DARK SHADOWS FORUMS
General Discussions => Testing. 1, 2, 3... => Topic started by: Mysterious Benefactor on May 31, 2004, 05:35:56 AM
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I've been threatening it for months but it's finally here: the day we convert to the new forum system. Beginning somewhere around 2-3am ET / 11pm-12am PT the forum will slip into Maintenance mode while the conversion takes place (so be sure to wrap up any posts you might be working on before that time or all your work might be lost). Afterward most things will look and operate the same, but there will also be some differences.
One thing that will be different is the main menu - it will be missing the "guidelines", "search new", "who's online", "cousins list", "chat", and "notifications" buttons.
Buttons for "guidelines", "cousins list", and "chat" will be added back as soon as I find the time to write up some new routines for them. ;)
"Search new" has been replaced by two new buttons: "show unread posts since last visit" and "show new replies to your posts". The latter is self-explanitory, the former operates a bit differently than "search new" did. "Search new" would always bring up all the posts that you haven't read regardless of whether they'd come up in a previous search during a previous visit to the forum. However, "show unread posts since last visit" does exactly that. If you visit the forum and don't read all the new posts since the last time you were here, the unread posts will not come up on your next visit. However, topics with unread posts in them will always display the "new" icon next to them, so catching any unread posts is as easy as going to the boards and clicking on any "new" icons. ;)
The who's online feature is still available, but to access it you click on the icon opposite the online members list in the Info Center.
Notifications are now set in your profile.
And speaking of your profile, you'll notice it looks very different, but it actually operates the same. Instead of everything being on one page, your profile has been broken up into separate sections: "Account Related Settings", "Forum Profile Information", "Look and Layout Preferences", "Notifications and Email", and "Personal Message Options", which were previously set in YaBB SE in the Instant Messages festure itself.
And speaking of Private Messages, this new system does not currently have the backup feature, so all of your incoming PMs will be listed together in your inbox. When/if the backup feature becomes available again, I'll be sure to install it - or I may simply write one up myself if no one has gotten around to writing a mod for it.
A new feature which had previously only been available to admins/mods is the ability to bcc messages, just like one can with e-mails.
Also missing will be all the extra smileys. But I'll remedy that as soon as I get the chance to write up a new routine for them.
Also, keep in mind that this system is still in beta testing form. During our trial runs with it we didn't come across any problems, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there aren't any. If you come across something that brings up an actual error, please feel free to make a post about it on the Testing board and we'll look into it. ;)
I think that's it for now - but more will surely come...
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I think that's it for now - but more will surely come...
Sooner than I thought. ;)
Moods have also disappeared. They'll be back.
And some of the BBC tags (formerly YaBBC tags) have changed their form. Once the conversion has taken place, be sure to check if you're using one correctly by first clicking on its button before posting.
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I'll be sure not to be posting late tonight then. ;)
Will we get spell check yet with this new mod?
(http://home.pacbell.net/cbsbiz/Victoriaquill.gif)
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Didn't MB do an amazing job?!! <applause, applause>
I'm liking the "Insert Quote" feature already. 8)
Will we get spell check yet with this new mod?
SMF has a spellcheck feature, but unfortunately we can't use it yet because there's no Pspell module for PHP running on our current server. Perhaps MB can convince them to install it, but for now can I get a boo hoo? :'(
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In what order? Boo Hoo's first?.....or Applause, Applause?
Oh, to Hell with the Boo Hoo's............Lots and Lots of Applause Applause Applause Applause Applause Applause!!!!! ;)
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....just tell me when a suitable time is here so I can ask my many, many questions.....
but yup...applause.
Patti
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....just tell me when a suitable time is here so I can ask my many, many questions.....
Uhh, there's no time like the present. But we have to ask for your patience in waiting for some features to return, particularly the ones that were written as special scripts to begin with. And please let me point out that the help button at the top takes you to SMF User Help. Perhaps you'll find the answers to some of your questions there?
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....just tell me when a suitable time is here so I can ask my many, many questions.....
Uhh, there's no time like the present. But please let me point out that the help button at the top takes you to SMF User Help. Perhaps you can find some of your answers there?
Also, the conversion is not complete - more changes are yet to come. I simply got things to the point that the forum was working reasonably well and then went to bed. You can expect to see anything from subtle to major changes on an almost daily basis for at least the next week or so...
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Applause, Applause, Applause, Applause.
Good job!
[attachment deleted by admin]
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It's fantastic, MB! I have one bit of a problem, though. Maybe it's just my computer. The text is very small and kinda hard to read, even if I increase text size. If it's just my computer, ignore my post.
Gerard
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The text is very small and kinda hard to read, even if I increase text size. If it's just my computer, ignore my post.
Well, no - I'd definitely like to try to get to the bottom of it for you.
Here are two screen captures: one from IE (http://www.dsboards.com/screen/IE.jpg) and one from Netscape (http://www.dsboards.com/screen/Netscape.jpg). Both look almost exactly the same (which in and of itself is a bit strange because that wasn't the case when we were using YaBB SE), but I'm gathering neither looks like what you're seeing on your computer?
The really funny thing is that I was just saying to myself today that I think the text in posts looks bigger than it's ever been.
And actually, I'm glad you called this to my attention because otherwise I wouldn't have opened the forum using IE and noticed that there seems to be a problem with the way the news is displaying in IE. In IE it looks like this (http://www.dsboards.com/screen/IEnews.jpg), but in Netscape and other browsers it looks like this (http://www.dsboards.com/screen/Netscapenews.jpg). Is everyone using IE seeing the news as small, pale green lettering rather than the way it should look?!
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Here are two screen captures: one from IE (http://www.dsboards.com/screen/IE.jpg) and one from Netscape (http://www.dsboards.com/screen/Netscape.jpg). Both look almost exactly the same (which in and of itself is a bit strange because that wasn't the case when we were using YaBB SE), but I'm gathering neither looks like what you're seeing on your computer?
8) 8) 8) (blind Patti, who cannot see the difference in MB's here & this), but, noticed yesterday, font seems 'different'.
Patti
Okay...made it within the 90 sec preview...and I HAVE DELETED THE QUOTE CODE AFTER MY NAME 6 TIMES, HIT PREVIEW; TRIED COPYING/PASTING JUST MY WORDS, BUT STILL QUOTE CODES AND IT APPEARS...
anyway..the font seems different/and/or smaller
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And actually, I'm glad you called this to my attention because otherwise I wouldn't have opened the forum using IE and noticed that there seems to be a problem with the way the news is displaying in IE. In IE it looks like this (http://www.dsboards.com/screen/IEnews.jpg), but in Netscape and other browsers it looks like this (http://www.dsboards.com/screen/Netscapenews.jpg). Is everyone using IE seeing the news as small, pale green lettering rather than the way it should look?!
Well MB...I'm operating off of an eMac, BTW... I normally use Netscape, and I haven't noticed any problems there. I just opened IE to see what's up--the news is exactly as you've stated (small lettering), except for some reason the lettering isn't green, it's black. I don't know if that means anything or not, but I thought I'd mention it. Then again, my Mac has a mind of it's own sometimes, so who knows - LOL ;)
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Is everyone using IE seeing the news as small, pale green lettering rather than the way it should look?!
Well, I certainly am. But I thought I'd wait a while before bringing it to your attention. ;)
And yes, the font is very, very small.
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On my IE (and it's version 6) and on AOL, MB, the text is very teeny, at least on my computer. I just tried it on Netscape (and thank you for making it possible to use Netscape again!), it also looks very teeny, but on Netscape I can increase the text size so it's easier to read. Since no one else has noticed anything different about the text size, it just must be my computer for some reason (and it is only happening with our beloved DS board). I'll just use Netscape from now on for the board. Don't go bothering yourself looking for some problem that might need fixing, MB - it's obviously my machine (unless you want to buy me a brand new one!).
Gerard
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I HAVE DELETED THE QUOTE CODE AFTER MY NAME 6 TIMES, HIT PREVIEW; TRIED COPYING/PASTING JUST MY WORDS, BUT STILL QUOTE CODES AND IT APPEARS...
Yikes. I managed to get it fixed moments before the site went down. Anyway, your original post contained 3 quotes and you were missing the final closing quote tag, so when the system couldn't find one it inserted it at the end of your message. The sequence should look like this:
[quote][quote][quote]Text of quote #1.[/quote]
Text of quote #2.[/quote]
Text of quote #3.[/quote]
Text of response.
To solve the problem of having to keep track of code for multiple quotes, just quote the part that you're responding to, as is there now. If a reader wants to see the quote in its entire context, they need only follow the link back to the original post. :)
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Using Netscape 7.1, the previous version of the Forum was a bit small and I'd do Ctrl + to make it larger. With this new version, it's very small and I have to do that twice. Then, some of the headings are too big! But, that's better than the main text being too small.
The text in this box right now is very big.
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This caught at least a few people by surprise, myself included, so I probably should explain that the 120 second limit on posting (which was put in place to prevent spewing [repeatedly submitting posts in rapid succession] on the forums) now includes any combination of posting and personal messaging. In other words, after you send a PM you're required to wait 120 seconds before you can submit a post or send another PM, or if you start by making a post you then have to wait... you get the picture. I don't know why the SMF developers added private messaging to the mix, but I suspect it may have been to thwart flooding of other mailboxes with PMs.
BTW, if you get a 120 second limit error message, figure on having to wait another 120 seconds. Take it from someone who sends a lot of PMs. :-
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Thanks Midnite...I had meant to ask...since we just recently had our "Service Query Language (SQL*I hope) info from y'all mods....can you explain SMF beta??
Thanks darlingS,
Patti
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SMF: see Help
beta: Internet dictionary (http://www.netlingo.com/lookup.cfm?term=beta)
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When you said that the extra smileys were unavailable, I assumed that meant the listing of the additional ones. However, I tried using a few that I know and they didn't work, so apparently you meant that the actual smileys are unavailable.
Question about size - on the old system, if one clicked on "size" it came up [2] and for a birthday greeting I'd usually change it to 4 or 5. So, I was rather shocked when I saw 10 tonight. Since I've mentioned having to increase the size for viewing the pages, I thought it might be connected to that. Then, I realized it's 10 point. I suppose that's a more realistic and familiar way of doing it, but, especially since I've adjusted my view, I wasn't sure what a larger number would do, and thought I better be a bit conservative with it!
Do you know an approximate relationship between our new points and the old 2, 3, 4, 5?
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Do you know an approximate relationship between our new points and the old 2, 3, 4, 5?
Well, I can take a stab at it...
This is 10 point
This is size 2
[size=10pt]This is 10 point[/size]
[size=2]This is size 2[/size]
This is 12 point
This is size 3
[size=12pt]This is 12 point[/size]
[size=3]This is size 3[/size]
This is 14 point
[size=13.5pt]This is 13.5 point[/size]
This is size 4
[size=14pt]This is 14 point[/size]
[size=13.5pt]This is 13.5 point[/size]
[size=4]This is size 4[/size]
This is 17 point
This is size 5
[size=17pt]This is 17 point[/size]
[size=5]This is size 5[/size]
You didn't ask for size 1, but it's the default for the preview feature, so--
This is 7 point
This is size 1
[size=7pt]This is 7 point[/size]
[size=1]This is size 1[/size]
Eh, close enough. And probably way more approximate than you wanted. :D
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The text is very small and kinda hard to read, even if I increase text size.
Well, I've spent the last day and a half trying to get to the bottom of this, and there's good news and bad news. The good news is that I discovered that when the system converted our YaBB SE template to SMF, it appeared that it left out some important code that regulates the text display, so I've added it in. The bad news is that it works well in every browser except IE. Of course, I can't really say that surprises me because the new system is using cutting edge XHTML and Cascading Style Sheet code and, as I've mentioned before, IE just doesn't handle that sort of stuff very well.
I'll continue to investigate this to see if there's any sort of a solutuion for IE users. But given that Microsoft has announced that they have no intentions of updating IE, and that the other browsers do update frequently, IE users might want to seriously consider changing to a different browser. This site might be the only one with display issues at the moment, but as existing sites update their code and new sites are created from the get go with the newer codes, you're likely to see more "problems". :(
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Thank you, both!! Those font sizes will definitely help, Midnite. MB, I wondered if you did something. I still had to raise the size up one, which I had been doing all along, but it definitely looked better when I first arrived.
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But given that Microsoft has announced that they have no intentions of updating IE, and that the other browsers do update frequently, IE users might want to seriously consider changing to a different browser.
I just read that Microsoft is bowing to pressure and has decided to begin a new phase of Internet Explorer development after all. However, don't look for IE7 any time soon - it's expected to be at least a year in the making - and no wonder, considering how far Microsoft has to go just to catch up to the other browsers that are currently available, not to mention the innovations those browsers will introduce before IE7 is released.