Hi
I don't know if it is a bug or a support request, but as other people have no problem working with this module, I guess it's a support req.:-)
My problem is, that the scheduling isn't working. I can enter activation and expiration dates according to my own time zone or the default one, the ad (image ad) remains in the approved status and doesn't show up.
I don't know exactly what additional info would be helpful for you, just ask for more info.
Thanks

Comments

Jeremy’s picture

Jeremy CreditAttribution: Jeremy commented

Did you configure Drupal's cron? This is required by the ad module's scheduler.

funkyfrieder’s picture

funkyfrieder CreditAttribution: funkyfrieder commented

Ok, I didn't know that:-) But my problem is not solved completely. I scheduled an image ad and set the activation and expiration date. Then I ran crone manually. Now the add was displayed on time but didn't expire. It sais "This advertisement will expire on Monday, September 3, 2007 - 16:13, in 0 sec." but is still visible. What am I still doing wrong?

funkyfrieder’s picture

funkyfrieder CreditAttribution: funkyfrieder commented

Sorry, I have to correct myself, now even with runing cron, before in the middle and after the activation or expiration it doesn't work...

Jeremy’s picture

Jeremy CreditAttribution: Jeremy commented

I use the scheduling functionality of the ad module quite heavily, so I know it works.

Do you see any errors when you run cron manually? If no errors appear on the screen, try looking in the Drupal watchdog, are there any errors there? If not, check your web server error log (ie with apache that would be the file called error_log, usually in the same directory as the access_log).

funkyfrieder’s picture

funkyfrieder CreditAttribution: funkyfrieder commented

Ok, it works now more than less as I want, maybe I understood smth wrong mith the module? The Image is displayed after the activation date and set from approved to active. Thats perfect. After the expiration date, what I expected (and that's why I was connfused, is that the add will not only be set to expired, but also be unpublished so that I can't see it anymore. Is that as it is designed or do I still have the wrong setup.

Jeremy’s picture

Jeremy CreditAttribution: Jeremy commented

The ad module's scheduler only affects the ad status, not the node status. Thus, it does not unpublish the node.

funkyfrieder’s picture

funkyfrieder CreditAttribution: funkyfrieder commented

Would it be difficult the change the module so that the image ad is automatically displayed on activation and removed when the exiration date is due?

Jeremy’s picture

Jeremy CreditAttribution: Jeremy commented

The actually coding involved is minimal, but I'm not convinced it's the right thing to do. It was not the intention of the ad scheduler to affect the node status, only the ad status.

funkyfrieder’s picture

funkyfrieder CreditAttribution: funkyfrieder commented

Ok, I understand what you mean, but one more question. What is the point of having the ad expire or automatically activated when there are no visible changes - Is it the stats? Please don't understand me wrong, I really interested in how one should work with this module - what was the idea on how one should use it? Activate - Get notification - Expire - Get notification - React ?

Jeremy’s picture

Jeremy CreditAttribution: Jeremy commented

Please review the "Ad status" section of the README.txt distributed with the ad module. In particular, note that the ad module only displays "Active" ads. Yes, it is possible to view the ad node of an expired node, but the ad module won't serve expired ads.

funkyfrieder’s picture

funkyfrieder CreditAttribution: funkyfrieder commented

But why can I still see the expired ones then?

Jeremy’s picture

Jeremy CreditAttribution: Jeremy commented

How are you displaying your ads? Are you using the provided ad blocks, the ad() function, or are you doing something else?

The ad blocks will not display expired ads. The ad() function will not display expired ads.

Note however that ads are nodes. And as such, the ad nodes themselves will continue to be visible whether regardless of the ad status. These nodes are used to view statistics and click history for the ads which were displayed with ie blocks or the ad() function. If you unpublish an ad node, then the owner of the ad will no longer be able to review the view and click statistics for their ad.

Jeremy’s picture

Jeremy CreditAttribution: Jeremy commented
Status: Active » Fixed

No further updates, marking as fixed.

Anonymous’s picture

(not verified) CreditAttribution: commented
Status: Fixed » Closed (fixed)

Automatically closed -- issue fixed for two weeks with no activity.

jasonabc’s picture

jasonabc CreditAttribution: jasonabc commented
Version: 5.x-1.3-2 » 6.x-2.1
Component: ad.module » ad module
Status: Closed (fixed) » Active

Hi - I am noticing that the expiration date for an Ad only kicks in and expires an active Ad once Cron has run. Cron on my site is set to run every six hours. Does that mean if I set an ad to expire at 1am it won't actually come off the site until five hours later when cron runs???

vaccinemedia’s picture

vaccinemedia CreditAttribution: vaccinemedia commented

One of my clients is having major problems with the scheduling at the moment. They basically have a bank of pages which have been set up to advertise giveaways - one for each day of the month and have a corresponding ad set up to link to each of the pages in order on the home page. They are entering the ads correctly and are setting the ads to approved, with activation at 11pm each night with the previous ad being deactivated at the same time. The deactivation appears to be working ok but the ads are not activating at 11pm each evening which means that they are having to do it manually. Poormans cron is set up and cron is running once every hour.

Any ideas? I will give any further information necessary.