one time popup for visitors

[big-dog1965]

I didnt really see where to post this so.......

Is there some way I can make a page or popup only appear for a visitor one time over like a year period of time

What Im looking to do is have a coupon for a free race entry a visitor can print off and use, but only have that option once per visitor.

[sh0wtym3]

That might be easy or difficult to do, depending on your situation.

 

Solution #1

If your visitors are "members" of your site (i.e. do they have to log in first to get the coupon), you can easily track who received a coupon and who didn't within the last year. Let me know if this is the case.

 

Solution #2

You can track this using cookies. DRAWBACK - most people clear their cookies on a monthly basis so the cookie you added would soon disappear.

 

Solution #3

You can track visitors by their IP address using PHP, then block that IP from receiving another coupon until a year lapses. DRAWBACK - That visitor could get more coupons by simply visiting your site from another computer. Or if that visitor is using a public computer (at a library maybe) then you just blocked anyone else who uses that computer from receiving the coupon.

[mikesta707]

people with dynamic IP's will run into problems because they will be prompted to get another coupon. This also won't work with people who clear their cookies or have them disabled. Also if you use cookies people can easily alter the cookies.

 

Using a member system to decide will be the best way in my opinion.

[big-dog1965]

I do have phpbb installed so theres my login, but I have no idea how to make the coupon thing work help would be great on the script or what ever

thanks

[l0ve2hat3]

create a table called `coupon` or what ever

fields:

id,user_id,coupon,date

 

check the table when the user goes to the coupon page to see if that session user already downloaded the coupon.

 

if not insert the record into the table and give them the coupon

[big-dog1965]

I can creat the table and fields, but dont know how to do the rest

[l0ve2hat3]

well you can start here

 

<?php
//CONNECT TO THE DATABASE
$link=mysql_connect('localhost','USERNAME HERE','PASSWORD HERE');
mysql_select_db('DATABASE_NAME_HERE');

//QUERY THE TABLE TO SEE IF COUPON WAS ALREADY DOWNLOADED BY THIS USER
$sql='SELECT `id` FROM `coupon` WHERE `user_id`="'.$_COOKIE['user_id'].'" AND `coupon`="THE_COUPON_NAME" ';
$res=mysql_query($sql) or die($sql."<br>".mysql_error());
$downloaded=(mysql_num_rows($res)>0)?true:false;

if($download){
    //IF DOWNLOADED
    echo "YOU ALREADY DOWNLOADED THIS COUPON!";
}else{
    //IF NOT DOWNLOADED
    //INSERT INTO TABLE
    $sql='INSERT INTO `coupon` SET `user_id`="'.$_COOKIE['user_id'].'",`coupon`="THE_COUPON_NAME",`date`="'.time().'"';
    mysql_query($sql) or die($sql."<br>".mysql_error());
    //DISPLAY THE COUPON
    echo "your coupon here";

}


?>

 

someone who actually knows phpbb can chime in