XF 2.1 Sidenav Advertisement Position

[Alfuzzy]

I'm trying to setup an advertising position on the Sidenav area (left sidebar). I'm following the exact same procedure for setting up ad positions on the right sidebar...but nothing is showing up on the left Sidenav area.

I'm in the AdminCP >> Setup >> Advertising:

• Then "+ Add Advertisement"
• Then choosing the "Container Sidenav: Above" positon.
• Then adding my specific ad code in the HTML box.
• Then saving.

When I reload the website in my browser...no ad is showing up in the Sidenav area. Is there a setting for the Sidenav sidebar I'm missing?

Thanks

 

[Paul B]

Which page are you loading to view the sidenav and ad?

The sidenav only shows on certain pages.

It works for me when viewing account/account-details, which is one of the pages with a side nav.

 

[Alfuzzy]

Great question...I should have included that detail. At the moment was trying on my sites home page.

Thanks

 

[Mike]

This position only applies if there's a sidenav already on the page. It doesn't create a sidenav if one doesn't exist. The sidebar positions are actually the same, but if you have a global sidebar widget for example, that implicitly creates a sidebar on all pages.

 

[Alfuzzy]

Thanks Mike for the help. What you mentioned "This position only applies if there's a sidenav already on the page"...maybe this is the issue & why I was wondering in post #1 if maybe I needed to adjust an XF setting. Currently there is no sidenav on the sites home page...if a sidenav doesn't currently exist...how do I turn the sidenav (left sidebar) on?

Thanks

 

[Paul B]

There is no sidenav for the index (home) page.

What content would you expect to be in it?

 

[Alfuzzy]

Hopefully we're talking the same thing...I'm talking forum home page...not a website landing page.

As far as content on the forum home page...unless I'm confused (which is possible)...according to the pre-defined XF widgets for the sidenav...I think forum home page content could be:

• Find threads: Sidenav
• Help page: Sidenav
• Member wrapper: Sidenav
• What's new: Sidenav

And what I'm trying to do is take advantage of the 2 pre-defined XF advertising positions for the sidenav...which are:

• "Container Sidenav: above"
• "Container Sidenav: below"

Thanks

 

[Paul B]

I'm talking forum home page

Which is this: https://xenforo.com/community/

There is no sidenav on that page, so you can't show ads in the sidenav positions.

 

[Alfuzzy]

That certainly explains why what I'm trying to do isn't working. Thanks

I guess I assumed everything was possible on the Community/Forum Home Page...and the limitations only started on pages "deeper" into a site. I have seen some Xenforo sites with content in the Sidenav area on the Community/Forum Home Page...I guess they must have had some non-native/non-stock work done.

As far as the pre-defined XF 4 Sidenav widgets & 2 Sidenav advertisement positions mentioned above. If they don't work on the Community/Forum Home Page...what pages do they work on?

Thanks

 

[Paul B]

what pages do they work on?

Any page with a sidenav.

account/account-details, which is one of the pages with a side nav.

You can click through the various pages to check.

 

[Alfuzzy]

Ok I see. I guess I assumed (incorrectly)...that the sidenav options (left side of pages) were the same as sidebar options (right side of pages) ...and thus someone could have:

• a right sidebar with any widgets & ad positions they wanted (pre-defined native positions).
• a left sidebar (sidenav) with any widgets & ad positions they wanted (pre-defined native positions).
• Or could have both a right sidebar and a left sidebar (sidenav) on the same page.

Seems rather rigid to not allow site admins/owners to have either a right sidebar...left sidebar...or both (especially on the Community/Forum home page).

Thanks for the help Brogan. This really had me confused...not realizing the sidenav options weren't possible on the Community Home Page (only certain pages).

 

[Alfuzzy]

FYI. In case anyone reading this thinks I'm crazy with my desires mentioned above.

I've been searching the internet for Xenforo sites that have both a right sidebar and a left sidebar/sidenav...and so far I've found a couple.

Here's a Xenforo site with a sidebar/sidenav on both sides of the Community/Forum home page (which allows for content on both sidebar/sidenav...including advertising spots).

Forums

OverTake is a platform purely dedicated to sim racing, providing the latest racing game news, reviews, mods, hardware, forums and esports racing events.

www.racedepartment.com

You may also notice in the very upper left corner of this sites home page...if the three horizontal lines are clicked on...this left sidebar/sidenav can be hidden.

Since Brogan says this isn't possible with a stock XF install...obviously this site has had some custom work done.

 

[Paul B]

The sidenav function is for navigation.

There's no point in having it on a page which has no need of that sort of navigation.

The account pages, media gallery, resource manager all have a need for it, hence why it is present on those pages.

What it seems you want to do is have three columns on the page.
That can be done easily enough with template edits and CSS, and you can then insert content as required into the left column.

 

[Alfuzzy]

What it seems you want to do is have three columns on the page.
That can be done easily enough with template edits and CSS, and you can then insert content as required into the left column.

Exactly. I'll look for a possible add-on that does this. I have some coding skills...but probably not up to the task of getting this done on my own without creating Chaos!

Thanks much for explaining things.

 

[Chuck Weinstock]

There is no sidenav for the index (home) page.

What content would you expect to be in it?

I am trying to mimic (as much as possible) our forum's home page at https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com prior to moving it to XF2. We use the left column on essentially all pages for easier forum navigation and advertising.

 

[Chuck Weinstock]

Exactly. I'll look for a possible add-on that does this. I have some coding skills...but probably not up to the task of getting this done on my own without creating Chaos!

Let me know if you find a solution. We would style with a left column and a right column and I don't have the skills myself to accomplish this.