Timed CSS

masa · 2008-12-19 19:50:01

Hi everyone,

I was asked by a client to alter the look of their site slightly for the Xmas season, which can be done basically by replacing a few key colours in the CSS.

I can create a secondary style sheet to override the colour definitions and add that to the template manually and remove it again later. But how would I go about loading it automatically based on the current time, so I won’t have to go through this again next year?

Something like…

if current time is ≥ than 15. December and ≤ than 1. January
   load xmas.css
else
   do nothing

Any help would be much appreciated.

Last edited by masa (2008-12-19 19:50:53)

MattD · 2008-12-19 21:46:40

Could you some how use smd_if to look at the REQUEST_TIME? I know it can look at server variables.

Bloke · 2008-12-20 09:10:58

I was going to suggest something similar.

If that doesn’t work I was thinking you could set a PHP variable or a <txp:variable /> and test it with smd_if, but then figured if you have to drop into PHP anyway to get the date, you might as well save yourself a plugin and just do the entire thing directly in PHP within your <head>:

<txp:php>
$now = time();
if (date("m",$now) == 12 && date("d",$now) >= 15) {
   echo css(array("n" => "xmas.css", "format" => "link"));
}
</txp:php>

Untested, but something like that should do it.

Last edited by Bloke (2008-12-20 09:12:43)

masa · 2008-12-20 09:51:41

Thanks for the suggestions.
I tried Bloke’s php snippet since it looks really simple, but that gives me a

Fatal error: Call to undefined function css() in (server/path)

Any ideas? I don’t know the first thing about php.

Bloke · 2008-12-20 10:02:27

masa wrote:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function css() in (server/path)

Strange, it works for me… erm… where did you put the code? I put mine in a form that was called from within my <head> and it rendered out a link to xmas.css.

Stumped. Ummm, anyone else?

masa · 2008-12-20 12:07:13

Well, I tried it on a self-standing html page first instead of a Textpattern template ;-)

It’s working fine now :-)

Thanks very much as usual!

Bloke · 2008-12-20 12:10:54

masa wrote:

Well, I tried it on a self-standing html page first instead of a Textpattern template ;-)

lol, ok that would explain it! Glad you got it sorted.

masa · 2008-12-20 15:52:25

See, you can’t trust me with php ;-)

Actually I was a bit surprised that there is no native Textpattern tag for this like a <txp:if_current_time>
That would certainly help php numpties like myself.

Bloke · 2008-12-20 16:08:50

Now you’ve said that, give it about half an hour and Gocom’ll probably whip up rah_today or rah_timenow or something equally cool ;-) Combined with smd_if that’d sort you out, without having to get your hands mucky in PHP.

EDIT: Actually, a function like this is going to be part of the new smd_calendar plugin so if you happen to want date-based stuff you get the ability to output the current date and time for free (and of course, if you can output it, you can check it with smd_if).

Last edited by Bloke (2008-12-20 16:40:32)

Gocom · 2008-12-20 17:53:20

Bloke wrote:

Now you’ve said that, give it about half an hour and Gocom’ll probably whip up rah_today or rah_timenow or something equally cool ;-) Combined with smd_if that’d sort you out, without having to get your hands mucky in PHP.

I actually already have a closed Textpattern plugin solution for that :D It just uses UNIX to the if-conditional to check what time is, and also a tag that shows current time. Both are one-line plugins, because strtotime is used.

jakob · 2008-12-20 18:20:20

Bloke wrote:

Actually, a function like this is going to be part of the new smd_calendar plugin …

I love it how you casually drop a bomb like that :-)

Bloke · 2008-12-20 18:33:21

jakob wrote:

I love it how you casually drop a bomb like that :-)

:-)

Well, it’s still in development courtesy of a bounty request by mrdale but it’s shaping up to be another monster and is actually taking on a life of its own :-)

I’ll release it if there’s enough interest in article-based event management on that thread (don’t wanna step on the toes of zem_event or jmc_event_manager) but the sponsors get first dibs of course.

The addition of expiry to an article has just opened up an entire new world…

Last edited by Bloke (2008-12-20 19:35:11)

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#1 2008-12-19 19:50:01

Timed CSS

#2 2008-12-19 21:46:40

Re: Timed CSS

#3 2008-12-20 09:10:58

Re: Timed CSS

#4 2008-12-20 09:51:41

Re: Timed CSS

#5 2008-12-20 10:02:27

Re: Timed CSS

#6 2008-12-20 12:07:13

Re: Timed CSS

#7 2008-12-20 12:10:54

Re: Timed CSS

#8 2008-12-20 15:52:25

Re: Timed CSS

#9 2008-12-20 16:08:50

Re: Timed CSS

#10 2008-12-20 17:53:20

Re: Timed CSS

#11 2008-12-20 18:20:20

Re: Timed CSS

#12 2008-12-20 18:33:21

Re: Timed CSS

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