TIP: add HOT icon for hot topics

[IdanC]

want to draw more attention to your popular discussions by marking them with this sexy little icon - ?

edit MessageIndex.template.php, search for

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// Is this topic new? (assuming they are logged in!)
if ($topic['new'] && $context['user']['is_logged'])
echo '
<a href="', $topic['new_href'], '" id="newicon' . $topic['first_post']['id'] . '"><img src="', $settings['lang_images_url'], '/new.gif" alt="', $txt['new'], '" /></a>';

and after that add:

Code Select Expand

// Is this topic hot?
if ($topic['replies']>=$modSettings['hotTopicPosts'])
echo '
<img src="', $settings['images_url'], '/hot.gif" alt="HOT" />';

you can adjust the number of replies that triggers the icon through admin --> Posts and Topics --> Topic Settings --> Number of posts for a hot topic, just don't forget to add the hot.gif file to your image folder.

good luck 

[Arantor]

You know SMF already changes the far left icon for hot topics?

[IdanC]

yea, but it's barely noticeable, especially by new-comers.

but this icon makes the topic stand out much more. I've been using it for a month now, and there is a significant improvement in the popularity (both views and replies) of hot topics.

[Arantor]

You may as well use $modSettings['hotTopicPosts'] instead of 10, because then not only is it consistent with the other thing (you could just set that to use the hot icon, of course!), it's also configurable from the ACP without touching any further code.

[IdanC]

good one, thanks!

for anyone who wonders, setting the $modSettings['hotTopicPosts'] is done through admin --> Posts and Topics --> Topic Settings --> Number of posts for a hot topic

[Dzonny]

Topic moved.

Thanks for sharing tip

[MakeItWork]

if it's good enough, i hope someone can move this discussion to the Tips and Tricks board

want to draw attention to your popular discussions by marking them with this sexy little icon - ?

edit MessageIndex.template.php, search for

Code Select Expand

// Is this topic new? (assuming they are logged in!)
if ($topic['new'] && $context['user']['is_logged'])
echo '
<a href="', $topic['new_href'], '" id="newicon' . $topic['first_post']['id'] . '"><img src="', $settings['lang_images_url'], '/new.gif" alt="', $txt['new'], '" /></a>';

and after that add:

Code Select Expand

// Is this topic hot?
if ($topic['replies']>=10)
echo '
<img src="', $settings['images_url'], '/hot.gif" alt="', $txt['hottopic'], '" />';

you can adjust the number of replies that triggers the icon, just don't forget to add the hot.gif file to your image folder.

good luck

Thank you for this! :]

[~DS~]

What about "very hot" topics?

[Arantor]

A similar check against $modSettings['hotTopicVeryPosts'].

[~DS~]

Thank you Arantor, much appreciated, and no I am not using on my forum, was testing it on my dev site.
Anyone wondering how:

Code Select Expand

// Is this topic very hot?
if ($topic['replies']>=$modSettings['hotTopicVeryPosts'])
echo '
<img src="', $settings['images_url'], '/hot.gif" alt="HOT" />';

[MakeItWork]

Thanks Dismal!

[divecall]

Nice idea, indeed.

Thank you.

I have a nice grafix for "very hot topics", but i wonder, why i never can attached the file here ! ? !

[~DS~]

any hosting image site can do and link it here.

[divecall]

Well, not the answer, i was waiting for, but OK.

Here it is...a chilli pepper !!!



http://www.abload.de/image.php?img=chilli25qf.jpg



(Why not !)

[IdanC]

Here it is...a chilli pepper !!!

so funny, i'm going to use it!

thanks 

[divecall]

can you tell me the code, what i need to change ?

(I have only the grafx, not the experience... )

[IdanC]

are you serious?

Code Select Expand


if something
   do something...


if you can understand the above, i'm sure you can manage this very simple and self-explanatory two lines of code.

[nikki73]

Hi

im abit new to all this but just wanted to ask, ive added this Hot Topic to my forum but the actual icon isnt coming up, only the word HOT, any ideas why??

I have 2.0 version

Many thanks

[IdanC]

if you'll take a look at this line

Code Select Expand

<img src="', $settings['images_url'], '/hot.gif" alt="HOT" />';

you'll see the alt="HOT", which means that the alternative to the picture is the word "HOT". that happens whenever the image itself can't be found. make sure that the src tag points to an image (or more specifclly - that a file called "hot.gif" is present in your image folder)

[nikki73]

Right thanks for that, im now running off to have a look lol