Temporary forum

[TosaInu]

This is temporary.

[TosaInu]

Hello,

The host moved the forum software (SQL server was already moved earlier this week), to another account. This should have been an interruption of say top 60 minutes. The host neatly adjusted some configuration files, but somewhere something messes up. The cryptic CGI messages are usually enough to spot and fix within a few minutes. But I'm clueless now. I'm busy getting the old forum back.

The move was unannounced to me, and occured while I was asleep. Had to leave early this morning too (still unaware of the situation), so you've been hours without forum. I'm very sorry for that.

In the meanwhile you'll use this newer standard version. It makes use of the same database. There are missing bits and there may also be a function which tries to store/retrieve information out of the database. As this new version may expect an updated database, some fields may be missing.

The old forum will hopefully be back soon, I can't promis whether that will be the end of our misery. It may be possible that we have to use new forumsoftware.

[Ser Clegane]

*looks arouns in amazement* "Hey, this place has changed"

Thanks a lot for all the work you invest in this forum, Tosa - it's occasions like these that make happy users like me realize once more that there are people like you who spend a lot of their free time to keep this site running

[JAG]

Looks very similar, good job.

[scooter_the_shooter]

i didnt notice until i saw things were in different places

[TosaInu]

Depends how you came here. ~

The original moved board is broken. I fail to fix it. So I quickly made a temporary forum using the original database (Ikonboard 3.1.2a which has a very different standard skin).
You come here by using the link
https://forums.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/.../ikonboard.cgi

I'm also working on restoring the 3.1.1 forum with all the extras: https://forums.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi (this will take some time and you've waited long enough).

The host made a redirect to this one when the old address is used http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi

I'm working on that board, so you'll experience brief interruptions. Plan was to shield it from users, but that's not working yet.

The 3.1.2 version is standard and displays the private warnings. As private things will remain private: those warnings are waved.

[Teutonic Knight]

excellent work so far Tosa, we're all thankful for the time you invest in keeping this place up and running...

[TosaInu]

[Gregoshi]

You know Tosa, I like that "quick post" feature on the standard Ikonboard. Could we add it to our version of the forums? What do others think?

I also like that green cyclops "post icon" and the "raised eye brow" smilie. Can we have them too?

[TosaInu]

There is an hack to add quick reply to this version. Those smileys are indeed cute, and there are more. They should be as large as the ones we use. No problem with me then.

The old forum is about restored. The old URLS will still work as there's a redirect (the http://www.totalwar ones that point to another topic). Please let me know when they don't work.

The Search function is updated, it should fix some problems. Will stay in contact with the host about it. The Search is still an extensive function and it should therefore be limited. I'm looking to get some sort of floodcontrol there. Not so much that it will be impossible for you to find topics, but just enough to keep the server happy. Another policy may be to prune the Tavern topics (up to say 1 month).

I'm still not sure whether we will be able to continue using this board. Things grow and develop and there's more server friendly software (there will be major updates for this board soon too). I will keep you updated and hope this was the last unexpected surprise.

Enjoy the forums.

[Gregoshi]

Excellent work Tosa. Thank you very much.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Erm...what has changed? It all looks the same to me...

[frogbeastegg]

The org looks the same becasue it has been fixed up, at least that is what I presume. Earlier in the day everything went dull blue, the board displayed fewer topics and posts per page, the avatars were displaying all squashed, the boards were out of the normal order, mods and admin weren't colour coded, the smilies were broken, the loading was slower - it was not good. You don't know how modified and customised the org is until you see it in standard iconboard form, I've certainly got a new appreciation for the board skin.

My geisha avatar thans you for your work, TosaInu, logging on to find one obese geisha was a disturbing experience

[TosaInu]

Hello,

I received this mail from the host this morning.


Hi,

Thanks for trying to improve the codebase. However, even with the forums running on a pretty much unused box, the forum still crashed the server. We're running out of options to improve the situation and we're going to have to shut the forum down pretty soon if this keeps happening. Sorry, but we just can't spend these kind of resources to support a perl-based board.

We've pretty much run out of options to continue with this software. There are two last things at the moment we can do, but that's probably only buying us some time.
We'll need time to acquire, install, modify and transfer posts to a new board.

Real life is calling me now for a few hours, but will return later today.

[TonkaToys]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ July 15 2004,09:27)]
...we're going to have to shut the forum down pretty soon if this keeps happening. Sorry, but we just can't spend these kind of resources to support a perl-based board.

That sounds like it could be serious... is there anything any of us can do to help?
Perl coding, finding new forum software, financial donations, web hosting, etc?
I'm sure the readers of this forum will want to do everything we can to help.

Keep up the good work Tosa.

[TosaInu]

Hello TonkaToys,

With forum they mean this software. When this software is shut down, another board will take it over on this site. There are plenty packages around and there are convertors. Which means, in the worst case, that the forum will be down for a day (or a slimmed down forum will remain open), the current topics, posts and polls will be imported into a database that can be read by the new software and then the new board will be opened. Same content different layout. It will probably take quite some time to customize it like this one.

I'll move some old Tavern topics to a backup: deleting some 80,000 posts will give us some time to set up the new stuff (either the new version of this board or a PHP board).

Suggestions for new software are welcome. Financial donations and webhosting aren't required. Thanks for the support.

[TosaInu]

It's busy deleting topics. It will take a while. You should be able to use the forums now.

[TosaInu]

It's nasty.

[econ21]

I sympathise with your problems, Tosa, and thanks for providing such amazing fora - not having access even for a short while makes me realise how much I appreciate it.

I am not sure if it is related but the PBM uploader in the throne room seems to have problems. I and others tried to download two files (Eg the Frenchdynastly1132.zip) but got only a link to a gif file. That specific file could be downloaded before, so I think the problem might be related to recent troubles with the forum.

[TosaInu]

I have a clue. The file isn't there. I have a clue.

[TosaInu]

Hello Simon Appleton, it was not related but required a fix nevertheless. The directory was full, so it couldn't be uploaded. Please ask the person to upload again.