TPFC migration

[Andrew Lee]

Happy 2018 everyone!

I have some good news, and some bad news.

The bad news is, my current VPS provider is shutting down and I am forced to migrate to another VPS provider.

The good new is, as a result of this migration, I am forced to re-examine the entire server stack. For example, the server OS, PHP and MySQL have to be upgraded to the latest versions, which means I cannot run the old version of phpBB. Upgrading to the latest version of phpBB means better Unicode support (for emojis, for example).

Unicode support in general is also better with the latest versions of PHP and MySQL. In the process of integrating TPFC with phpBB, I also took the opportunity to upgrade the TPFC codebase to support Unicode.

What this means is that when we move to the new server/codebase, you may spot some new bugs, which will be ironed out eventually. In addition, certain phpBB extensions will be missing (eg. RSS feed; phpBB 3.2 has native ATOM feed support, but no RSS extensions). We will also be starting with the native antispam extensions in phpBB, since none of the old ones are supported in the new version.

We will be migrating to the new server within the next 2 days. The downtime is expected to be about an hour. The deadline for the old server shutdown is 10 Jan. Since I am off for the first week of 2018, this is a good time to make the migration and babysit the transition.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them here.

[webfork]

I have some good news, and some bad news.

First, sorry for the extra work on your holiday -- I hope it's not interfering too badly with time off.

Second, thanks for keeping on top of that. I'll keep an eye out for possible bugs in the coming weeks.

[Midas]

Nice -- sorry for the extra work. Great way to start the new year: with a refreshed TPFC.

[Specular]

This... is going to take some getting use to. Unless this is a transition before the old stylesheet is applied in which case ignore :p

[Andrew Lee]

Hi everyone, the migration is now complete! Please be patient over the next few days as the inevitable issues are ironed out.

Most of the changes at the main site are backend stuff (eg. improved Unicode support), so everything is business as usual at the UI level.

The upgrade to the forum software might take a little getting used to.

Enjoy!

[Midas]

Quick note to point out that new avatars aren't being served over https...

[Andrew Lee]

Any idea why and how that can be fixed?

[__philippe]

Is the new poster's avatar location irreversible ? (Position switched from left-side of old to current right-side)

I kind of preferred the old style, left-hand display, with a much narrower space allocated to the avatar.

Anyone else cares to state their like/dislike about the new avatar display location ?

BTW,
Kudos to Andrew for a remarkably smooth TPFC system migration !

[__philippe]

Quick note to point out that new avatars aren't being served over https...

Hi Midas,

FWIW, Your new one-eyed green monster avatar appears on my side in its full creepy cyclopean splendor
(I still miss the former elegant "Raging Bull" of yore, though...)

[Specular]

Is the new poster's avatar location irreversible ? (Position switched from left-side of old to current right-side)

I kind of preferred the old style, left-hand display, with a much narrower space allocated to the avatar.

Anyone else cares to state their like/dislike about the new avatar display location ?

Here's how this can be changed in the CSS, at its most basic. Example screenshot:



Changing the .postprofile class to float: left rather than right, removing the border property, and changing the width to, say 200px rather than a percentage. Then changing width of the .postbody class to, say calc(100% - 200px) (to account for the new, fixed size .postprofile class).

And finally commenting out (disabling) the following block of media queries in the stylesheet to account for the changed widths at smaller screen sizes:

Code: Select all

@media (min-width: 700px) {
	.postbody { width: 70%; }
}

@media (min-width: 850px) {
	.postbody { width: 76%; }
}

@media (max-width: 850px) {
 	.postprofile { width: 28%; }

[__philippe]

Is the new poster's avatar location irreversible ? (Position switched from left-side of old to current right-side) ?

Here's how this can be changed in the CSS, at its most basic...

Excellent illustrated tutorial !

Thanks @Specular

[Andrew Lee]

Changing the .postprofile class to float: left rather than right, removing the border property, and changing the width to, say 200px rather than a percentage. Then changing width of the .postbody class to, say calc(100% - 200px) (to account for the new, fixed size .postprofile class).

Could you send me a zip archive of the updated CSS files pls? Thanks!

[__philippe]

Minor issue:
TPFC main page "Recent Forum Posts" column does not get updated currently.

[Specular]

Could you send me a zip archive of the updated CSS files pls? Thanks!

Sure, here you are. Inside the zip are both the content.css and responsive.css which required tweaks. The file host uses randomized filenames for uploaded files, so ignore the randomized filename.

[Midas]

Now that TPFC's UI gurus have convened, here are my personal notes regarding the recent changes. FTR.

Note: ordered list in accordance with annotated screen captures above.

1. New avatars are being served over http, not https, which breaks security standards and makes my portable SeaMonkey throw warnings in every forum page -- see also URL field, 2. and 10.
2. Nifty feature for quick access to user control panel but avatar suffers from issue noted above.
3. Centered and oversized topic subject is distracting and clutters UI; ideally, it would be preferable to have it in breadcrumb sequence (inside the grey bar marked with 2.).
4. This button is repeated below posts -- might be useful when returning to long posts but could be dispensable, keeping only the similar button below posts, creating an added incentive to (re-)read them.
5. No text thread/post utilities button would make more sense pulled all the way to the left (together with 6.), where the post/page count currently stands.
6. See previous entry.
7. Switch with 4., 5., and 6.
8. This button set would be a lot handier and make more sense if positioned at the bottom of the post (next to the "Top" chevron).
9. This "Author" info block would feel more natural at its former left position (as noted by Specular above).
10. See 1.
11. Extraneous double quote marks -- round ones nicer, BTW.
12. Previously, long URLs would get shortened by mid-truncation only when left alone and not enclosed in _[url] BB tags; now, it makes no difference (having URLs expressly written is a personal link rot contravention strategy, a concern that pays on a long standing site such as TPFC).
13. This "Quick Reply" block is huge (I edited the picture to shorten it vertically), which kind of defeats its use; moreover, buttons being moved down should stand above it.

Don't get me wrong here, I really like the forum makeover resulting from the software update. I just wish the UI would be a little more ergonomic and a little less loud.