Si Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 Hi, Happy new year to everyone. Now my moan. Since the move to this forum (which so many have raved about), I've left it a few weeks to see how it goes, but am convinced I'm not getting as much use/benefit out of this forum as I did from the last one. Reasons: 1) I view the forum in between my normal work and so login in the mornings. I then see all of the posts that are new since I was here before clearly marked. Great!. Then I have to attend to a customer. Come back a few minutes later and I'm logged out of the forum. I log back in. I now have no idea of what posts I've read or not read as the system only shows me the new forum posts since I last logged in, (not read). 2) Why does it never know and mark automatically what sections I've read completely. I usually have to go back into, as example, Feature Requests, click on Forum Tools, and select the Mark this Forum Read, before I can move on. 3) I'm convinced I don't receive all of the emails for the threads I'm subscribed to. There are others, but overall, I have to say, the functionality of the previous forum was better. This might be 'technically' superior, but thats not always the best thing imho. Si 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 While I do agree that there are a few minor issues with the setup of this forum, it far outweighs the bennefits of switching back to phpbb. I think the cookie settings need to be looked over, but I can't give any advice because I have never administered Vb before. But I do agree with the three problems outlined above. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isdoo Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 I used to have issues on posts being marked read, when I hadn't on the old forum - sadly I still have the same issue now - and I have moved onto a new laptop, so it is not a cookie issue with me. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 Come back a few minutes later and I'm logged out of the forum. I log back in. Not sure why it would log you out, but it did have cookies set to end the session at 15 minutes of inactivity, so that might be causing it. Since that's how the forum is set to show forums as read, it's been increased to an hour instead. See if that helps. Honestly, if you're still not reading after an hour, maybe you were too busy to read just then. 2) Why does it never know and mark automatically what sections I've read completely. I usually have to go back into, as example, Feature Requests, click on Forum Tools, and select the Mark this Forum Read, before I can move on. I haven't experienced that, but then again, I read using "new posts" typically, marking the whole forum read once I'm done. 3) I'm convinced I don't receive all of the emails for the threads I'm subscribed to. That used to happen to me with much more frequency when we were on PHPBB. I haven't noticed any that I haven't received but should have, so perhaps it's something in the MTA at your end or along the way to you? Another way to check if there's been activity in subscribed threads is to view your "user CP". It's on the main landing page for the CP, as well as there being a link to show all. Maybe that would help track if you're missing emails. Let us know. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si Posted January 1, 2008 Author Share Posted January 1, 2008 Not sure why it would log you out, but it did have cookies set to end the session at 15 minutes of inactivity, so that might be causing it. Since that's how the forum is set to show forums as read, it's been increased to an hour instead. See if that helps. Honestly, if you're still not reading after an hour, maybe you were too busy to read just then. Thanks bear. The hour extension will probably help. However, one question: Why does the cookie that logs you out of the forum also mark all forum posts read? Is there not a session cookie to log you out and another cookie which sits alive and shows you (whenever you log in at any time), forum posts that haven't been opened in my browser? Seems strange that its linked to the login cookie. Sounds like the forum can only show posts 'since last visited' as opposed to 'read or unread'. I haven't experienced that, but then again, I read using "new posts" typically, marking the whole forum read once I'm done. I'll try that and let you know if it helps. That used to happen to me with much more frequency when we were on PHPBB. I haven't noticed any that I haven't received but should have, so perhaps it's something in the MTA at your end or along the way to you? Another way to check if there's been activity in subscribed threads is to view your "user CP". It's on the main landing page for the CP, as well as there being a link to show all. Maybe that would help track if you're missing emails. Let us know. Did receive 4-5 other emails this morning, but your reply bear, (despite me having viewed this forum thread again prior to your post), didn't come through to me. Some do, some don't. Definitely. Thanks for the replies on New Years Day! Si 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 Why does the cookie that logs you out of the forum also mark all forum posts read? Is there not a session cookie to log you out and another cookie which sits alive and shows you (whenever you log in at any time), forum posts that haven't been opened in my browser? Seems strange that its linked to the login cookie.There is only one cookie set, the session one. This is what currently determines inactivity timeouts for the purpose of marking posts read. It also appears to control user login as well. Sounds like the forum can only show posts 'since last visited' as opposed to 'read or unread'.If you log out without marking read, it shows these posts that *were* new when you were logged in as "since you last visited". This is determined by a different setting, which will not mark threads/posts as seen until 10 days have passed (I believe). Did receive 4-5 other emails this morning, but your reply bear, (despite me having viewed this forum thread again prior to your post), didn't come through to me.Some do, some don't. Definitely. I did get the notice you'd replied. Very odd that you don't. Of course, email has loads of things that can go wrong en-route. I'll keep an eye on it, and if I see that some of mine is also not arriving, maybe I can figure out why. Thanks for the replies on New Years Day! No worries . I work all the time, holidays or not. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uberhost Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 Since that's how the forum is set to show forums as read, it's been increased to an hour instead. Thanks, bear! This has affected me as well, since it seems just when I'm using the "New Posts" function, that's precisely when I have a Live Help request, lol. With the new setting it shouldn't be a problem, so thanks again mate. Happy New Year! Rick 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPH Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 With VB you need to check "remember me" when you log in. You will not get logged out again unless you log out or clear cookies 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHGreg Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 I have administered VB forums for several years (although not recently), I remember two 'unread posts' options in the VB admin, If I recall correctly. One that sets a time limit (as it is set now) and another option to 'mark read' only the posts a user has clicked on. Changing to this option should solve at least one problem. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 There's three. Inactivity/Cookie Based <== Currently in use @1 hour Database (no automatic forum marking) Database (automatic forum marking) This option controls how threads and forums are marked as read. 1. Inactivity/Cookie Based - once a user has been inactive for a certain amount of time (the value of the session timeout option) all threads and forums are considered read. Individual threads are marked as read within a session via cookies. This option is how all versions of vBulletin before 3.5 functioned. 2. Database (no automatic forum marking) - this option uses the database to store thread and forum read times. This allows accurate read markers to be kept indefinitely. However, in order for a forum to be marked read when all threads are read, the user must view the list of threads for that forum. This option is more space and processor intensive than inactivity-based marking. 3. Database (automatic forum marking) - this option is the same as a previous option, but forums are automatically marked as read when the last new thread is read. This is the most usable option for end users, but most processor intensive. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHMCS CEO Matt Posted January 1, 2008 WHMCS CEO Share Posted January 1, 2008 The forum settings have now been altered to use option 3. This is being done on a trial basis to see what kind of affect it has (if any) on page load times and the server in general. If it needs changing again, we'll update this thread. Matt 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generic Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 also noticed at least one of the forums "Tips, Tricks & Howto's " is defaulted to thread title and ascending rather than last post and decending. i cant find a setting i can adjust except fot changint it EVERY time i go to thet forum. is there an admin setting you can use to make it the same as the others? i saw this one other place but cant find it again. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 No idea why that one was different (and Matt may have wanted it that way?), but it's now set like all the others. Thanks for mentioning it! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 The User contributions forum also does the same - default sorting by thread title. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 No it doesn't. ...now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHMCS CEO Matt Posted January 2, 2008 WHMCS CEO Share Posted January 2, 2008 This was intended - when looking through for tips and tricks and contributions, doesn't matter what order they were posted in - it's easier to find what you're looking for in alphabetical order. Matt 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 I had a feeling that may be the case - but I think last post sorting makes sense for the contributions forum. 'Dead' items which aren't being supported / updated any more fall to the bottom, while ones which people are being updated and people are using stay at the top. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JofleyUK Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I just like the fact that WHMCS's forums are active and that staff actively post in them for problems and feedback. Hail MATT!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railto Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I just like the fact that WHMCS's forums are active and that staff actively post in them for problems and feedback. Hail MATT!! I agree here (not something i like doing but hey) the forums here have been a life saver to so many ppl, myself included, the forums for the software that i used before were nothing compared to this, it was actually on those forums that i was told about here, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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