A word about Advance Poll installation / setup.

By the way, I am using the textfile version. I do have a database, but I don't feel like messing around with it.

I have a PHP script on my site that searches records in a database, and returns the results in an html page (because it generates its own). If Advanced Poll would work like that, everybody's life would be a lot easier.

I have just about given up on this poll. Waldo, if you have any more help for me, please, post in this topic.

If anybody can find a poll that is just like Advanced Poll, but works in SSI, pleas let me know.

We should make a petition to get this company to work on this script more!

Thanks everybody.

Daniel - it would appear that it's in the Templates section - there are links across the top left for poll, results, and comments - so you can select which section you want to work on the templates for. Once you're in there, you should be able to use the Template drop down (I'd imagine) to select which template to use ... default, plain, graphic, pop-up, simple, etc. Only problem is... when I try to change my results template... it gives an error for permissions on the file (which I haven't bothered to really worry about too much since it's already doing what I want it to do for my site).

I wish I could be of more help. (and there was a different way to do the php in shtml part listed elsewhere in the posts, I remember seeing 2 different posts about it, with 2 different ways of doing it)

I think the thing to keep in mind is this is free software - which typically means "as is". You get what you pay for you know. :) I could be wrong, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say I think the coders leave bits and buggies in the free scripts intentionally... either in hopes of co-ercing people into paying for code that is not so buggy and better supported, or perhaps, because they hope that it will encourage people to get to know their code a little better, and become more proficient at coding the language a bit themselves. I've known some talker coders that will give out their code, but the buggy versions...specifically to help others learn how to look at it and figure things out on their own...and they don't even sell a bug-free version as it is.

I'm enjoying the use of this polling software for the time being - perhaps a stroke of luck hit for me that it's doing what I want it to now without much effort. I didn't have to change anything to get it to post the results in the same page instead of a pop-up (that I can remember anyway).

Good luck with it, and with anything else you sink your teeth into! :)

Thanks, I'll need it!

I have a problem about the poll...

I dont want visitors vote again and again on a same computer...

I couldnt find how to run that system...

and when that poll is voted, visitors must be blocked from their IP.

how can I do this

thanks...

When you're in the admin section, on General Settings, look towards the bottom for miscellaneous - in "Check" use the drop down to select "IP Checking" then set your locking timeout to the number of hours you want to prohibit repeat votes from. The default is probably 2 hours. Just change that to however long you want to run the poll (match it up with your Expiration Days for when you're creating the poll .. ie: 7 days for the Expiration Days setting would be 168 hours in the "locking timeout" section of General Settings). Don't forget to submit the settings before creating the next poll!

Please note: I have NOT tested this, as I'm fine and happy with the defaults I have. I did set IP Checking, but left the default 2 hours...and have noticed that generally speaking after I cast a vote, I can't do it again for at least a while (haven't really timed it). If someone else knows better, by all means, let us know :)

DUMB QUESTION
I'm having a Minor ?? problem with embedding the script of a poll in my Frontpage website.

I learned that

Once you embed the syntax into your webpage, you need to save your page with the .php extension.

OK. But HOW? With Frontpage I can save my page only with the following extensions:

.css; htt; asp; html ;

HOW CAN I SAVE A PAGE WITH A .PHP extension?

heh. Okay, first of all, FrontPage SUCKS. Stop using it, immediately. Not only does it make you follow stupid rules, but it has a NASTY habit of injecting little bits of what it THINKS you need into your code, sometimes completely hosing the look of your page such that you just want to scream and do nasty things to your computer.

As far as saving as .php .... basic basic basic file management. Most *normal* programs will let you simply do a 'file/save as' and if you don't have a .php already listed, there should be a 'all files' listed, where you can just type .php after your filename. If that doesn't work out, you can always just find the file on your drive, right click, select "rename" and then just change the .html to .php and hit enter.

Have a happy day! (and please, for the love of web design, stop using FrontPage!)

- Waldo -