3 replies to this topic

[YankeeRebel]

First, congrats on all the work that has gone into this and continues to. I have a similar project in progress that's not quite at the test phase yet. I am going to remember that coffee, food, and sleep will all help.

I know you answered a question about printing early on. (I occasionally like to print a page of a forum to read later.) But when I click the print icon, I get a nasty-looking page of graphics and links but no posts, and an "Error on page" message in the lower left of the IE8 window. The download icon delivers the same results, just in more steps ;-)

Thanks and hang in there. This too shall pass.

[Dom Curry]

redpencil -- That icon means there is a poll in the topic. I think it's probably the most non-inuitive image in the set (which, seriously, is saying something), and I want to switch it out. Which I think I may be able to do myself but that is probably a project for the weekend. But man, it's an awful icon.

Is there a key somewhere to say what the icons mean? And, will you be switching to a better set? The hover text isn't working for the person in the folder icon. Actually, I like that icon. It's one of the few which clearly differentiates itself and has meaning. (As opposed to the red smudge icon, the light blue spades icon, blue tetris icon, and some black&white thing for attachments. I guess it is supposed to be a paper clip, but there's not enough pixels and the artist just gave up.) I would keep the person-in-folder image and re-purpose it to use for forums that I had posted in. I had the same idea that the original poster did about what it meant.

I tried to look for a help page but didn't see a link. The pink signed-in-as box could also be cleared up because the links there are confusing. I think it's a catch-all box for links and they don't match each other.

For instance:
"My Settings" and "My Content" match (although I personally find the "My" prefix unnecessary and a little condescending). But as long as you are putting "My" on things, why don't we also have "My Messenger" and "My Friends"? Look at how the words change when you click on "My Settings" for an example of the confusion that arises when "My" is used. Clicking on "My Settings" brings a page where things are labeled "Your" -- "Your Control Panel", "Your Options". This is inconsistent. Just get rid of the "My" and the "Your" both, IMHO.

The next line in the same box, with the same look (font, color, size) has nothing to do with the first. It's a mix of general links that I read once and then rarely reference -- "Dos & Don'ts", "FAQ"; links that pertain to everyone -- "Members", "Calendar"; and "Search". I don't understand the logic of this line. "Search" should definitely be more prominent, since it's the only link in the pink box that I'd actually use, yet it's placed as an after-thought. I'm trying to remember how it was before the downgrade, and maybe I'm getting confused with other sites, but wasn't "Search" a peer of "Watch Topic", "Add Reply" and "Start New Topic"? Also, wasn't there a search text box that we could immediately type a phrase in?

[Big Bad Wolf]

Thanks so much for the fix regarding links opening a new tab, Strega. That's great.

On the 'look and feel' front, small thing, but I have noticed that on some forums when people have edited a post, the notification of such shows up in a highlighted box. Obviously this is a really unimportant thing to highlight, and it's somewhat distracting when reading a thread. It's not everywhere - as in, it doesn't happen here, or on threads within the general 'Dramas' forum, as far as I can tell - but I've seen it in the latest episode threads in 'Vampire Diaries' and 'Supernatural'.

As this wasn't part of the old look, I'm assuming it's something that will get fixed in time, but just flagging it up here, as this seems to be the place to do it.

[cutecouple]

Noted: In the 'Share this topic:' line, at the end there are icons to print and save threads. They sort of work, except the output contains no thread posts. It would be nice to have that feature, but I think it's been over 5 years since it worked fully. Still, something to fully turn on or off eventually.

[Puds38]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but this is the first time I've encountered this. In this post the links bleed through red.

I'm running the latest version of FF on WinXP

[MarkHB]

Oh, and yes, I hid the snapback & member UBB codes since I was trying to drop stuff that I didn't think we used -- but if I was wrong about that let me know. It's no trouble to put them back in if people find them useful, I was just trying to clear out things that seemed extraneous.

Two that we had in the past that I used were the snapbacks and occasionally the Code blocks, so if those could be re-enabled I'd personally appreciate it. The auto-Member links were new, so it's not such a change if those stay turned off. (I'd have liked them better if they had a bold style attached to them in addition to the link, just because of the name-bolding cultural pattern here.)

[YankeeRebel]

akg asked

Should the print option in a thread be working in any way right now? I get a weirdly formatted page with just headings and what's in the red/pink box. In the past, I really liked that I could get a screen with the first 20 pages (although more would have been nice (or at least some control) in a thread (especially at work, the simple black text on a white background was a little more inconspicuous).

I discovered that if you apply this little "fix"

if you're using IE go to internet options/accessibility and check off "ignore font sizes specified on webpages."

(thanks, randomchance)
you can then print.
However! this does not make printing work using the icon at the bottom of the page. You would need to go into File, Print, blah blah blah.

Interestingly, when I was futzing around with this I just idly for-the-heck-of-it copied some text from a post into MS Word...and discovered that apparently the font size is 1 point?! I wondered if that was the cause of some of the myriad font size problems folks seemed to be having...

[Alexandria Bay]

This is really low priority and maybe not annoying to anyone else, but is it possible to reduce the font size on the "this post was edited by" notice? This thing:

Edited by Alexandria Bay, Apr 24, 2012 @ 7:07 PM.

[FrogsRule]

Strega, may I respectfully ask that the issue of IE8 or 9 + Windows 2007 continuing to get the link-new page error be moved up in priority?

Yesterday someone posted a link. I clicked on it, and it did the usual: Opened a new page, and took TWoP to that new page too. As I usually do, once I finished reading, I closed the external page. However, when I hit the back button on my browser, it happened to be one of those totally annoying sites that disables back button. So I had to close out of that tab completely and restart TWoP.

I feel certain that about 50% (if not more) of TWoP users feel this same frustration. This should have been fixed long ago. Not trying to be ugly, just frustrated. :-)

[Bastet Esq]

Running IE8 on XP, I have two recurring issues (well, three counting my post-upgrade inability to ever be taken directly to the first unread post unless I visit this site with my browser in Compatibility View):

1. In some, but not all, threads with pinned posts, I am taken to a page that has the pinned post, but no other posts. Let's say the last page in the thread is page 100. When I click on the thread and get that pinned post-only page, it will be labeled - at the top of my screen, where it says "[Thread Name] - TWoP Forms - Page [#]" - as page 102 (thus the lack of posts, I suppose, because page 102 has no posts since it doesn't exist in the first place). So I'll have to click on the link to page 100 and scroll down or page back to find the first unread post. This problem is intermittent, as the same thread in which this happened one day can load normally the next.

2. In a few threads that have no pinned posts or any other distinguishing features that I can see, I am taken to the top of the last page of the thread, when the first unread post isn't even on that page, it's on the first page prior. This hasn't happened frequently enough for me to make note of whether it always happens in a particular thread or is intermittent like the above problem.

Invision apparently treats IE like a bastard at a family reunion, but according to reports those enumerated issues are happening to some people on other browsers as well.

Edited by Bastet Esq, Sep 12, 2012 @ 12:34 PM.

[trudi_tru]

On The Voice when I enter the thread to see new posts I get the last page with the header with the link to the weecap and no posts [...]Clearing my cookies fixes the issue in The Voice Forum, but only for the first time I enter it. If I go back without clearing cookies, I get the last page an no posts.

I have the exact same problem. I tried the function Mark Board As Read, but again it only worked the first time.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

There seems to be a glitch in the Movies General Gabbery forum that won't allow new posts to be seen in the Movie Quote Game thread. I'm using Firefox, is this a glitch with the whole forum or just that thread?

[SVNBob]

Is that the menu you're talking about? That's so strange. Anyone else using IE missing the icon on the L&O forum? (It's here, if I'm looking at the right thing.)

I'm not using IE, but I am missing the icon in question, but only when the contents of said forum are marked as read. So the dark yellow icon is there, but not the pale one. And it's the same on the Farscape forum.

[Bastet Esq]

I have my account set to receive a notification when I get a PM, and to get a pop-up of that notification. I just double-checked that I hadn't changed those settings in my sleep, and they remain intact. But the last three notifications I have received have not been accompanied by a pop-up.

(XP/IE8)

[Scorpiosrule]

To add to Bastet Esq, I've never received a pop up, either. Just notice up at the top, next to Messenger, that I have a message.

I have to admit, I miss the pop-ups.

[CoderLady]

A little more info on the disappearing chevron on top-level subforums that Scorpiosrule and Strega were discussing on 9/24 and 9/25: I was in the SciFi & Action Adventure subforum and just for the hell of it clicked the chevron on each of its subforums to clear all their posts. It worked on all except Firefly and Star Trek - the color didn't change to pale yellow. I went inside each of those two and cleared their subforums, then went back up to the SciFi level. The chevrons for those subforums was missing. I'll bet they come back as soon as someone posts in one of their threads.

ETA: No, and worse yet, when I posted in a couple of the Star Trek threads the color of the thread's envelopes didn't change to gold nor did the color on the chevron of the sub-subforum (Enterprise) change. I got the "You posted here" arrow but no color change.

ETA again: Thinking about it, the thread envelope color shouldn't change, but the gold color should propagate up through the subforum chevrons and it isn't.

Edited by CoderLady, Oct 14, 2012 @ 1:47 PM.

[Bastet Esq]

To clarify, it's not that I have never received a pop-up, it's that I have stopped receiving them even though my settings have not changed. (In the initial aftermath of the upgrade, I had the same issue as everyone else where the pop-up was huge and smushed down at the bottom of the screen, but it's only recently that I'm not getting them at all.)

[aquarian1]

I am having a similar issue to what some have already reported, but it only recently started for me. Sometimes, when I click on a thread to "getnewpost" it just takes me to the top of last page. It has been sporadic, but going on for a little while now. I am finally reporting it, because 1) it isn't going away, and 2) I think I figured out the pattern. It seems that if the first unread post is the last on the previous page, it just takes me to the top of the last page. If there is more than one unread post on the previous page, I do not have this problem. I am mostly use Chrome on Windows 7. But it also happens with Chrome on Windows XP and IE8 on Windows XP.

Also, just wondering, are there any new updates on issues/fixes? This thread is still open, and I know there were some shifts in responsibility. Just wondering if things are still being sorted out or if "it is what it is" and I should stop hoping for things.

Edited by aquarian1, Oct 20, 2012 @ 2:30 PM.

[Mary Ann]

I'm experiencing the same issue as aquarian1. Also just started recently. Windows 7/Firefox.

[akg]

Sometimes, when I click on a thread to "getnewpost" it just takes me to the top of last page.

I'm getting this more often also. In the past, it's been the same 1 or 2 threads but now it's happening in at least a dozen places. I'm trying to train myself to always go back a page when I see I've been started at the top so I don't miss anything (which I hate to do. I love the discussion here) and break any rules (which terrifies me) but I'm fighting a lot of years of trusting twop to know where I left off.

It doesn't seem to matter if I'm using the IE (still with compatibility view) at work or the FF at home.

[janie jones]

I mentioned this several weeks ago, but I still am being taken to the first post of the thread when clicking on the "Previous Topic" and "Next Topic" links, despite it being listed as resolved above.<br>

[Bastet Esq]

It seems that if the first unread post is the last on the previous page, it just takes me to the top of the last page. If there is more than one unread post on the previous page, I do not have this problem.

It mostly works that way for me, too, but there have been a few times where it happened even with several unread posts on the previous page. (XP/IE8 for reference) Sorry, I didn't make note of what threads that happened in; I've become sort of numb to these things after months of malfunction.

[akg]

Sorry, I didn't make note of what threads that happened in

I'm not keeping a good list either but I do know the skip to the top of the last page thing has happened to me in the Elementary thread and the Royal Pains thread (neither of which has a pinned post which I think was a theory earlier).

It seems that if the first unread post is the last on the previous page, it just takes me to the top of the last page. If there is more than one unread post on the previous page, I do not have this problem.

I don't think this is true for me. I will try to pay closer attention going forward but I'm pretty sure I've had to scroll up more than one post on the previous page to catch up.

[Scorpiosrule]

This problem still is happening with the General Hospital thread and The View thread, none of which have pinned posts.

I'm always having to go back to the previous page to read the first unread posts.

[Strega]

Y'know, while we're thinking about patterns: when this happens are the posts you've been skipped past recent ones? Or is it inconsistent? Basically, I'm wondering if it could be a micro version of the server nonsen. I'll look for it too but if you're already aware of this... when you go back and realize a getnewpost link skipped over something you never read, is it usually something from just a few minutes ago? Or are there week-old posts that you'd have missed if you didn't page back?

[akg]

when you go back and realize a getnewpost link skipped over something you never read, is it usually something from just a few minutes ago? Or are there week-old posts that you'd have missed if you didn't page back?

For me, it's almost always something within the last few hours (I check in here pretty regularly).

[Scorpiosrule]

For me, it's almost always something within the last few hours (I check in here pretty regularly).

For me too. I'll go a step further and say within an hour or so.

[aquarian1]

I'm not keeping a good list either but I do know the skip to the top of the last page thing has happened to me in the Elementary thread and the Royal Pains thread (neither of which has a pinned post which I think was a theory earlier).

The pinned post issue is actually different. On some threads with a pinned post, you sometimes get taken to a blank page, with just the pinned post and nothing else. Regardless of how many new posts there are. And for me, it is sporadic on some threads with pinned posts, except for The Voice, where it happens every single time.

So, for me at least, the pinned posts issue is different than being taken to the last page of a thread with actual posts in it. The latter of which is sporadic, and across threads. I'll keep an eye to see if it happens more often when I'm checking regularly (like many times while on a conference call, lol) than it does when I go a long time between reading (like over night).

Edited by aquarian1, Oct 25, 2012 @ 7:54 AM.

[scarlett45]

The pinned post issue is actually different. On some threads with a pinned post, you sometimes get taken to a blank page, with just the pinned post and nothing else. Regardless of how many new posts there are. And for me, it is sporadic on some threads with pinned posts, except for The Voice, where it happens every single time.

So, for me at least, the pinned posts issue is different than being taken to the last page of a thread with actual posts in it. The latter of which is sporadic, and across threads. I'll keep an eye to see if it happens more often when I'm checking regularly (like many times while on a conference call, lol) than it does when I go a long time between reading (like over night).

Yes this has been happening to me for weeks in the Candid Reality forum. It happens all the time for the Teen Mom thread.

[Strega]

Thanks folks, it does sound like the pinned posts are one issue, and the servers synching is a second, and they both make getnewpost problematic. Which one is easier to fix is TBD (my hunch is the servers, but we'll see).

Out of curiosity, with pinned posts, do y'all notice any difference when it comes to how recently the post was pinned? Like, do you have a problem in this thread, too? I haven't noticed it here, but I'm just me and it's hard to know if what I see is representative.

As an experiment, I just unpinned and re-pinned the mod post in Teen Mom. I don't honestly expect that will make a difference but it was easy to do and was worth a try, just to see if that resets things, since that post would have been imported when we did the upgrade. Again, totally expecting "Nope, it's still just as buggy" but if it does work now that'd be tedious but entirely fixable.

And because I'm a genius I planned to rearrange topics here when we're all going to die from Frankenstorm. So I don't want to start screwing around tonight but I've started cataloging posts to be moved. If I still have power & internet on Sunday, things may be temporarily messy in this section. If on Sunday night you pop in and nothing has changed, I'm probably experiencing internet withdrawal and shivering under a blanket. Take care, East Coast.