Housekeeping

SpaceNut · 2024-04-18 17:37:47

I agree that the html page view is best controlled by the css as well as that makes it flexible for font, color and many other user appearance views that are possible.

I had just one issue and that happens after log in as I cannot see the forums topics.

I am totally lost at the features an admin must use to shape what we see and want to do.
Then again, my time is limited currently.

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-18 17:49:41

For SpaceNut re testing of phpBB3 ...

I was totally lost for a while, but now I am only partially lost, which is how the new Categories and Topics were entered.

The structure of the hierarchy is tricky. The input of Categories requires (a) the right permissions (b) At least one topic to jump start the category, (c) the Category has to be set to allow addition of topis (that feature is off by default),

If you study the Categories I set up, you might be able to learn how they work.

Try setting up a new Category and see if you can get it to work.

1) Go to Topics and set the menu to create a Category, not the default of topic.
2) Give the Category the same permissions as Meta New Mars
3) Give the Category the ability to add topics (this is a radio button you have to click)
4) After the Category is created, add at least one topic.

(th)

NewMarsMember · 2024-04-19 08:36:39

For SpaceNut....

We reached 222,000 posts today. You've been here for most of them.

Congratulations on your tenure as Administrator, and best wishes for many thousands more posts, and (if we're lucky) one or more members of the caliber of the ones who are active now.

Update:

Post #55 from 2004
SpaceNut wrote:
Maybe it is time to think of non oxygen oxidizer fuels source. Such as the story that ran last month on fuels for Mars which used magnesuim oxide rich soil and carbon dioxide with an iodione catylst.

I did not realize how close you were to the beginning of the forum. #55 was your first post.

In two days (at our present rate) you'll have been present for 222,000 posts .... Only RobertDyck has been here longer.

(th)

Last edited by NewMarsMember (2024-04-19 08:41:03)

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-19 08:47:13

For SpaceNut ...

We have a minor mystery to study .... RobertDyck joined in 2002 but his first post is numbered way after your's.

You joined in 2004 and the first post number that FluxBB showed me was(is) #55.

RobertDyck's first post is numbered in the 7,000's

The difference might be accounted for by lost posts from the unstable early days of the forum's life.

(th)

Mars_B4_Moon · 2024-04-19 12:45:54

B u dget proposal triggered a 404 error and filter in a thread

'How far to the abundance economy'?

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2024-04-19 12:46:14)

SpaceNut · 2024-04-19 17:41:11

The posts before that were on a system BB and then was converted from ikon to the php form just before I joined.

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-19 18:28:52

For SpaceNut re #3456 ... thanks for explaining the curious numbering difference...

Those must have been confusing times, back in the "olden days" ...

Update a bit later ... I've been studying phpBB3 recently. At the request of kbd512, I ran a test of phpBB3 against Visual Studio Code with PHP extensions and all the debugging enhancements, including Intelliphense. The initial test was of index.php. VSC found one issue and ChatGPT4 suggested a fix, which I applied. The question remains ... how much of the phpBB3 package was checked in my study of index. php? It isn't clear. ChatGPT4 ** did ** recommend tools that can scan an entire application, and I've noted the suggestions and might pursue them later.

In the course of this work, I had an occasion to request a list of all the php files that are included in the package we download and install from the nonprofit phpBB web site. Here is al link to the list ... I was amazed to see so many files.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/b5yoygrc … 90lrx&dl=0

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-20 20:56:33

For SpaceNut ...

The scan of posts from 222001 to 222000 completed with a Green screen!

The Internet must have been glassy smooth today!

I'll report results shortly.

We lost no posts at all! Nice!

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-21 06:55:23

For SpaceNut re experiments in phpBB3 test forum...

Nice to see your experiments and observations about the new environment...

There is a great deal more for the Admins to learn !!!

We've just barely touched the surface, just enough to establish a framework.

We could (theoretically) resume the forum from right where we are, if we left the existing forum as a read-only archive.

I'll be interested in webmaster kbd512's evaluation of the situation this evening, if the Google Meeting happens as scheduled.

It would be a tremendous amount of work to migrate from FluxBB 1.5.11 to phpBB3, and we are a volunteer organization.

That amount of time is not readily available.

Meanwhile, I am chipping away at the iceberg of FluxBB bugs from 2012.

The current challenge is disappearing data. I can see the data fetched from MySQL. But it gets dropped somewhere in the FluxBB 1.5.11 code, and there are no error messages. The data just goes away. I suspect there might be a data type problem. As near as I can tell, FluxBB 1.5.11 from 2012 simply prints a hyphen if it can't decode what it receives from MySQL of 2024.

I'm hoping to have time to get back to ** that ** problem later today.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-21 07:22:56

For SpaceNut ...

NewMarsMember received a test "contact" from the phpBB3 test site:

20240420 Test of email from phpBB3 NewMars forum
Inbox
Tom Hanson
Sat, Apr 20, 9:28PM (11 hours ago)
to me
This is a test.

This means that someone interested in membership can contact NewMarsMember directly from the web site, instead of having to call up email as a separate operation.

However, I would like to see even better communication from the new forum to prospective members.

One thing we might consider is changing the title of the top Category from Meta New Mars to something like:

Meta New Mars - Membership Information

That would be easy to do, and everyone would see it immediately.

I'll just do it.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-21 07:37:20

For SpaceNut ...

NewMarsMember received a test "contact" from the phpBB3 test site:

20240420 Test of email from phpBB3 NewMars forum
Inbox
Tom Hanson
Sat, Apr 20, 9:28PM (11 hours ago)
to me
This is a test.

This means that someone interested in membership can contact NewMarsMember directly from the web site, instead of having to call up email as a separate operation.

Here is the new Topic title:

It is currently Sun Apr 21, 2024 1:33 pm
NEW MARS
TOPICSPOSTS
LAST POST
Meta New Mars - Membership Information
Have your say about this website and forums. All opinions welcome! See Recruiting Topic for Procedure to join.

For all ... please evaluate this change ... feedback is welcome! The goal is to make it as easy as possible for anyone who would like to be a part of this community to apply. We have admitted five folks since we closed off the forum to hackers, but none are active.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-04-21 15:19:26

It means they can actually read and make sense of what we are doing.

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-21 16:45:20

For SpaceNut ... re #3462 ... I take it from your response that you are OK with the change I made to encourage email registration requests.

Since the current forum is using that method, it won't be a change for anyone to find the same policy in effect in the new forum.

For all ... we would definitely appreciate current members (or even old inactive ones) to check out the new forum. I am seeing positive indicators from all three Admins that they would be willing to green light the new forum, if we can figure out how to make the transition of the database contents.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-21 20:23:58

For SpaceNut ...

If you have time, please write a detailed plan for the conversion program to process the posts table. Here is a link to the output of a query that kbd512 wrote:

http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 10#p222210

If you decide to take this on, please note that every field in the phpBB database must be accounted for, and there are many more of them than there are of FluxBB fields. Please note that the logic of the smileys field appears to be inverted. Your conversion plan needs to account for the difference.

kbd512 identified Users, Topics and Posts as the most important tables to migrate.

We already have the categories set up in phpBB3. The topics need to be stored with the correct ID's pointing to the correct Categories in the destination database. The destination ID's will not necessarily correspond to the ID's in the FluxBB database.

Update later ... SpaceNut .... earlier today you found (and posted) links to conversion routines. As a finishing touch to your homework assignment to prepare a conversion procedure for the posts tables, you might be able to find a php procedure written to do exactly that. If you can find such a procedure, the next step would be to examine it carefully to be sure it handles every field in each of the two tables. If you can take care of the posts table, that is one less major issue that kbd512 will have to worry about.

If you are able to put such a conversion procedure together, we (or I) can test it on my development PC, or perhaps even on the Asure system, because we have a fully restored FluxBB installed there.

The other two tables kbd512 is looking for are users and topics, but posts is the biggy, which is why you get the honor of dealing with it.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-22 11:12:55

For SpaceNut ....

This is a question about the new topic you created in the Large Ship categoy...

1 foot mars water source

This topic doesn't seem related to Large Ship.

We have a topic for Water ... it is in the Industry category

I wonder where the new topic on "1 foot" might be better placed?

The Large Ship topic is intended to be totally dedicated to development of Large Ship.

how to collect water on Mars is most definitely better suited for another topic.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-04-22 16:52:32

I only marked a spot for a forum that delves into how we get the water on mars under the project forum category.
The large ship is a specific topic are with many others that will be required for a manned landing of vehicles to the surface for manned exploration.

Since we must make fuel for a large ship to be reuseable on mars it sort of is a support topic.

Also we could be a business proposal to support such a large ship.

I do not intend to redo all of the work that newmars has as we keep doing with repeating the why choices are made in any new version of os that we can migrate too.

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-22 18:25:27

For SpaceNut ... one of the skills you'll (probably) want to learn is how to move a topic between categories.

Since your topic about water has nothing whatsoever to do with Large Ship, this is an opportunity to learn how to move a topic from one Category to Another.

A suitable Category might be the Water Category. Your post about finding water in the first foot of regolith would have a place there.

Stubborn qualities often serve a person well.

In this case, we have a learning opportunity.

I just learned that in the early days of the forum, moves of topic were performed 58 times.

There are 8232 topics not moved.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-24 11:52:16

This is an Admin item for SpaceNut ...

I've been wanting to correct the text of the Registration message since the day we turned off Registration. Today, I found where that message originates, in FluxBB. The php file is called "register.php" (reasonably enough). I would like to know of you have the ability as an Administrator to edit the messages in that file. I certainly do not as a Moderator.

I'll paste the old message and the proposed new text below. Please see if you can make that change. If not, we'll have to ask kbd512 to make the change using MySQL as webmaster. I would ** really ** prefer not to bother kbd512 with such a small request, if you can handle it.

Old text:
/var/www/html/FluxBB/lang/English/register.php:'No new regs' => 'This forum is not accepting new registrations.',
Proposed new text:
<?php
// Language definitions used in register.php
$lang_register = array(
// Miscellaneous
'No new regs' => 'This forum is accepting new registrations via email. Please see Recruiting Topic',
'Reg cancel redirect' => 'Registration cancelled. Redirecting …',

SpaceNut · 2024-04-24 16:33:07

You would want the newmars announcement changed on this forum here on the mars society server.
I am the one that changed to what we currently have.

It happens on the o p t i o n s page form.

I found the file that contains the excel back up and its name is fluxbb_config_202311121529
It also contains the newmars address that I could not change as well as the webmaster email and admin email as well

I see what you mean by slow.

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-24 18:27:37

For SpaceNut ...

Thanks for testing in all three sites!

I've noted the messages you got when you tried to make Admin changes to the config table!

It is good to see you are working on creating a new Category in phpBB3.

Regarding the message for registration ... the message I'm interested in changing is the one that shows up when you click on the Register button.

What it reads now is: This forum is not accepting new registrations.

If you can, please change that to: This forum is accepting new registrations by email. Please see the Recruiting topic.

This change would be on the working FluxBB at Mars Society (ie, this one).

You should get no error messages when you make the change.

what you changed was a banner on a web page that we cannot currently see.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-04-24 18:54:48

Here is the options under registry for, page

Registration
Allow new registrations    Yes No
Controls whether this board accepts new registrations. Disable only under special circumstances.
Verify registrations    Yes No
When enabled, users are emailed a random password when they register. They can then log in and change the password in their profile if they see fit. This feature also requires users to verify new email addresses if they choose to change from the one they registered with. This is an effective way of avoiding registration abuse and making sure that all users have "correct" email addresses in their profiles.
Report new registrations    Yes No
If enabled, FluxBB will notify users on the mailing list (see above) when a new user registers in the forums.
User forum rules    Yes No
When enabled, users must agree to a set of rules when registering (enter text below). The rules will always be available through a link in the navigation table at the top of every page.

it does not give any form entry block to make a different message to display.

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-24 19:03:49

For SpaceNut re #3471

Thanks for looking!

I'm hoping kbd512 might be able to make the change.

The text to be changed is located in register.php.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-25 07:05:13

For SpaceNut - kbd512 - RobertDyck...

This post is about admitting new members to the phpBB3 test forum running on Azure.

Registrations are closed, just as they are in the production NewMars forum and in the clone forum at Azure.

Calliban was kind enough to attempt to go through the process of setting up an account, and the process is a bit different from the process in the production environment. In the production environment, we have many thousands of accounts created by spammers. All we do is to modify one of those accounts for the new member.

That will also be true at the Clone.

However, for the phpBB3 test forum, we have to create a fake account using the regular registration process, and then modify that account.

I'll document the steps here:
SearchTerm:Registration process at phpBB3

1) Log in as Admin
2) Select Manage users in QUICK ACCESS
3) Enter NewUser and [Submit]
4) Change the Username
5) Change the email address to the correct address for the new user
6) Enter a temporary password you will then send to the new user at the email address agreed upon
7) Repeat the temporary password.
8) Submit the changes
9) Send email to the new member, providing the username, temporary password and a reminder to change the password and email at login
10) We now need to create the NewUser account again, so it is ready for the next applicant
11) While still logged in as an Administrator, Turn Registrations back ON.
12) In BOARD CONFIGURATION, Select User registration settings
13) In Account activation, select No activation (immediate access)
14) Submit
15) Log out as Admin
16) Log out as Member
17) The Register button should now be visible on the main page, next to login
18) Register as NewUser, with email set to a fake address that is not already in the system, and a dummy password >> Submit
19) Log out as NewUser and log back in as Admin
20) Turn OFF the Registration at User registration settings >> Disable registration
21) Confirm the new account is ready ... Log back in as a regular member >> Quick Links >> Members >> NewUser
22) The new account is ready for the next applicant. Note: Please verify that Register DOES NOT appear next to login after you log out.

This process is a bit more work than the default automated registration, but the Internet environment is invested with many thousands of active spammers from all over the world, and we cannot prevent them from creating thousands of fake accounts if we allow normal registration.

We might start thinking about another way to handle this, but for now, this system works, so let's just use it.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-04-25 17:00:43

Thanks for another great hint as to how to perform this function.

tahanson43206 · 2024-04-27 17:59:37

For All ... The Admins are learning how to set up new Categories and Forums, using the clone of this forum running on Azure.

Here is a set of experiments ..

The first section was created 20 years ago. it is in a Category called "Archive"
Forum Topics Posts Last post
First Words
Planning the New Mars event for World Space Week (October 4-10th)
(Moderated by kbd512, SpaceNut, tahanson43206)
18 127 Never
Intelligent Alien Life
*All* posts pertaining to this topic should be made in this forum
(Moderated by kbd512, SpaceNut, tahanson43206)
111 1,717 Never
New Mars Articles
Comment on New Mars articles
(Moderated by kbd512, SpaceNut, tahanson43206)
The three forums are "First Words" , "Intelligent Alien Life" and "New Mars Articles"
The next index level Category was created by SpaceNut as an experiment:
51 439 Never
Large ships
Forum Topics Posts Last post
Settlement Transport large ships
This should cover timeline, size of each mission, cost of each, ship requirements.
2 3 Today 19:46:00
by tahanson43206
Under the Category "Large Ships" SpaceNut has created a Forum called "Settlement Transport large ships"
Please note that regular members cannot create a Forum. If you (ie, RobertDyck) want a Forum dedicated to your Large Ship project, please come up with a plan that SpaceNut can implement here on this forum. The setup on the clone is an experiment to learn how to perform these operations.
One detail is the Category is plural ... I like that concept, because it implies there will be more than one. however, your opinion is important so please think about the title of the Category.
SpaceNut took a guess at what the name of the forum might be. Please provide us with the exact title you want.
The forum also needs a description line. You can see that SpaceNut has written a first draft of what a description might look like.
Once the Category is defined, and the forum is created to your satisfaction, then you can create Topics as you see fit.
This next item is another category. SpaceNut has created a forum under this title.
HOME ENERGY PROJECTS
Forum Topics Posts Last post
Concentrated solar power thermal creation. [ New posts ]
Reflective forms Mirror Heliostats, solar troughs, flat panel or evaporated tube and parabolic shapes
1 1 Today 14:25:10
by SpaceNut
The Home Energy Projects forum can be populated with topics as members are inspired.
Mark all topics as read

Everyone can see the experiments at the clone site: http://40.75.112.55/forums/FluxBB/index.php

(th)

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#3451 2024-04-18 17:37:47

Re: Housekeeping

#3452 2024-04-18 17:49:41

Re: Housekeeping

#3453 2024-04-19 08:36:39

Re: Housekeeping

#3454 2024-04-19 08:47:13

Re: Housekeeping

#3455 2024-04-19 12:45:54

Re: Housekeeping

#3456 2024-04-19 17:41:11

Re: Housekeeping

#3457 2024-04-19 18:28:52

Re: Housekeeping

#3458 2024-04-20 20:56:33

Re: Housekeeping

#3459 2024-04-21 06:55:23

Re: Housekeeping

#3460 2024-04-21 07:22:56

Re: Housekeeping

#3461 2024-04-21 07:37:20

Re: Housekeeping

#3462 2024-04-21 15:19:26

Re: Housekeeping

#3463 2024-04-21 16:45:20

Re: Housekeeping

#3464 2024-04-21 20:23:58

Re: Housekeeping

#3465 2024-04-22 11:12:55

Re: Housekeeping

#3466 2024-04-22 16:52:32

Re: Housekeeping

#3467 2024-04-22 18:25:27

Re: Housekeeping

#3468 2024-04-24 11:52:16

Re: Housekeeping

#3469 2024-04-24 16:33:07

Re: Housekeeping

#3470 2024-04-24 18:27:37

Re: Housekeeping

#3471 2024-04-24 18:54:48

Re: Housekeeping

#3472 2024-04-24 19:03:49

Re: Housekeeping

#3473 2024-04-25 07:05:13

Re: Housekeeping

#3474 2024-04-25 17:00:43

Re: Housekeeping

#3475 2024-04-27 17:59:37

Re: Housekeeping

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