PPRuNe and vBulletin Software

[Savoia]

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Please list any improvements to vBulletin's performance which you can recommend and we shall see if PPRuNe are able to respond:

For starters, when arriving at the end of a full page there seems to be no link to return to the top of the page and a manual scroll is the only option.

Also, if you want to check the profile of a member who has never posted - how do you do it?

S.

[mixture]

For starters, when arriving at the end of a full page there seems to be no link to return to the top of the page and a manual scroll is the only option.

You can use a keyboard shortcut for that.

On a mac its cmd + up/down
On mozilla on windows you can press the Home key for the top, End for bottom.

[Booglebox]

Works on Chrome too.

[Rwy in Sight]

I was trying to read the last page 150 of the 447 thread and it kept reloading the previous one. It happened twice in two different computers so I feel I am "targeted".

Any ideas what it could be wrong?


Rwy in Sight

[Daria]

I'm having the same problem on the same thread. Right now it says there's a page 6 (my page option is set to 40 posts per page...) and when I click on 6, it loads page 5.

But last night when I was here, the same thing happened, only with being stuck on page 4 and unable to read 5. But was able to catch up tonight.

In essence, no posts are missing I think, but there's just something not working right. I read another site who uses vBulletin and this problem doesn't appear there. That's why I think it's a glitch with the software here.

How does one contact a Moderator and/or Administrator here? Haven't found that place yet. :confused:

[dazdaz1]

Happened to me just now R&N A380 wing crunch, end of page 11 clicked page 12 but just displayed page 11 again. I'm W7 FF.

[onetrack]

I think you'll find that the version of the vBulletin software used by PRRUNE (v. 3.8.7) has been superseded by a new improved version (v. 4.1.3 as at 5th April 2011). The code base underwent a major overhaul commencing from v. 3.8 in August 2008.

Because there is a need for a major overhaul of the code base to keep abreast of other IT changes, the code base changes are being phased in over an extended period... and as such, are still being phased in.

Thus, you are going to find quirky problems such as the missing pages will continue until the current version used by PPRUNE is updated.
However, updating is an intensive operation, with much database work required, and I couldn't be sure that the owners of PPRUNE are willing to indulge in the necessary upgrades whilst the forum still works reasonably well.

On another forum I moderate, the webmaster has been discussing with the mods, the need to upgrade to the latest version very shortly.
He indicated he is very happy with the performance of the latest versions, and the work being put in by the Jelsoft back-room boys... :D

[mixture]

onetrack,

I couldn't be sure that the owners of PPRuNe are willing to indulge in the necessary upgrades whilst the forum still works reasonably well.

Except the irony is that both vBulletin and PPRuNe share the same parent company. So one would have thought they would have been keen as anything to show off the latest and greatest software.

But as you say, there's a lot of work involved, especially as it's not just a leap between minor but between major versions (3.x.x to 4.x.x). I suspect the current version that runs PPRuNe might have also been subject to a few tweaks and hacks here and there.

[Mike-Bracknell]

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For starters, when arriving at the end of a full page there seems to be no link to return to the top of the page and a manual scroll is the only option.

Scroll down a little further to the blue bar with "Privacy Policy" etc, and the last link on there is "Top" which does what you're asking for.

[mike-wsm]

Thanks Mike, that's well hidden! :ok:

[Saab Dastard]

Because there is a need for a major overhaul of the code base to keep abreast of other IT changes, the code base changes are being phased in over an extended period... and as such, are still being phased in.

Thus, you are going to find quirky problems such as the missing pages will continue until the current version used by PPRuNe is updated.
However, updating is an intensive operation, with much database work required, and I couldn't be sure that the owners of PPRuNe are willing to indulge in the necessary upgrades whilst the forum still works reasonably well.

The recent upgrade to PPRuNe was a "big bang", not really a phased upgrade. There was talk of upgrading straight to 4.x.x, but this was deferred for various reasons - technical, operational and functional.

AFAIK, the pagination issue is simply that ads are tagged to a "hidden" post (or something like that, I wasn't paying attention :O), so the last page number is out by one on some threads. However, the last post is indeed the last post, and the page you are directed to is in fact the last page of the thread.

SD

[Mr Optimistic]

Ah, thanks SaD that explains it. Wondered if it was related to deleted posts, apparently not. Given the size of the database, it all works rather well.

[farsouth]

When a thread goes over 6 pages, it then displays on the thread summary page as "Thread title" (1 2 3 4 5 6 ... Last Page)

But when I am reading a thread at, say, page 95, and then come back to it a little while later, I would like to be able to go straight to page 95 and carry on from there rather than having to open Last Page and then work backwards.

Is it possible to make it read, for instance, (First Page ... 95 96 97 98 99)

In short - when opening a long thread, the most recent 6 pages are likely to be of more interest than page 1 to 6

[Daria]

farsouth said: When a thread goes over 6 pages, it then displays on the thread summary page as "Thread title" (1 2 3 4 5 6 ... Last Page)

But when I am reading a thread at, say, page 95, and then come back to it a little while later, I would like to be able to go straight to page 95 and carry on from there rather than having to open Last Page and then work backwards.

Is it possible to make it read, for instance, (First Page ... 95 96 97 98 99)

In short - when opening a long thread, the most recent 6 pages are likely to be of more interest than page 1 to 6

You can do this by clicking on the little blue down-arrow button in the upper left hand corner of the Original Post on the thread. This should take you automatically to the first unread post, or close thereby. I know for sure this works when you subscribe to threads; the thread appears in your User CP page, and then click on the button. :)

ETA...the blue down-arrow button appears directly to the left of the thread's title. Apparently, on this forum, it does not appear once you've read the thread. But you will see it when a new post has been added.

[farsouth]

Thanks Daria, guess a lot of the features you want are already there, just knowing where to find them...

[Daria]

You're welcome! :) It just takes a while to figure it all out. I've been commenting for about 5 years on another site which uses the same software and that's the only reason I know anything at all.

[Savoia]

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SoCal & Mike, thanks. I actually discovered this shortly after posting the thread .. you know, Murphy's Law and all that!

Except the irony is that both vBulletin and PPRuNe share the same parent company. So one would have thought they would have been keen as anything to show off the latest and greatest software.

Exactly!

Another gripe is that if one takes slightly too long preparing one's post, when the time comes to post it .. you can find yourself being asked to sign-in again having lost the material you were preparing.

Also .. sometimes a post won't post when it begins with a photo and .. when you prepare a post which begins with a sentence highlighted in bold (a media article for example) sometimes this converts the entire text into bold at the time of posting.

And ..

*PPRuNe don't like avatars. (Are they any use? Some people like them).
*Other forum software enables readers to add a 'like' to a specific post and which is a great way for posters to gauge how their material is being received. I don't know whether vBulletin has this?

Crucially (for me at least) is the vBulletin search software. When you enter a word/s in the search it offers the option of 'Show Threads' or 'Show Posts' but only delivers 'Threads AND Posts'. I have never entered an item for search which has only returned 'Show Threads' and which means one has to trawl through pages of unwanted references.

Sav

[Senior Pilot]

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Crucially (for me at least) is the vBulletin search software. When you enter a word/s in the search it offers the option of 'Show Threads' or 'Show Posts' but only delivers 'Threads AND Posts'. I have never entered an item for search which has only returned 'Show Threads' and which means one has to trawl through pages of unwanted references.

Sav

Are you using the standard search? If you use the Advanced Search, the choice of Posts or Threads works well.:ok:

But it isn't easy to find on the page :hmm:

[Daria]

Savoia said: *Other forum software enables readers to add a 'like' to a specific post and which is a great way for posters to gauge how their material is being received. I don't know whether vBulletin has this?


Check out this site to see how vBulletin can look: it's awesome. Just sayin'

any Vietnam vets here? (veteran, tax, military, home) - Military Life and Issues -Relocation, families, vets, bases, Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, VA loans - City-Data Forum (http://www.city-data.com/forum/military-life-issues/1159584-any-vietnam-vets-here.html)

vBulletin has many options which are not yet being offered here. :{ including, as you'd asked about, Savoia, the ability to 'like' individual comments. There, it's known as Reputation.

[mixture]

enables readers to add a 'like' to a specific post and which is a great way for posters to gauge how their material is being received

I'm not sure that feature would be of much interest on PPRuNe.... most members here are fairly vocal and have no trouble in hitting the reply button and telling you exactly what they think of you and your posts (particularly in Jet Blast !).

[FullOppositeRudder]

Sugested earlier:

enables readers to add a 'like' to a specific post and which is a great way for posters to gauge how their material is being received.
Comment from mixture:

I'm not sure that feature would be of much interest on PPRuNe.... most members here are fairly vocal and have no trouble in hitting the reply button and telling you exactly what they think of you and your posts (particularly in Jet Blast !).
I couldn't agree more. With respect PPRuNe should never turn into a "farcebook" lookalike with the burden of an embedded popularity contest. The current PPRuNe machinery does all that is needed for the efficient and speedy exchange of information between people with a primary interest in aviation in all its varied forms. That it has extended in scope to include forums such as this one is a bonus.

It's working and working well. There is no need to 'fix it', IMHO.

Respectfully submitted,

FOR

[Savoia]

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Daria: That was interesting. Am not really into the 'reputation' building and gold star accumulation thing but .. I do think it would be useful for readers to be able to 'like' a specific post thereby giving posters an indication as to the suitability of the material being offered.

I also think that PPRuNe works just fine but I'm also keen to highlight ways in which it can be even better!

The search facility is one area for sure another is PPRuNe's server which seems to be under constant pressure. This received (below) Monday from someone at Internetbrands after PPRuNe was off air for about 15 mins. They say it was an 'attack'. How can a forum such as PPRuNe protect itself from these 'attacks' and what form does an 'attack' usually take?


Sorry everyone for the slow and unresponsive site. We're continuing to experience massive traffic (read: attack) on our systems affecting our entire network. All hands are on deck.



Sav