Housekeeping

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-10 07:12:50

For SpaceNut ....

If we decide to implement a new category of membership for individuals who LikePosts, we have a way of evaluating a candidate for admission to the group.

In the past the traditional arrival is someone who wants to find an audience, and who is not interested in anyone else who is already present.

If we admit someone as a LikePosts member, we can allow that person to participate for a year or so, to see if they are interested enough to keep up with posts and with particular authors.

A contributor like Mars_B4_Moon might win a lot of likes, due to the wide range of contributions he makes.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-05-10 16:41:24

Sort of like Smilies are coded in the

<code>:)</code> and <code>=)</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/smile.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":)" /></samp>

<code>:|</code> and <code>=|</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/neutral.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":|" /></samp>
<code>:(</code> and <code>=(</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/sad.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":(" /></samp>
<code>:D</code> and <code>=D</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/big_smile.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":D" /></samp>
<code>:o</code> and <code>:O</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/yikes.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":o" /></samp>
<code>;)</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/wink.png" width="15" height="15" alt=";)" /></samp>
<code>:/</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/hmm.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":/" /></samp>
<code>:P</code> and <code>:p</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/tongue.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":P" /></samp>
<code>:lol:</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/lol.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":lol:" /></samp>
<code>:mad:</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/mad.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":mad:" /></samp>
<code>:rolleyes:</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/roll.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":rolleyes:" /></samp>
<code>:cool:</code> produces <samp><img src="https://newmars.com/forums/img/smilies/cool.png" width="15" height="15" alt=":cool:" /></samp>

</div>

https://github.com/fluxbb/fluxbb/tree/m … mg/smilies

SpaceNut · 2024-05-11 19:38:39

Have performed the unban of members letter A out through letter J and have changed them also to InActive.

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-11 21:07:20

For SpaceNut re #3528

Thank you for continuing to review the membership and restore as many as you can to InActive from the limbo of banned! I am looking forward to finishing the update of FluxBB, and to returning to the email campaign.

I've been too busy to work on the few remaining issues over the past few days, but hope to get in some time tomorrow before the weekly Google Meeting.

I don't know how closely you've been following GW Johnson's YouTube video recordings, but we are on the verge of the ability to serve documents out of the NewMars forum. A hangup has been the refusal of YouTube to recognize GW as a contributor of many years, but I'm hopeful we can persuade the YouTube software to give him a promotion. In the mean time, I've prepared an alternative way for YouTube viewers to access the files, so I'm hoping we can implement that tomorrow.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-12 06:53:39

For SpaceNut ....

This post is about the idea of adding "Likes" capability to the forum ...

If we complete the transition from FluxBB 1.5.11 (running now) to FluxBB 1.5.12 (in final review), we will have the opportunity to add new features.

A new feature that would be relatively simple (not overly complex but not trivial either) would be the ability to "Like" a post.

You can test the prototype for this your self, by opening http://40.75.112.55/forums/UpdateEdited.php?id=80882

By clicking on the Refresh button of your browser, you can update the Edited field of the post.

You can change the ID of the post.

If you choose a post that has not been previously edited, the Before update value will show as: NULL

This is an integer field, so the field will hold more likes than are likely to occur in a human lifetime.

The feature would include:

1) A Like button on the post view page
2) A mechanism to update the Edited field and report the result back to the post view page
3) A new table with [Primary key], ID of Post, ID of Member
4) A new report for Admins to see a list of members who liked a given post
5) A new member category for LikePosts
6) A new report for the author of a post, to see a list of likes for that post. (The author could "like" a post, but gets only one "like")

The new member category would be provided for visitors to the site who would like to encourage authors but not bother with full registered membership.

The members we have admitted so far have all been vetted and each has contributed to the forum, but their lives have pulled them away and they are busy elsewhere.

***
We could also add code to the startup PHP script, to set a member to InActive if a year has gone by since their last visit.

If we implement such a procedure, then a list of Regular Members would show members who logged in within the past year.

Returning from InActive to Regular Member status should be easy. We might even make the process automatic, so that an alert is issued for Admins so they can change the membership back to Regular, or perhaps login by any Admin can cause automatic update from InActive to Regular member.

There's plenty of time to think this through.

SearchTerm:Feature updates for FluxBB forum
SearchTerm:Updates for FluxBB forum, proposals for

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-05-12 07:00:08

It basically creates a new table based on the topic id, user id, p o s t number or locations of tracking and an indication at the p o s t of an incremented view within the p o s t itself.

So, a thumb or like is in the p o s t with no count, when it's clicked on it generates a hash of info to update as each click is performed for the new table. It acts like a p o s t increment.

+1 Like

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/196 … ments-work

https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=2498751
https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtop … &t=2259046

https://codewithawa.com/posts/like-and- … l-database

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-12 18:54:52

SpaceNut,

kbd512 and I are trying to insert the thumbs up icon into the web page, but it is huge.

How do you make it smaller?

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-12 19:35:23

For SpaceNut .... kbd512 and I worked on the (proposed) new Like feature this evening, in the Google Meeting.

We added the word like to the display of a post... the change was made in a script on my development machine. Here is what it looks like:

Apache Internal Server Error objected ...
Online
Like button can go here

How well do you know your html?

The Like came out below the offline field.... I'd like it to be to the right of the offline field, instead of below it...

I'll show you the html we wrote for the test. Can you correct it so the text comes out on the same line as "offline"?

Internal Apache Server Error refuses to print html ... that makes sense
Like button can go here

OK ... I don't get to show you the html ...

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-05-12 20:17:51

I hope this is better for size

x3K5dYy_d.webp?maxwidth=128&shape=square

If it's got to be smaller, it can be done.

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-12 20:21:05

For SpaceNut ... please look at a p o s t display....

We want an icon that will fit in the lower left corner where the status text appears.

The icon should fit in that space, under the post.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-12 20:22:52

For SpaceNut ...

In looking at the left border of a post display, I see that the area below Email is available.

The Email icon is about the right size for the Like icon...

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-05-12 20:42:11

I turned on the Avatar, did a resize to 60 pixel and then uploaded it into my user profile just to see if it fits in the user information box.

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-12 21:33:54

For SpaceNut .... re #3537

The icon looks good to my eye! I did not know about the Avatar box.

Not many of our members have been using it, apparently.

At the moment the avatar display is not clickable. We might be able to make it clickable.

That way, if a member wanted to use the new Like feature, they could set the avatar to the like image.

How could kbd512 gain access to the icon? Is it saved somewhere in the system?

Do we have a collection of icons? I would imagine we must because we've got smiley's ....

***
Update on FluxBB update ... I cleared three database files today, and have more work to do on sqlite. Sqlite has changed a lot (or PHP has changed - one or the other). The result is more work is needed to bring the sqlite.php file up to 2024.

You've got a work week ahead ... Best wishes for a productive week!

Update ... I followed your example and set the Debian logo as my avatar.

If you can save the like image I'll try installing it as an avatar. You can send the file by email of you'd like.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-13 11:51:02

For SpaceNut re Avatars....

There is a good reason I was unaware of the Avatars option!

You turned it on to show the Like icon.

The Clone had that option turned off.

I expect that option has been off for 20 years, or however long FluxBB has been running, which might be from 2012 or so.

I turned it on in the clone, but then had a difficult time finding an image small enough to fit in the space.

Are you planning to leave it on?

If you leave it on, kbd512 and I might be able to make it clickable to update the like field.

***
Speaking of the Like field.... kbd512 suggested creating a new column in the posts table, and at first I though we could use the Edited field, However, Caliban edited a post, and he had the edit Visible option turned on, so i realized that is an active column and we need to leave it alone.

A new column can be added without breaking anything else, so i'll add it to the Clone this week.

A new table is needed: fluxbb_likeposts

That table would contain:
Primary Key: ID integer
UserID: integer Indexed
PostID: integer Indexed

When a member clicks on the Like button, viewtopic would check the likeposts table. If a row already exists the like request would be ignored.
Otherwise, the table would be updated and the Like field in the Posts table would be incremented.

if the number of likes for a given post is greater than zero, then the number of likes would be reported on the post, along side the Online/Offline field.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-05-13 17:55:14

Yes, it's been off for a period of time as it was allowing virus code to enter the system with the many spammers that came to our site and that is why we do not cache the images that are posted here as well. A second reason to turn the image save function off was due to computer storage the problem of storage would cause crashes.

In one of the earlier programs, we had polling and votes as part of the php and that I assume was also code for a table of entry as well.

Seems we still need to manipulate images and I can do that with the programs I have on my computer.

Seems that all that is required is a button to start a like to be submitted to increment the posts tag for view count.

I can turn the avatar off if there is any issue with it being on.

Maybe the view post can have that code inserted into it much like the other 4 are across the posts bottom in the view mode.

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-13 18:02:17

For SpaceNut re #3540...

Thanks for confirming you turned the Avatar feature on.

We've gotten along pretty well without it all these years. On the other hand, it ** is ** convenient if we want to implement the Like feature and use the Avatar as a clickable element.

With any luck, kbd512 and I may have something to test in the Clone next week.

AISE prevented me from showing you the html that kbd512 suggested to test the like text in the Viewtopic script. You can see it for yourself, if you run the clone, display a post, and ask your browser to show you the html. The code kbd512 suggested puts the new like text under the offline/online text. I'd like to have it show up along side, so we don't add a line to the post. If you know how to modify the html I'd appreciate the tip.

Look for the LeftFoot identifier.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-13 21:39:22

For SpaceNut ...

Today's scan over the range from 222001 to 223000 went smoothly.

Only two potholes showed up ... 222199 and 222484

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-14 18:12:10

For SpaceNut re new Like feature....

Per kbd512's recommendation I added a "likes" column to the "posts" table in the Azure FluxBB account today.

I then created a small script to test the new column: UpdateLikes.php.

The new script seems to be working.

However, the Azure connection dropped while I was working and it has not come back up.

There are 210354 posts in the clone, so you have that number of posts available to test the new likes column.

The link is: http://40.75.112.55/forums/UpdateLikes.php?id=2

You can put any valid post ID into the id= field, and you can update the likes column as many times as you want.

Update a bit later ...
http://40.75.112.55/forums/UpdateLikes.php?id=4

Version 2 is available for your tests.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-05-14 19:56:42

take a look at this code for the like function

https://github.com/lygav/phpbbPostLike

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-14 21:05:45

For SpaceNut re #3544

Thanks for finding and showing that (very nice) enhancement to phpBB3 !!!

We are running a copy of phpBB3 in the Azure test environment!

We could install the extension there, and see what we think!

I like the small size of the icon, and some aspects of how it works.

We don't necessarily have to follow the Facebook example exactly, but we may decide we like this version.

Please let me know you've tested the little LikePosts script I set up in the clone.

It works just like the UpdateEdited.php file we had available before.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-15 08:03:05

For SpaceNut ....

It is time for you to add a new Category.

You have successfully created two new categories in the clone.

I'd like you to set up a new category "Projects"

The description would be: The intention of this Category is to provide a place to document progress toward an achievable goal.

The first forum I'd like you to create is: SSTO Reusable Passenger to LEO

Description would be: This forum is dedicated to development of a passenger service to LEO using a reusable SSTO vehicle.

***
FYI ... I tried creating a new category in the clone and ran into a bug, so I'll investigate that.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-15 11:37:10

For SpaceNut re AiSE ...

I am delighted to be able to report that the new updated clone of FluxBB did NOT choke on the text provided by GW Johnson!

The text includes equations, and I noticed that in ten years, PHP has upgraded it's handling of strings.

It is entirely possible that the 2012 version of PHP and the forum software are choking on text that the new version can handle.

For all...

Everyone is eligible and encouraged to test the clone we are offering at:

http://40.75.112.55/forums/FluxBB/index.php

Your ID and password are preserved.

If you encounter AISE on this forum, please save the exact post and paste it into the clone.

I would ** really ** like to know if all the work that kbd512 did has paid off for us.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2024-05-15 18:14:58

Proposed category: Projects

Would include many forums under it.

Grouping all of the business proposals forum
topics could include turning sea water into fresh, turning it into fuel ect...

I think that a forum of just ssto will have just 1 topic and that is a problem.

I think that a forum needs to be more general such as rocketry development. It would include all of the topics of ssto, tsto, reusability, expendable ect.

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-15 19:37:44

For SpaceNut re Proposed Category: Projects....

Thanks for starting to think about this possible change.

After 20+ years, the idea of changing anything, or adding new capability must be difficult.

This forum has been about sharing information and opinions, and a benefit is entertainment and occasional learning opportunities.

A Project Category, if we were to create one, would be about accomplishing something.

As an example, GW Johnson is a member who has produced educational material. There may be other members who have made similar contributions, but whatever those contributions might be, they are lost in the flow of posts into the past.

We have tried to help to make GW's instructional material available to the public, and I'm hoping the Projects category would serve a similar function.

A Forum for SSTO would be about the right size. If you dilute the focus by adding all sorts of other interests that members might have the focus on SSTO will disappear into the usual fog of forum conversation.

We are still in the discussion phase. You have created projects and forums in the clone and in the phpBB3 test forum.

The procedure appears to be well known. The hard part is trying to make the best decision for ** this ** forum.

In your post #3548 you suggested grouping all business proposals into a single forum. If you do that, then no one business has any focus. The topics are created on any subject the members might desire, so we are back to the existing way-of-doing-things.

Let's take the SSTO subject as an example....

RGClark has been advocating for this topic since at least 2017. A number of topics have come into being with SSTO in the title.

It is only ** very ** recently that other forum members have contributed. I may have missed someone, but we have Calliban, GW Johnson and kbd512 in altphabetical order, in addition to RGClark.

If you were to create a forum specifically for SSTO, then members can create topics that relate to the theme, and posts can (I hope) contribute to achieving the goal of the topic, whatever it might be.

The idea I have in mind is to try to help our members to focus (a) and (b) to accomplish something.

The existing way-of-doing-things certainly generates a flow of ideas and suggestions, but anything contributed becomes lost unless an unusual member like Mars_B4_Moon brings it back into view.

***

I'd be happy to see comments by other members about the proposed new Category, or anything else related to how we might change the forum to help our existing members, and more importantly, to provide a place where ** new ** members might find value.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2024-05-15 20:01:04

For SpaceNut ....

This is an addition to post #3549, with a slightly different focus...

A number of our members have contributed substantial posts over the years....

Calliban, GW Johnson and kbd512 come to mind in the hard science category.

Void is a leading contributor in the creative thinking category.

Mars_B4_Moon is on a category by himself, for the range of topics to which he contributes, and the number of citations within the posts.

A number of members have made substantial contributions that are preserved in the archive.

Louis would certainly be a name that would come to mind there, and more recently Steve Stewart published an entire set of posts about a concept for agriculture on Mars.

RobertDyck stands out for having built a two year sequence of posts in a single topic on Large Ship. That topic could be a forum all it's own. It doesn't need to be lumped in with other ship concepts. The idea is to build ** this ** large ship. Conversation about large ships in general can continue in the Chat topic.

A forum dedicated to Large ship would have all the topics you would expect if you open a book about building a passenger liner. There wouldn't be any chapters about other kinds of ships, or about other topics not related to the focus of that book.

(th)

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#3526 2024-05-10 07:12:50

Re: Housekeeping

#3527 2024-05-10 16:41:24

Re: Housekeeping

#3528 2024-05-11 19:38:39

Re: Housekeeping

#3529 2024-05-11 21:07:20

Re: Housekeeping

#3530 2024-05-12 06:53:39

Re: Housekeeping

#3531 2024-05-12 07:00:08

Re: Housekeeping

#3532 2024-05-12 18:54:52

Re: Housekeeping

#3533 2024-05-12 19:35:23

Re: Housekeeping

#3534 2024-05-12 20:17:51

Re: Housekeeping

#3535 2024-05-12 20:21:05

Re: Housekeeping

#3536 2024-05-12 20:22:52

Re: Housekeeping

#3537 2024-05-12 20:42:11

Re: Housekeeping

#3538 2024-05-12 21:33:54

Re: Housekeeping

#3539 2024-05-13 11:51:02

Re: Housekeeping

#3540 2024-05-13 17:55:14

Re: Housekeeping

#3541 2024-05-13 18:02:17

Re: Housekeeping

#3542 2024-05-13 21:39:22

Re: Housekeeping

#3543 2024-05-14 18:12:10

Re: Housekeeping

#3544 2024-05-14 19:56:42

Re: Housekeeping

#3545 2024-05-14 21:05:45

Re: Housekeeping

#3546 2024-05-15 08:03:05

Re: Housekeeping

#3547 2024-05-15 11:37:10

Re: Housekeeping

#3548 2024-05-15 18:14:58

Re: Housekeeping

#3549 2024-05-15 19:37:44

Re: Housekeeping

#3550 2024-05-15 20:01:04

Re: Housekeeping

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