[autobulbs]

This mod assumes that you use the Wordpress blogging software and uses the same database as your xcart software.
If your wordpress and x-cart use separate database then use this code for blog_headlines.php

If you do not use the default Wordpress SQL table prefix than you will need to specify it in the select query.
For example, change wp_posts to yourprefix_posts

Create xcart-root/include/blog_headlines.php and paste this in it:

<?php
$blog_headlines = func_query("SELECT post_title,guid,post_date as orderby, DATE_FORMAT(post_date,'%d/%m/%Y') as post_date FROM wp_posts WHERE post_status = 'publish' group by post_title order by orderby desc limit 3");
array("blog_headlines" => array());
$smarty->assign("blog_headlines", $blog_headlines);
?>

Create xcart-root/skin1/blog_headlines.tpl and paste this in it:

{* $Id: blog_headlines.tpl,v1 09/01/29  11:18:59 max Exp $ *}
{capture name=menu}
{foreach from=$blog_headlines item=bh}<a href="{$bh.guid}" class="blog_headlines">{$bh.post_title}</a><div class="blog_headlines">{$bh.post_date}</div><br class="blog_headlines"/><hr noshade="noshade" size="1" class="blog_headlines" />{/foreach}
{/capture}
{include file="menu.tpl" dingbats="dingbats_categorie.gif" menu_title="Blog Headlines" menu_content=$smarty.capture.menu}

Open xcart-root/init.php and add this at the end:

#Blog Headlines
include($xcart_dir."/include/blog_headlines.php");

Open xcart-root/skin1/skin1.css and add this:

/*** Blog Headlines Styles Start ***/
a.blog_headlines { /* The link */
    display:block;
}
a.blog_headlines:hover { /* The link when hovered over */
    background:#d7d7d7;
}
hr.blog_headlines { /* The line */
    color:#e1e1e1;
}
div.blog_headlines { /* The date */
    float:right;
}
br.blog_headlines{
    clear:left;
}
/*** Blog Headlines Styles End ***/

Open xcart-root/skin1/customer/home.tpl file and add this within VertMenuLeftColumn (or where ever appropriate):

{include file="blog_headlines.tpl"}