlen(un_htmlspecialchars($row['subject'])) > 25 ? htmlspecialchars(substr(un_htmlspecialchars($row['subject']), 0, 22) . '...') : $row['subject'],
'time' => timeformat($row['posterTime']),
'timestamp' => $row['posterTime'],
'href' => $scripturl . '?topic=' . $row['ID_TOPIC'] . '.msg' . $row['ID_MSG'] . ';topicseen#msg' . $row['ID_MSG'],
'link' => '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?topic=' . $row['ID_TOPIC'] .  '">' . $row['subject'] . '</a>',
'new' => !empty($row['isRead']),
'newtime' => $row['logTime']
);
}
mysql_free_result($request);

// Just return it.
if ($output_method != 'echo' || empty($posts))
return $posts;

echo '
<table border="0" class="ssi_table">';
foreach ($posts as $post)
echo '
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top" nowrap="nowrap">
[', $post['board']['link'], ']
</td>
<td valign="top">
<a href="', $post['href'], '">', $post['subject'], '</a>
', $txt[525], ' ', $post['poster']['link'], '
', $post['new'] ? '' : '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?topic=' . $post['topic'] . '.from' . $post['newtime'] . ';topicseen#new"><img src="' . $settings['images_url'] . '/' . $context['user']['language'] . '/new.gif" alt="' . $txt[302] . '" border="0" /></a>', '
</td>
<td align="right" nowrap="nowrap">
', $post['time'], '
</td>
</tr>';
echo '
</table>';
}

[destalk]

Ah OK. I was testing it on 1.0.8, but I will be using it 'live' on RC2. I will check this again.

Thanks again for your help.

[destalk]

Hi

Tried it on RC2 and unfortunately I get this;

Code Select Expand

Fatal error: Call to undefined function: () in /home/user/public_html/directoryname/SSI.php on line 1589

But it seems to actually be trying this time though, rather than simply reloading the forum.

Wonder what I'm doing wrong?

[destalk]

Actually, it gives the same error even if I strip out the code from SSI.php

I am using this on the 'static' html page with a .php extension;

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  <?php

$array = ssi_latestTopics(25, array(), 'array');
foreach ($array as $topic)
echo $topic['link'], '<br />';

?>

[destalk]

Strangely, the code you gave me for 1.0.8 works fine on my test forum installation.

Except, there is an issue with the url. The url from the 'static' page points to;

http://domain.com/forum/index.php/topic,2.html

Whereas the URL on the forum is this (with the .0 at the end)

http://domain.com/forum/index.php/topic,2.0.html

Hmmmmm.

[Rudolf]

The 0 after the dot means which page of the topic to show, and it should be equal to (page_to_show-1)*number_of_posts_per_page. If it's missing it will default to 0, showing the first page.
So it's only an aestethic issue, if you want you can change the link in the SSI function to:

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'link' => '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?topic=' . $row['ID_TOPIC'] . '.0">' . $row['subject'] . '</a>',


The undefined function error is probably because you misplaced the function in the SSI. It should be a top-level function.

[destalk]

Thanks again. But I'm pretty sure that I pasted the code at the end of the SSI.php where you said - I think.

Attached is my SSI.php file. Is it wrong?