MyBB Community Forums

Full Version: Insert portal {$announcements} on front page to simulate a blog (please help)
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Hello, I have been trying for ages now to somehow simulate a blog on my index page next to my forum listings. Currently I am using an iframe of my customized portal page to show my threads open on the index. The iframe is very cumbersome and I wish there was an easier way. Please help, thank you.


Edit: I am using the side-box plugin with the additional html boxes.

[Image: test.png]


http://theyoungradicals.com
The Announcements just pulls a certain number of threads from a specified forum right? If so then it would be a simple matter to replicate the announcements in an addon module for Advanced Sidebox.

It actually doesn't sound like a bad idea and to be honest I really never considered the way you are using the plugin to format things (sideboxes larger than the forum windows) it opens a lot of options in my mind. Unfortunately I don't have the time to write that module right now, but if I get around to it I will reply.
If you want to use the {$announcements} variable on a page other than the portal, you need to define it in the .php file for that page.

It looks like you have a custom index.php. So in that index.php file, you need to declare $announcements like the portal does. You can see how this is done on line 430 and on in portal.php. Smile
Wow, that's a huge step for me. Thank you. One issue I'm having is I can't use the side-box plugin to separate the two columns. When I type {$announcements} in the sidebox plugin it does not work. When I put {$announcements} in the index template it works but the blog and the forum listing are right on top of each other and that's not how I wanted it. I wanted the blog on the left and the forum listing on the right. Maybe you can help me. Thanks again


(zoomed out)
[Image: test2.png]

(2013-01-30, 02:22 AM)Wildcard Wrote: [ -> ]The Announcements just pulls a certain number of threads from a specified forum right? If so then it would be a simple matter to replicate the announcements in an addon module for Advanced Sidebox.

It actually doesn't sound like a bad idea and to be honest I really never considered the way you are using the plugin to format things (sideboxes larger than the forum windows) it opens a lot of options in my mind. Unfortunately I don't have the time to write that module right now, but if I get around to it I will reply.
It would be much appreciated, creating an announcement module for the sidebox plugin would make it so much easier than what I am attempting to do now, with moderate success.
Your index.php file - does it have it's own template? If so, put {$announcements} in that, not the default index template. Smile
(2013-01-30, 05:36 AM)Seabody Wrote: [ -> ]Your index.php file - does it have it's own template? If so, put {$announcements} in that, not the default index template. Smile
I apologize I don't know what you mean, I believe I only have one index template. Basically, I just need to figure out how to create columns like the side-box plugin, with {$announcements} on the left and {$forums} on the right.
Can you post the contents of your index.php file? Smile
(2013-01-30, 06:06 AM)Seabody Wrote: [ -> ]Can you post the contents of your index.php file? Smile

<?php
/**
 * MyBB 1.6
 * Copyright 2010 MyBB Group, All Rights Reserved
 *
 * Website: http://mybb.com
 * License: http://mybb.com/about/license
 *
 * $Id: index.php 5765 2012-03-27 09:52:45Z Tomm $
 */

define("IN_MYBB", 1);
define('THIS_SCRIPT', 'index.php');

$templatelist = "index,index_whosonline,index_welcomemembertext,index_welcomeguest,index_whosonline_memberbit,forumbit_depth1_cat,forumbit_depth1_forum,forumbit_depth2_cat,forumbit_depth2_forum,forumbit_depth1_forum_lastpost,forumbit_depth2_forum_lastpost,index_modcolumn,forumbit_moderators,forumbit_subforums,index_welcomeguesttext";
$templatelist .= ",index_birthdays_birthday,index_birthdays,index_pms,index_loginform,index_logoutlink,index_stats,forumbit_depth3,forumbit_depth3_statusicon,index_boardstats";

require_once "./global.php";

require_once MYBB_ROOT."inc/functions_post.php";
require_once MYBB_ROOT."inc/functions_forumlist.php";
require_once MYBB_ROOT."inc/class_parser.php";
$parser = new postParser;

$plugins->run_hooks("index_start");



// Load global language phrases
$lang->load("index");

$logoutlink = $loginform = '';
if($mybb->user['uid'] != 0)
{
	eval("\$logoutlink = \"".$templates->get("index_logoutlink")."\";");
}
else
{
	//Checks to make sure the user can login; they haven't had too many tries at logging in.
	//Function call is not fatal
	if(login_attempt_check(false) !== false)
	{
		switch($mybb->settings['username_method'])
		{
			case 0:
				$login_username = $lang->login_username;
				break;
			case 1:
				$login_username = $lang->login_username1;
				break;
			case 2:
				$login_username = $lang->login_username2;
				break;
			default:
				$login_username = $lang->login_username;
				break;
		}
		eval("\$loginform = \"".$templates->get("index_loginform")."\";");
	}
}
$whosonline = '';
if($mybb->settings['showwol'] != 0 && $mybb->usergroup['canviewonline'] != 0)
{
	// Get the online users.
	$timesearch = TIME_NOW - $mybb->settings['wolcutoff'];
	$comma = '';
	$query = $db->query("
		SELECT s.sid, s.ip, s.uid, s.time, s.location, s.location1, u.username, u.invisible, u.usergroup, u.displaygroup
		FROM ".TABLE_PREFIX."sessions s
		LEFT JOIN ".TABLE_PREFIX."users u ON (s.uid=u.uid)
		WHERE s.time>'$timesearch'
		ORDER BY u.username ASC, s.time DESC
	");

	$forum_viewers = array();
	$membercount = 0;
	$onlinemembers = '';
	$guestcount = 0;
	$anoncount = 0;
	$doneusers = array();

	// Fetch spiders
	$spiders = $cache->read("spiders");

	// Loop through all users.
	while($user = $db->fetch_array($query))
	{
		// Create a key to test if this user is a search bot.
		$botkey = my_strtolower(str_replace("bot=", '', $user['sid']));

		// Decide what type of user we are dealing with.
		if($user['uid'] > 0)
		{
			// The user is registered.
			if($doneusers[$user['uid']] < $user['time'] || !$doneusers[$user['uid']])
			{
				// If the user is logged in anonymously, update the count for that.
				if($user['invisible'] == 1)
				{
					++$anoncount;
				}
				++$membercount;
				if($user['invisible'] != 1 || $mybb->usergroup['canviewwolinvis'] == 1 || $user['uid'] == $mybb->user['uid'])
				{
					// If this usergroup can see anonymously logged-in users, mark them.
					if($user['invisible'] == 1)
					{
						$invisiblemark = "*";
					}
					else
					{
						$invisiblemark = '';
					}

					// Properly format the username and assign the template.
					$user['username'] = format_name($user['username'], $user['usergroup'], $user['displaygroup']);
					$user['profilelink'] = build_profile_link($user['username'], $user['uid']);
					eval("\$onlinemembers .= \"".$templates->get("index_whosonline_memberbit", 1, 0)."\";");
					$comma = $lang->comma;
				}
				// This user has been handled.
				$doneusers[$user['uid']] = $user['time'];
			}
		}
		elseif(my_strpos($user['sid'], "bot=") !== false && $spiders[$botkey])
		{
			// The user is a search bot.
			$onlinemembers .= $comma.format_name($spiders[$botkey]['name'], $spiders[$botkey]['usergroup']);
			$comma = $lang->comma;
			++$botcount;
		}
		else
		{
			// The user is a guest.
			++$guestcount;
		}

		if($user['location1'])
		{
			$forum_viewers[$user['location1']]++;
		}
	}






	// Build the who's online bit on the index page.
	$onlinecount = $membercount + $guestcount + $botcount;
	
	if($onlinecount != 1)
	{
		$onlinebit = $lang->online_online_plural;
	}
	else
	{
		$onlinebit = $lang->online_online_singular;
	}
	if($membercount != 1)
	{
		$memberbit = $lang->online_member_plural;
	}
	else
	{
		$memberbit = $lang->online_member_singular;
	}
	if($anoncount != 1)
	{
		$anonbit = $lang->online_anon_plural;
	}
	else
	{
		$anonbit = $lang->online_anon_singular;
	}
	if($guestcount != 1)
	{
		$guestbit = $lang->online_guest_plural;
	}
	else
	{
		$guestbit = $lang->online_guest_singular;
	}
	$lang->online_note = $lang->sprintf($lang->online_note, my_number_format($onlinecount), $onlinebit, $mybb->settings['wolcutoffmins'], my_number_format($membercount), $memberbit, my_number_format($anoncount), $anonbit, my_number_format($guestcount), $guestbit);
	eval("\$whosonline = \"".$templates->get("index_whosonline")."\";");
}








// Build the birthdays for to show on the index page.
$bdays = $birthdays = '';
if($mybb->settings['showbirthdays'] != 0)
{
	// First, see what day this is.
	$bdaycount = 0; $bdayhidden = 0;
	$bdaytime = TIME_NOW;
	$bdaydate = my_date("j-n", $bdaytime, '', 0);
	$year = my_date("Y", $bdaytime, '', 0);
	
	$bdaycache = $cache->read("birthdays");
	
	if(!is_array($bdaycache))
	{
		$cache->update_birthdays();
		$bdaycache = $cache->read("birthdays");
	}
	
	$hiddencount = $bdaycache[$bdaydate]['hiddencount'];
	$today_bdays = $bdaycache[$bdaydate]['users'];

	$comma = '';
	if(!empty($today_bdays))
	{
		if(intval($mybb->settings['showbirthdayspostlimit']) > 0)
		{
			$bdayusers = array();
			foreach($today_bdays as $key => $bdayuser_pc)
			{
				$bdayusers[$bdayuser_pc['uid']] = $key;
			}

			if(!empty($bdayusers))
			{
				// Find out if our users have enough posts to be seen on our birthday list
				$bday_sql = implode(",", array_keys($bdayusers));
				$query = $db->simple_select("users", "uid, postnum", "uid IN ({$bday_sql})");

				while($bdayuser = $db->fetch_array($query))
				{
					if($bdayuser['postnum'] < $mybb->settings['showbirthdayspostlimit'])
					{
						unset($today_bdays[$bdayusers[$bdayuser['uid']]]);
					}
				}
			}
		}

		// We still have birthdays - display them in our list!
		if(!empty($today_bdays))
		{
			foreach($today_bdays as $bdayuser)
			{
				if($bdayuser['displaygroup'] == 0)
				{
					$bdayuser['displaygroup'] = $bdayuser['usergroup'];
				}

				// If this user's display group can't be seen in the birthday list, skip it
				if($groupscache[$bdayuser['displaygroup']] && $groupscache[$bdayuser['displaygroup']]['showinbirthdaylist'] != 1)
				{
					continue;
				}

				$bday = explode("-", $bdayuser['birthday']);
				if($year > $bday['2'] && $bday['2'] != '')
				{
					$age = " (".($year - $bday['2']).")";
				}
				else
				{
					$age = '';
				}

				$bdayuser['username'] = format_name($bdayuser['username'], $bdayuser['usergroup'], $bdayuser['displaygroup']);
				$bdayuser['profilelink'] = build_profile_link($bdayuser['username'], $bdayuser['uid']);
				eval("\$bdays .= \"".$templates->get("index_birthdays_birthday", 1, 0)."\";");
				++$bdaycount;
				$comma = $lang->comma;
			}
		}
	}

	if($hiddencount > 0)
	{
		if($bdaycount > 0)
		{
			$bdays .= " - ";
		}
		$bdays .= "{$hiddencount} {$lang->birthdayhidden}";
	}
	
	// If there are one or more birthdays, show them.
	if($bdaycount > 0 || $hiddencount > 0)
	{
		eval("\$birthdays = \"".$templates->get("index_birthdays")."\";");
	}
}



// Get latest news announcements
// First validate announcement fids:
$announcementsfids = explode(',', $mybb->settings['portal_announcementsfid']);
if(is_array($announcementsfids))
{
	foreach($announcementsfids as $fid)
	{
		$fid_array[] = intval($fid);
	}
	$announcementsfids = implode(',', $fid_array);
}
// And get them!
foreach($forum_cache as $fid => $f)
{
	if(is_array($fid_array) && in_array($fid, $fid_array))
	{
		$forum[$fid] = $f;
	}
}

$numannouncements = intval($mybb->settings['portal_numannouncements']);
if(!$numannouncements)
{
	$numannouncements = 10; // Default back to 10
}

$pids = '';
$tids = '';
$comma = '';
$query = $db->query("
	SELECT p.pid, p.message, p.tid, p.smilieoff
	FROM ".TABLE_PREFIX."posts p
	LEFT JOIN ".TABLE_PREFIX."threads t ON (t.tid=p.tid)
	WHERE t.fid IN (".$announcementsfids.") AND t.visible='1' AND t.closed NOT LIKE 'moved|%' AND t.firstpost=p.pid
	ORDER BY t.dateline DESC 
	LIMIT 0, {$numannouncements}"
);
while($getid = $db->fetch_array($query))
{
	$pids .= ",'{$getid['pid']}'";
	$tids .= ",'{$getid['tid']}'";
	$posts[$getid['tid']] = $getid;
}
$pids = "pid IN(0{$pids})";
// Now lets fetch all of the attachments for these posts
$query = $db->simple_select("attachments", "*", $pids);
while($attachment = $db->fetch_array($query))
{
	$attachcache[$attachment['pid']][$attachment['aid']] = $attachment;
}

if(is_array($forum))
{
	foreach($forum as $fid => $forumrow)
	{
		$forumpermissions[$fid] = forum_permissions($fid);
	}
}

$icon_cache = $cache->read("posticons");

$announcements = '';
$query = $db->query("
	SELECT t.*, t.username AS threadusername, u.username, u.avatar, u.avatardimensions
	FROM ".TABLE_PREFIX."threads t
	LEFT JOIN ".TABLE_PREFIX."users u ON (u.uid = t.uid)
	WHERE t.fid IN (".$announcementsfids.") AND t.tid IN (0{$tids}) AND t.visible='1' AND t.closed NOT LIKE 'moved|%'
	ORDER BY t.dateline DESC
	LIMIT 0, {$numannouncements}"
);
while($announcement = $db->fetch_array($query))
{
	// Make sure we can view this announcement
	if($forumpermissions[$announcement['fid']]['canview'] == 0 || $forumpermissions[$announcement['fid']]['canviewthreads'] == 0 || $forumpermissions[$announcement['fid']]['canonlyviewownthreads'] == 1 && $announcement['uid'] != $mybb->user['uid'])
	{
		continue;
	}

	$announcement['message'] = $posts[$announcement['tid']]['message'];
	$announcement['pid'] = $posts[$announcement['tid']]['pid'];
	$announcement['smilieoff'] = $posts[$announcement['tid']]['smilieoff'];
	$announcement['threadlink'] = get_thread_link($announcement['tid']);
	
	if($announcement['uid'] == 0)
	{
		$profilelink = htmlspecialchars_uni($announcement['threadusername']);
	}
	else
	{
		$profilelink = build_profile_link($announcement['username'], $announcement['uid']);
	}
	
	if(!$announcement['username'])
	{
		$announcement['username'] = $announcement['threadusername'];
	}
	$announcement['subject'] = htmlspecialchars_uni($parser->parse_badwords($announcement['subject']));
	if($announcement['icon'] > 0 && $icon_cache[$announcement['icon']])
	{
		$icon = $icon_cache[$announcement['icon']];
		$icon = "<img src=\"{$icon['path']}\" alt=\"{$icon['name']}\" />";
	}
	else
	{
		$icon = "&nbsp;";
	}
	if($announcement['avatar'] != '')
	{
		$avatar_dimensions = explode("|", $announcement['avatardimensions']);
		if($avatar_dimensions[0] && $avatar_dimensions[1])
		{
			$avatar_width_height = "width=\"{$avatar_dimensions[0]}\" height=\"{$avatar_dimensions[1]}\"";
		}
		if (!stristr($announcement['avatar'], 'http://'))
		{
			$announcement['avatar'] = $mybb->settings['bburl'] . '/' . $announcement['avatar'];
		}		
		$avatar = "<td class=\"trow1\" width=\"1\" align=\"center\" valign=\"top\"><img src=\"{$announcement['avatar']}\" alt=\"\" {$avatar_width_height} /></td>";
	}
	else
	{
		$avatar = '';
	}
	$anndate = my_date($mybb->settings['dateformat'], $announcement['dateline']);
	$anntime = my_date($mybb->settings['timeformat'], $announcement['dateline']);

	if($announcement['replies'])
	{
		eval("\$numcomments = \"".$templates->get("portal_announcement_numcomments")."\";");
	}
	else
	{
		eval("\$numcomments = \"".$templates->get("portal_announcement_numcomments_no")."\";");
		$lastcomment = '';
	}
	
	$plugins->run_hooks("portal_announcement");

	$parser_options = array(
		"allow_html" => $forum[$announcement['fid']]['allowhtml'],
		"allow_mycode" => $forum[$announcement['fid']]['allowmycode'],
		"allow_smilies" => $forum[$announcement['fid']]['allowsmilies'],
		"allow_imgcode" => $forum[$announcement['fid']]['allowimgcode'],
		"allow_videocode" => $forum[$announcement['fid']]['allowvideocode'],
		"filter_badwords" => 1
	);
	if($announcement['smilieoff'] == 1)
	{
		$parser_options['allow_smilies'] = 0;
	}

	$message = $parser->parse_message($announcement['message'], $parser_options);
	
	if(is_array($attachcache[$announcement['pid']]))
	{ // This post has 1 or more attachments
		$validationcount = 0;
		$id = $announcement['pid'];
		foreach($attachcache[$id] as $aid => $attachment)
		{
			if($attachment['visible'])
			{ // There is an attachment thats visible!
				$attachment['filename'] = htmlspecialchars_uni($attachment['filename']);
				$attachment['filesize'] = get_friendly_size($attachment['filesize']);
				$ext = get_extension($attachment['filename']);
				if($ext == "jpeg" || $ext == "gif" || $ext == "bmp" || $ext == "png" || $ext == "jpg")
				{
					$isimage = true;
				}
				else
				{
					$isimage = false;
				}
				$attachment['icon'] = get_attachment_icon($ext);
				// Support for [attachment=id] code
				if(stripos($message, "[attachment=".$attachment['aid']."]") !== false)
				{
					if($attachment['thumbnail'] != "SMALL" && $attachment['thumbnail'] != '')
					{ // We have a thumbnail to show (and its not the "SMALL" enough image
						eval("\$attbit = \"".$templates->get("postbit_attachments_thumbnails_thumbnail")."\";");
					}
					elseif($attachment['thumbnail'] == "SMALL" && $forumpermissions[$announcement['fid']]['candlattachments'] == 1)
					{
						// Image is small enough to show - no thumbnail
						eval("\$attbit = \"".$templates->get("postbit_attachments_images_image")."\";");
					}
					else
					{
						// Show standard link to attachment
						eval("\$attbit = \"".$templates->get("postbit_attachments_attachment")."\";");
					}
					$message = preg_replace("#\[attachment=".$attachment['aid']."]#si", $attbit, $message);
				}
				else
				{
					if($attachment['thumbnail'] != "SMALL" && $attachment['thumbnail'] != '')
					{ // We have a thumbnail to show
						eval("\$post['thumblist'] .= \"".$templates->get("postbit_attachments_thumbnails_thumbnail")."\";");
						if($tcount == 5)
						{
							$thumblist .= "<br />";
							$tcount = 0;
						}
						++$tcount;
					}
					elseif($attachment['thumbnail'] == "SMALL" && $forumpermissions[$announcement['fid']]['candlattachments'] == 1)
					{
						// Image is small enough to show - no thumbnail
						eval("\$post['imagelist'] .= \"".$templates->get("postbit_attachments_images_image")."\";");
					}
					else
					{
						eval("\$post['attachmentlist'] .= \"".$templates->get("postbit_attachments_attachment")."\";");
					}
				}
			}
			else
			{
				$validationcount++;
			}
		}
		if($post['thumblist'])
		{
			eval("\$post['attachedthumbs'] = \"".$templates->get("postbit_attachments_thumbnails")."\";");
		}
		if($post['imagelist'])
		{
			eval("\$post['attachedimages'] = \"".$templates->get("postbit_attachments_images")."\";");
		}
		if($post['attachmentlist'] || $post['thumblist'] || $post['imagelist'])
		{
			eval("\$post['attachments'] = \"".$templates->get("postbit_attachments")."\";");
		}
	}

	eval("\$announcements .= \"".$templates->get("portal_announcement")."\";");
	unset($post);
}

$plugins->run_hooks("portal_end");

eval("\$portal = \"".$templates->get("portal")."\";");
output_page($portal);




// Build the forum statistics to show on the index page.
if($mybb->settings['showindexstats'] != 0)
{
	// First, load the stats cache.
	$stats = $cache->read("stats");

	// Check who's the newest member.
	if(!$stats['lastusername'])
	{
		$newestmember = "no-one";
	}
	else
	{
		$newestmember = build_profile_link($stats['lastusername'], $stats['lastuid']);
	}

	// Format the stats language.
	$lang->stats_posts_threads = $lang->sprintf($lang->stats_posts_threads, my_number_format($stats['numposts']), my_number_format($stats['numthreads']));
	$lang->stats_numusers = $lang->sprintf($lang->stats_numusers, my_number_format($stats['numusers']));
	$lang->stats_newestuser = $lang->sprintf($lang->stats_newestuser, $newestmember);

	// Find out what the highest users online count is.
	$mostonline = $cache->read("mostonline");
	if($onlinecount > $mostonline['numusers'])
	{
		$time = TIME_NOW;
		$mostonline['numusers'] = $onlinecount;
		$mostonline['time'] = $time;
		$cache->update("mostonline", $mostonline);
	}
	$recordcount = $mostonline['numusers'];
	$recorddate = my_date($mybb->settings['dateformat'], $mostonline['time']);
	$recordtime = my_date($mybb->settings['timeformat'], $mostonline['time']);

	// Then format that language string.
	$lang->stats_mostonline = $lang->sprintf($lang->stats_mostonline, my_number_format($recordcount), $recorddate, $recordtime);

	eval("\$forumstats = \"".$templates->get("index_stats")."\";");
}

// Show the board statistics table only if one or more index statistics are enabled.
if(($mybb->settings['showwol'] != 0 && $mybb->usergroup['canviewonline'] != 0) || $mybb->settings['showindexstats'] != 0 || ($mybb->settings['showbirthdays'] != 0 && $bdaycount > 0))
{
	if(!is_array($stats))
	{
		// Load the stats cache.
		$stats = $cache->read("stats");
	}

	$post_code_string = '';
	if($mybb->user['uid'])
	{
		$post_code_string = "&amp;my_post_key=".$mybb->post_code;
	}

	eval("\$boardstats = \"".$templates->get("index_boardstats")."\";");
}

if($mybb->user['uid'] == 0)
{
	// Build a forum cache.
	$query = $db->query("
		SELECT *
		FROM ".TABLE_PREFIX."forums
		WHERE active != 0
		ORDER BY pid, disporder
	");
	
	$forumsread = my_unserialize($mybb->cookies['mybb']['forumread']);
}
else
{
	// Build a forum cache.
	$query = $db->query("
		SELECT f.*, fr.dateline AS lastread
		FROM ".TABLE_PREFIX."forums f
		LEFT JOIN ".TABLE_PREFIX."forumsread fr ON (fr.fid=f.fid AND fr.uid='{$mybb->user['uid']}')
		WHERE f.active != 0
		ORDER BY pid, disporder
	");
}

while($forum = $db->fetch_array($query))
{
	if($mybb->user['uid'] == 0)
	{
		if($forumsread[$forum['fid']])
		{
			$forum['lastread'] = $forumsread[$forum['fid']];
		}
	}
	$fcache[$forum['pid']][$forum['disporder']][$forum['fid']] = $forum;
}
$forumpermissions = forum_permissions();

// Get the forum moderators if the setting is enabled.
if($mybb->settings['modlist'] != "off")
{	
	$moderatorcache = $cache->read("moderators");
}

$excols = "index";
$permissioncache['-1'] = "1";
$bgcolor = "trow1";

// Decide if we're showing first-level subforums on the index page.
if($mybb->settings['subforumsindex'] != 0)
{
	$showdepth = 3;
}
else
{
	$showdepth = 2;
}
$forum_list = build_forumbits();
$forums = $forum_list['forum_list'];

$plugins->run_hooks("index_end");

eval("\$index = \"".$templates->get("index")."\";");
output_page($index);









?>



Ah ok, I'm sorry, I misunderstood your post. Basically you want a column on the left with announcements, and a column on the right with forums? This is a highly simplified example of what you want in templates:

<style>
.announcementsbar {
float:left;
width:49%;
}
.forumsbar {
float:right;
width:49%;
}
</style>
<div class="announcementsbar">
{$announcements}
</div>
<div class="forumsbar">
{$forums}
</div>
<br style="clear: both;" />

Basically you put all of the things you want on the left in the topmost <div> and the right on the lowermost <div>.
Wow thank you so much that worked like a charm. I wonder why more people have never tried this. Essentially this gives you the ability to post kind of like a blog on your homepage by posting in a specified forum. Smile