Trying to figure out a way to determine the number of new posts since a user last logged in to accomplish:

BEST CASE:

Is there anyway to get a number total of the number of new posts that exists since a user has last read any of the foums? I would like to diplays a something like 'Forums (xx New)' on my main menu to show users there are new posts in the forum without them having to go look.

ACCEPTABLE CASE:

Is there anyway to tell if there are new posts that exist since a user has last read any of the foums? I would like to diplays a something like 'Forums (New)' on my main menu to show users there are new posts in the forum without them having to go look.


I was trying to look at the code that displays the forum list to see how it determines the which read/unread status icon to use for each fourm, in hopes I could adapt something from that. But I have had no luck as of yet.

Any help or direction would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-Kev

Perhaps a simplier question would be is there anyway to determine if there are any new unread posts for a user across any of the forums.

Basically I just need to put something on my main menu to let people know there are new unread posts (globally) since the last time they looked.

Once I can determine the Global new unread status, then I can code the notificaion into the menu. I was hoping for something like you get when you have new private messages. Just a visual notification for the users that there has been new forum activity since the there last visit. I really dont care to use any of the forum blocks at this point as I dont have the real-estate on the main page for those.