[mixermanic]

Hi,

I would like to put a "news" page on my site, and a "latest news" section on my homepage (with the first 30 or so words of the 4 most recent news items, then a "more...." link to the main article).

Ideally the news will be read from a directory of text files (numbered - like 1.inc, 2.inc, 3.inc, 4.inc, 5.inc etc... with the highest number being the newest news item). I want to be able to code the news items myself (i.e. no "admin" interface - I just want to do the text file and dump it in the directory).

Would this be relatively simple to do in PHP? I have just converted the rest of my site, and a a *little* experience with the language... always willing to learn though!!

All the weblog scripts I have come across as freeware seem to do far too much - comments, smilies, admin interface etc.

Thanks, (and happy monday...!)

Martin

[jewellgr]

Martin,

Here is a start:

PHP Code:

<?PHP

$Num = 1;



while(file_exists("items/$Num.inc"))  # SEARCH EACH NEWS FILE

{

  $file = "items/$Num.inc";           # FILE ADDRESS OF EACH NEWS FILE

  $item[0] = $item[1];

  $item[1] = $item[2];

  $item[2] = $item[3];

  $item[3] = $file;

  $Num++;

}



for ($x=count($item)-1;$x>=0;$x--)

{

 $handle = fopen($item[$x],'r');       # OPEN NEWS FILE

 $news = fread($handle,99999);         # READ NEWS FILE

 fclose($handle);                      # CLOSE NEWS FILE

 

 $max = strlen($news);                 # GET STRING LENGTH OF NEWS

 if ($max > 300)

  $news = substr($news,0,300);         # IF NEWS > 300 CHARACTERS TRIM NEWS TO 300 CHARACTERS

  

 echo $news . "<br><a href=\"$item[$x]\" target=\"new\">Full Story</a><br><br>";              # DISPLAY NEWS FROM THE FILE

}

?>

Save this php file in a directory and then make a subdirectory called 'items'.
Put your files in the subdirectory (1.inc, 2.inc, 3.inc,.....).
This script will read all files in that subdirectory and display the first 300 characters of news from the latest four files.

It will also provide a link to each file. You can play with the code to fit it to your liking. Any questions, email me at greggjewell@yahoo.com.

Hope this helps.

[mixermanic]

That's brilliant thank you! I will play around with this and see what I can come up with.

Thanks again,

Martin

Originally Posted by jewellgr

Martin,

Here is a start:

PHP Code:

<?PHP

$Num = 1;



while(file_exists("items/$Num.inc"))  # SEARCH EACH NEWS FILE

{

  $file = "items/$Num.inc";           # FILE ADDRESS OF EACH NEWS FILE

  $item[0] = $item[1];

  $item[1] = $item[2];

  $item[2] = $item[3];

  $item[3] = $file;

  $Num++;

}



for ($x=count($item)-1;$x>=0;$x--)

{

 $handle = fopen($item[$x],'r');       # OPEN NEWS FILE

 $news = fread($handle,99999);         # READ NEWS FILE

 fclose($handle);                      # CLOSE NEWS FILE

 

 $max = strlen($news);                 # GET STRING LENGTH OF NEWS

 if ($max > 300)

  $news = substr($news,0,300);         # IF NEWS > 300 CHARACTERS TRIM NEWS TO 300 CHARACTERS

  

 echo $news . "<br><a href=\"$item[$x]\" target=\"new\">Full Story</a><br><br>";              # DISPLAY NEWS FROM THE FILE

}

?>

Save this php file in a directory and then make a subdirectory called 'items'.
Put your files in the subdirectory (1.inc, 2.inc, 3.inc,.....).
This script will read all files in that subdirectory and display the first 300 characters of news from the latest four files.

It will also provide a link to each file. You can play with the code to fit it to your liking. Any questions, email me at greggjewell@yahoo.com.

Hope this helps.