To display a module if the logged-in user has not submitted an entry, you can use the following. It only shows the module to people who are logged in but have not submitted an entry:

$userid = (int)$user->id;
if ($userid) {
  $query = "select user_id from #__mt_links where user_id = $userid";
  $db->setQuery( $query, 0, 1 );
  $found = $db->loadResult();
  if (! $found) return XXX; /* replace XXX with the module id to display */
}

If you want it to display only once, then you should be able to combine it with the session code:

$userid = (int)$user->id;
if ($userid) {
  session_start();
  /* set a different "instance name" for each module that you want to show only once */
  $instance_name = "shown_module_1";
  if (!isset($_SESSION[$instance_name]) or
      $_SESSION[$instance_name] == false) {
    $_SESSION[$instance_name] = true;
    $query = "select user_id from #__mt_links where user_id = $userid";
    $db->setQuery( $query, 0, 1 );
    $found = $db->loadResult();
    if (! $found) return XXX; /* replace XXX with the module id to display */
  }
}

Hope that helps,
Stephen

Hi msquared70,

sorry that's not working for you... it really should!

Ok, a couple of things to check:

1 - do you have the System Cache plugin turned on in Plugin Manager? If so, I think you're going to need to turn it off. The clue for me was in the fact that you had to turn the module on and off a few times to make a difference. The System Cache plugin is a blunt instrument for caching, and assumes that all modules on a page are going to stay the same no matter who views them. So yes, there's going to be a performance hit if you turn it off. Make the best use you can of the other cache system (in the Global Configuration), because individual MetaMods can opt out of that one.

2 - it's possible that your database prefix is not "jos_" as is assumed in the recipe that I sent. Check in the Global Configuration, "Server" tab, and check out the "Database Prefix". Is it "jos_" or something else? If something else, replace the jos_ in "jos_mt_links" in the recipe with the prefix that you find there.

Hope that helps... write back if it doesn't.
Cheers,
Stephen

I think I've figured it out... I also had the plugin  "advanced module manage" installed and published. I've use that plugin for so long I had forgotten it wasn't standard. I just found yours... at one point they were working together but ultimately I guess they don't play well together or I didn't have the right combination of settings.

I unpublished Adv.Mod.Manager and now your module is doing exactly what is supposed to ... awesome.

Thank you very much

great! thanks for the info.. will look for them.