Build Anticipation with a Countdown Script
People have been using anticipation quite a lot in 2004.
You see that John Reese and Joe Vitale announces about their products weeks before it launches. And you see on their website a countdown – counting the remaining time to the launch.
And some people want to make sure that people attend teleseminars at the right time – again you see a countdown on the webpage.
It’s cool to have that – right?
Now let me tell you about your options.
- Java Applet. But some browsers don’t support this. And some (including me) have been facing problems download and installnig the plug-ins. And not to mention that the Java Applet download may be a bit big.
- Flash. OK, maybe more than 98% of browsers have this installed. It is much more easier to install than Java Virtual Machine, etc … but again, the download may still be huge.
- Javascript. Javascript is lightweight. You can use Javascript to animate the countdown – but calculating the remaing time … Hmmm … Javascript is a client side scripting. It’s not fair to let people in Sydney sees it’s 1 hours remaining while people in New York have to wait another 17 hours.
That is why I come up with this script. Combining PHP and Javascript, I believe this is the best solution for delivering countdown to your web visitors.
PHP is a server side scripting. PHP will calculate the remaining time on the server. And then it will be delivered as Javascript to the visitors. With this, no matter where you are, you will see the same remaining time to the countdown.
Below is a countdown to my birthday hint. Just an example.
I was born on 30th May – 4.20pm.
You can download the script here. Instructions on how to use the script can be found inside the script itself. Enjoy.
Just one thing though – I wrote this just as long as it works. No advance security coding here.
OK, this is an update on 9 July 2oo5. Recently I did a limited offer using this countdown script. Everything’s automated … and I even went to the beach during that sale.
More info here – http://moneyclicking.net/sale-automation
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Comments
Mike Merz
Very cool, Iszuddin!
Can it be formatted to show days, hours, minutes?
I just used a similar script for a time sensitive promotion (they DO work), but it’s linked directly to the coder … which I don’t like. :P
Thanks!
Mike “very handy tool” Merz
Kidino
Yes it can.
You can see that its working now on my birthday countdown.
And I have just updated the download file which has countdown.php and countdown2.php. Countdown.php will only display HH:MM:SS.
Countdown2.php will display days if hours is bigger than 23.
Enjoy …
rizzy
Nice script.
The only thing I can’t figure out is when some people go to my page it does not show the countdown and other computers it will show the countdown. Anyone else have this problem and why it is doing that. I have looked at everthing and I am not to sure why it does this.
Kidino
the countdown works with Javascript … so if the computer doesn’t have javascript turned on, it will not work. Another thing, I’ve tried this with IE, Mozilla and Firefox. I don’t how it turns out on other browsers.
Can you tell me, on the computer that’s not working, what browser is it using?
rizzy
Well I looked at it more and I use firefox and it works fine. I opened it up with IE and it didn’t work and other people tried it and it works fine with firefox but no luck with IE.
Kidino
I am on IE 6.0 and it works fine … hmmm ….
rais
best….. best
Q'ma
happy birthday and its cool coding.. :D
zouy
fantastic….. great…:)
Anonymous
Nice site and fine content
zul
Script yang bagus… Tahniah…..
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