At long last a facelift!

If the search tool is wanted I can update it and set it up to fit the new site style, just let me know. I have to add some features as search in a given vl version.
Also, I made some very minor modifications to the smf's SSI.php file to show the latest topics of a given board. We can set it to show the New Packages board.

Here is the code:

vl_SSI.php

Code:

<?php
/**********************************************************************************
* SSI.php                                                                         *
***********************************************************************************
* SMF: Simple Machines Forum                                                      *
* Open-Source Project Inspired by Zef Hemel (zef@zefhemel.com)                    *
* =============================================================================== *
* Software Version:           SMF 1.1                                             *
* Software by:                Simple Machines (http://www.simplemachines.org)     *
* Copyright 2006 by:          Simple Machines LLC (http://www.simplemachines.org) *
*           2001-2006 by:     Lewis Media (http://www.lewismedia.com)             *
* Support, News, Updates at:  http://www.simplemachines.org                       *
***********************************************************************************
* This program is free software; you may redistribute it and/or modify it under   *
* the terms of the provided license as published by Simple Machines LLC.          *
*                                                                                 *
* This program is distributed in the hope that it is and will be useful, but      *
* WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES; without even any implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY    *
* or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.                                            *
*                                                                                 *
* See the "license.txt" file for details of the Simple Machines license.          *
* The latest version can always be found at http://www.simplemachines.org.        *
**********************************************************************************/

// Don't do anything if SMF is already loaded.
if (defined('SMF'))
return true;

define('SMF', 'SSI');

// We're going to want a few globals... these are all set later.
global $time_start, $maintenance, $msubject, $mmessage, $mbname, $language;
global $boardurl, $boarddir, $sourcedir, $webmaster_email, $cookiename;
global $db_server, $db_name, $db_user, $db_prefix, $db_persist, $db_error_send, $db_last_error;
global $db_connection, $modSettings, $context, $sc, $user_info, $topic, $board, $txt;

// Remember the current configuration so it can be set back.
$ssi_magic_quotes_runtime = get_magic_quotes_runtime();
@set_magic_quotes_runtime(0);
$time_start = microtime();

// Get the forum's settings for database and file paths.
require_once('Settings.php');

$ssi_error_reporting = error_reporting(E_ALL);

// Don't do john didley if the forum's been shut down competely.
if ($maintenance == 2 && (!isset($ssi_maintenance_off) || $ssi_maintenance_off !== true))
die($mmessage);

// Fix for using the current directory as a path.
if (substr($sourcedir, 0, 1) == '.' && substr($sourcedir, 1, 1) != '.')
$sourcedir = dirname(__FILE__) . substr($sourcedir, 1);

// Load the important includes.
require_once($sourcedir . '/QueryString.php');
require_once($sourcedir . '/Subs.php');
require_once($sourcedir . '/Errors.php');
require_once($sourcedir . '/Load.php');
require_once($sourcedir . '/Security.php');

if (@version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '4.2.3') != 1)
require_once($sourcedir . '/Subs-Compat.php');

// Connect to the MySQL database.
if (empty($db_persist))
$db_connection = @mysql_connect($db_server, $db_user, $db_passwd);
else
$db_connection = @mysql_pconnect($db_server, $db_user, $db_passwd);
if ($db_connection === false)
return false;

// Add the database onto the prefix to avoid conflicts with other scripts.
if (strpos($db_prefix, '.') === false)
$db_prefix = is_numeric(substr($db_prefix, 0, 1)) ? $db_name . '.' . $db_prefix : '`' . $db_name . '`.' . $db_prefix;
else
@mysql_select_db($db_name, $db_connection);

// Load installed 'Mods' settings.
reloadSettings();
// Clean the request variables.
cleanRequest();

// Check on any hacking attempts.
if (isset($_REQUEST['GLOBALS']) || isset($_COOKIE['GLOBALS']))
die('Hacking attempt...');
elseif (isset($_REQUEST['ssi_theme']) && (int) $_REQUEST['ssi_theme'] == (int) $ssi_theme)
die('Hacking attempt...');
elseif (isset($_COOKIE['ssi_theme']) && (int) $_COOKIE['ssi_theme'] == (int) $ssi_theme)
die('Hacking attempt...');
elseif (isset($_REQUEST['ssi_layers']))
{
if ((get_magic_quotes_gpc() ? addslashes($_REQUEST['ssi_layers']) : $_REQUEST['ssi_layers']) == htmlspecialchars($ssi_layers))
die('Hacking attempt...');
}
if (isset($_REQUEST['context']))
die('Hacking attempt...');

// Make sure wireless is always off.
define('WIRELESS', false);

// Gzip output? (because it must be boolean and true, this can't be hacked.)
if (isset($ssi_gzip) && $ssi_gzip === true && @ini_get('zlib.output_compression') != '1' && @ini_get('output_handler') != 'ob_gzhandler' && @version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '4.2.0') != -1)
ob_start('ob_gzhandler');
else
$modSettings['enableCompressedOutput'] = '0';

// Primarily, this is to fix the URLs...
ob_start('ob_sessrewrite');

// Start the session... known to scramble SSI includes in cases...
if (!headers_sent())
loadSession();
else
{
if (isset($_COOKIE[session_name()]) || isset($_REQUEST[session_name()]))
{
// Make a stab at it, but ignore the E_WARNINGs generted because we can't send headers.
$temp = error_reporting(error_reporting() & !E_WARNING);
loadSession();
error_reporting($temp);
}

if (!isset($_SESSION['rand_code']))
$_SESSION['rand_code'] = '';
$sc = &$_SESSION['rand_code'];
}

// Get rid of $board and $topic... do stuff loadBoard would do.
unset($board);
unset($topic);
$user_info['is_mod'] = false;
$context['user']['is_mod'] = false;
$context['linktree'] = array();

// Load the user and their cookie, as well as their settings.
loadUserSettings();
// Load the current or SSI theme. (just ues $ssi_theme = ID_THEME;)
loadTheme(isset($ssi_theme) ? (int) $ssi_theme : 0);

// Take care of any banning that needs to be done.
if (isset($_REQUEST['ssi_ban']) || (isset($ssi_ban) && $ssi_ban === true))
is_not_banned();

// Load the current user's permissions....
loadPermissions();

// Load the stuff like the menu bar, etc.
if (isset($ssi_layers))
{
$context['template_layers'] = $ssi_layers;
template_header();
}
else
setupThemeContext();

// Make sure they didn't muss around with the settings... but only if it's not cli.
if (isset($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']) && !isset($_SERVER['is_cli']) && session_id() == '')
trigger_error($txt['ssi_session_broken'], E_USER_NOTICE);

// Without visiting the forum this session variable might not be set on submit.
if (!isset($_SESSION['USER_AGENT']) && (!isset($_GET['ssi_function']) || $_GET['ssi_function'] !== 'pollVote'))
$_SESSION['USER_AGENT'] = $_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'];

// Call a function passed by GET.
if (isset($_GET['ssi_function']) && function_exists('ssi_' . $_GET['ssi_function']))
{
call_user_func('ssi_' . $_GET['ssi_function']);
exit;
}
if (isset($_GET['ssi_function']))
exit;
// You shouldn't just access SSI.php directly by URL!!
elseif (basename($_SERVER['PHP_SELF']) == 'SSI.php')
die(sprintf($txt['ssi_not_direct'], $user_info['is_admin'] ? '\'' . addslashes(__FILE__) . '\'' : '\'SSI.php\''));

error_reporting($ssi_error_reporting);
@set_magic_quotes_runtime($ssi_magic_quotes_runtime);

return true;

//shows the vl new packages board

function ssi_newPackages($num_recent = 8, $exclude_boards = null, $output_method = 'echo', $packages_board)
{
global $context, $settings, $scripturl, $txt, $db_prefix, $ID_MEMBER;
global $user_info, $modSettings, $func;

if ($exclude_boards === null && !empty($modSettings['recycle_enable']) && $modSettings['recycle_board'] > 0)
$exclude_boards = array($modSettings['recycle_board']);
else
$exclude_boards = empty($exclude_boards) ? array() : $exclude_boards;

$stable_icons = array('xx', 'thumbup', 'thumbdown', 'exclamation', 'question', 'lamp', 'smiley', 'angry', 'cheesy', 'grin', 'sad', 'wink', 'moved', 'recycled', 'wireless');
$icon_sources = array();
foreach ($stable_icons as $icon)
$icon_sources[$icon] = 'images_url';

// Find all the posts in distinct topics.  Newer ones will have higher IDs.
$request = db_query("
SELECT
m.posterTime, ms.subject, m.ID_TOPIC, m.ID_MEMBER, m.ID_MSG, b.ID_BOARD, b.name AS bName,
IFNULL(mem.realName, m.posterName) AS posterName, " . ($user_info['is_guest'] ? '1 AS isRead, 0 AS new_from' : '
IFNULL(lt.ID_MSG, IFNULL(lmr.ID_MSG, 0)) >= m.ID_MSG_MODIFIED AS isRead,
IFNULL(lt.ID_MSG, IFNULL(lmr.ID_MSG, -1)) + 1 AS new_from') . ", LEFT(m.body, 384) AS body, m.smileysEnabled, m.icon
FROM ({$db_prefix}messages AS m, {$db_prefix}topics AS t, {$db_prefix}boards AS b, {$db_prefix}messages AS ms)
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}members AS mem ON (mem.ID_MEMBER = m.ID_MEMBER)" . (!$user_info['is_guest'] ? "
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}log_topics AS lt ON (lt.ID_TOPIC = t.ID_TOPIC AND lt.ID_MEMBER = $ID_MEMBER)
LEFT JOIN {$db_prefix}log_mark_read AS lmr ON (lmr.ID_BOARD = b.ID_BOARD AND lmr.ID_MEMBER = $ID_MEMBER)" : '') . "
WHERE t.ID_LAST_MSG >= " . ($modSettings['maxMsgID'] - 35 * min($num_recent, 5)) . "
AND t.ID_LAST_MSG = m.ID_MSG
AND b.ID_BOARD = t.ID_BOARD" . (empty($exclude_boards) ? '' : "
AND b.ID_BOARD NOT IN (" . implode(', ', $exclude_boards) . ")") . "
AND $user_info[query_see_board]
AND ms.ID_MSG = t.ID_FIRST_MSG
AND t.ID_BOARD = $packages_board
ORDER BY t.ID_LAST_MSG DESC
LIMIT $num_recent", __FILE__, __LINE__);
$posts = array();
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($request))
{
$row['body'] = strip_tags(strtr(parse_bbc($row['body'], $row['smileysEnabled'], $row['ID_MSG']), array('<br />' => '&#10;')));
if ($func['strlen']($row['body']) > 128)
$row['body'] = $func['substr']($row['body'], 0, 128) . '...';

// Censor the subject.
censorText($row['subject']);
censorText($row['body']);

if (empty($modSettings['messageIconChecks_disable']) && !isset($icon_sources[$row['icon']]))
$icon_sources[$row['icon']] = file_exists($settings['theme_dir'] . '/images/post/' . $row['icon'] . '.gif') ? 'images_url' : 'default_images_url';

// Build the array.
$posts[] = array(
'board' => array(
'id' => $row['ID_BOARD'],
'name' => $row['bName'],
'href' => $scripturl . '?board=' . $row['ID_BOARD'] . '.0',
'link' => '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?board=' . $row['ID_BOARD'] . '.0">' . $row['bName'] . '</a>'
),
'topic' => $row['ID_TOPIC'],
'poster' => array(
'id' => $row['ID_MEMBER'],
'name' => $row['posterName'],
'href' => empty($row['ID_MEMBER']) ? '' : $scripturl . '?action=profile;u=' . $row['ID_MEMBER'],
'link' => empty($row['ID_MEMBER']) ? $row['posterName'] : '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?action=profile;u=' . $row['ID_MEMBER'] . '">' . $row['posterName'] . '</a>'
),
'subject' => $row['subject'],
'short_subject' => shorten_subject($row['subject'], 25),
'preview' => $row['body'],
'time' => timeformat($row['posterTime']),
'timestamp' => forum_time(true, $row['posterTime']),
'href' => $scripturl . '?topic=' . $row['ID_TOPIC'] . '.msg' . $row['ID_MSG'] . ';topicseen#new',
'link' => '<a href="' . $scripturl . '?topic=' . $row['ID_TOPIC'] . '.msg' . $row['ID_MSG'] . '#new">' . $row['subject'] . '</a>',
'new' => !empty($row['isRead']),
'new_from' => $row['new_from'],
'icon' => '<img src="' . $settings[$icon_sources[$row['icon']]] . '/post/' . $row['icon'] . '.gif" align="middle" alt="' . $row['icon'] . '" border="0" />',
);
}
mysql_free_result($request);

// Just return it.
if ($output_method != 'echo' || empty($posts))
return $posts;

echo '
<table>';
foreach ($posts as $post)
echo '
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<span class="vl_new_pkgs"><a href="', $post['href'], '">', $post['subject'], '</a></span>
</td>
</tr>';
echo '
</table>';
}

?>

This file goes in the root of the smf install.
You have to include it in the site theme template adding this code somewhere near of the top:

Code:

<?php include("path/to/smf/root/vl_SSI.php") ?>

Then, in the place where you want to show the latest packages news, you have to put:

Code:

<?php
$limit = 10; //this is the numbers of new topics to show
$board_id = 5; //board_id of the new packages board (it is in the url, you can check the sql database too
ssi_newPackages($limit, null, "echo",$board_id);
?>

I tweaked the original code to show just the subject, the original showed poster, etc.
If you want to apply special style to this section, I added a span tag to easy adding of css styles, for example, you can add to the current css:

Code:

span.vl_new_pkgs a { text-transform: capitalize; }
span.vl_new_pkgs a:hover { text-transform: uppercase; }

or whatever, and it will have effect just in the new packages sections.

One note, I dont have access to the vl forum root dir, so there is no way I can test it, so if you are interested in this, you will have to setup a test page before, so we will be not showing a buggy page to our visitors. Let me know if you need modifications or something.