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Author Topic: Forum Upgrades  (Read 18338 times)

mguertin

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« on: October 03, 2008, 04:07:32 pm »

We've updated to the latest version of the forum software.  If anyone has any issues please let us know!

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Kumar

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« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2008, 02:07:03 am »

Hi,

1. Opera has a 'Personal Bar' for bookmarks that can be shown as images, text or both. I use images, since most websites have unique logos. Earlier the forum showed the LL logo, which has been replaced by the generic Invision Software logo. Can we please get the old logo back?

2. For Forum Options, can we have "Mark forum as read and return to board index" show up separately rather than in the dropdown menu. That's one click less!

Thanks,
Kumar
« Last Edit: October 04, 2008, 02:07:50 am by Kumar »
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mguertin

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« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2008, 02:21:46 am »

Quote from: Kumar
Hi,

1. Opera has a 'Personal Bar' for bookmarks that can be shown as images, text or both. I use images, since most websites have unique logos. Earlier the forum showed the LL logo, which has been replaced by the generic Invision Software logo. Can we please get the old logo back?

2. For Forum Options, can we have "Mark forum as read and return to board index" show up separately rather than in the dropdown menu. That's one click less!

Thanks,
Kumar

1. I will look into this.

2. I have no control over this, this is something that is part of the main forum code.
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kaelaria

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« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2008, 09:28:52 am »

Looks great in Chrome, FF and IE here - and the header is really nice - best ever!
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rdonson

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« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2008, 01:34:16 pm »

Quote from: Kumar
2. For Forum Options, can we have "Mark forum as read and return to board index" show up separately rather than in the dropdown menu. That's one click less!

Thanks,
Kumar

I'll second that request.  Overall a nice upgrade.  It seems a little quicker but that's just an impression.
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Regards,
Ron

rdonson

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« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2008, 01:43:26 pm »

Quote from: mguertin
We've updated to the latest version of the forum software.  If anyone has any issues please let us know!

Win XP Pro SP3 - FireFox 3.0.3

Not sure what the Quick Access panel on the left is supposed to look like although it doesn't look right.  The text overruns the box.

« Last Edit: October 04, 2008, 03:27:45 pm by rdonson »
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Regards,
Ron

marc gerritsen

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« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2008, 09:29:03 pm »

please correct me if I am wrong but it seems if I want to attach a photo it has to be uploaded to an url first
it's a bit of a hassle compared to before.
cheers
marc
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snickgrr

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« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2008, 12:55:07 am »

Quote from: marc gerritsen
please correct me if I am wrong but it seems if I want to attach a photo it has to be uploaded to an url first
it's a bit of a hassle compared to before.
cheers
marc


That's what I initially thought as well.  I could not find the add attachment button like before.  It just wasn't there, but the next time I logged onto to the forum the attachment dialog box had reappeared.
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Wayne Fox

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« Reply #8 on: October 06, 2008, 02:03:39 am »

Quote from: snickgrr
That's what I initially thought as well.  I could not find the add attachment button like before.  It just wasn't there, but the next time I logged onto to the forum the attachment dialog box had reappeared.

Was having that problem.  After reading your post, I cleared my browser cache file, and then the attachment options were there.

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Rob C

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« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2008, 04:30:19 pm »

Never mind all your sophisticated problems, I have trouble getting the damn thing to behave half as well as it did before!

I seem to have to click twice to enter the forum and simple actions, all I ever do here, are less securely achieved with a fair bit of dithering back and forth; it also takes longer to be able to start to write a post.

What was broke that needed fixed?

Apart from the economy, of course...

Rob C

kaelaria

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« Reply #10 on: October 06, 2008, 05:06:59 pm »

Hehe - I see the magic list is working
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Kumar

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« Reply #11 on: October 07, 2008, 03:41:34 am »

Is it possible to have a better search function that does not have the 4 character limit? It's very difficult to search for say a Sinar P3.

Thanks,
Kumar
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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« Reply #12 on: October 07, 2008, 09:44:21 am »

Quote from: Kumar
Is it possible to have a better search function that does not have the 4 character limit? It's very difficult to search for say a Sinar P3.

Thanks,
Kumar
Or even a Canon G10. Amen!
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-Eric Myrvaagnes (visit my website: http://myrvaagnes.com)

kaelaria

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« Reply #13 on: October 07, 2008, 09:56:20 am »

There are multiple ways it can be done.  The easiest is to switch from the default Simple Search to Fulltext, which allows any string regardless of size.  2nd would be to change the minimum search string from the default 4 to 2.  Better software packages allow you to keep the larger minimum limit to speed server response but also allow manual entry of short strings to be searchable.

Overall, the search features built into forum software are 99% useless anyway.  Only use google to search a forum.  MR has placed a handy dandy search field on the front of his site for just such a need (or you can do it from Google.com). http://www.luminous-landscape.com/

The real slick forums replace the search field in the forum with google.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2008, 09:58:24 am by kaelaria »
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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« Reply #14 on: October 07, 2008, 02:03:38 pm »

Thanks for the reminder about the Google gizmo on the home page. It would be nice if it also appeared on the forum, like the
Quote
real slick forums
.
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mguertin

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« Reply #15 on: October 07, 2008, 06:08:23 pm »

Search has been updated, you should be able to do better searches now, no more 3 char limit (since we are using fulltext MySQL options it's no longer super CPU intensive).  As for using google in place of the main forum one it's possible, but it requires hacking up the forum code, which is never a good idea.  The way IPB does their updates it means potential issues each and every time we need to do a security patch, so you'll all have to live with the MySQL fulltext searches (or for the geekier in the crowd use google yourself to do it by entering something like "Canon G10 site:luminous-landscape.com/forum/" into google.
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kaelaria

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« Reply #16 on: October 07, 2008, 06:27:20 pm »

You don't need to alter the forum code, you could simply add the same code from the main site to the header file for example.  It would at least give the better option on the forums directly.  Even if you want to make it prettier and add it to the template code, big deal, just paste it in if the file gets upgraded in the future.

Thanks for the change, it should help many people.
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Kumar

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« Reply #17 on: October 07, 2008, 08:11:21 pm »

Okay, I can search for Sinar P3, but not P3 by itself. I still have to wade through pages referencing Sinar, that do not necessarily have 'P3' in them. Room for further improvement?

Kumar
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mguertin

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« Reply #18 on: October 07, 2008, 08:46:37 pm »

Quote from: Kumar
Okay, I can search for Sinar P3, but not P3 by itself. I still have to wade through pages referencing Sinar, that do not necessarily have 'P3' in them. Room for further improvement?

Kumar

To that one I have to say RTFM.  Read the info for using advanced search. If you want to search BOTH of those terms there is syntax to accomplish it.

As for modifying the headed IPB doesn't work like that. We would have to make ( and continue to manage/update custom templates)
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kaelaria

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« Reply #19 on: October 07, 2008, 09:32:49 pm »

You can't be serious - or maybe you are and just don't know squat about webmastering this forum?

Here, for simple comparison, showing how inadequate the forum search is even after 'RTFM' as you so sarcastically (and incorrectly) put it.

Using the techniques available through the 'Advanced Search' as you called it, searching for p3* produces more misses than hits, with most results showing p3 as part of a string such as printer models and file names.  Not useful - next.

Searching for "sinar p3" produces 26 threads including this one.  Most are not returned.

Searching for +sinar +p3 ignores the +p3 all together producing useless results.

Searching for +sinar +p3* produces 2 threads.


Searching through the google tool for sinar p3 produces 89 results, by far the winner.



I hope your boss doesn't fall for the BS you guys tell them when you say things like 'it's not possible' 'it doesn't work that way'.  You clearly (to those of us that REALLY DO KNOW what we are talking about) don't have clue one.


Here's the bottom line - the search here (and on most forums) is not setup correctly to provide meaningful searches.  In some cases it is not possible given server limitations or software limitations.  It IS very easy to add google search.  To the bosses here, PLEASE get some other opinions and don't simply rely on this 'expert'.


I'm sorry in advance if anyone thinks this is rude.  It just pisses me off when an admin acts in such a way to the users, especially when they are clearly in the wrong.  Telling that guy to RTFM was simply uncalled for.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2008, 09:46:37 pm by kaelaria »
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