Alex,
Something to think about, would be a <%banner rotation%> tag(s) to allow automatic rotation of banners.
While it's a simple idea, integrating the banner rotation into the Links-build process would allow 'category' banners, and internal rotations.
If the rotation was built in, banner rotation could be selected by Category, keyword, or special banner category field.
You don't have to develop the banner rotation code, just the hooks for it.
If a special tag <%banner rotation%> was available, in a template, the 'rotation' could be replaced by code from the appropriate rotation file.
The advantage of this, vs just a template tag, is that in the nph-build routine, when the program hits the <%banner rotation%> tag, it can branch to a subroutine that can be changed to handle whatever sort of banner rotation the user wanted, or just a basic set of commands. This keeps with good design, since major changes to the program are made in an isolated subroutine, with the access to them via the <%banner rotation%> tag.
This, with the unique page tag, can allow implementation of a full banner program.
Rules for banner rotation could be in the subroutine, such that first the "Rotation" field is filled in, the value there is used, if not, a rotation is selected from category or keywords (the highest ranked).
But, all this can be done by the user, or 3rd party, if the hooks to the <%banner rotation%> routines are added.
This would allow things such that the advertising field in the Category table is used for category development, and if the Link doesn't have an overriding category or advertiser for the detail page, the category rotation is used. This would allow 'generic' rotations for the category, but specific advertisers for a specific link (or category sponsor).
The <%banner Rotation%> tag means use the standard rules, a <%banner Toys02%> means use the Toys02 rotation code.
On you end, the 'official' implemenation of this is just the tag processing. The rest of the work can be left to the 3rd party. Even just implementing the tags allows minor functionality without much processing code.
It's something to think about. This simple addtion, opens a whole new set of features that can be easily customized without having to go into the code except for the one subroutine. (This also opens up a whole aspect of UserSubs.pm where hooks can be added into Links for functionality that can be user-added to files that are not part of the regular upgrade.)
Any chance for discussing this type of feature?
Something to think about, would be a <%banner rotation%> tag(s) to allow automatic rotation of banners.
While it's a simple idea, integrating the banner rotation into the Links-build process would allow 'category' banners, and internal rotations.
If the rotation was built in, banner rotation could be selected by Category, keyword, or special banner category field.
You don't have to develop the banner rotation code, just the hooks for it.
If a special tag <%banner rotation%> was available, in a template, the 'rotation' could be replaced by code from the appropriate rotation file.
The advantage of this, vs just a template tag, is that in the nph-build routine, when the program hits the <%banner rotation%> tag, it can branch to a subroutine that can be changed to handle whatever sort of banner rotation the user wanted, or just a basic set of commands. This keeps with good design, since major changes to the program are made in an isolated subroutine, with the access to them via the <%banner rotation%> tag.
This, with the unique page tag, can allow implementation of a full banner program.
Rules for banner rotation could be in the subroutine, such that first the "Rotation" field is filled in, the value there is used, if not, a rotation is selected from category or keywords (the highest ranked).
But, all this can be done by the user, or 3rd party, if the hooks to the <%banner rotation%> routines are added.
This would allow things such that the advertising field in the Category table is used for category development, and if the Link doesn't have an overriding category or advertiser for the detail page, the category rotation is used. This would allow 'generic' rotations for the category, but specific advertisers for a specific link (or category sponsor).
The <%banner Rotation%> tag means use the standard rules, a <%banner Toys02%> means use the Toys02 rotation code.
On you end, the 'official' implemenation of this is just the tag processing. The rest of the work can be left to the 3rd party. Even just implementing the tags allows minor functionality without much processing code.
It's something to think about. This simple addtion, opens a whole new set of features that can be easily customized without having to go into the code except for the one subroutine. (This also opens up a whole aspect of UserSubs.pm where hooks can be added into Links for functionality that can be user-added to files that are not part of the regular upgrade.)
Any chance for discussing this type of feature?