I was wondering how hard it would be to add a "Bottom" block to the OPN system, in addition to the left, right, and center blocks that are currently available?

A bottom block would be very useful, especially for use on "modules" pages, where a top block would obscure the "featured" (module) content too much by possibly pushing it below the users screen view.

Bottom blocks would allow the webmaster to utilize the empty space that is in the center content block on modules pages more productively.

Just a thought... I don't think anyone has done this yet, so it would be a milestone for OPN and CMS!

Thanks again for this great product.

Oh yeah... you can check out my OPN site at www.CMSfarm.com.

I am still working on it, so it has few stories right now, but I do have some of my own live music in the gallery...

hmm, i dont know if i unterstand you correctly:

you want that below e.g. forum apperears a "static" gallery box. This gallery box will be under every other box of any module?

Alex

No... I mean a block such as the center block... but that would stay below the original page contents.

i.e. I am an Amazon.com affiliate, and would like to place code for specialty items on their respective pages, below the content, such as "Buy Theses CD's" below my gallery content, or "Buy this Computer" below my How-To content.

If I had a "Bottom" block, I could use it to add my amazon links via a Big HTML box at the bottom of the page I want to list my links on. I just do not want to make my normal content "secondary" to my Amazon content by pushing it down the page when I put a "Center" block (sits on top).

Have a look at my home page. CMSfarm.com
It has some Amazon stuff at the top center of the page (Big HTML CENTER box).

My wish is to have the Amazon stuff below the "Normal" page content (in this case Articles).

This would be very useful to me for other reasons as well, and is something that I have been looking for since I first started playing with CMS systems a year ago...

Do any other users have a need for a bottom block? Or anyone have an idea of how I might accomplish my goal in the meantime??

Thanks again for a great product!
k

well, if i got on this right there are some news for you:

sure, it's possible with opn. For a box e.g. amazon take a html box, or php box, or anypage to have free choice of contents.

For details on how to setup the order of boxes in admin i will ask stefan if he can say some words about that. Sadly he will not be back online until weekend.

So stay tuned please.

Alex

Can you move a Center Block below the actual content? Is that what you are saying?

I am referring to the left, right, and center boxes that are standard options in OPN.

I did see an "anchor" setting that I have no idea what it does... is that something to do with letting the block show below the content as opposed to above it??

For what is Anchor good for?

Little example:

You need 3 centerboxes in the same line. So yo do the following:

1. Create the first centerbox
2. Deselect the Anchor
3. Set the side to left
4. Set the width to 33
5. Save the box
6. Create the second box
7. Deselect Anchor
8. Set the side to middle
9. Set Position after the first box
10. Set the width to 33
11. Save the box
12. Create the third box
13. Set the side to right
14. Set the Position after the second box
15. Set the width to 33
16. Save the third box

So the last centerbox in a line of centerboxes or a normal centerbox (width = 100) need an anchor. With this setting OPN knows that the next centerbox must put in a new line.

This page here is an example of "box"-Combination.

On every Forum page there is a "last postings box" on Top of the rest of forum contest.
This is not hardcodet in forum-module. Its up to the webmaster how he want to have a combination. Instead of "last posting" there could be displayed any other regular centerbox (see admin->centerbox). This also should work below the "rest of contents" - so that should be what you want to have.

Alex

Have a look here in forums module. There you should see a "test for klehman" box (which i disable if you seen it once)

Is it that what you want?

Alex

YES!! How you do that?? That is exactly what I am looking for !!

Now I can have ANY layout!!! I don't think this is possible with other CMS??? Thanks for the "King of CMS!! I TOLD YOU!!

Now a quik "how to" for the bottom block would be awesome... Maybe you already showed in example... but I'm not sure I got it??

How does the content come into play when you set up a bottom block? Does the "bottom block" always stay at bottom? even when new article is added?

Thanks again for this awesome support!

right now the way to have that wanted layout of your site isn't easy. There are some steps necassary.

Let me answer your other questions first:

Quote:
How you do that??

It's a opn thing

Quote:
I don't think this is possible with other CMS???

I don't know any other cms (nuke alike) which can do something like that

Quote:
Now I can have ANY layout!!!

yes and you can have a different layout for any module too

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How does the content come into play when you set up a bottom block?

Thats a mechanism we call "tpl"

Quote:
Does the "bottom block" always stay at bottom?

Yes, this can be done with every other module - not only forum if you mean that.
if you have setup it for a module - yes of course. To have it always you have to go these steps for all your modules. That may be a disadvantage but also an advantage: you can create different layouts for every module. Or you can add more boxes and and and....

Quote:
even when new article is added?

sure. Think about boxes or blocks for content. Real opn modules doesn't output its informations directly (PHP -> echo or print). Instead it pushed its information to a central opn output-engine (part of the opn core code). Thats why it is possible to have alomost any combination.

Quote:
Thanks again for this awesome support!

you're welcome

Quote:
Now a quik "how to" for the bottom block would be awesome...

Ok, here is a rough description of those steps. Once you have managed feel free to create a bit more detailed guide. We can (and will) publish it here on this site for other users.

ok, you need at leat two modules installed: "forum" and "big html box".
- Go to admin -> TPL Settings.
in the huge textarea inser following code:


- sorry i have to look for another bug here. see code in my next posting


below that is a select box wiht the label "for module". Select "forum" and click on "save"-button

- Go to admin -> admin centerbox an have a new box of type "big html box"
Select "forum" in the module select box (it's just before the textarea for content).
Set the content to "well i don't know what to write down right here now" and the headline to "just a test for klehman".

So thats it. It should be working now.

While doing this steps here on this site (with the almost latest dev-release which has many improvements and bugfixes to your rc1 version) we got on a new bug (it's fixed now). So perhaps you only will be able to reproduced all this steps successfully with the next version.

Alex

Quote:
Thanks for the "King of CMS!! I TOLD YOU!!

well, our Heinz (hhombergs - core developer) told you to rethink about it - perhaps you will call it emperor in future
You just have discovered less then 30% of the possibilities with opn. Stay tuned