UBB.Developers Forums General Discussion Suggestions and Feedback Is it ready?

Answering Screm's question (Sorry if this has been aswered somewhere else, I did not see it)
I think everything looks great, but I'll say what I dont like anyway, because it amy help..

In the "add to address book" why dont you get an screen telling you that it's done? I have never used this hack before but I have to say I was somewhat confused. The only hint you get that something is happening is the reload (and you can miss that if using many screens at the same time). I thought at first that it wasn't working...

Eileen has a great Context Sensitive Help Popup hack that I thought was going to be in 5.1, guess not. Scream, I think this hack would be great!



Mateo Byler
CruceDeCaminos.com - http://crucedecaminos.com

I tried to cut down on the confirmation screens because they add to the complexity and I was trying to get several hacks in at once so I was rushing a bit.

I didn't put the help hack in yet because this will obviously need to be changed a little for 5.1. This is an area I will be focusing on next. Help/Documentation/Administration so I figured I'd hold off until then.

I really think the enhanced online.pl hack should go in...at least the part that auto-refreshes and the user-friendly text. It's an easy hack to put back in, but I feel that something that makes it clearer to the user, as opposed to using locations like editreply.pl, should really be put in.

I agree, noticed this too. Its descriptive enough for me, but not for my users.
And in my case even more so knowing that they only know Spanish, and what in the world does editreply mean to them?

Mateo Byler
CruceDeCaminos.com - http://crucedecaminos.com

I'm not sure if it's covered by another hack but the flashing envelope in the menu for mail waiting hack is really nice too.

Slam

Yes, thats another one I always have to hack back into the code with every upgrade. I havent updated since 5.0.8 because I was waiting for all these hacks to be included because it is a hassle to update with so many hacks to do...

Oh! And the newsflash!

Mateo Byler
CruceDeCaminos.com - http://crucedecaminos.com

Edited by MTO on 10/5/00 02:29 PM.

The main reason I didn't add all of these hacks in is this is a major upgrade. Every script has been changed and this will lead to a pretty extensive beta period timeframe just with the changes and hacks that have been added so far. I added enough to where I could stay comfortable knowing how everything works and quickly correct bugs as they arise. I can probably get the online hack in because this script hasn't changed much anyways.

I second this one...it's another extremely easy, one line change. And I know that most of the people in my board system would never notice that they had new mail if not for this one. (Sometimes including me!)

The private message notifier does add an extra query for every script that is run. Has anyone added this one on a forum with heavy traffic. I realize this isn't a problem on low traffic sites but on sites that are already hammering the database with queries it adds up.

Note, I'm not saying I'm against adding this. It's a great hack and quite useful. It's just a common issue that I have to look at anytime I put something in that is going to add an extra database call, especially on every script.

Weird idea:
Have it commented (#) and tell those who want to use it to uncomment it.
script
# hack
script

[]/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/][]/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/] []/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/]

Mateo Byler
CruceDeCaminos.com - http://crucedecaminos.com

Probably 80% of my customers are plug and play types. They don't edit scripts. They plop it in place, and that's that. For this reason the distributed version has to be server friendly as I can't expect everyone to go in and edit code and stay in business[]/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/].

Just dont tell them they can do it! haha.

Makes sense thogh.

Mateo Byler
CruceDeCaminos.com - http://crucedecaminos.com

How does it add an extra query? You already do the query in your script to find out how many private messages they have...just use that number if > 0 to draw the blinking icon...

Currently I only do a query in wwwthreads.pl to check and see if they have any new private messages. Eileen's hack is executed every time send_header is called, which is used by every script.

Ah, I see. []/w3timages/icons/frown.gif[/] I personally have removed the numbered notification, and inserted this one. We're not what I would call a high traffic site, but it seems to work ok for us. What if it were moved to the area where you currently display the PM count? This might be a nice middle area...it's not in the header area, so not on every page, but still gives a better notification, along with the numerical notation. Perhaps just another option for which one to display? (1 == original numerical only, 2 == flasher only, 3 == both).
Too out of line for this version?

Yup. It has to be to catch 'em all as soon as they come in. []/w3timages/icons/crazy.gif[/]

[]http://www.amdragon.com/images/eileensig.gif[/]

I know I'm being bothersome about features, but did you look at the post only/reply only board types hack at all?

There may be a solution to this problem. Here is a possibility.

We add a new field into the w3t_Users table called U_Privates. We use this field to store the number of unread private messages they have. Every script already grabs a few fields out of the user table (Status and StyleSheet) and passes this info to send_header. So we just grab the U_Privates field as well and pass this right along with it. This way we avoid the extra database call. It would mean modifying a few scripts that send private messages and when you read them but it may prove to be a useful addition. One thing, this would only take affect for new private messages after the upgrade as I really don't want to have to cycle through every user and calculate this in the altertable, that would be pretty big.

What do you think? Worth my time?

I definitely agree about it not being retroactive, which is fine. If you're already grabbing other info, it would be nice to put that in, and would have the end effect of actually removing a query from the total. I know SQL is fast, but having that field in the user data would also be a tad faster than having the query parse for messages that are marked as 'N' and addressed to that user.
I personally think it might be worth the effort. I'd like to hear other views, though, as I'm sure you already knew I felt that way. []/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/]

Yes! Did you need to ask? []/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/] []/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/] []/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/]


Mateo Byler
CruceDeCaminos.com - http://crucedecaminos.com

I'll drink to that. [surprise, surprise]

[]http://www.amdragon.com/images/eileensig.gif[/]

just one more vote []/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/]

Count me one[]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/]

Ok, this has been done for all of the front end scripts. Just need to finish the admin area. Go on over and test it out if ya want.

I get the error on Line 184 that 'document.forms.0.To' is null or not an object when I load up the Send Private screen...

Bleh, stupid javascript[]/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/]. Ok, let me try and get that fixed.

Ok, got it fixed.

Is there supposed to be a confirmation screen after sending private messages, or should it just return to the sendprivate screen as it does now?

It depends on where you are sending it from. Some will give you an individual confirmation screen and some will give you your start page with a message below your lastlogon that says "Your message has been sent"

I just get returned to the sendprivate.pl screen. I clicked on Send Private to get there, and pressed enter in the subject or name fields.

*POP*
Scream? Thoughts?

Interesting. It seems hitting enter in the name or subject fields doesn't actually send a message it just reloads the form. Which is somewhat correct because the form is incomplete at that point. If you actually click the submit button then you'll get the confirmation screen.

Erm...yeah, but I think this reply belonged somewhere else []/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/]

Actually, though, if you fill in the form, then go back and hit enter in the subject, you still don't get the screen...

Edited by LoneVVolf on 10/6/00 12:37 PM.

What on earth are you two talking about?? I'm completely lost here.
Now if you'd been in threaded mode this confusion would not have arisen. []/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/]

[]http://www.amdragon.com/images/eileensig.gif[/]

Scream was the one that made the mistake...I use flat mode just fine, thanks. []/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/]

I use flat mode fine too it's just that, well, um...I'm tired? No, I know, it's Friday. Nah, that's not it, I've been listening to the Mariners on the Radio and got distracted.

...and I *still* have no ide what you were talking about! []/w3timages/icons/crazy.gif[/]

[]http://www.amdragon.com/images/eileensig.gif[/]

I replied to what I thought was a problem with the sendprivate screen when hitting enter while in the name or subject field. But what he was talking about was his initial request for the enhanced Who's online hack.

Ah. Now I'm with you. Thank you, Kind Sir.

[]http://www.amdragon.com/images/eileensig.gif[/]

Speaking of which....is there an answer? []/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/]

Is it ready?

YES! Or at least I am. I am soooo ready for this release! []/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/]

Lee

Yes, I think this will be the last thing I put in for 5.1, the enhanced online thing.