Data Migration Concerns

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 26 Feb 2010, 13:48

Whilst I much prefer the aesthetics and functionality of the old site, I'm not going to be put off by the new software. Simply, there is no competition!

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 26 Feb 2010, 18:37

I have made major changes to the forum's user interface and look over the last 24 hours (including making a majority of the smileys static). If there are any other major irritants, please let me know.

Also Nick has all his old posts back now.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 27 Feb 2010, 08:49

You have been working hard, srkris--good work. The smilies are less hyperactive now. Do they come as a set? The clapping one in the older set was so cheery. Not this oval faced one. Am I being too finicky?
By the way, I like the type face too, now.

isramesh · Post by **isramesh** » 27 Feb 2010, 09:24

kudos to the admin and his team for the hard work put in. Though previous interface (new forum) was alright for me, this one is definitely better and is matching with the old forum.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Feb 2010, 09:38

duplicate of the below post ,rajeshnat deleted

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Feb 2010, 09:39

rajeshnat wrote: 1.Date and time of each post should be with the beginning or header of the posts.
3. The font is not as elegant and the background is not as elegant as the forum_flux which just rocked
4.Make the link 'mark all posts read' right next to 'view new posts' and 'view your posts' dont hide it behind the board index, every body is struggling to find the titanic ship in this atlantic ocean.

srkris,
You solved 1, 3 and 4 thank you great job .All are very nice

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 27 Feb 2010, 09:43

Thanks, skris for the ongoing work.

The forum is looking "cleaner" today. There is an age-old maxim in typography that says that serif faces are easier to read that sans serif...

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Feb 2010, 09:44

rajeshnat wrote: I said before
5. Super Major problem - Search is not working at all, fix everything.

# 5(search) is somewhat working now,let me check up little later. Give me few days time

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Feb 2010, 09:49

Still pending as of Feb 27th 2010:

rajeshnat wrote: I said before:
2. In the forum_flux we used to have two superb links called
'View all ramakriya's posts' and 'View all ramakriya's topics' which will give an expanded view of all posts vs few lines of posts with a ... as this site shows. That is a key feature for each of us to recognize who are all whose jalras , whose post should we respond , whose posts we should pass , please give that weapon back to each user.

# Once when you solve 2 , Just let me point the right urls in the forum_flux to help you
http://rasikas.org/forum_flux/search-posts-user927.html and http://rasikas.org/forum_flux/search-to ... er927.html . Expanded views are key for posts (no ... as in this site) and View topics is the key
srkris,
This feature is pending , to be corrected . I will point the remaining 5 key features later. Please say when you have done anychanges to incorporate this feature.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Feb 2010, 10:05

Nick H wrote:Thanks, skris for the ongoing work.

The forum is looking "cleaner" today. There is an age-old maxim in typography that says that serif faces are easier to read that sans serif...

Nick
The trick is not just that alone , white background vs gray background (white background over black letters) and in addition moving that date and time of each post to the header did the trick too , because that gave right amount of whitespace. Good work srkris

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 27 Feb 2010, 12:24

Looks much better now, esp the font/size and white background...
Of course, the proof of the pudding would be when you find some of the old regulars back here in full swing.
(Hope I don't get addicted again!

)

A few points:
1. when you login, you are taken to a screen that says something like "Return to the previous page" - can this be improved on?
2. The link to this forum from the old one (flux) is not working - it's pointing to 'newforum'. Can this be corrected please?
3. Now that the font size has increased, the login field sizes may need to be expanded a bit too.
4. Another pet peeve of mine that I have been expressing several times but to no avail...when you left click on a link, you get taken out of the forum, it doesn't create a new window. Of course, you can achieve this by right-clicking etc. but it would be more convenient not to have to take that extra step.

All minor irritants yes, but...
Thanks for all the hard work in responding to member requests!
(It seems with all this forum change, there is a more pleasant tone coming from the admin - hope this is not just a temporary thing?

)

tkb · Post by **tkb** » 27 Feb 2010, 13:29

congrats to rajeshnat for bring out the required and to the admin for solving all problems / queries.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Feb 2010, 16:19

ragam-talam wrote:A few points:
1. when you login, you are taken to a screen that says something like "Return to the previous page" - can this be improved on?
2. The link to this forum from the old one (flux) is not working - it's pointing to 'newforum'. Can this be corrected please?
3. Now that the font size has increased, the login field sizes may need to be expanded a bit too.
4. Another pet peeve of mine that I have been expressing several times but to no avail...when you left click on a link, you get taken out of the forum, it doesn't create a new window. Of course, you can achieve this by right-clicking etc. but it would be more convenient not to have to take that extra step.
.. )

Answering for RT, srkris can override it.
1. The landing page of login successful should be the index page instead of "Return to the previous page" , kind of minor , srkris can do

2. The link in the old forum_flux points to the http://rasikas.org/forum instead it should point out http://rasikas.org/forum, simple one srkris can do

3. The header login and password is small , but still I am ok with it .As such srkris has changed the login and password box size in the login page

4. Not possible I guess , if srkris is creating a functionality of replacing "one left click on show new post == right click with a new tab", then that could be a miracle I guess. Clicking on anylink on a source page will indeed take you to the target page. So what you are asking is not possible, may be you can reword if I have misunderstood.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Feb 2010, 16:26

srkris
Looks like you are working and making it better , as such it is definitely much better than my earlier morning experience. Let me add one more

6. Numbering of posts for each post , possibly just like flux_forum a Date timestamp in the left (which is already there here ) and a post number of that thread in the right with a very light background to indicate that just like in http://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=507- ... er-p3.html

Let us get this two ,number(my #6) and the view all posts by user(expanded ,not ...) and view all topics by user(my #2)

sridhar_ranga · Post by **sridhar_ranga** » 27 Feb 2010, 17:41

Thanks for all the effort Srkris.

The topic /heading/ subject of the thread has vanished from the posts; I need to scroll all the way to the top to see that this thread is on "data Migration Concerns". Can this be fixed too, please?

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 27 Feb 2010, 17:57

rajeshnat wrote:4. Not possible I guess , if srkris is creating a functionality of replacing "one left click on show new post == right click with a new tab", then that could be a miracle I guess. Clicking on anylink on a source page will indeed take you to the target page. So what you are asking is not possible, may be you can reword if I have misunderstood.

Really? I've been on several forums and when you click on a link in a post, it creates a new session (or tab depending on browser used, I use IE). But here, you have to specifically do a right click and choose 'Open in new window' option. That's quite inconvenient, if you still want to stay inside the forum as default option.
I re-read your clarification point above...simply put, when you left click on a link, of course you do want to go to the target url, but I am talking about whether it does that in the same window or creates a new window. Hope my point is clear! I can't believe that's not possible here, because I find it's the default just about everywhere on cyberspace.

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 27 Feb 2010, 18:38

1. The login redirection page (message box) automatically redirects the logged-in user to the index page after 1 second. There is no need to click anything after logging-in. I could not find a solution to avoid the message box.

2. Forum Search will improve over time as it indexes more words. I have also made google discard all the old forum links, now it will capture the links of the new forum properly over the next week or so.

3. Links that were like rasikas.org/newforum/ have been converted to rasikas.org/forum/

4. Links that were like rasikas.org/forums/topic2312-nattakurinji.html have been corrected so that they will now read rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2312-nattakurinji.html so that they are not dead links anymore.

5. Opening the posted links in new windows (rather than in same window) now works by default.

6. The login fields at the top of the index page have been made longer. The blue heading that existed for the login fields (like the "who is online") has been removed.

7. The text under the logo (i.e navigation bar links) are now bigger.

8. Mark as read links etc all now appear uniformly on the top right and left instead of at different places before.

9. The search box has been moved to top-right near right of the topic-title/category-title as the case may be. Searching from a category page returns only results from that category and searching from a thread page only returns results from that thread.

11. Clicking on the breadcrumb "carnatic music" now takes the user to the subcategories under that main-category.

12. Numbering of posts in each topic is a much more difficult exercise that I would not like to attempt now since there is no known solution in phpbb (unless someone knowledgeable here comes forth with a brilliant idea) .

13. Searching for posts and topics created by a particular user - still pending. Posts is easy but topics I am not sure yet.

14. Post headings are gone, this was a tough decision to take, but as rajeshnat said the timestamps are more useful than the post headings. We did not have post headings in the old forum, and it is usually the same as the topic heading which can anyways be viewed at the top-left of your computer screen, something like "rasikas.org - View topic - Data Migration Concerns - Mozilla Firefox"

kkumar29 · Post by **kkumar29** » 27 Feb 2010, 20:07

srkris,

In the index page, under the date and time of the last page there used to be a symbol that used to take you right to the last unread post in the topic. I see that it is not available today but was there yesterday. It was very convenient to follow the new posts. Is it something that happened when you made the changes? Could you please restore it.

Thanks,
K. Kumar.

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 27 Feb 2010, 20:20

Kumar, since it was inconvenient, I have made the last post linked to the date-time. So if you click on the date-time link, it takes you to the last post.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 27 Feb 2010, 22:01

1. Can we please have post numbers back? It is a great help, somehow, to get a sense of where one is in a thread.

2. Can we get rid of the "your post was successful screen" and just go back to the thread with the new post (as the old forum did). I know it's just one click, but it is annoying. ***

3. I don't like this bold type in the reply box. (in fact I don't like the forum font at all, but hey, that is probably one of the easiest things to change if and when...)

***edit: I see there is a timeout on this, but it is still unnecessary

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 27 Feb 2010, 22:29

Nick I have changed the font to Arial, how do you like it now?

Further, after posting, it gives that message that your post was successful, but you do not have to do anything except wait for a second for the thread to come back.

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 27 Feb 2010, 22:46

Overall a much improved user experience. (I'm sure a few minor tweaks may still be required, but we are almost there!)

srkris, thank you very much. I noticed you've been working on the fixes most of today.
For a voluntary role, that's quite something.

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 27 Feb 2010, 22:56

Yeah R-T, I usually dont get much time to work on the forum, so when I have time, I need to ensure all the major issues are fixed.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Feb 2010, 00:07

The font is looking better, and the terrible bold in the reply box has gone. Thanks

...and the succesful post screen times out pretty quickly too, so good compromise there!

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 28 Feb 2010, 13:23

srkris wrote:....

5. Opening the posted links in new windows (rather than in same window) now works by default.

12. Numbering of posts in each topic is a much more difficult exercise that I would not like to attempt now since there is no known solution in phpbb (unless someone knowledgeable here comes forth with a brilliant idea) .

13. Searching for posts and topics created by a particular user - still pending. Posts is easy but topics I am not sure yet.

srkris,
For point #5 , still unclear but as long as RT is happy with what she has asked it is fine. It is always a dilemma to open a new window when you left click a link or keep it in the same window where a new page is opened over that. As such if you open a new tab in the same window that is great, which RT told it is there (RT can you help me to tell me the link of where you find that ). In essence if you give right click and open new tab == left click alone opens in a new tab in the same window, that is best I guess. Choice is yours.

For point #12 ,I just googled see the zip of code that is given by some one in the web.
http://www.motolink.ucoz.ru/phpmod/post_numbers.zip . This works

For point #13, let us get the post first without a ... so let us break it as 13A view posts by user - you can put that asap as you have the solution . 13 B "view by topics" research it later.

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 28 Feb 2010, 14:50

Great Rajeshnat, that fix worked for the post numbers.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Feb 2010, 17:21

Firefox users have a fair amount of flexibility in what happens when a link is clicked, and this is enhanced by the Tab Mix Plus addin.

We also have the fact that pressing the mouse wheel, as a middle button, opens the link in a new tab. Don't most people have a mouse with a wheel? There is no need to go into right-click menus.

Having said that, my favoured behaviour is for a clicked link to open in a new tab, which becomes the active tab, and then to be returned whence I came when I close that tab. If I do not want to go straight to that tab, as when opening a number of links from one page, then I middle-click it --- which is how I work through forum index pages, selecting the threads I want to read.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Feb 2010, 17:24

Post Headings

...Simplest thing in the world to make your own!

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 28 Feb 2010, 18:20

I have included the post headings too now.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 28 Feb 2010, 21:39

my favoured behaviour is for a clicked link to open in a new tab, which becomes the active tab, and then to be returned whence I came when I close that tab. If I do not want to go straight to that tab, as when opening a number of links from one page, then I middle-click it --- which is how I work through forum index pages, selecting the threads I want to read.

Exactly. That is my favorite behavior too.

On the post headings, I do not like them at all. People take liberties with it, start a post in the post heading and continue on with the body which annoys me very much. Sometimes people do that unintentionally too. I would not mind if that is turned off. As Nick said, if some one really wants a heading, they can make one themselves in the body of the message.

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 28 Feb 2010, 21:48

my favoured behaviour is for a clicked link to open in a new tab, which becomes the active tab, and then to be returned whence I came when I close that tab.

That is how it works now if you checked it; if you didn't, you can always try it by clicking http://examplelink.com

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 28 Feb 2010, 22:09

Yup. Perfect.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 28 Feb 2010, 22:26

srkris wrote:Great Rajeshnat, that fix worked for the post numbers.

srkris,
Good to see that it is working .
So as indicated by post #125, only this two is pending .Atleast put the fix for 13A , you saying easy means you can do it quick.

Let me also add one new right now which VK has mentioned:
Issue 14. Users when they post reply should not be given an option to edit the title of the post.

In total as of Feb 28th 2010:
----------------------------------
Issue #5 , 13B and 14 are pending. Fix the 13A by getting rid of ... and expanding the post

Nick,
About the left click and right click workings , I think you have given an elegant solution for all those who have a possibility of middle clicking it which is equivalent to right clicking and opening a new tab. So as such I was only trying to understand RT's complaint, for which I think you have given an elegant solution .

appu · Post by **appu** » 28 Feb 2010, 22:53

Anybody get this error

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected $end in /home/content/c/a/r/carnatic/html/forum/cache/tpl_etech_overall_header.html.php on line 263

System gave me this error and logged me off

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 28 Feb 2010, 23:04

Appu, I was trying to make some changes, the error should not recur now.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 01 Mar 2010, 00:22

Yep... links work as I expect; we have post numbers too. I'm not so fussed about thread heading on every post, I don;t think it is necessary, but nor do I mind.

Thanks again.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 06 Mar 2010, 21:53

Issues as of Mar 06th 2010:
----------------------------------
Srkris
13B and 14 are pending. Refer the last week post
Fix the 13A by getting rid of ... and expanding the post .Can you work on the 13A immediately as you said it is easy to fix.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 11 Mar 2010, 20:34

Mark All Forums Read
Mark All Topics Read

... Don't seem to do anything. After clicking on either or both of them, Unread Posts just brings up the same list as before.

I have been going through this for some days, and the 'unread posts' list just keeps growing.

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 11 Mar 2010, 21:19

Nick: That is a bug which I encountered a few weeks back and reported to srkris.

But if you go to Board index, then do the same, it works as expected. The problem seems to exist only If you click on unread posts and then click on 'Mark al forums read' or 'Mark all topics read'. Please confirm if that is what you see also.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 11 Mar 2010, 21:24

I go to individual subtitles under Board Index and mark all post read. Otherwise the posts in subtitle remain. i.e. I got to General and click on mark all posts read; so the subjects under general not read will not appear.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 11 Mar 2010, 22:10

Thanks VK...

It'll be nice when it's fixed, but at least you've told me a workaround. I'll check it out now

...

Edit: Yes, that works fine. Thanks again.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 13 Mar 2010, 10:00

Issues as of Mar 13th 2010:
----------------------------------
Srkris,
13B and 14 are pending. Refer the last week post
Fix the 13A by getting rid of ... and expanding the post .Can you work on the 13A immediately as you said it is easy to fix.

15. Mark all forums read is not working

16. Google is not indexing yet the new web pages.

Fix them or if you have bandwidth problem let us work on empowering more people to work on it to fix issues.

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 13 Mar 2010, 13:24

13A is not easy to fix either, I was wrong. Mark forums read should be used from index page only, not from within a topic. Similarly mark topics read should be used from a particular category page and not from any other page.

Regarding google indexing, I will work on it.

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 13 Mar 2010, 15:15

srkris/others: do you know what the 'bump topic' feature is for? I see this option when inside a thread. Thanks.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 13 Mar 2010, 15:34

I don't see that!

Usually, in forums, this is a moderator's tool: it brings the topic to the top of the list of topics by date, even without posting to it.

The opposite is to "age" a topic --- which get it off the latest threads list. Very useful to help stop people piling in on a thread which is getting overheated!

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 13 Mar 2010, 17:08

I think it's available to the thread starter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bump_(Internet)

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 13 Mar 2010, 23:30

Ah, thanks for the clarification.
I don't believe this feature was available in the 'old' forum - or was it?

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 14 Mar 2010, 09:45

FYI...It looks like some members could not login to the forum. I had the same issue earlier today. I cleared the cache and cookies and then I could login in.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 14 Mar 2010, 10:07

vasanthakokilam wrote:FYI...It looks like some members could not login to the forum. I had the same issue earlier today. I cleared the cache and cookies and then I could login in.

Yes I had the problem since sat midnight IST. For all those who dont know how to clear cache cookies in firefox , click on the menu Tools--> Clear Private Data-> check the options cache and cookies and then hit the button clear private data now.
For IE users hit the same tools--> Internet Options, in the message box hit the button clear cookies and clear cache
Srkris
Apart from this problem yesterday there was a mysql session error .

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 14 Mar 2010, 10:44

Rajeshnat,

It should not recur. With that, your login problems at office also should have vanished.