phpBB3: How to display number of posts since last visit?

You won’t find this feature in the default phpBB3 installation. To display number of new posts since last visit you just have to edit small piece of 3 files:

Open:

/includes/functions.php

and try to find line:

$tz = ($user->data['user_id'] != ANONYMOUS) ? strval(doubleval($user->data['user_timezone'])) : strval(doubleval($config['board_timezone']));

After this line add:

$sql = "SELECT COUNT(post_id) as total
        FROM " . POSTS_TABLE . "
        WHERE post_time >= " . $user->data['user_lastvisit'] . "
        AND poster_id != " . $user->data['user_id'];

        $result = $db->sql_query($sql);
        $row = $db->sql_fetchrow($result);
        $total = $row['total'];

Note that line you need to look for may look a little bit different. In the same file look for:

'U_SEARCH_NEW' => append_sid("{$phpbb_root_path}search.$phpEx", 'search_id=newposts'),

After this line add:

'TOTAL' => $total,

Save file and open:

styles/[YOUR-THEME-NAME]/template/index_body.html

Search for:

<a href="{U_SEARCH_NEW}">{L_SEARCH_NEW}</a>

Replace this with:

<a href="{U_SEARCH_NEW}">{L_SEARCH_NEW} ({TOTAL})</a>

That’s all. Clean cache if needed and check how it works.