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Forum Software Update

Started by Dennis Markham, December 21, 2013, 07:54:08 PM

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TelePlay

Quote from: Mr. Bones on December 25, 2013, 08:57:53 AM
. . . I'll happily post a tutorial on editing replies down to the essentials . . .

That is a good point. Almost always a "quote" reply only refers to one point in the long post being quoted.

And, the reply button only at the end is fine for how can one really reply to a post in a topic thread until they have read the last comment?

IMHO, the quote and reply buttons are fine as they are now.

Just as cropping and sizing photos before posting them should be the norm, the norm for posting a quoted reply should be text editing so the next reader sees the point being made.

AE_Collector

#136
Quote from: TelePlay on December 25, 2013, 09:48:30 AM
That is a good point. Almost always a "quote" reply only refers to one point in the long post being quoted.

That is my thought as well.This is all my opinion only so any other thoughts are more than welcome to generate discussion.

I feel that in a way we are all contributing to a "story" here, a story about old/antique phones that in theory could survive in some form forever. Thus there is a reason to make the story a "good read" for each of us here now and in the future.

A good post adds to the discussion and may quote a previous post to clarify the exact part of the previous post that the reply is referring to....if necessary. Therefore if a quote is included it almost certainly should be stripped down to a sentence or two only, not the entire previous post. Doing this makes reading the topic a much better read.

If feel that if someone is writing something here they need to keep in mind that hundreds or thousands of people may invest their time in reading these comments in the future and with that in mind, one should probably spend a few extra seconds or a minute when writing their post to ensure that their comments are clear and easy to read. That would preclude doing a quote of the preceding post that is a paragraphs long. No one is going to actually re-read the post that was quoted in its entirety but they are going to have to take the extra fractions of a second scrolling past it all to get to the points in the new post and then they may have to pause to try to determine just which part of the preceding page long post your comments are referring to.

When replying to the very last post in a thread there is almost no reason to quote at all unless identifying via a very short quote the specific part of the post that you are referring to. I frequently remove unnecessary quotes from people's posts here just to save storage space and make the thread more readable. I have always felt that many of these quotes exist because the only easy way to add your two cents to a topic as you read through the posts is to use the quote button on the post since there isn't a reply button. If you wait until you get to the end of the topic where the reply button is you may have lost the thought by then. I would prefer to see one of each buttons on each post even though there is some validity to the thought that you should have read the entire topic before replying.

I have posted to a topic thinking that I was at the end of the discussion without realizing that there is another page of replies still to read. After reading these newer replies I see that my reply is now irrelevant so then I either modify or delete my post. I like the fact that we are able to modify our posts at any time whereas some other forums have a short timer for editing that expires preventing any further modifications to a post.

Terry

DavePEI

#137
One thing I noticed tonight with larger photos, is they no longer open in a new window as they used to when clicked on. e.g. the payphone photo in:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=10805.new#new

Now, it is an over-sized photo, but using the older version of the software, if you clicked on it, it would have opened up a new window with the larger photo - seems to me even with his version it did until a couple of days ago.

However, not it just expands the photo as much as it can, and half of the photo is off the right hand side of the screen... Before, it would open up a new window over the main one showing the photo, and the photo could be scrolled to view all in that window. Click it again, the window closed and back to the default size. This makes if difficult to see/show details where necessary.

If the user has a long handle such as WesternElectricBen, it spaces it even more off the right hand side of the screen. There is still a scroll bar below the photo, but there is less screen space to show what is visible since the photo doesn't begin until after the area reserved for user information on the left.

Is there an option to allow the oversize photos to open in a new browser window as before?

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

Dave Zemens

Quote from: DavePEI on December 26, 2013, 04:35:03 AM
One thing I noticed tonight with larger photos, is they no longer open in a new window as they used to when clicked on. e.g. the payphone photo in:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=10805.new#new
I noticed that change too Dave. After a quick check of the configuration settings in the admin area of the forum I don't see any behavior that will make those images open in a new window.
Dave Zemens
1955 Design | Rochester, Michigan
Website Design & Development
Custom WordPress Themes & Plugins

DavePEI

#139
Quote from: Dave Zemens on December 26, 2013, 06:23:33 AM
I noticed that change too Dave. After a quick check of the configuration settings in the admin area of the forum I don't see any behavior that will make those images open in a new window.
Could it have been the change in default size of images showing on the forum as per your message to me December 23, 2013, 11:52:36 AM? I( always thought that setting only changed the display size of the image tags HTML-wise, its width="", height="" as it displays on the page, and didn't actually alter the physical size of the image..

Dave H.
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

Dave Zemens

It might have been, but that tweak seems to make the images available to folks using Internet Explorer - or at least it might be a factor in their ability to see the images.

Everything is a trade off with website programming. Every site visitor has different browser software, different device sizes (let alone the move to handheld devices), different resolutions on their monitors, different settings within their particular browser, etc.

It's a nightmare. :-)
Dave Zemens
1955 Design | Rochester, Michigan
Website Design & Development
Custom WordPress Themes & Plugins

Dennis Markham

#141
Dave (PEI) you're on the right track with "Height = X" and "Width = X".  I had increased those values a few days ago because a member was having trouble uploading a photo.  He kept getting an error message saying that the photo didn't pass "security" or some such language.  He e-mailed the photo to me and I also got the same error message.  I increased the parameters of the height/width values thinking his photo was too large---which it wasn't.  I thought the parameters in the settings was a restriction on the size allowed by the software during upload.

Changing the values this morning, the payphone photo opens in a new pane but appears sideways.  But looking at another, random photo on the forum....

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=10085.0

The photo in reply #35, the two Brown phones opens in a new pane and is positioned properly---on my browser.

The question is, what are the appropriate values that should be put in for Height & Width?  A "0" disables all limitations but does not allow the photo to open in a separate pane.

Currently:  W=1000, H= 950


TelePlay

#142
Quote from: DavePEI on December 26, 2013, 04:35:03 AM
One thing I noticed tonight with larger photos, is they no longer open in a new window as they used to when clicked on. e.g. the payphone photo in:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=10805.new#new

Well, using Firefox on my notebook machine, I clicked on the link which opened up in a new window as usual, then clicked on the photo and it opened up in a new window but the photo was rotated 90 degrees and squished. Clicking on that squished photo expanded it to full size and correct aspect in that box. Screen shot attached.

But, the 2nd, 3rd and 5th photo in this contest exhibit the expand in window and cut off on right side DavePEI noticed in his post about this.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=10248.0


Seems to be too many moving parts at times, doesn't it?  ;)

DavePEI

Hi Dennis:

As you say now, which sizes would be appropriate. I notice the original photo appears oriented correctly in IE now but as you say, sideways in Firefox. It is almost as though it fits into the provided space better sideways. At any rate, it is now possible to easily view it to see the details, and I guess that is the main thing we were looking for. As Dave Z. says, there are so many differences between different browsers, we will never get it perfect. I guess the main thing is to try to ensure as many users as possible will see it correctly.. Thanks,

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

Dennis Markham

So Dave, do you think it is better to leave the variables at "0" for no restriction, or leave it with X values which means occasionally a photo may appear "sideways"?  In the current configuration, at least on my Firefox browser most of the photos, when enlarged open in the new pane and are positioned correctly.  With "0" values, the photos enlarge, positioned properly but do not open in a separate pane.  The result could be the edge cut off as you explained earlier.  However when I see them the edge is not cut off.  Maybe because of the wide monitor that I have?? 

~Dennis

DavePEI

Quote from: Dennis Markham on December 26, 2013, 09:01:26 AM
So Dave, do you think it is better to leave the variables at "0" for no restriction, or leave it with X values which means occasionally a photo may appear "sideways"?  In the current configuration, at least on my Firefox browser most of the photos, when enlarged open in the new pane and are positioned correctly.  With "0" values, the photos enlarge, positioned properly but do not open in a separate pane.  The result could be the edge cut off as you explained earlier.  However when I see them the edge is not cut off.  Maybe because of the wide monitor that I have?? 

~Dennis
Why don't we leave it is now, and try it for a few days... My monitor is set for 1280x1024, and there will be lots with narrower screens, so this might be the best option. As you say, most photos now display correctly.... Seems there is no "Magic" answer which will work with all, but this isn't oo bad...

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

TelePlay

#146
This is the link where I tried to downsize the photos, all 5 of them. Did so on the first 3 but could not upload the last 2 (got the security error) so put the full sized photos back up. The smaller ones open up in the same window but the right side is cut off. Are they cut off for you on your wide screen, Dennis? The last two open up in a new window and are not rotated (all in Firefox).

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=10812.msg115462#msg115462

Dave Zemens

@Dennis: Where are you modifying those settings at?
Dave Zemens
1955 Design | Rochester, Michigan
Website Design & Development
Custom WordPress Themes & Plugins

Dennis Markham

Dave...

Admin>Features & Options>Layout

Dennis Markham

@John, the 1st three open in the same window (on the page) but enlarge and are not cut off.  The last 2 open in a separate pane.