[block] Approved Articles / Sorted, Paginated, Categorized, & Customized

[Ianedres]

This is version II.5, which sets an array of allowed categories for the drop down box.

If you set $cats_allowed to '0' only, all categories will be listed in the drop-down menu. Otherwise, specifying a list of valid categories (separate each number with a comma; i.e. 1, 2, 5, 10) will select only those.

Of special interest here is that the first category in the array is the default category to start with, so 10, 5, 99, 3 will list category #10 on the first viewing, but allow categories 5, 99, and 3 to also be selected. (The numbers don't have to be in numerical order.)

If you place 0 anywhere in the array, it will show all categories in the drop-down.

There is no error-checking for valid categories in the array... hopefully, an admin can select the proper categories!

Edit: Defined $row_class variable in this code to avoid throwing undefined error.

Code Select Expand

// Articles By Date
// September 25, 2008 | Tim Antley
// Version II.5 (The Ken Edition)

// Displays x Number Of Approved Articles Per Page / Sorted By Date (Latest To Oldest)
// Simple Pagination In Table Output Form
// Retrieve URL Variables To Parse
// Restrictive Category Selection

global $db_prefix, $scripturl, $context;

// script variables for customization
$show_date = true; // show date in table; true or false
$show_views = true; // show number of views for each article
$show_author = false; // show name of author in table; true or false
$show_header = true; // show table header w/ field values
$use_theme_css = false; // use theme CSS or set using colors below

// will use numeric values if $use_theme_css set to false
$css_row = '999999'; // background color for first row; 999999 = light gray
$css_row_alt = '666666'; // alternating row color; 666666 = dark gray

$link_width = 60; // max length of article name in table
$link_target = '_blank'; // target for article link; _self = same window, _blank = new window
$link_color = 'FF9900'; // hyperlink color; actually gets set in custom CSS block below

$limit = 20; // number of results to display per page

$cats_allowed = array(0); // valid category numbers; '0' = all categories; separate values with commas

$page = ''; // set to article # that this script is in

// no need to edit past this point! warranty void if modified...

$article = array();
$limits = array(10, 20, 30, 40, 50);
$row_class = '';

// put URL variables into array
parse_str($_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'], $url_vars);

$start = 0; // set to 0; will check for URL value soon

// check for 'cat' and 'limit' values via GET first; use POST value instead, if set
if(isset($_GET['cat'])) $category = $_GET['cat'];
if(isset($_POST['cat'])) $category = $_POST['cat'];

if(!isset($category)) $category = $cats_allowed[0]; // default to first value if not set through POST or URL
if(!in_array($category, $cats_allowed)) $category = $cats_allowed[0]; // validate category against allowed categories

if(isset($_GET['limit'])) $limit = $_GET['limit'];
if(isset($_POST['limit'])) $limit = $_POST['limit'];

if($limit < 0 || !in_array($limit, $limits)) $limit = 10;

$url_link = ''; // set to null

// build url string from array (exclude script variables)
foreach($url_vars as $key => $value)
{
$key = strtolower($key); // restrict to lowercase

if($key != 'page' && $key != 'start' && $key != 'cat' && $key != 'limit')
{
$url_link .= $key . '=' . $value . '&';
}
}

$url_link .= 'limit=' . $limit . '&';

// custom CSS block to set style
if(!$use_theme_css)
{
echo '
<style type="text/css">
.article_nav a:link, a:hover
{
text-decoration: underline;
color: #' . $link_color . ';
}
</style>';

$css = 'style=background: #';
}
else
{
$css = 'class="windowbg';
$css_row = '';
$css_row_alt = '2';
}

// crude way to get page name; $context SHOULD have this somewhere...
if(!empty($_GET['page'])) $page = $_GET['page'];

// get starting point from URL and set to integer value; already defaulted to 0 if not set
if(!empty($_GET['start'])) $start = intval($_GET['start']);

$query = db_query(
"SELECT id, value1, type
FROM {$db_prefix}tp_variables
WHERE type = 'category'
", __FILE__, __LINE__);

$cats[0] = array('id' => 0, 'cat_name' => 'No Specific Category'); // pre-populate generic category

while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($query)) // populate category array
{
$cats[] = array(
'id' => $row['id'],
'cat_name' => $row['value1'],
);
}

// create drop-down list by parsing against allowed categories
if(count($cats_allowed) > 1 || !in_array(0, $cats_allowed))
{
foreach($cats as $key => $value)
{
if(!in_array($value['id'], $cats_allowed))
{
unset($cats[$key]);
}
}
}

if($category != 0)
{
$query = db_query(
    "SELECT *
FROM {$db_prefix}tp_articles
WHERE approved = 1
AND category = {$category}
", __FILE__, __LINE__);
}
else
{
$query = db_query(
    "SELECT *
FROM {$db_prefix}tp_articles
WHERE approved = 1
", __FILE__, __LINE__);
}
$total_rows = mysql_num_rows($query); // get number of articles approved

if($category != 0)
{
$query = db_query(
    "SELECT id, value1
FROM {$db_prefix}tp_variables
WHERE id = {$category}
", __FILE__, __LINE__);

$cat_desc = mysql_fetch_array($query);
$cat_desc = $cat_desc['value1'];

if(empty($cat_desc)) $cat_desc = 'No Category Description In Database';

$query = db_query(
    "SELECT id, date, subject, shortname, author, views, category
     FROM {$db_prefix}tp_articles
     WHERE approved = 1
AND category = {$category}
ORDER BY date DESC
LIMIT {$start}, {$limit}
", __FILE__, __LINE__);

}
else
{
$cat_desc = 'No Specified Category';

$query = db_query(
    "SELECT id, date, subject, shortname, author, views, category
     FROM {$db_prefix}tp_articles
     WHERE approved = 1
ORDER BY date DESC
LIMIT {$start}, {$limit}
", __FILE__, __LINE__);
}

while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($query)) // place article info into $article array
{
$article[] = array(
'id' => $row['id'],
'date' => $row['date'],
'subject' => $row['subject'],
'shortname' => $row['shortname'],
'author' => $row['author'],
'views' => $row['views'],
'category' => $row['category'],
);
}

// display category select menu form w/ submit button
echo '<form name="article_menu" method="POST" action="' . $scripturl . '?' . $url_link . 'page=' . $page . '">';
echo '<select name="cat">';

foreach($cats as $item)
{
echo '<option ' . ($item['id'] == $category ? 'selected ' : '') . 'value="' . $item['id'] . '">' . $item['cat_name'] . '</option>';
}
echo '</select> &nbsp;';

echo '<select name="limit">';
foreach($limits as $limit_sel)
{
echo '<option ' . ($limit == $limit_sel ? 'selected ' : '') . 'value="' . $limit_sel . '">' . $limit_sel . '</option>';
}
echo '</select> Per Page ';

echo '<input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Submit">';
echo '</form>';

// display article table with info
if(count($article) > 0)
{

// simple pagination routine; took entirely too long to get this right...
if($start + $limit <= $total_rows)
{
$next_pg = $start + $limit;
}
else
{
$next_pg = $total_rows;
}

if($start - $limit >= 0)
{
$prev_pg = $start - $limit;
}
else
{
$prev_pg = 0;
}

// start of top navigation block
echo '<hr /><div class="titlebg">' . $total_rows . ' Article' . ($total_rows > 1 ? 's' : '') . ' Available | ' . $cat_desc . '</div>';

echo '<div class="titlebg" class="article_nav">';

if($start > 1) echo '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?' . $url_link . 'page=' . $page . '&start=' . $prev_pg . '&cat=' . $category . '">Previous Page</a> | ';

echo $start + 1 . ' - ' . $next_pg;

if($next_pg < $total_rows) echo ' | <a href="' . $scripturl . '?' . $url_link . 'page=' . $page . '&start=' . $next_pg . '&cat=' . $category . '">Next Page</a>';

echo '</div><hr />';

echo '<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">';

if($show_header) // display a table header
{
echo '<tr class="windowbg2">';

if($show_date) echo '<td align="right">&nbsp; Date :</td>';
if($show_views) echo '<td align="center">&nbsp; Views &nbsp;</td>';
if($show_author) echo '<td align="left">&nbsp; Author &nbsp;</td>';

echo '<td align="left">&nbsp;Article Title </td>';
}

foreach($article as $item)
{
if(empty($item['shortname'])) $item['shortname'] = $item['id']; // make shortname = id if it doesn't already exist (for JPDeni!)

if($use_theme_css)
{
echo '<tr class="windowbg' . ($row_class = $row_class == $css_row ? $css_row_alt : $css_row) . '">';
}
else
{
echo '<tr style="background: #' . ($row_class = $row_class == $css_row ? $css_row_alt : $css_row) . '">';
}

if($show_date)
{
echo '<td align="right"> &nbsp;' . date("M j, Y", $item['date']) . ' :</td>';
}

if($show_views) echo '<td align="center">&nbsp;(' . $item['views'] . ')' . '</td>';
if($show_author) echo '<td align="left">&nbsp;(' . $item['author'] . ')</td>';

echo '<td align="left">&nbsp;<a href="' . $scripturl . '?page=' . $item['shortname'] . '" target="' . $link_target . '">';
echo substr($item['subject'], 0, $link_width) . '</a>';

echo '&nbsp;</td></tr>';
}

echo '</table>';
}
else // no articles = simple notice of nothing found; no table used
{
echo '<div class="titlebg">No Available Articles At This Time</div><hr />';
}

// start of navigation block
echo '<hr /><div class="titlebg" class="article_nav">';

if($start > 1) echo '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?' . $url_link . 'page=' . $page . '&start=' . $prev_pg . '&cat=' . $category . '">Previous Page</a> | ';

echo $start + 1 . ' - ' . $next_pg;

if($next_pg < $total_rows) echo ' | <a href="' . $scripturl . '?' . $url_link . 'page=' . $page . '&start=' . $next_pg . '&cat=' . $category . '">Next Page</a>';

echo ' | Total Articles : ' . $total_rows;

echo '</div>';

mysql_free_result($query); // free up memory (nice to do)

[Rafferty]

lol will not display single categories now. All categories are showing in the drop down list however when selected ALL articles are displaying.

[Ianedres]

Did you place a single category number in the array $cats_allowed (under the $limit variable) ??

$cats_allowed   = array(x);

Using your valid categories for x, of course...

[Ken.]

Very nice.  :up:
http://www.ourfamilyforum.org/FamilyForum/index.php?page=138



"// Version II.5 (The Ken Edition)" 

[Ianedres]

Checking my code closely now, eh?  :coolsmiley:

[Ken.]

Yepp, trying to do so because in my experience if it's not working correctly then there is a really good chance a setting has been made incorrectly or overlooked... and it's embarrassing to me when someone has to point out something that me should have been able to see for myself. 

[Rafferty]

I tried several different variations but same display, all articles. No worries tho i went back to the previous version you gave me which works fine

[Ken.]

Look for this line of code Rafferty:

Code Select Expand


$cats_allowed = array(0); // valid category numbers; '0' = all categories; separate values with commas

And set it to your categories numbers like so:

Code Select Expand


$cats_allowed = array(9, 20, 23); // valid category numbers; '0' = all categories; separate values with commas
... with "9, 20, 23" being whatever categories you wish to have display.

[Rafferty]

yes I did do Ken it didnt seem to make any difference

[Ianedres]

I'll be more than happy to take a look at it on your site, if I can have access to edit the block. Should be something minor...