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Author Topic: Forum updated to SMF 2.0  (Read 81723 times)

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Computer Hope Admin

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Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« on: September 25, 2010, 01:32:42 AM »
We’ve successfully upgraded to SMF 2.0, as you have probably noticed. Below is some brief information about this update. As I hope everyone realizes, this is a big update and there are lots of changes and things I’ve probably missed out in the below long explanation.

NEW 2.0 FEATURES YOU MAY ENJOY

- You can select boards that you wish to ignore, e.g. games.
- Warning system (mods only). Mods can warn users and enough warnings silence people, remove rights, and other advanced features.
- In forum profile field customization (no longer requires mod). This is also bad as explained below in the con section.
- Birthday wishes can now be sent out to e-mails automatically.
- A lot more PM features, including labels and rules.
- Polls can be made to allow guests to vote.
- New tweaks to the interface, including sizable text boxes, as well as movable windows. *Look for the double-arrows in your profile to move the profile window back to like it was in the earlier version of SMF.
- Additional spam and post quality control.
- Post moderation, if we wanted we could have sections section (e.g. FAQ) section that posts will not show until approved.

Cons:
- Because the forum has its own customizable fields we no longer need to mod to add this field. Unfortunately this causes all users to have to re-enter their OS and other custom settings unless they're registering as a new user. In addition I'll have to be re-doing all the F@H, WP, SBCC, and chat icons. This is a big con in my eyes, but with this being a feature of SMF now I feel it's best that we do this now since all future SMF updates will more than likely include this feature.

Added mods:
I've added the topic-solved mod onto the forums. This will allow users to click the solved button and have the message show a check mark to those issues that has been solved. I felt this mod has been requested for some time and was only fitting that it be added at this time.

I'm glad this is the only mod I added since I had some major issues with getting this converted over, since it was done with a different database.  :-\

Some additional changes:
I’ve also made a lot of changes to the users profile shown in the left hand side of the topics. I’ve done away with the images and wrote a section that takes the percentage of how many posts have been made and creates a status bar. Also underneath this status bar I’ve made a smaller bar that shows of the progress of the current level you’re at. I’ve you’ve reached the max this bar goes away and will only display mastermind.

If you’ve had 50+ people who’ve thanked you I’ve also added a text link saying “Accepted helper”, I’ve figured those of you who’ve been helping that have been thanked a lot should have it known more clearly.

I’ve revamped the system specs link, to what I believe is a much more improved version. This version is much more customizable tooltip and will remain shown until the mouse moves over or clicks the close link. The looks, color, images, etc. of this can be greatly changed, but I feel that it’s a good first start. I had to do a lot of work to get it to appear correctly on the forum, with how SMF brings the database data to the forum, so spent most of my time dealing with this. This also should help with the load time of the pages, since it’s only opening one JavaScript file instead of four.

Each of these above changes were done in the last day since I’ve had some time to play around with since all my other changes couldn’t happen until I’ve converted the forum over to a live version. So although I’m fairly happy with them, these are things that can also be tweaked accordingly to the community’s desires.

Conclusion:
In conclusion I think (hope) that this update is well received. Overall I think there are a lot of really great additions and I’m sure there is plenty that I’m not even aware of yet. Feel free to make your own comments, requests, threats, etc. about the update and we can create a new todo thread for me for me to handle once the dust clears.

I’m also still in the process of updating everything now that it’s live. So bare with me for those of you who’re logging in early in the morning.
« Last Edit: September 25, 2010, 02:34:58 AM by Computer Hope Admin »
Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.
-Albert Einstein

kpac

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2010, 02:02:39 AM »
Well done for doing this. :)

Carbon Dudeoxide

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2010, 03:21:29 AM »
Color scheme still needs a little work (as seen here http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php?action=unread) and the Quick Reply box has lost its Code Toolbar, but so far so good.

Kudos, Nathan, for finally upgrading ;)

Allan

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2010, 03:41:17 AM »
Great job Nathan - thanks for the hard work!

Allan

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2010, 03:46:47 AM »
One thing I've noticed is that if I click on "show all my posts" I'm taken to my profile page.

Computer Hope Admin

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2010, 05:01:35 AM »
Thanks for the replies.

Color scheme still needs a little work (as seen here http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php?action=unread) and the Quick Reply box has lost its Code Toolbar, but so far so good.
...

Thanks, the color scheme has been updated. I've got the quick reply in the back of my mind, that takes a bit of work to implement so it's on the back burner for a bit.

One thing I've noticed is that if I click on "show all my posts" I'm taken to my profile page.

Thanks, should be working properly now. They've changed the URL structure.
Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.
-Albert Einstein

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #6 on: September 25, 2010, 05:46:12 AM »
Looking good  ;)
For when the One Great Scorer comes
To write against your name,
He marks - not that you won or lost,
But how you played the game.

Owner of www.spaceandscience.co.uk and YouTube partner http://www.youtube.com/user/mulreay

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #7 on: September 25, 2010, 07:32:45 AM »
brilliant changes , the topic solved button is a great add-on and also the new profile i'm still finding more

quaxo



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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #8 on: September 25, 2010, 07:47:54 AM »
I don't know if this is because of the changes with SMF 2.0, or something else. When I tried to vote on the poll from the main page this month I got this:

"Session verification failed. Please try logging out and back in again, and then try again."

However, when I vote in the thread itself and not from the main page, it works fine. I never had this issue before now.

Other than that, I think the forums are quite nice. It's a subtle change, not a drastic one, and overall functionality of the forums remains the same and I think that's excellent.

patio

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #9 on: September 25, 2010, 08:01:47 AM »
Nice work Nathan...
" Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

Computer Hope Admin

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #10 on: September 25, 2010, 08:21:02 AM »
I don't know if this is because of the changes with SMF 2.0, or something else. When I tried to vote on the poll from the main page this month I got this:

"Session verification failed. Please try logging out and back in again, and then try again."

However, when I vote in the thread itself and not from the main page, it works fine. I never had this issue before now.

Thanks on comments and this does appear to be a 2.0 issue. I'm looking into it.
Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.
-Albert Einstein

quaxo



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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #11 on: September 25, 2010, 08:25:43 AM »
I forgot to mention I did NOT log out and back in again before voting in the thread itself, as the error suggested I should. I just went straight to the poll thread and voted. Not that it matters I guess, but just wanted to throw that in there.

Allan

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #12 on: September 25, 2010, 12:10:30 PM »
Nathan
Thanks on comments and this does appear to be a 2.0 issue. I'm looking into it.
As you can see in this post, it's difficult to recognize quoted text as being different from original text in a post except for the fact that it is indented. Can it be highlighted or differentiated in some other manner?

quaxo



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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2010, 12:22:15 PM »
Is it not showing that for you? Not quite sure what you mean. Quoted text seems to look like it always does, in a light blueish-grey box.

Allan

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Re: Forum updated to SMF 2.0
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2010, 12:23:05 PM »
I see it in IE but not in Firefox