Robbo
Well-known member
I am releasing this prototype for some feedback on things I am unsure of.
First thing to know is this is very incomplete, missing phrases everywhere for starters. Secondly I have removed the "custom code" functionality for this prototype however it is the same as banners but with code inputs instead of image/url.
My problem with this is how to handle showing the ads. The current system which won't meet needs very well has positions. When adding/editing an ad you see positions to choose which are from template hooks, also easy to add more positions by power users. However the system only allows one ad per position to be shown at a time. This is obviously a big limitation and I can't think of the best way to show multiple ads in a positions.
One idea is a grid system per position and have max rows and columns. Each ad would have a setting for how many rows and columns it takes up. Say a position has 2 rows and 3 columns, it could say insert an ad at 1x1 and then have room for a 1x2 ad or another 1x1 ad. Now in action you could think of a a row of ads above the forums that was 7 x positions and 1 y position. You could fit 7 1x1 ads in there. Then when thinking of this idea I think of all the hassle of doing it.
Another option would be set the width and height of a position in pixels and then set the same for each ad and then pick and choose how many you can fit per page load. Maybe group certain ones for caching purposes. However this doesn't help flexible layouts. I could use JS to make it work with flexible layouts however?
The other option is to leave behind a lot of ease of use and just expect the user to know how to do it and style everything themselves with custom CSS... but still how many to show per position comes up as a problem here.
Since most ads require JS I am thinking of a more JS way, show one ad on page load per position and then use AJAX to load in aditional ads until the space is filled up. Thought of this while typing this post out and it is the best way I can think of right now...
Tell me what you think!
I'm staying up for a bit incase the mod doesn't work otherwise I will be back later.
First thing to know is this is very incomplete, missing phrases everywhere for starters. Secondly I have removed the "custom code" functionality for this prototype however it is the same as banners but with code inputs instead of image/url.
My problem with this is how to handle showing the ads. The current system which won't meet needs very well has positions. When adding/editing an ad you see positions to choose which are from template hooks, also easy to add more positions by power users. However the system only allows one ad per position to be shown at a time. This is obviously a big limitation and I can't think of the best way to show multiple ads in a positions.
One idea is a grid system per position and have max rows and columns. Each ad would have a setting for how many rows and columns it takes up. Say a position has 2 rows and 3 columns, it could say insert an ad at 1x1 and then have room for a 1x2 ad or another 1x1 ad. Now in action you could think of a a row of ads above the forums that was 7 x positions and 1 y position. You could fit 7 1x1 ads in there. Then when thinking of this idea I think of all the hassle of doing it.
Another option would be set the width and height of a position in pixels and then set the same for each ad and then pick and choose how many you can fit per page load. Maybe group certain ones for caching purposes. However this doesn't help flexible layouts. I could use JS to make it work with flexible layouts however?
The other option is to leave behind a lot of ease of use and just expect the user to know how to do it and style everything themselves with custom CSS... but still how many to show per position comes up as a problem here.
Since most ads require JS I am thinking of a more JS way, show one ad on page load per position and then use AJAX to load in aditional ads until the space is filled up. Thought of this while typing this post out and it is the best way I can think of right now...
Tell me what you think!
I'm staying up for a bit incase the mod doesn't work otherwise I will be back later.
