Forum Platform Changes – PLEASE READ

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Chuck Taper on 23/03/2023 11:11:17:

Just a thought on features and functions –

Creating a link to a specific post within a thread (rather than to the thread itself) might be a helpful feature.

Its utility would lie in the ability to compile a list of related items from across multiple threads.

As always others may disagree.

Regards.

Frank C.

A good idea.

Curiously you can already do this with the 'send to a friend' function but it does it be email!

Neil

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

The function is there on one of the sample forums I looked at assuming that is what is adopted. Not an individual post number per thread but an overall post number than can easily be linked to.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 23/03/2023 13:48:37:

Posted by Chuck Taper on 23/03/2023 11:11:17:

Just a thought on features and functions –

Creating a link to a specific post within a thread […]

A good idea.

Curiously you can already do this with the 'send to a friend' function but it does it be email!

Neil

.

Apparently not quite true, Neil

…. I have just tried it, sending your message from me to me

The content of the post is sent [by noreply@model-engineer.co.uk] rather than a link to it … although there is a link to the thread.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 23/03/2023 14:04:24

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 23/03/2023 14:03:17:

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 23/03/2023 13:48:37:

Posted by Chuck Taper on 23/03/2023 11:11:17:

Just a thought on features and functions –

Creating a link to a specific post within a thread […]

A good idea.

Curiously you can already do this with the 'send to a friend' function but it does it be email!

Neil

.

Apparently not quite true, Neil

…. I have just tried it, sending your message from me to me

The content of the post is sent [by noreply@model-engineer.co.uk] rather than a link to it … although there is a link to the thread.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 23/03/2023 14:04:24

Ah… I'm sure there is or used to be SOME way of getting a link to a post though. Hmm.

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

The link for the last post above includes the thread, page and post numbers:

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=186161&p=3#2836728

I have no idea how you extract the number for posts other than the last in the thread…

Neil

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

We can get it by using edit

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 23/03/2023 15:19:43:

The link for the last post above includes the thread, page and post numbers:

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=186161&p=3#2836728

I have no idea how you extract the number for posts other than the last in the thread…

Neil

Then it appears that iOS users are getting a different service

Here’s a screenshot of the eMail that I received:

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MichaelG.

[Peter GreeneParticipant @petergreene36336]

FWIW I get a similar Alert email on my Windows computer containing a link such as:

http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=186062&p=1#2835072

which I believe contains thread no, page no and message number.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Mmm … copying and pasting the longer link that Neil quoted:

**LINK**

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=186161&p=3#2836728

still gets me no further … so what is the relevance of what appears to be a post number ?

#2836728

MichaelG.

[Peter GreeneParticipant @petergreene36336]

At the moment in a thread, if I want to reference a previous discussion I can point to the previous thread but not a specific message within that thread. Frank questioned whether this could be addressed in a new platform – it being believed that the existing platform doesn't create message numbers to reference.

From your and my posts above, it would seem that the current platform does, indeed, create and utilise message numbers if only users could access them.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

[Chuck TaperParticipant @chucktaper]

MichaelG.

Assuming I am not misconstruing your question…..

Within the HTML for the page the post number is the <name > of the <table cell> containing the time stamp for a particular post (in the green banner next to the poster name).

As you point out, taken together the thread no. + page no. + post no. jump to the correct post but (it appears to me) one can only get the post number by looking at the page source.

It is possible to make it visible in the rendered page but someone would have to do a bit of editing.

Apologies 'if I got the wrong end of the stick'

Regards

Frank C.

edit: beaten to it — and a more concise answer

 

Edited By Chuck Taper on 23/03/2023 22:16:48

Edited By Chuck Taper on 23/03/2023 22:17:34

Edited By Chuck Taper on 23/03/2023 22:19:11

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Chuck Taper on 23/03/2023 22:14:47:

MichaelG.

[…]

As you point out, taken together the thread no. + page no. + post no. jump to the correct post

[…]

.

Sorry, Frank … I actually pointed out no such thing

What I pointed out was that Neil’s longer version of the link gets me no not much further than my short version

… which leaves me with two questions:

1. Why do we receive different links ?
2. Why, despite that, does my link take me to the top of the thread, and Neil’s takes me to page 3 [but neither seems to identify the post that was referenced].

MichaelG.

.

Neil received: https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=186161&p=3#2836728

I received: http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=186161

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 23/03/2023 22:46:15

[Colin TeasdaleParticipant @colinteasdale]

Filetypes – might be an idea to remember that most spreadsheet programs offer macro functionality, to allow one to program operations on the spreadsheet data. This, potentially, allows calls to the operating system, which has proved useful to virus writers.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Chuck Taper on 23/03/2023 22:14:47:

[…]

taken together the thread no. + page no. + post no. jump to the correct post but (it appears to me) one can only get the post number by looking at the page source.

It is possible to make it visible in the rendered page but someone would have to do a bit of editing.
[…]

.

Good morning, Frank

Just a little update : Your logic seems entirely reasonable, but the HTML for these pages looks [to me at least] hideously complicated. I have a App on the iPad [Snippet Editor] which allows one to select part of a page and display the code] … Here, you will see that I swiped the Green bar in your post and it displayed the HTML

.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: __ Within all that highlighted code, I think the specific reference to your post is this:

<a name="2836799">23/03/2023 22:14:47</a>

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 24/03/2023 07:03:32

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Try this Michael, should take you to my post yesterday

Though with the time limited with this software probably not worth worrying about now.

Edited By JasonB on 24/03/2023 07:56:41

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 24/03/2023 07:55:55:

Try this Michael, should take you to my post yesterday

… it did, Jason

The difficulty only comes with finding that URL in the first place

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=186161&p=3#2836735

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Look what I just did, with a simple edit of the HTML for the page.

.

.

It now reads: <tr class="RowStyleHeading"><td width="100"><a href="/members/public_profile.asp?c=44290">JasonB</a></td><td><a>Post 2836735 : 23/03/2023 15:55:24</a></td>

I think that’s pretty-much what ‘Chuck Taper’ was hoping to see.

MichaelG.

.

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 24/03/2023 08:58:27

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Still a right faff to get the post number and make up the URL

Hopefully if we get what I have seen then it is just a right click and copy(windows) of a #……. on the post heading then you can paste the link into a thread. The other forum with the same software that I saw did not have that so it looks to be an option that can be set by Admin and there may also be the option for each post in a thread to be #1, #2, etc which is easier to type than a six digit number for those that have problems with links

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

We may be going round in circles trying to solve a problem whose solution is likely to be irrelevant in a month or so!

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 26/03/2023 18:53:15:

We may be going round in circles trying to solve a problem whose solution is likely to be irrelevant in a month or so!

Neil

.

When did that ever stop us ?

… this forum is about the eternal quest for knowledge

MichaelG.

[Chuck TaperParticipant @chucktaper]

Indeed!!

These thing do tend to spiral – whether inwards or outwards I'm not sure.

A question – the current forum software, what is it? Is it some product customised for this particular use or was it custom built? I ask only because, let's say, I am curious.

Are we moving to new software because of administrative burden or will the new software bring new features and functions that the current software cannot deliver?

I have no axe to grind one way or another I'm just interested.

Perhaps this is an unsuitable line of questioning but I assure you my motivations are honourable.

In any case I can only find Website Questions, Comments, and Suggestions and I don't want to start another thread.

Regards.

Frank C.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

It's bespoke, has become unstable and could become unsecure hence the need to change. We should get new features that many have asked for.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 26/03/2023 20:27:20:

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 26/03/2023 18:53:15:

We may be going round in circles trying to solve a problem whose solution is likely to be irrelevant in a month or so!

Neil

.

When did that ever stop us ?

… this forum is about the eternal quest for knowledge

MichaelG.

So true! 🤣

Carry on, Mr G.

Neil

[VicParticipant @vic]

How is the new software coming along. Do you need any more Guinea Pigs? I mostly use an iPad Mini for viewing this forum.

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