Define expiration date automatically, based on the ad category.

Image 1 is what node/add displays at the bottom of the node form. It's one radio button with " Define expiration date automatically, based on the ad category ". Image 2 is what node/edit displays at the bottom of the node. The node/edit form is fine except I would change " Define expiration date automatically, based on the ad category " to "Reset expiration." However, on the node/add form (image 1) the single radio button is confusing. So, too, is the line " Define expiration date automatically, based on the ad category ". Currently, in the code, 'reset' is used on both the add and edit form which means t( ) must be used in both forms. So, currently I cannot change the 'reset' t( ) to t('Reset expiration') on the node/edit form because 'reset' is assigned to the node/add form as well. I do see in the code why 'reset' is used with the node/add form, but why not hide it from view and have plain text telling the user "The expiration date is set by default" or something like that.

Here's my mockup. Image 3 is what I believe the node/add form should display to the user. Image 4 is what I believe the node/edit form should display.

Image4
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O Keep existing expiration
(Renewing your ad after it expires it will be posted again at the top of results)

O Reset expiration
(Resetting the expiration your ad will remain in its current position in the results)
-------------------------------------------------------

Image3
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"This ad will expire in 7 days."

Ideally the '7 days" can be fed from the admin defaults for the category.

Or just a simple default statement for all ads (without the radio button showing).

"This ad will expire based on the category."
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I'm wrong. Ads are NOT re-posted at the top of the results with either "Keep existing expiration" or " Define expiration date automatically, based on the ad category" after they have expired. All ads keep their original post date. Can it be fixed so that when an ad expires and then reset by the user (before the grace period has ended) the ad gets a NEW post date? If user can't get a new post date on an expired ad they will be forced to create a completely new ad so that their ad will be displayed at the top of results. The way it works now no user will be able to get their ad off the bottom and up to the top of the results.

Should this be in a new issue? It seems related to this topic still.

I may be way off, but I believe its this code that needs modified.

/ed_classified/classified.module
Line 1050

// Can only happen when creating a new node.
if (empty($node->expires)) {
$lifetimes = _classified_get('lifetimes');
$node->expires = REQUEST_TIME + reset($lifetimes) * 24 * 60 * 60;
unset($lifetimes);
}

If I understand this correctly only new ads (i.e., if empty) will be assigned a "post date". Is there anyway to make the rule true if "empty" OR "expired"? This way when the user selects "Define expiration date automatically, based on the ad category" for an expired ad it, too, will get "REQUEST_TIME + reset($lifetimes) * 24 * 60 * 60;"

If you reply with some sample code I'll play with it and test it.

Not sure this will lead to a fix, but this article http://www.broadlatitude.com/blogs/matt/content/drupal-solutions-news-sites-creation-date-vs-publish-date explains better what the problem is. maybe it can provide some additional clarity to what I'm describing in #5 & 6.

I also tried in views

Content revision: Updated date > The date the node was last updated.
Content: Updated date > The date the content was last updated.

So far no matter which I use them or how I set it up ALL nodes result to the top.

Again, expiration dates that have been updated BEFORE their expiration should keep their current position (original post date) in the results. Expiration dates that have been updated AFTER they expire should receive a NEW post date and be listed at the top of results.

I wonder if it would be simpler to NOT give users the option to update their expiration before it expires? So if a user Edits an ad that has not expired just display "This ad is currently due to expire on 19/01/2014." with no other options (?)

My apologies for making this more of a personal blog. Here's what I've concluded.

There are three ad "types". 1. a new ad. 2. a published ad that has not expired. 3. an ad that has expired.

(1. new ads)
This should only show a statement that the ad will expire based on the default category [7 days]. Perhaps even provide the date. No radios and no options. Required code can be run behind the scenes?

(2. published ads, not expired)
This should only show a statement displaying the [date] the ad is due to expire. No radios, no other options. Allowing any options here at all seems to defeat the purpose of a default expiration. User can otherwise select to reset their expiration every day and keep from ever expiring. I think all ads should be forced to expire, i.e., no reset option. They have a grace period, if set, so that they wont lose the ad.

(3. expired ads)
There should be only one option (boolean?) here. A checkbox if they wish to renew their ad. So if they check the box and click save their ad is essentially brand new with a new posted date and expiration.

Any chance someone wants to take a stab at changing the code to accommodate #8? Will pay

+1 #9

I'm noticing my ads are being marked for deletion (purging) even though I've reset their expiration " Define expiration date automatically, based on the ad category ".

I have several ads that show they have 1 week and 3 days before they expire (my default is set for two weeks). But, I'm getting email notifications that these same ads will be deleted/purged tomorrow. I know why it's doing this (see comments above>, but I don't know how to fix it. To recap..the problem is that the ads maintain their original creation date no matter how many time you "reset" their expiration. It seems that the original creation date is what the expiration feature is looking at and not the new date when it was reset.

Admittedly there could be one other reason, but if its true then there is another issue with expiration. I switched the default expiration from 2 weeks to 30 days while there were still active ads, i.e., created using the initial 2 week default.