X-Cart forums

[leon]

This is a simple Random Quotes script to be displayed on customers view. I use it for Cigar Quotes, you can use it for anything you want.

Step 1:
Create a file in /customer directory called rand_quotes.php with the following code in it:

<?php 
$quotes[] = "Cigars are my inspiration.
Orson Welles";
$quotes[] = "A Cigar is like a Fantasy, lights up with tradition, enjoyed with imagination.
Leon Fernandez"; 
$quotes[] = "I smoke in moderation. Only one cigar at a time.
Mark Twain"; 
$quotes[] = "I drink a great deal. I sleep a little, and I smoke cigar after cigar. That is why I am in two-hundred-percent form.
Winston Churchill"; 

srand ((double) microtime() * 1000000); 
$randomquote = rand(0,count($quotes)-1); 

echo "

" . $quotes[$randomquote] . "</p>"; 

?>

Note: Notice that you can create as many quotes as you like (I have about 30 on my Cigar Site), just add another line with:

$quotes[] = "Your quote.
Author";

Step 2:
Create a file under /skin1/customer named rand_quotes.tpl with the following lines in it:

{* $Id: rand_quotes.tpl,v 1.0 2004/01/24 14:02:32 leon Exp $ *}
{capture name=menu}
<center>
{include_php file="rand_quotes.php"}
</center>
{/capture}
{ include file="menu.tpl" dingbats="dingbats_categorie.gif" menu_title="Cigar Quotes" menu_content=$smarty.capture.menu }

Step 3:
In your /skin1/customer/home.tpl file add these lines above { include file="customer/categories.tpl" } or practically anywhere you want them to display:

{ include file="customer/rand_quotes.tpl" }

Enjoy !!!

[adpboss]

I'm assuming this is for 3.5.3.

This is a nice mod, and anyone can see the potential for using it to display all types of random messages. Random coupon code display, Random announcement of specials etc.

Can we use Smarty tags in the php file for the display of the random text?

[leon]

Originally Posted by adpboss

I'm assuming this is for 3.5.3.

This is a nice mod, and anyone can see the potential for using it to display all types of random messages. Random coupon code display, Random announcement of specials etc.

Can we use Smarty tags in the php file for the display of the random text?

Yes for 3.5.3, but Im sure it's simple enough to work on quit any version.

Thats the main idea, I wanted to keep it simple but maybe further on I while make it more powerful, as this is like a Static Quote (you have to FTP the file when you make changes), but I have been thinking in making it dynamic on the admin side in order to change things whenever needed and as fast as possible.

Regarding Smarty, havent tried it, but as I have been learning Smarty, I can see that anything is possible, it is a good templating engine for sure, try it out and let us know.

[shirtshop]

When i use it there is a icon and a orange row. Can this be transparant and only the text? Can i use this instead of the welcome?

[leon]

Originally Posted by shirtshop

When i use it there is a icon and a orange row. Can this be transparant and only the text? Can i use this instead of the welcome?

The icon come out because the template system is calling a dingabat as an include file. Yes it can be transparent, just call it direct (not mentioning the added element as a Menu type).

As it says here:Step 3:

Originally Posted by leon

In your /skin1/customer/home.tpl file add these lines above { include file="customer/categories.tpl" } or practically anywhere you want them to display:

You can add it instead of the welcome message of course. That way you can create a random welcome.

[jeeya]

Why don't we just try Marquee, it's the easy way to show tex, just make new tpl and put the lines.


<marquee scrolldelay="140"><blink><font size="1" face="Arial">put your lines, quotes here</font></blink></marquee>.

[adpboss]

RP,

Please tell me you are kidding.

Blink and Marquee look terrible. Those were good effects like 4 years ago, but no one uses them now.

I'm not even sure they are compatible in every browser.

[jeeya]

I just saw many people using it, although I don't see much difference it php quotes and marquee, only webdesigner knows how they are being displayed, not many visitors does.

[adpboss]

It's random quotes. Marquee you have to sit there for ten minutes and wait for all of the information to scroll by. The average user doesn't have that long of an attention span when surfing.

Random quotes gives the impression of dynamic content. The content changes every page load. So the quotes are usually different and unique.

The customer either sees A, B or C. But not all 3 unless they keep refreshing the page.

It's a pretty big difference.

[shirtshop]

it's working nice welcome for the customer.
How can i change the color and size?