View Full Version : Upcoming roadworks
Hi everyone.
Just to provide some advance notice, I want to invest in the latest versions of all the software we use on this site. VBulletin, the forum software company, produced a new version (4) last year and I’ve been waiting to make sure that it is glitch-free on other sites before installing it here. In some ways it is quite different from previous versions so I’ve wanted to see how the differences are received elsewhere. YD is now using vb4 and you can see that they have chosen the option to go with the new content management system it offers and have ditched the old portal system (vbadvanced, provided by a different outfit) which we still use here. Another of my reasons for delaying an install of vb4 is that I wanted to wait until the team at vbadvanced released their vb4 compatible update, which they have now done.
I’ve discussed this with the mods and I think we all like vbadvanced and would prefer to keep it rather than to move to the look and feel that YD has adopted. But I would be interested in any comments you might have. Do you like the new YD home page?
An obvious question is, why bother changing. I think there are several reasons:
Future security updates and patches from vbulletin will be focused on vb4.
Every version of vbulletin I’ve installed over the past 4 years has offered subtly improved user experience and features (such as blogging, better profile pages, etc.).
Although we might not use the new CMS to build our home page, it’s still a powerful new set of tools which will still sit in the background. I might be able to use it to provide a better home for the dive site guides (currently in a sort of Word-based, non-liveried limbo with no navigation options in the guides themselves). I also note that Jay is making good use of the article-publishing features – we could potentially do that to. There are some areas where I think it would be good for us to have better quality content and I am willing to consider commissioning editorial content from people who are interested in doing that.
Other software used on the site is the skin (the dark blue look and feel and the other alternatives). The dark blue skin we use will not be available for vb4 so it looks like the time has come to refresh our livery and move to a lighter palette, at least for a while.
The links directory will also be updated.
So, in summary, my proposal is as follows:
- move to vbulletin 4
- also buy vbadvanced and therefore stay with the current look functionality of the home page
- update the vblinks systems
- move to a new livery of lighter colours
This’ll take a couple of days and I’ll do it during June. You might notice some disruption and I will certainly give a 20 minute warning before doing anything major. Also, once the new software is loaded, there are always a few creases to iron out and the navigation generally needs some tlc. So hopefully you will bear with me.
Post any thoughts or comments in this thread.
Cheers.
I thought the new YD format was horrible when they changed it. I still prefer the format like this and RBW.
alexmaclennan
28-05-10, 05:41
1. Dive Guides - I would be happy to update some of them over next winter.
2. Editorials - I think a good idea, especially commissioned pieces about someones special interest such as diving a part of Scotland, type of diving, safety & diving practice, buying new kit etc
3. I do prefer this look and feel to the new YD but would be willing to change as I recognise the software builders do expect users to move with them,
alex
Thanks Alex. I hope we can get a happy medium by using the new portal system from vbadvanced. I don't want to lose the forum feel of the current home page.
ok - bought all the software - work starts .... now!
The site will be disrupted quite a lot for the rest of this evening, and there will be further activity going on into the week ahead. So my advice would be that if you're going to post war and peace, compose it off line and save it first ;)
dive granny
30-05-10, 16:06
Is that a hint about my holiday blog;):D
It's rough ... but it'll do until the weekend hopefully. Sorry for dropped posts and possibly new memberships of the last couple of days. It was unavoidable. But this should be a stable version now going forward.
btw, I know the smilies are all fubar etc ... and I know the navigation is quacked. I'll fix all this stuff at the weekend. Including livery / brand / info panes etc.
thebloofish
09-06-10, 13:21
Liking the new look however finding some difficulty with a few things. Trying to upload images to a photo album on my profile however i'm not allowed. Anyone shed any light on this?
Not liking the new look, liked the blue, now just looks like the unfriendly YD
DD
Gord still has a lot to do so bear with us. Although the old dark blue skin is apparently not available for this version.
It's not over until the fat lady sings, or when Gord says so.
I notice elsewhere complaints about "the new look" :rolleyes:
... this isn't the new look. This is the site "naked". I'll be working on it a whole lot more at the weekend. The work I did yesterday evening was a stabilisation exercise. The server has been stripped and rebuilt (brand new / latest version of linux centos operating system, latest version of php, latest mysql, apache, etc.) and the forum database has been stabilised in the latest version of vbulletin. I've also incorporated the latest version of the vbadvanced portal system (the front page system abandoned by YD in their last upgrade). The site is now sitting on a rock-solid, state of the art foundation that will support it going forward for at least the next two years. I know of no other diving forum that sits on its own dedicated server, by the way (stick congeralley.com in the search box and see for yourself: http://www.dnsqueries.com/en/ip_neighbors.php ) :cool:
Round 2 at the weekend will be about the look and feel, the navigation, and the user experience.
Patience .... :)
thanks buddy LOL ...
... unless I'm the fat lady, of course ...
thebloofish
09-06-10, 15:53
That's cool...just the quicker i can upload images the sooner some embarrassing ones of Loudy appear on a new thread about the Blue Hippo trip to Spain last week lol:D
gordon mackie
09-06-10, 16:08
Is it just me? I am not authorised to view the home page and the dive site directory has gone AWOL....
thebloofish
09-06-10, 16:26
I can't view the homepage either.
use the "Conger Alley" link at the very bottom of every page to link back to www.congeralley.com (http://www.congeralley.com) until I sort out the navigation at the weekend.
I'll merge this thread (new look) with the Roadworks thread as they're about the same thing ...
Just a wee advance notice, I'm going to close the forum for 10-15 mins around 9pm this evening to test out a bit more functionality ...
I realise some people preferred the dark blue skin we had on the site before. This is currently not available for this new version of vb4. If it becomes available in the future, I will certainly add it back into the site. For the time being though I want to go forward with this new lighter look. Personally I quite like it and a change is as good as a rest etc.
... you can't please all the people all the time :rolleyes:
I'm not bothered about everyone Gord, just me lol Dont u sweat about it m8, I just meant it as I preffered it, I dont mind change, just let me know when u changing it back hahaha
DD
Gordon,
I know you still have some stuff to do, but some of the buttons (such as Multi quote, blog, etc.) don't fit correctly when using Mozilla firefox. I also notice that the USer CP on the front page when logged in displays the date US style.
Thanks Chris.
Is the buttons problem fixed now?
I'll go take a look at the date thing ...
On top of everything else :D is there any chance you could add Tapatalk to the site? Most of the forums I read use it now and I think it's loads better than trying to use a phone browser. Just makes life easier... and it's less obvious at work :)
I don't actually know what that is ... but I'll take a look! cheers
On top of everything else :D is there any chance you could add Tapatalk to the site? Most of the forums I read use it now and I think it's loads better than trying to use a phone browser. Just makes life easier... and it's less obvious at work :)
I don't actually know what that is ... but I'll take a look! cheers
http://www.tapatalk.com/ :w00t::thumbup1:
Its a mobile phone app. Instead of using a browser it downloads all the new posts so you can read/reply. It's loads easier to use, uses less phone power too. Best is it just looks like you are reading a text message rather than sitting on the internet:) AFAIK the module for vBulletin is free to install on the server.
sounds very cool. Leave it with me. If I forget, nag ;-)
Its a mobile phone app. Instead of using a browser it downloads all the new posts so you can read/reply. It's loads easier to use, uses less phone power too. Best is it just looks like you are reading a text message rather than sitting on the internet:) AFAIK the module for vBulletin is free to install on the server.
Gord, are you seeing the reply boxes don’t appear until after the user info on the left hand pane?
I see a <Quick reply> option in each post, and an orange reply button at the bottom of the thread ...
Thanks Chris.
Is the buttons problem fixed now?
I'll go take a look at the date thing ...
Sorted now!
I see a <Quick reply> option in each post, and an orange reply button at the bottom of the thread ...
There seems to be an issue with IE7. Here is what I'm seeing:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa140/regthing/reply.jpg
I'm using safari and the orange reply button is just under the screen shot you showed, about the equivalent of 2 lines under and on the left - is that what you are looking for and is it there in IE?
I'm using safari and the orange reply button is just under the screen shot you showed, about the equivalent of 2 lines under and on the left - is that what you are looking for and is it there in IE?
Nope. If you look at the picture the quote box that Gord's quote is in seems to be forced below Chris's stats under his profile picture. At home using Firefox the quote box is up at the top of the post on line with the user names above the profile pic.
ok ... this misalignment appears to be a slight glitch in vb 4 rather than the skin. It also appears in the vb4 default skin. I'll speak to them about it.
New menu button added to navigation bar: "Dive Guides".
Takes you to the new home for the dive guides.
... I just need to add them all back in again now .... :)
slowly but surely ... getting there
ok ... that's all the dive guides loaded into the new cms ... all searchable and comment-able ... http://www.congeralley.com/forum/content.php?3-scottish-dive-site-guides
:)
Sorry about the interruption to service today. For some reason the SQL got switched off ... I'm thinking the ISP must have upgraded the version or something. To knackered to investigate ... but that's it switched back on again.
Need to go looking for the autostart ... :rolleyes:
dive granny
05-08-10, 22:08
I thought it was my computer that was 'acting up'.
Yogi Diver
06-08-10, 08:54
Put another 50p in the meter!!:001_tt2:
Havng trouble accessing Conger Alley dive site, is this roadworks?
DD
When did you have a problem and what happened?
Its telling me I dont have permission to view that page bud
DD
Its telling me I dont have permission to view that page bud
DD
Sorry Dave, but which page do you mean?
Dive Guide - Conger Alley (Ali's Reef)
http://www.congeralley.com/forum/content.php?33-Conger-Alley
;)
Gordon,
I have just tried to upload some images to my Album and before I even selected an image i got the message that the image was too big and I had exceeded the 1.47Mb limit. This sounds a little small, but I hadnt even chosen an image? Any ideas?
I'll take a look
Gordon,
I have just tried to upload some images to my Album and before I even selected an image i got the message that the image was too big and I had exceeded the 1.47Mb limit. This sounds a little small, but I hadnt even chosen an image? Any ideas?
ok - I raised it to 1Mb ...
Nope still wont let me. I must have too many pictures up there already. My pictures quota is exceeded according to the message. nevermind.
Nah below is the message:
"This picture exceeds your total album file size quota by 588.0 KB."
Weird. I'll look into it in detail when I have some time. It would be helpful if you could double check and let me know roughly how many photos you have posted, and also the details of the one you can't post. Also, try posting a few other photos and let me know if the problem is the same for all photos or just the one. Cheers.
Nah below is the message:
"This picture exceeds your total album file size quota by 588.0 KB."
I only have about 15-20 photos, and I got that message before I even selected a photo.