New Forum Software questions not in Help/FAQs

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New Forum Software questions not in Help/FAQs

This topic has 42 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 23 October 2023 at 06:55 by JasonB.

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3 October 2023 at 16:38 #39017
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Ask questions here that are not covered in the Help/FAQs

Please check that your question has not already been covered in the Help/FAQs section which can be found either on the green bar or the red tab towards the top right of the page.
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18 October 2023 at 15:41 #675743
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Ask away
20 October 2023 at 16:24 #677701
John Haine
Participant
@johnhaine32865
I thought that one of the new features would be the ability to load file types other than jpeg? Has this been dropped please?
20 October 2023 at 16:31 #677710
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
PDF and XLS seems to work there was one problem with .doc or .docx and that was swiftly removed. You need to click the gallery type to document not image. Need to copy URL and put it into reply

I have asked for more as Darren said he would give but nothing yet.

Workaround for.doc is to print to a PDFwriter and post as PDF.

However last time I tested you could view the pdf but not print or download, not tried since or had it said to be fixed. There is one in a gallery of mine if you wnat to try.

PS .png images can be dragged into posts just like .jpg.
20 October 2023 at 16:31 #677711
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
On 20 October 2023 at 16:24 John Haine said

I thought that one of the new features would be the ability to load file types other than jpeg? Has this been dropped please?

.

It appears to work, John

Click the ‘landscape’ icon and you should get a menu

… I’ve only had one failure so far, and that worked later

MichaelG.
20 October 2023 at 16:52 #677726
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
<p style=”text-align: left;”></p>
This is a random gif off my phone.
20 October 2023 at 16:55 #677736
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Complete with a bunch of random code.

One more for the admin list
20 October 2023 at 17:00 #677750
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
Yes, looks like its been embedded in the code for a new paragraph, splitting it.
20 October 2023 at 17:16 #677774
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
A quick test … this is a small spreadsheet, in Apple ‘Numbers’

… it should, I think, import O.K. into Excel

MichaelG.

.

Oh dear … no, it doesn’t load

Error Message = The image could not be uploaded. Please check that it is a valid JPEG, PNG, or GIF file and that the file size is no larger than 8 MB.

Mmm … Looks like someone was having us on.
20 October 2023 at 18:31 #677888
SillyOldDuffer
Moderator
@sillyoldduffer
On 20 October 2023 at 17:16 Michael Gilligan said

A quick test … this is a small spreadsheet, in Apple ‘Numbers’

… it should, I think, import O.K. into Excel

MichaelG.

.

Oh dear … no, it doesn’t load

Error Message = The image could not be uploaded. Please check that it is a valid JPEG, PNG, or GIF file and that the file size is no larger than 8 MB.

Mmm … Looks like someone was having us on.

Ah, spreadsheets can’t be inserted into a post or loaded into a Photo Gallery. You have to create a Documents Gallery from Profile and even then the Gallery may not be useful. Try it and see. Not quite what I was hoping for, but better than nothing.

Dave
20 October 2023 at 20:01 #678014
Bazyle
Participant
@bazyle
New Question
Is there a way of setting it to go to latest post in topic? If it is just by selecting last page in list this needs to be bigger. HSM forum is a pain in that its ‘last post in thread’ target is microscopic so the ME forum used to be a relief.
20 October 2023 at 21:03 #678075
Frances IoM
Participant
@francesiom58905
if I view a topic from the latest posting list

then use my back button on my Firefox browser I get a a net error – Firefox has the resend – click on retry and wait a few seconds then get back the forums page – something is trying to be too clever with cookies I suspect (probably Cloudfare – Ketan would appear to have problems with this host?)
20 October 2023 at 22:06 #678120
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
On 20 October 2023 at 18:31 SillyOldDuffer said

On 20 October 2023 at 17:16 Michael Gilligan said

A quick test … this is a small spreadsheet, in Apple ‘Numbers’

… it should, I think, import O.K. into Excel

MichaelG.

.

Oh dear … no, it doesn’t load

Error Message = The image could not be uploaded. Please check that it is a valid JPEG, PNG, or GIF file and that the file size is no larger than 8 MB.

Mmm … Looks like someone was having us on.

Ah, spreadsheets can’t be inserted into a post or loaded into a Photo Gallery. You have to create a Documents Gallery from Profile and even then the Gallery may not be useful. Try it and see. Not quite what I was hoping for, but better than nothing.

Dave

Thanks for that, Dave … I was under the [mistaken] impression that we would be able to simply insert any acceptable file-type directly into a post.

I will try creating a Documents Gallery sometime tomorrow.

MichaelG.
21 October 2023 at 09:26 #678265
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Documents Gallery created, and one PDF file uploaded to it

[author credit as per the opening lines thereof]

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/members/michaelgilligan61133/mediapress/2023_10-2/

I will upload the related spreadsheet later

MichaelG.
21 October 2023 at 10:36 #678369
Ketan Swali
Participant
@ketanswali79440
Hi MichaelG

The response I got from your link to Documents Gallery for PDF file was ‘No preview available’.

I used various options for the tests, and got the same results.

I also went via your profile page and got the same result.

Ketan at ARC.
21 October 2023 at 10:54 #678391
Ketan Swali
Participant
@ketanswali79440
Francis IoM,

I will avoid putting your earlier post #678075 as a QUOTE, as in my case, doing so will put my post into moderation.

So my reply is: We tested CF a while back. We found that while it did its job to a certain extent, the irritation and errors it created: time delay and errors resulting there of, were too high for us to consider adopting it.

During our tests, combination of Firefox and CF, gave even more false positive results. The software developers were finding it difficult to believe my and my customers observations, until I insisted that they try out the tests again outside CF on a test site on a different server, and they found that many of the issues simply went away, without CF in place.

I am aware why the developers have chosen CF, but I believe that it will be better for them to consider alternative solutions, otherwise they will continue to go round and around in circles. Bug fixing with CF in place is a pointless waste of time and money.

In my personal opinion, CF has its place… on sites other than shopping or forums.

Ketan at ARC.
21 October 2023 at 11:23 #678449
SillyOldDuffer
Moderator
@sillyoldduffer
On 21 October 2023 at 10:36 Ketan Swali said

Hi MichaelG

The response I got from your link to Documents Gallery for PDF file was ‘No preview available’.

I used various options for the tests, and got the same results.

I also went via your profile page and got the same result.

Ketan at ARC.

My pdf gallery isn’t working now either. The file icon is supposed to call a plug-in, and isn’t. Looks like a big, or it’s been switched off temporarily. Not been told this officially, but I believe the developers are switching stuff on and off experimentally as a way of identifying what’s causing performance problems.

Hard to know if the instability we’re seeing due to debugging and fixing a live site (always exciting!), or something like Ketan’s bad experience with Cloudflare. Or both!

Back in the day quite a few British hotels were like Fawlty Towers. I used to enjoy the adventure. Reminds me of the struggle to get my first Stirling Engine to work. Became dead boring as soon as it was working properly!

Dave
21 October 2023 at 11:31 #678472
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
My galleries are also AWOL, have put it on the new feedback list
21 October 2023 at 12:28 #678537
Ketan Swali
Participant
@ketanswali79440
Hi Dave (SOD) and John – Journeyman,

I am going to stick my neck out now in making the following comments:

Until reading John – Journeymans comment #678351 on the other related thread, I was not aware that this new forum was based on WordPress. Now that I am aware of that, many of the issues raised make more sense.

Per my understanding, WordPress is one of the most popular bits of kit out there for building sites. As it is very popular, it attracts more spam/bots trying to get in.

To the best of my knowledge, WP has been used to build this site only. Other sites such as RCME do not appear to be using WP.. but I may be wrong.

As WP is popular and prone to higher level of spam/bot traffic, perhaps this site developers suddenly found themselves overwhelmed (as they did not see this with the other sites they manage which do not use WP), resulting in their implementing the use of CF, which is a fair approach.

However, per my understanding:

a. If the latest version of WP is used and regularly updated along with a certain level of security, then the level of exposure to spam/bots is reduced.

b. John-Journeyman, as well as Dave – SOD referred to plug-ins. Most of WP is based on Pugins. So here is a quote, which is in line with what I am also aware: ‘So you might pickup a plugin from the WordPress Plugin Directory, find out you need a special feature that is only available in the paid version and pay for it from the third party market, where the full featured plugin has more security holes than Swiss cheese.’ source: https://www.keepsecure.ca/blog/5-important-reasons-why-you-should-not-use-wordpress-for-your website/#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20spam%20comments,websites%20are%20hacked%20by%20bots.

I am not saying that WP should or should not have been used.

c. If you are working with latest version of WP, is the Plugin you are using up to date with the latest version?

So, debugging with CF in place is likely to add to the instability.

Ketan at ARC
21 October 2023 at 12:53 #678568
Frances IoM
Participant
@francesiom58905
there was an issue of one of the Linux magazines a month or so ago detailing the attack vectors on a WP site – its rather like any Microsoft O/S a wide usage guarantees many victims once an attack method is proved to work – hence the attraction to develop and sell such on the hidden net.
21 October 2023 at 13:47 #678648
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
About right Ketan, WordPress & Buddypress & BBpress make up the basics which seemed cheap/free at the time but trying to get them all talking together is a problem. When I first saw what we might get my initial comment wa sthat the software may suit a small club or group and wa snot upto the job here.

Yes as soon as it was made live the amount of Bots just made the server crash and is why Cloadflare etc has been implemented. Couple of days we were testing before going live it did not have the problems but still not very user friendly

Yes it needs extra plug ins for even the basics that a proper forum program has such as a pluging for useful latest posts, posts since last visit and mark as read etc
21 October 2023 at 13:51 #678652
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
ketan, if you want to try quoting again we seem to be having less problems with getting blocked. Famous last words.

You can also make the reply number clickable like this using the link icon after highlighting the text then paste the url copied from the reply if you are still getting flagged as a trouble maker.
21 October 2023 at 13:58 #678659
Ketan Swali
Participant
@ketanswali79440
On 21 October 2023 at 13:47 JasonB said

About right Ketan, WordPress & Buddypress & BBpress make up the basics which seemed cheap/free at the time but trying to get them all talking together is a problem. When I first saw what we might get my initial comment wa sthat the software may suit a small club or group and wa snot upto the job here.

Yes as soon as it was made live the amount of Bots just made the server crash and is why Cloadflare etc has been implemented. Couple of days we were testing before going live it did not have the problems but still not very user friendly

Yes it needs extra plug ins for even the basics that a proper forum program has such as a pluging for useful latest posts, posts since last visit and mark as read etc

Well noted, thanks Jason.

Ketan at ARC.
21 October 2023 at 16:44 #678746
Ian P
Participant
@ianp
I know that images and albums from the old site have not been carried over but have all the old posts been lost?

Put another way, how do I find my posts (I’m logged in) or posts from another member?

Ian P
21 October 2023 at 16:54 #678760
Iain Downs
Participant
@iaindowns78295
My favourite part of the old site was the ‘latest posts’ which meant (among other things) that I could be a way for a few days (just like now!) and still be able to readily browse through the posts that I’d missed.

The current version of ‘latest posts’ appears to just cover the top 10 or so (I haven’t counted exactly) which is much less valuable.

Incidentally, I was recently asked to implement a what’s on for a club and stupidly picked WordPress. I found it entirely counterintuitive.

Iain
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