Chiff and Fipple Forums

Well aware there's just been some kind of board outage and database maintenance, but...

View active topics has effectively been down since then. It's picking up some old announcements at the older end of the date selection dropdown, but no standard posts from any time or anything posted since the down time. Now I know many folks never use it and it may not be number one priority if there are still other things to fix, but it's always been my main gateway to an interest spanning the forums and I'm hoping it's not gone for good and irretrievable?

(Sure, View unread posts and View new posts both go some way to filling the gap, but don't cover it completely!)

Yes, there was a much-needed upgrade, but we're not closely aware of any resulting negative issues at this time, so thanks for bringing this to our attention. We'll see what's up with View Active Topics and whether it can be fixed.

I've just tried this. You're right, Peter - it doesn't work for me either. I hadn't noticed because I very rarely use it. I'm not quite sure why or how to fix this at the moment ... as Nano says, we'll let you know if we find anything.

Peter,

Thanks. I did the software update. I really have no idea why that feature doesn't work now. I don't recall seeing anything in the control panel we use that makes it switchable or adjustable.

If anybody has the time to do the research, the phpBB documentation is on the web and there might be an answer there. We're using phpBB version 3.0.14.

Dale

A quick search tells me this is a common problem. I've got to go to work, but will read this further:

https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtop ... &t=2307801

Dale wrote:A quick search tells me this is a common problem. I've got to go to work, but will read this further:

https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtop ... &t=2307801

I'm on it now. I think I can see how to make this work. Bear with me ...

benhall.1 wrote:

Dale wrote:A quick search tells me this is a common problem. I've got to go to work, but will read this further:

https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtop ... &t=2307801

I'm on it now. I think I can see how to make this work. Bear with me ...

OK. I'm done. For now.

It is entirely possible that I have now included too much information in "View Active Topics". If so, please let me know. Also, I have deliberately not included certain forums - such as this one, and the Used Instruments Exchange. If you find those useful, I can include them, but I fear the list is rather long already.

Please do let me know of any issues anybody may have with this aspect of the Board's behaviour. (Basically, because if there's still an issue, it's probably my fault. )

benhall.1 wrote: OK. I'm done. For now.

Cheers, Ben!

Also, I have deliberately not included certain forums - such as this one, and the Used Instruments Exchange. If you find those useful, I can include them, but I fear the list is rather long already.

UIE was always there before and I'd personally like to see it kept in if you would? But this one... fair enough, and I'd already guessed you must have posted here after clicking my C&F bookmark (guess what, View active topics!), seeing it working but not seeing this topic (which I promptly uncovered by clicking View unread posts).

Please do let me know of any issues anybody may have with this aspect of the Board's behaviour. (Basically, because if there's still an issue, it's probably my fault. )

I'll keep a lookout because, like I say, it's my normal route in except when I have to go to specific forums to start topics.

Anyway, thanks for your prompt attention and a useful result!

P

Ay theng gew!

I've got my bookmark set to take me directly to "view new posts." I don't think I miss any topics using this method. Perhaps that could be a work-around until the issue is resolved?

Thomaston wrote:I've got my bookmark set to take me directly to "view new posts." I don't think I miss any topics using this method. Perhaps that could be a work-around until the issue is resolved?

See above, Thomaston. The issue is resolved.

that's what I get for skimming...

Thomaston wrote:I've got my bookmark set to take me directly to "view new posts." I don't think I miss any topics using this method.

'View new posts' only shows what's new since you last did something or other (it's not even logging out because I never do that at home) so has a very limited time scope compared to 'View active topics'... think, because I don't log out, it must be detecting periods of inactivity when I've not done anything for x number of minutes. 'View unread posts' removes that time limitation, but obviously doesn't keep the ones you've read, which is why I find 'View active topics' so useful because I'll frequently want to go back to something or read a few things from whatever forums before replying to any.

benhall.1 wrote:See above, Thomaston. The issue is resolved.

It is indeed. Though I'm pretty sure 'View active topics' used to include everything and am wondering what's the rationale for restricting its range? Like does the board actually warn you as an admin to go easy due to processing overheads or something?

Peter Duggan wrote:

benhall.1 wrote:See above, Thomaston. The issue is resolved.

It is indeed. Though I'm pretty sure 'View active topics' used to include everything and am wondering what's the rationale for restricting its range? Like does the board actually warn you as an admin to go easy due to processing overheads or something?

I can't be totally sure now, since I'm relying on memory, but I'd be pretty sure that it never did include every forum, though it may well have included the UIE. I can tell you, since you're interested, that the reason why it didn't work following the upgrade is that it seems (which we were unaware of) that it changed from a global setting with the ability to opt some forums out, to a setting where you have to opt every forum in if you want it. The implication of this change, together with some, not necessarily accurate, speculation on phpBB online discussion groups, is that there is a memory cost to switching a forum on. I have switched nearly all forums on now. My only rationale for not switching the UIE forum on is that, given its nature as a forum on which responses are not permitted and which is regularly cleaned so as mostly to display only one page, it didn't really seem necessary to include it. If members - including yourself, Peter - see value in including the UIE, then I'll switch it on.

I suppose part of my approach is because I've never used the "View active topics" button myself, relying instead on the "View new posts" button, as Thomaston does.

Anyway, thoughts on this appreciated, as always.