Org Issues and Improvements

As noted in the Org Admin thread, Sigurd, therother, and I are currently responsible for handling the technical side of the Org. We're still getting our bearings and this forum is very complex, so it may take us a while to get to grips with everything. We could use the help of every single member to ensure that the forum works properly and is as efficient as it could be. As such, I would like to formally request that everyone please notify us of anything you see, anywhere on the Org, that is broken, works oddly, or otherwise seems to be wrong or glitchy in any way. In addition, please also tell us if there is anything about the physical structure, layout, or features of the Org that you think could be improved. You can respond by posting in this thread, or by PMing us.

Thank you very much in advance for your help; without you guys the Org wouldn't exist. :bow:

Oh crap read this before the announcement :(

This is minor in context, but it has annoyed me for some time now. The "mark forum read" function doesn't seem to work consistently throughout the board. I don't know if this is skin-related or not (I use the earthy-colored "Guild" skin).

At least one forum works as the function should (I can't remember which one specifically at the moment): there is immediate visual feedback on the thread list, where all unread threads are marked read, without requiring a refresh. A great many forums do not work this way.

Hopefully this isn't skin-related, as multiple skins would multiply testing and fixing. I suggest trying this function on each forum and sub-forum, starting with the Guild skin since I know that the problem occurs with it, and noting which work as expected and which do not, then noting the settings of one that works correctly, and setting all the other fora up the same way.

I'll edit this post with information about which forums seem to work as expected and which do not, with more details, later.

EDIT1: example, the Front Room. I select Mark Forum Read and click, and nothing happens. The drop-down remains. If I then back out of the FR and return, the threads still seem unread. If I then refresh the browser, they all are marked read.

Iirc, the Watchtower works properly, but I need to confirm this and there are no unread threads for me in here at the moment.

EDIT2: The forums that work correctly are the new TWS2 forums. When I select "mark forum read," the drop-down list clears, and all the unread threads instantly lose their bold text, without me having to click my browser's refresh button. Many of the older forums do not work this way.

1. When trying to find a person's posts in a specific thread, by clicking on the number of posts in that thread from the sub-forum the thread is in, I can get the number of posts and by whom, but when I click on their number across from their name, it does not consistently return a search of just their posts in just that thread. Often times it returns all their posts. That search function has been broken for.... almost a year now. For me, anyway.

2. I cannot delete private message receipts except manually, one by one, clicking on each box. There should be a box that allows me to select all of them and delete all of them.

The org is in good hands. :bow:

Good luck guys, I'll be sure to keep an eye out and report whatever I see.

Most of the issues I see are with the STW template/theme. There is invisible text on the member profile page. Also code tags look like this:

Code:

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Do I need glasses?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Asai Nagamasa

Most of the issues I see are with the STW template/theme. There is invisible text on the member profile page.

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Yeah, the default text, border and button colors seem to blend with the STW theme. I've changed the text color on my profile page and it shows up just fine.

Ah yes, some of the default settings are for "transparent" text. Either a glitch or an error.

I've fixed it on mine but the defaults need sorting out.

:bow:

//edit: I found more transparent text in the "tabs" at the top:

Home | Forum | Blogs | What's New? | Board | Files | Multiplayer

When you mouse over the last 3 menus the text label disappears.

There are actual problems with uploading pics, probably you know already, but I better repeat it.

I need a working upload, so I can add pics to the MP-guides and blog. Andres tried it too and he couldnt get it to work.


There is also a safari problem, once you go to your settings. You cant see anything, some words are simply "hidden".... it looks wrong and broken.
With Fire Fox it works.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kocmoc

There are actual problems with uploading pics, probably you know already, but I better repeat it.

I need a working upload, so I can add pics to the MP-guides and blog. Andres tried it too and he couldnt get it to work.

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Can you give more details on this? What upload system are you using and what errors are occurring?

Quote:

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There is also a safari problem, once you go to your settings. You cant see anything, some words are simply "hidden".... it looks wrong and broken.
With Fire Fox it works.

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Can you post screenshots of this?

A few suggestions:

- auto check the "Remember Me?" and "Request a read receipt for this message" boxes: they used to be checked by default.
- remove Campus Martius and Sakura for TWS2 from View Forum Leaders.
- When I mouse over Board, Files and Multiplayer on the top bar the text goes black, making it unreadable in the STW skin. - We should have more of these on the top bar, bring out hidden links to fun stuff like the wiki and arcade. Is there anything more going under Multiplayer?
- The two entries under files are probably important enough to be brought out into the open, ie uploads and downloads.
- Substantially increase the size of PM boxes? We have plenty of resources, no need to scrimp.
- Ditto for attachments?
- I get this when I'm using IE7 on all skins:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://www.europabarbarorum.com/i/t.../ieproblem.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Togakure

This is minor in context, but it has annoyed me for some time now. The "mark forum read" function doesn't seem to work consistently throughout the board. I don't know if this is skin-related or not (I use the earthy-colored "Guild" skin).

At least one forum works as the function should (I can't remember which one specifically at the moment): there is immediate visual feedback on the thread list, where all unread threads are marked read, without requiring a refresh. A great many forums do not work this way.

Hopefully this isn't skin-related, as multiple skins would multiply testing and fixing. I suggest trying this function on each forum and sub-forum, starting with the Guild skin since I know that the problem occurs with it, and noting which work as expected and which do not, then noting the settings of one that works correctly, and setting all the other fora up the same way.

I'll edit this post with information about which forums seem to work as expected and which do not, with more details, later.

EDIT1: example, the Front Room. I select Mark Forum Read and click, and nothing happens. The drop-down remains. If I then back out of the FR and return, the threads still seem unread. If I then refresh the browser, they all are marked read.

Iirc, the Watchtower works properly, but I need to confirm this and there are no unread threads for me in here at the moment.

EDIT2: The forums that work correctly are the new TWS2 forums. When I select "mark forum read," the drop-down list clears, and all the unread threads instantly lose their bold text, without me having to click my browser's refresh button. Many of the older forums do not work this way.

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I have investigated this, and found the cause. It is not skin-related. It happens in any forum that has a subforum. If you click Mark Read from the Forum Tools, the threads DO get marked read, but the page does not reload so you do not see the unread icons disappear. If you manually hit reload, they will shift over to read icons (as they will if you browse away and come back). A bit of research indicates this may be caused by a conflict with another plugin. I will try and figure out what is causing it, but in the meantime just manually hit refresh after clicking the button and it will work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Askthepizzaguy

2. I cannot delete private message receipts except manually, one by one, clicking on each box. There should be a box that allows me to select all of them and delete all of them.

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I have added the ability to mass-select all PM receipts on the same page, so it works the same now as mass-deleting PMs. There is a little check box in the top right of the read receipts list. Check it and all receipts on that page will be selected. At least, that's how it's supposed to work. Please report any bugs with it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TinCow

I have added the ability to mass-select all PM receipts on the same page, so it works the same now as mass-deleting PMs. There is a little check box in the top right of the read receipts list. Check it and all receipts on that page will be selected. At least, that's how it's supposed to work. Please report any bugs with it.

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Tested, worked. Didn't notice any issues. :bow:

This is a minor point, but there are some official headings, titles, and descriptions in the TWS2 section that are still listed as S2TW or Shogun 2: Total War. As CA has officially designated the game to be Total War: Shogun 2 and not the other way around, I think it's bad form to have it listed as anything aside from the official designation.

Did we get them all?

Board was down for 10 mins while we backed up the database. Sorry for any inconvenience.

It seems like the board auto-resizes images hosted on other domains for display purposes. If i go into "advanced reply" mode, i can see them in their actual size, but when looking at the thread in normal viewing they've at least appear to be resized. This doesn't seem the case in the Frontroom, but is certainly the case in the Tea House.

Any chance this can be removed, or is there a setting i'm missing? :confused:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Monk

It seems like the board auto-resizes images hosted on other domains for display purposes. If i go into "advanced reply" mode, i can see them in their actual size, but when looking at the thread in normal viewing they've at least appear to be resized. This doesn't seem the case in the Frontroom, but is certainly the case in the Tea House.

Any chance this can be removed, or is there a setting i'm missing? :confused:

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Please post a link to an example of this, so that I can experiment.

I will note that it's a bad idea to simply leave image size unrestricted. The forums used to have a setting like that and extra-large images would throw thread sizing completely out of whack and make it harder to read. If it's possible to tie the scaling image size to the size of each individual person's frames, I will try and do so.

I think the uploader needs to be updated to take into account the faster internet speeds of nowadays, specifically with regard to save files. Medieval II save files are very small by modern standards, usually only a few megabytes. Yet we are required to compress them to upload them in order to save about a megabyte of space. Granted it's a small inconvenience, but the gains are no negligible that I think it would be wise to raise the size limit for the uploader so we don't have to bother with compressing such small files.

Incidentally, congratulations to you and Sigurd. Just as there is sorrow at losing a good man, so too is there joy in knowing that there are those who can fill the void left behind.

Perhaps someone could update the Org FAQ?

Also, is therother another Technical Administrator? If so.. Congratulations!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TinCow

Please post a link to an example of this, so that I can experiment.

I will note that it's a bad idea to simply leave image size unrestricted. The forums used to have a setting like that and extra-large images would throw thread sizing completely out of whack and make it harder to read. If it's possible to tie the scaling image size to the size of each individual person's frames, I will try and do so.

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Auto-resized
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...post2053288074

Actual size
http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/57...2D8E4D68FE525/

Quote:

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Perhaps someone could update the Org FAQ?

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It's on my (ever increasing) list of things to do. I've updated about 20% of it up till now.

Quote:

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Also, is therother another Technical Administrator? If so.. Congratulations!

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Thanks. TBH, I think they just didn't want me to pester them about member group permissions and whatnot for the FAQ...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cecil XIX

I think the uploader needs to be updated to take into account the faster internet speeds of nowadays, specifically with regard to save files. Medieval II save files are very small by modern standards, usually only a few megabytes. Yet we are required to compress them to upload them in order to save about a megabyte of space. Granted it's a small inconvenience, but the gains are no negligible that I think it would be wise to raise the size limit for the uploader so we don't have to bother with compressing such small files.

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I agree with this. The uploader has been locked down to file compression, and given the vast resources of the server we're on, I don't think that's really necessary anymore. I will remove all limitations on the filetypes that can be uploaded. I'm also working on making the entire system a bit more accessible.

Would it be possible to display announcements on the main guild page: https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/index.php

As it is now they only appear once you've opened a sub-forum. Sometimes (with quick news like incoming backups) it feels like they're easy to miss.

There's no built in way to do that, we'd need a code modification. Best we can do for now is to use the CMS article highlighting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by therother

There's no built in way to do that, we'd need a code modification. Best we can do for now is to use the CMS article highlighting.

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Ah, a shame then. :bow:

Thanks for clarification.

A found a different function (notices) that works similarly, and have added an announcement about the screenshot contest.

There is an odd issue with markup that the forum generates for forum listings (forumdisplay.php?$forum_id-name/page$page) when it contains moved threads. For some reason the forum software injects ETX (0x3) characters in the markup for the thread summary and tooltip. This suggests a more serious bug with the forum software because ETX is a non-printable ASCII control character dating back to the olden-days of teletypes and it is not supposed to surface in normal data.

To illustrate what I mean, the forum markup for a moved thread looks like (where ETX is the single character 0x3 rather than the string "ETX"):

Code:

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<div class="threadinfo" title="ETX">
  <!-- stuff -->
  <div class="threadmeta">
    <p class="threaddesc">ETX</p>
    <!-- stuff -->
  </div>
</div>

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For example if you go to https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forum...prune=-1&pp=30
And break out your hexeditor, use it to search for the char sequence of "Tactic" you will find:
https://img848.imageshack.us/img848/3140/prop1.png

I saw what you did there, it works very well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Asai Nagamasa

Most of the issues I see are with the STW template/theme. There is invisible text on the member profile page. Also code tags look like this:

Code:

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Do I need glasses?

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Both of these should be fixed now.