CMS Made Simple Forums

In order to get around a limitation of Banners 2.2.1 Module, the only thing I can come up with to solve my issue is to create a separate layout template for each page of my site. This will then allow me to place three or four "hard coded" banner (image ads) positions where I need them to be. specifically, each page, which corresponds to a category of merchants, needs to have the ability to have 3 or 4 paid ad positions in the page. the ads will be in the same position on all pages, but each category will have its own specific advertisers.

To give an idea, here is the site under development http://tinyurl.com/6b98rd.

The top right and left corners have ad slots that are 180px by 180px and then I'd probably have more square ad positions running down the right edge of the page below the top right ad and maybe one or two stacked larger banner ads in the middle column underneath the page description text, near the top of the column.

So again, the only way I can figure out how to do this is to have a distinct layout template for each of those pages. there'd be about 30 categories altogether, so I'd need at least 30 layout templates.

I have to work within my technical limitations and I don't understand smariy well enough to look at that as a solution.

Is this unreasonable, or is there a better solution? And is there a limit to the number of templates you can have on a site?

Thanks.

cmsms 1.3.1
Banners 2.2.1

Let me ask again...Is there any performance hit or drawback of having a substantial number of page templates? Like 40-50 page templates? Or does it make no real difference?

Thank you.

Do the banners rotate what shows?...

Why don't you just add the banner in the page while editing, the biggest problem to so many templates would be keeping track of them, I have 89 on one site...

Mark, the reason I've had to go with using a separate template for each page is because the banners -do- rotate and I can't allow that to happen. And the limitation of the banner manager is that there could be duplicate banners on each page where I need more than one banner (practically speaking, every  page will have at least 3 or more banners)

I have clients paying for specific spots on specific pages so having rotating banners is not an option.

I also need to be able to have 3 or more banners per page. So that is why i have had to go with a template for each page which enables me to "hard-code" the banners for each page.

So unless there is a better option, I have to go with a custom template for every page and that is why I was asking if it would be a problem other than simple management of them.

Michael

So you are putting adverts with links in the 2 side boxes?...

So if you have those 2 boxes as {content block="leftbox"} and {content block="ritebox"} and when editing the page you can't just add the image/s in them and add links to image/s stacked one after the other going down the sides?...

Each page of the site will have the top boxes on the right and left as you've pointed out. Additionally there will likely be one or two banners at the top of the center column and there may be a few more 180x180 boxes down the right column below the top right banner box.

The banner manager cannot handle all of this as best I can determine.

The only way I can figure out how to accomplish this is to duplicate my basic page template and customize it to only display the banner ads relevant to each particular page.

I'm not quite following your line of questioning I guess.

What are banners?...

Mark, I think I understand now what you're asking.

You are asking why I don't just set up Global Content Blocks for the top right and left ads and then throw in the appropriate images for each page, on each page. Hmmm, I guess I was so intent on using the banner manager that the "obvious" solution eluded me.

Is that what you were prodding me to do?

Banners? You know, banner ads. Like a banner ad sized 468px by 60px.

Well I figured if it is just an image with a link to some place and since you want to put diff. ones on diff. pages, personalize them in a sense, you could just insert the image in the Content block and put a link on the image...

Those {content block="leftbox"} and {content block="ritebox"} are not GCB but an editable block in each page like Content: with the wysiwyg editor so you can put whatever you want in them as in images with links, and if you don't put any thing in them they don't show up on the page...

I follow you now but the problem with that is that the "Page" only contains the center column whereas the left and right columns where the ads need to be placed are only editable in the template. So how in the heck can I do what you suggest? Back to my original comment...all I can figure is to make a specific page template for each page.

Am I just so dense I don't get it? Or do you understand the dilemma?

In the left and right columns add those {content block="leftbox"} in the left column and {content block="ritebox"} in the right column, you can change the name of the block to your liking, then you will have an edit box like Content: but with the name you give it... it is recommended that you use names w/o spaces...

But Mark, those content blocks have to go in the page template right? And if I'm using the same template for all the pages, how can I customize the ads for each different page? I'm just not following you.

Yes the tag goes in the template, then when editing page you will see 2 more edit boxes, using the name you gave it as in Leftbox: with the editor just like Content: edit box...

In the Leftbox: edit box you put anything you want including your image you would use for banner ad and once you see image in it you click it again and then hit the Add A Link button to give it a link to wherever...

A-ha!

The light finally goes on.

I've not used anything other than GCB before so this is new to me. Thanks for your patience in explaining. I'll give it a whirl and see how it works. Will report back with my results.

Michael