@IslandGabSite - you may find the two following articles interesting to read up on, make sure your read all the way through and then ask any burning Q's you have about them and I am sure people will answer where they can;

http://community.elgg.org/mod/groups/topicposts.php?topic=23110&group_guid=12

And

http://community.elgg.org/mod/groups/topicposts.php?topic=88229&group_guid=15815

Regards,

Thanks Rob,

I read through them. I've already been working with OpenX for a year or so and it is an awesome ad server. What I need is "blocks" or places I can place my ad server java or php. I have a couple sites setup with Simple Machines Forum and they have "ad blocks" that you can specify at the top, bottom, right, left, between posts - just paste your ad code into them. I'm not expecting or looking for anything that complex, just maybe at the top, bottom and left of all the pages. Is this something that would have to be built into individual themes or could be done in the core of elgg and then utilized by themes? With Simple Machines Forum it doesn't appear to be theme based.

I guess what I need is blank blocks that will appear in certain positions throughout the site. In these, I can paste my ad server code. That's why I'm not sure if I should be in theme, plugin, or elgg development.

Thanks.

@ Island, I see what you mean now so you basically are wanting / trying to sort out standard OpenX Zones within your elgg based site's theme / platform?

I am at pretty much the same place to be honest with you and still playing about with OpenX Zones in my elgg based site, think it may take a little while to perfect it but if you know exactly where you want your openx zones to be placed, then placing your ad server code in those places on your site;

Maybe you could take screenshot's and add a little annotation or line drawing pointing to the places, then upload them here and I am sure if I can't direct you to what elgg pages you would need to modify, others will with that kind of information.

Just a thought :)

You also seem to be wondering whether elgg maybe able to set aside some generic / default ad space in their next version possibly? If so, that is something I have no idea if would be feasible or good for the elgg team to do, as some will want ad space on their sites and some won't... maybe they could place some default ad space with the ability to remove that ad space, just as I know somebody did in a plugin that he had his Google Adsense code inserted but enabled people to remove it if not necessary for them.

Regards,

@Rob,
Thanks for the help. Yes, in the past I've jammed my OpenX Invocation Code in the PHP and had it work, just a pain to change or track something down later. The elgg site is so complex with so many php files, I'd probably never find it. Your help would be much appreciated. I think a good spot for banner and google ads would be where the red boxs are. A fixed width container that (somehow) adjusts vertically to whatever is in there. Can it easily be done for all pages or would groups, friends, members, etc., all have to be modified?

Simple Machines Forum adspace is just what you are referring to. When it's not "activated" the space disappears. It's really slick. I've attached an image of their ad setup. Lots of options. Like I said before - I'm not looking for anything this complex.

@ Island, as I am still relatively new to elgg myself and bumbling my way through the masses of php files to personalise elgg for my needs like everybody else, the actual placement of your "Ad White Space" would be better answered by somebody more experienced with elgg I feel, hopefully others will be watching this thread and can step in here for that side of it? *queue elgg voyeurs* ;)

What's new in OpenX 2.8?

• Plugin framework: Build your own plugins or use the ones developed by OpenX, the OpenX community and 3rd parties.
• OpenX Market: Maximize your ad revenue by flowing ad inventory directly into OpenX Market.
• eCPM prioritization: Further optimize revenue from your remnant CPM, CPC and CPA campaigns.
• Improved scalability: New bucket logging technology improves scalability and reduces raw data storage requirements.
• Enhanced usability: Significant UI improvements make OpenX even easier to use.

I do know in the latest version of OpenX it can be set to not show any ads, as I spotted it myself whilst creating a temp test ad to place anywhere in my site, just to check the openx code worked and served the ad to my elgg site and it did.

When logged in to your OpenX Admin, go to Inventory>Websites & Zones>Zones>Advanced and then within that screen you will note;

"

Chain settings

 

 
If no banners from this zone
can be delivered, try to...
 Stop delivery and don't show a banner
 Display the selected zone instead

I believe the above settings to be like Google's Adsense etc, whereby if their are no ads to server for a number of reasons that may happen, you select to either show a standard "Advertise Here" banner, or nothing at all until you have an ad to server for that particular zone again.

Sorry I can't be of much more help right now but anything else I find out relevant to your post, while I'm messing about with my OpenX and elgg based site, I will of course post it straight back here for you.

Regards,

Disclaimer, I haven't tried this yet. I'm thinking you can just edit your theme, or create one if you don't have one already, and put the OpenX code where you want your ads to be. This wouldn't integrate your ad management into Elgg...you'd have to do that through OpenX. Unless there are conflicting libraries, it should work. At least, this is how I plan to tackle it when I get the time.

Thanks for the help. This really sounds like a theme issue. I'll somehow have to create the containers for the ads.

@Rob - thanks for the reminder about OpenX new version. I haven't thought about upgrading in awhile.

@Rob and others.

I was stumbling around on the site and found a link to this site that is developing a paid plugin that appears to do exactly what we are talking about: http://elggdev.com/pg/pages/view/19/

Anybody can post a link of a banner plugin?

I am also finding a good Banner management integration with elgg.