Help with Penny-Arcade Active Desktop

Alvy · 18 Feb 2003

Could anyone help me with an active desktop that will automatically update itself daily with the latest comic strip from
http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3 ? I do not want to have the whole page on my desktop so simply putting the link is out of the question.
Thanks a lot =)

SPeedY_B · 18 Feb 2003

You'll need PHP to use this :

Code:

<html><head></head><body>
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">
function noImage(theImage)
{ theImage.src = "no.comic.today.png"; }
</script>
<?php
$today = date(D);
$pa = date(Ymd);
if ($today == Tue) { $show = true; }
elseif ($today == Wed) { $show = true; }
elseif ($today == Fri) { $show = true; }
else { $show = false; }
if ( $show == true ) { print "<img src=\"http://penny-arcade.com/$pa"; print "l.gif\" border=\"0\" onError=\"noImage(this);\">"; }
else { print "<img src=\"no.comic.today.png\" border=\"0\">"; }
?>
</body></html>

That's rather rough code though, I'm sure someone else will be able to do a better job, it may also be possible in just javascript.

You could just visit the site everyday, I know I do

Alvy · 18 Feb 2003

Is it possible to show the previous day's comic if there ain't one available for the current day? =)

Thanks Speedy, great job =) never knew someone would help me with such a big task.

If possible, msg me on EFNet =)
I'm Alv and idling in #NTFS too hehe

--
Oh yea, when I have it running, it keeps making the CPU do something (the LED blinks constantly until this active desktop is disabled), could you please fix that? I can't really use it now because of this =) Probably its because its checking for updates? Maybe you have to make this only at the beginning of a day?

Piett · 19 Feb 2003

ohhh

i'm definatly going to have to take a good look at this. that's for pounding that out speedy (btw: i go there everyday too =] )

SPeedY_B · 19 Feb 2003

X-Istence helped me optmise the code a bit, so now we have this ..

Code:

<?php
$today = date(D);
$pa = date(Ymd);
switch ($today) {
  case Mon:
      print "<img src=\"http://penny-arcade.com/images/2003/$pa"; print "l.gif\" border=\"0\" onError=\"noImage(this);\">";
      break;
  case Wed:
      print "<img src=\"http://penny-arcade.com/images/2003/$pa"; print "l.gif\" border=\"0\" onError=\"noImage(this);\">";
      break;
  case Fri:
      print "<img src=\"http://penny-arcade.com/images/2003/$pa"; print "l.gif\" border=\"0\" onError=\"noImage(this);\">";
      break;
  default:
     $date = date(d);
     $date--;
     $date2 = date(Ym);
     $pa = $date2 ."" . $date;
     print "<img src=\"http://penny-arcade.com/images/2003/$pa"; print "l.gif\" border=\"0\" onError=\"noImage(this);\">";
}
?>

Problems at present include end of month and viewing the page on a sunday, it'll be worked on tho

I also found a Javascript version created by someone else.

Code:

<html>
<head>
<script language="JavaScript1.2">

  function reset_image(name, pad) {

     today = new Date();
     if (pad > 0) {
        today = new Date(today.getTime() - pad);
     }

     year = today.getYear();
     if (year > 2009) {
        year -= 2000;
        year = new String(year);
     }
     else if (year > 2000) {
        year -= 2000;
        year = '0' + new String(year);
     }
     else if (year > 9) {
        year = '0' + new String(year);
     }
     else {
        year = new String(year);
     }

     if (today.getMonth() > 8) {
        month = new String(today.getMonth() + 1);
     }
     else {
        month = '0' + new String(today.getMonth() + 1);
     }

     if (today.getDate() > 9) {
        day = new String(today.getDate());
     }
     else {
        day = '0' + new String(today.getDate());
     }

     setTimeout("reset_image('" + name + "', 0)", 3600000);
     if (name == 'penny') {
        url = 'http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/20' + year + '/20' + year + month + day + 'l.gif';
     }
     eval('document.' + name + '_invisible.src = url');
  }

</script>
</head>

<body bgcolor="34629E" onLoad="reset_image('penny', 86400000);">
<img name="penny_invisible" src="" onLoad="document.penny_visible.src=this.src" width="0" height="0" style="visibility: hidden">
<img name="penny_visible" src="http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2002/20020807l.gif" border="0">
</body></html>

Help with Penny-Arcade Active Desktop

Alvy

Guest

SPeedY_B

I may actually be insane.

Alvy

Guest

Piett

...will circle this city

SPeedY_B

I may actually be insane.

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