MAX ADS SETTING - What does it mean?

bplinson · February 15th, 2006, 01:28 AM

When I set a MAX ADS LIMIT for a usergroup does this mean that the number I set is all the ads a person in that usergroup can create forever?

For example, if I set the MAX ADS LIMIT of a certain usergroup to 2, after they have created 2 ads is that all they can ever create?

I am asking becuase I have set this to 2 for regular users and now some can not create a new ad even though their old ads are sold and no longer show up on in the classifieds.

Chuck S · February 15th, 2006, 08:27 AM

EXACTLY

This was ported from the upload limit per day in Photopost but in the suggestions forum of Classifieds the concensus was more so a total limit so thats what everyone got

Thats why I called in max ads and not ads per day

bplinson · February 15th, 2006, 11:07 AM

Thanks. It seems to me that it would be better if the setting allowed only a certain number of ads to run a time and once they were finished then the user could create another. This way users would see the benefit of the ads and become paid members of my website who would have unlimited ads.

Or a function that would allow users that has met their MAX AD Limit to purchase more ads.

Oh well I guess I will have to live with it.

Chuck S · February 15th, 2006, 12:42 PM

Well you can alter the code to suit your specific needs. I went with the majority say on the issue in the suggestions forum when I coded this up.

Sal Collaziano · February 15th, 2006, 04:50 PM

So am I understanding correct that if I have this set to 2, a member of my site can post 2 classifieds total - and that's the end of their Classifieds use for good? Even if their Classifieds have expired and been pruned/deleted?

If that's the case, then I'll ask for a mod to make this work where a member can have only "X amount of running ads at any given time"...

Chuck S · February 15th, 2006, 06:42 PM

A user can have no more that x amount of ads just like stated.

bplinson · February 16th, 2006, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sal Collaziano

and that's the end of their Classifieds use for good? Even if their Classifieds have expired and been pruned/deleted?

Yup, strange huh. Seems like it would have made more sense to have another option - such as MAX ADS AT A TIME - and use whichever one is best for your situation.

The purpose of allowing a regular (free) member on my site to have 1 or 2 ads at a time is to let them see the value of the classified section and maybe then become a paid member of the site so that they can post unlimited ads. Maybe this is not important for websites that do not create any or much revenue and maybe it was the admins of the non-money making websites that voted for the way it is now, I dunno.

The way it is now there is not much difference between the classified module that comes with vBPortal other then the auction function and highlighting options.

This is an awesome bit of software but it just seems to be crippled without that function.

I, and think many others here, buy software because we have no or limited coding knowledge, or are too lazy to code it for ourselves.

Chuck it just seems to me that it would have been better the other way. PP Classifieds is crippled the way it is now IMHO. I am gonna continue to use it because it is really a awesome program but it would be great to see this feature in the next version.

Another great feature would be, if we were able to get the MAX ADS AT A TIME option, to allow users who have reached either the MAX AD SETTING or MAX ADS AT A TIME to be able to purchase additional ads.

I.E. Say I set my MAX AD SETTING (for non-paying website members) to 1. After they have created their one and only ad for life they would be able to purchase more ad space for whatever price I have determined.

Or if the non-paying website member has reached his or her MAX ADS AT A TIME they would be able to purchase more ads to run at the same time. I.E. MAX ADS AT A TIME set to 2, member wants 3 ads to run so they purchase the third ad.

What do you think?

Chuck S · February 16th, 2006, 07:54 AM

You can handle subscriptions any way you want to.

This feature is built off the upload limit per day hack I did for photopost way back and is simply

Each usergroup has a number

registered users can say have 2 ads

subscribers can have 10 ads

Remember this has nothing to do with payment. Our payment system is when placing an ad.

bplinson · February 16th, 2006, 08:23 AM

I guess you are not understanding what I mean.

I understand that the payment system has nothing to do with placing and ad. That is not what I am trying to accomplish.

What I mean is that the MAX AD SETTING the way it currently is VERY restrictive. To me it would make more sense if it allowed a certain number of ads at any given moment, not the maximum number of ads in a persons lifetime.

In the current configuration those that reach their max ads stop using the classifieds completely. This does not do the sellers or the buyers any good.

Here is my set up.

I have a usergroup called XL Forum Team. This usergroup pays $30.00 a year for extra privilages and access to the entire website. One of these extra privilages is that they can create an unlimited amount of ads and do not pay a fee for bold, italics or highlighting. I have about 300 of these members right now and growing.

The other usergroup is Registered Users. I am sure you are familiar with this default vBulletin usergroup.

For the normal registered users I would like to allow them to run only 2 ads at a time. Once the one of the ads closes by either expiring or being sold the system should allow them to create a new ad.

The MAX ADS SETTING as you have stated and I found out quickly does not do this. If I set this to 2 then that is all the ads a certain usergroup will ever get, period, end of story. If I set it to 10 the same thing. All they get is 10 ads. I believe that all this is goning to do is encourage people who are not XL Forum Team members to register mulitple usernames just to get around the MAX AD SETTING.

It would also be nice to have a function that would allow a user that has reached their MAX ADS to be able to purchase ads beyond the MAX Setting.

bplinson · February 16th, 2006, 08:26 AM

In Photopost there is a setting that allows only a certain number of uploads a day if set per usergroup. (could be the hack you mention in your previous post)

I guess this is kind of what I am talking about here but instead of allowing a certain number of ads a day it would allow a certain number of ads at a time.

Chuck S · February 16th, 2006, 08:58 AM

Well this discussion if mute my friend as this feature has been coded and works just as I have said it works.

This is the feature multiple users asked for when this product went into beta. I had a nice slow 3 month beta period where I collected all feedback and read every suggestion users wanted. I told users I was thinking about adding the uploads per day and there was lots of discussion back and forth.

If you own photopost you can compare your uploadphoto and uploadproduct php files to see how to add a timeframe on the query

bplinson · February 16th, 2006, 09:25 AM

Is there any doumentation on the PP Classified program features so that I do not have at ask all these questions in the forum?

Chuck S · February 16th, 2006, 09:39 AM

Just ask any question you want in the how do I forum as program feature documenation is still forthcoming.

BraindG · February 18th, 2006, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck S

If you own photopost you can compare your uploadphoto and uploadproduct php files to see how to add a timeframe on the query

But, what if we don't have the time to do such things? - we paid good money for this product, reason i bought this was due to time restrictions in my RL, work, family.. i thought this was plug and play, seems its more like plug and code and hack to get it your way..

perhaps I should have read forums more, anyways...you should add this feature for the next release? - I would like this to be a case of 3 adverts, sell one, leaving 2.. meaning you should be able to post another advert bringing it up to 3..

If you can, please point us in the direction of areas in your code that we must change?

Thanks

Chuck S · February 18th, 2006, 12:13 PM

Brain your not going to please everyone thats the nature of software. I have explained this over and over how the feature works.

Customers asked that there be a feature whereas they could input a number so that users could only have x number of ads on the system. This is what was coded into the software. Nothing More. It was basically a protection to present people from blasting free classifieds.

After release people have begun to ask about timeframe restrictions, only active ads being counted and not inactive ads being part of the count etc etc.

Anything outside the nature of the operation of the program is modification and is not part of product support. We realize you paid good money for a product but you get the product as it is coded. Customers are able to talk amongst themselves in the mod forums how to hack there installs and I might throw them a bone every now and then but it is not the duty here of our company to tell anyone how to modify anything to the code that is clearly outlined in the forum rules.

You may see ongoing discussion here where I gave some pointers on program operation etc.

http://www.photopost.com/forum/showt...90#post1149390

bplinson · February 18th, 2006, 01:07 PM

Hmmm, now there are three people that see the need for this feature. Anyone else?

Chuck S · February 18th, 2006, 01:25 PM

As explained the feature is coded as is and works as it was designed. It says MAX ADS and this is exactly what it means. This specific usergroup no user can have no more than X amount of ads on the system whether sold or active.

Everyone is quite welcome to discuss in the mod forum how to modify the code to suit your specific needs which is what I have said all along. This thread explains quite clearly how the feature works and has been answered.
I result anymore discussion on this matter can take place on the mod forum which has been linked on my last post.

rcull · April 12th, 2006, 07:26 PM

Here is how I think it should work...

In your "Edit Catagories", you should place a cost of an ad, say $10.00.

Then you go to your "Edit Usergroups" and you place a number in the "Max Ads Limit?" box, that is the maximum number of free ads that a user in that group can have at any givin time. Any user can still purchase additional ads as they see fit, beyond the "Max Ads Limit?" place in the box by their user group.

The "Max Ads Limit?" should only apply to "Free Ads".

I am sure no-one wishes to limit paying customers.

bplinson · April 13th, 2006, 01:19 AM

Yep....thats what I think also.

rcull · April 23rd, 2006, 02:08 PM

Well,

I just did a test usergroup. I set it's limit to one. I posted a test ad for three days. After that I went to attempt to post another ad. I got the "you have exceeded your maximum alllowed limi of 1 ads."

It didn't even give an option to pay for an ad. Why would anyone put a limit on the number of ads that can ever be posted. I don't understand how the photopost developers could figure that was what was wanted.

If they really think that is what the majority wanted, there are enough people out here that want it limited as I described above. Perhaps they can give us a choice as how to limit the ads.