New MOD - Site-of-the-Day

[esm]

Although not much to see, you can see it at http://www.indexuhelp.com/indexu/sotd.php

Selection is random and it is what statisticians call "without replacement," I think. In other words, once a site has been selected, it will not be selected again.

I will probably add a feature to change it from a "site-of-the-day" to the site of week or month. At least I will try.

I will also add a listing to show all the prior site-of-the-days.

[esm]

I added the prior SOTD listings

http://www.indexuhelp.com/indexu/prior_sotd.php

[Frank71]

Ok, I see this hack and I should be nicer

Some suggestions:

it most be possible to include the hack everywhere, also on php-site (and ssi ?) outside from indexu.

I mean a small (site of the week) block also on an extern index.

It should be based on templates, so I can decide what to show.

What happens by site of the day (or week), if all links were shown in the past ? Rotate again from the beginning ?

Possiblility to shorten the description and title to a maximum of letters.
As excample my description can have 250 letters and the title 70 letters - perhaps to much for a 200px block on the left site.

Do you understand what I mean ?
Only suggestiona, but I think they are good.

[tjoerg]

Hello esm,

I like the idea of having a site of the day (or site of the week). But I don't like the random selection. You should offer in admin cp a pool where you can add good sites. Within this pool you can do a selection.

Otherwise it makes no real sense having a site of the day.


greets

Joerg

[esm]

Originally posted by tjoerg
You should offer in admin cp a pool where you can add good sites. Within this pool you can do a selection.

The reason for being random was to be "hands free." Some folks just want to "set it and forget it."

The other way is to just put a A HREF hyperlink tag in the header.html and manually change it whenever.

But I agree that there is some middle ground as you suggest.

I had already started toying with a different version, something similar to my banner rotator. It will allow you to add links to a table from which the selection is made. Still trying to work out if it will be random or pre-scheduled by the admin. Maybe both. I just hate creating the admin screens to deal with this!

Thanks for the suggestion!

[Frank71]

Hello,

it would be nice if I can set the site of the day, week or the month - perhaps for money, a very good site, an affiliate program or a very good partner.

But also it shoul be possible to do it automatic - set and forget - I hate changing small things every day or weekand the goal is a site which run also some weeks without my help.

Greetings
Frank

[esm]

Originally posted by Frank71
it most be possible to include the hack everywhere, also on php-site (and ssi ?) outside from indexu.

It is designed to run on an INDEXU site. It does not show the SOTD until you click on a link, i.e., it's like the Editor's Pick or Hot listings - they do not show until you click on the link. It is not a file that has to be "included" via ssi.

I mean a small (site of the week) block also on an extern index.

I think I understand the "extern(al) index" part but not the first part - "I mean a small (site of the week) block"

I am sure it will evolve over time and I may take a look at showing the actual SOTD without having to click on a link.

It should be based on templates, so I can decide what to show.

It is. All my MODs are based on templates.

What happens by site of the day (or week), if all links were shown in the past ? Rotate again from the beginning ?

I pursposely did not mention that in my posts as I am still working on the best way to implement that aspect. But, yes, the admin will have a feature to reset the links file by removing all but the last x number of the SOTD sites - you probably want to keep some active even when you start over.

Possiblility to shorten the description and title to a maximum of letters.
As excample my description can have 250 letters and the title 70 letters - perhaps to much for a 200px block on the left site.

I think the comment goes with your first couple of comments. What you are suggeting is an A HREF hyperlink tag that already shows the SOTD instead having to cleick a link to get to SOTD listing. I'll take a look at that. If I do it, you will be able to control that type of information.

Only suggestiona, but I think they are good.

Yes, they are.

[esm]

Originally posted by Frank71
Hello,

it would be nice if I can set the site of the day, week or the month - perhaps for money, a very good site, an affiliate program or a very good partner.

But also it shoul be possible to do it automatic - set and forget - I hate changing small things every day or weekand the goal is a site which run also some weeks without my help.

Greetings
Frank

The current version is pretty much automatic. And I have begun working on the version to let the admin contol the sites.

But they are both based on links already in the INDEXU links table. If the affiliate program or good partner are not in the links table, you could add them. Or maybe use my banner rotator MOD.

[Frank71]

To expensive

Thats why I ask for invisible or hidden catagories - a godd way to manage also all other sites...

Frank

[esm]

Originally posted by Frank71
To expensive

Thats why I ask for invisible or hidden catagories - a godd way to manage also all other sites...

Frank

too cheap

not sure what invisible categories have to do with the SOTD ????

[tjoerg]

Hello esm,

I'm definitely interested in SOTD mod. Please keep me up-to-date about that. I'd like to buy a copy of your hack!

But you hack has to have (as I mentioned) a link-pool of SOTD-sites which automatically (or even in a given order) rotate by itself.

I also thought of having the pick site done by SOTD selection. Pick site could built by perhaps 7 SOTD sites or any variable number. This could give the pick site some dynamic!

greets

Joerg

[esm]

Originally posted by tjoerg

I also thought of having the pick site done by SOTD selection. This could give the pick site some dynamic!

Can you expand on this - pick site???

Yep, I am working on it.

Question: there are two ways (maybe more) to present the SOTD. One, like the demo at my site does. I have added it as a menu item. Or, two, just show the SOTD with a short title in either the header or footed whcih can then be clicked to take the surfer to the detail page.

[tjoerg]

Originally posted by esm
Can you expand on this - pick site???

OK, no problem. What I mean with "pick site " is pick.php or Editor Pick.

Why don't you get your pick.php site done by archiving the last SOTD sites. Currently pick.php is a kind of static site which shows some selected sites from the admin cp. It would be better to get some rotation in it. pick.php could look like somewhat similar to your SOTD archive. This wouldn't be a static page anymore. Every day you get a new link in the pick.php and drop the last one!

For me SOTD doesn't have to have a separate link on the top menu. This site should be shown somewhere prominent at the start page. Maybe in a smal text box below login or as a new left menu item "site of the day". I'd like to have the link title only. By clicking on it, you link to the detail page in category view!

greets

Joerg

[Frank71]

ah, here is one again - did you finished these hacks ?

I'm searching for a ranfomizer, this means I can show a random link with some details on my pages - testing ?

Frank

[esm]

Originally posted by Frank71
ah, here is one again - did you finished these hacks ?

I'm searching for a ranfomizer, this means I can show a random link with some details on my pages - testing ?

Frank

I need to re-do this in the new format so give me a day or two. then you can test it.