Changes for Latest module

[ColinM]

There are three changes for the Latest Module that would be beneficial and assist several users.

1.  Limit number of days Downloads are considered as being Latest
Presently the Latest module always lists the Downloads no matter what is their original date.  There are requests to have items listed as latest if they were created within the last N days where N is an integer representing the number of days to remain as Latest.  If N is set to zero then no date check is made.

2. Module should always appear
With the present release if there are no Downloads then the module does not show anything.  When, hopefully, the suggestion above is implemented then the module should always appear even if there are no latest Downloads within the specified number of days.  The message that appears should be specifiable by the administrator.  Failure to appear can break some templates!

3. Select if link appears on new tab/page
Give the option that the links set target="_blank" so they appear in new tab (or page)

Summary
For all of the above an extra 4  questions are required as noted below.  The suggested defaults would make the module act as at present so users are not forced to update the module settings. Defaults are not part of the Hint.

Days Downloads are considered as Latest  [with positive integer as response]   Hint: This sets the number of days following creation that a Download is considered as being Latest. Setting to zero ignores the date check.  Default is zero.

Module to always appear?  [with yes/no response]  Hint: Set to Yes if you need the module to appear even if there are no Latest Downloads.  Default is No.

Message if no Latest Downloads [with text string response]  Hint:  message shown if there are no Downloads considered as being Latest.  Note should always apply even in case when when Days considered as Latest is zero.  This would in reality only apply for new sites where people are setting out template positions and have not yet made any Downloads. Default "There have been no new Downloads added in the last N days" where N is replaced by the appropriate value.

Links open new tab/page? [with Yes/No response]  Hint: If Yes then link opens in new tab/page. Default is No.

NOTE the last three questions would be most useful in other modules.

[andrezones]

Hello Colin, where is this option Module to always Appear?

[ColinM]

Hi
Not sure I understand your question!  The Latest Module is allocated to a template position just like most modules.
Colin

[Arno]

1.  Limit number of days Downloads are considered as being Latest
Presently the Latest module always lists the Downloads no matter what is their original date.  There are requests to have items listed as latest if they were created within the last N days where N is an integer representing the number of days to remain as Latest.  If N is set to zero then no date check is made.

I this not nearly useless? This module shall view the last created Downloads. So why should it be empty (what can be when an admin some days not created new Downloads)? We have then in this case only a message why the module is empty.

The term 'latest' should not be limited on the number of days (for my opinion).

And not every user request is useful for all other users. So we should rethink this.
Please note that when we add language keys, all translators must work again on this language files.
I know that not all translators check this from time to time. This is the reason why i try to avoid this (when possible). 

[ColinM]

Arno
What is being requested by some users is a module that acts like when the New symbol, is shown against a Download.  This has a time limit.  The suggestion is that the Latest module is modified to enable that facility.  Obviously the alternative could be a separate module.  Just thought it might be easier to add functionality to Latest module.

Colin

[Arno]

Hi Colin,
hm... okay i will test it with Latest Module.