phpBB 3

[mattsteg]

The layout seems really bulky with lots of wasted space.

Again, that just seems to be the way phpBB 3 was made. If you check out polls on the CBE forum, the spacing is exactly the same.

In general, while functionality is up, legibility seems to have taken a step backwards with phpBB3. Some of the design/layout changes that have been implemented are just baffling. It's not a TR thing, it's a phpBB thing.

[PerfectCr]

I agree, it feels more "bloated" than the simpler look of the previous version.

[Usacomp2k3]

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply to me. You are right. Most of the changes are specific to phpbb3, so it's not really ya'lls fault. Most of the stuff I'll just get over in time. Lemme go back and read and see if there were specific questions you asked...

Now it is much harder (for me at least) to discern stickies/announcements/new posts,

Stickies are the same, just a different icon. I guess they also got rid of the "Sticky:" text at the beginning. Announcements are FAR easier to discern since they are completely separate from the rest of the threads in the forums. New posts are difficult if you've got red/green colorblindness like yourself, but those are standard phpBB 3 icons.

Getting rid of the word "sticky" is a pretty big change in my book. The icons are too hard to discern, and honestly in about 45 seconds of looking, I just can't seem to find any stickies. You are right though, the announcements section is separated, and I like that. Could you put the stickies up there too? Also, the icons aren't particularly intuitive to a new person here, IMHO.

the icons for PM and such got moved. The links for 'view new posts' etc got moved.

Not sure what you mean about PM icons. If you mean the link to your PM box, that just went from the center to the left. The 'view new posts' just went from the right to the left. Those are standard to phpBB 3. I honestly have a hard time understanding why this is a big deal. I was more disappointed in how they changed the 'view new posts' page, since the forums that the threads are in are more difficult to identify than before.

Yeah, they were moved. I guess it kinds makes sense to have them next to the person's name, but it was still a surprise I agree that the 'view new posts' page is different and harder to read, and I don't really like how it doesn't prompt you to login before showing you your new posts, since that was the old behaviour and now I have to click the bookmark, click login, hit login with my info, and then reload the bookmark as opposed to the old system of loading bookmark and hitting enter. Like I said, I'll get used to it.

No more html.

That was a security decision by the phpBB developers. The need for it isn't as great as it was, since the BBCode for links and images was improved. If there's a must have html feature, we can always add custom BBCodes. I can actually do that from the admin control panel.

I know that wasn't your call, but it still is different, although it's definitely not a big one since I can't think of anything other than the links (which now presumable work properly) that needs it. Consider it a non-issue then.

Links and stuff just don't make sense, layout-wise.

How so?

Like it being really difficult to tell which forum a post is in. The text is kinda smooshed and jumbled and it will take me awhile to get used to it and find the information that I'm used to finding.

The layout seems really bulky with lots of wasted space.

Again, that just seems to be the way phpBB 3 was made. If you check out polls on the CBE forum, the spacing is exactly the same.

Just because it's the default way doesn't make it any less wasteful. Again, not a big deal.

I know that a large part of that is theming,

Actually, my opinion is that very little of it is the theme. But Steve and/or Cyril would know more about that since they've been in the code.

I was more getting back to the lots of open unused space. Also the dark on light I'm not as big a fan of. Especially for late-night browsing or reading in low-light on a laptop screen.

EDIT: and I just got hit with the 'at least one new post' thing that didn't post my comment. Is there a way to turn that annoying 'feature' off?

That' one of the best features, IMO. Completely prevents posting something in a thread, only to find out that someone beat you to it. I think the option to turn it off is a global setting for all users, but I can't seem to find it at the moment.

I just don't like being forced to have to read whether I want to post. When I hit post, well then post it, gosh dang it. It's not like I don't read the thread after I post anyway. It's just like how phpbb2 uses the confirmation page. I personally found that to be very annoying and a waste of my time. It'd be alot faster for me to tell whether it posted or not by just having it go back to the thread when I hit 'submit' and I'll see my post there. If someone else already said it, then usually having supporting evidence from multiple sources isn't a bad thing. Plus, editing to say 'beat to it' isn't difficult and most people here seem to have accomplished that. I know that some people (such as yourself) like the feature, so again file it into minor personal annoyance.

There really aren't any deal-breakers. It is a new layout and I'm sure it will grow on me. The front page sure has. I do want to thank those involved for making it a widescreen-compatible layout. Even though there is wasted space, it's not nearly as bad as it could be.

EDIT: another thing, can we change links to open in a new window? I really liked that functionality in the past, and would love to see it back.

[annabel]

hehe, I love the someone posted before you so check what you wrote cause now it might be pointless... thing

I rather like all of it actually. I don't like having to go up to the top to get the board options bit, cause it's just got the link to the board index at the bottom, but i got used to that in about two days

[lordT]

The CSS for the polls is clearly broken.

[Cyril]

The CSS for the polls is clearly broken.

Can you post a screenshot? If you're referring to the (arguably excessive) spacing, that's just the way phpBB 3 does it. Formatting it differently would involve redoing the template HTML and style from scratch, and I don't think that's worth the time investment.

[lordT]

The CSS for the polls is clearly broken.

Can you post a screenshot? If you're referring to the (arguably excessive) spacing, that's just the way phpBB 3 does it. Formatting it differently would involve redoing the template HTML and style from scratch, and I don't think that's worth the time investment.

To me thats broken. I don't quite think you need to redo the HTML in the template files or style from scratch to make it look better. All you need to do is center the content and reducing the irritating spacing.

The advantage of using template systems and CSS is that you can tweak it to look exactly like you want it, isn't it? Hell, you can even change the entire positioning so that the radio button is to the left of the text without touching the source markup. Isn't the Zen Garden proof enough?

[bhtooefr]

The only thing that phpBB3's lack of HTML makes impossible is tables, IIRC.

(I have used tables in posts here before...)

However, they can be simulated with a PNG, although with massive loss in functionality. Also, I can just link to a page with the tables.

[titan]

I have a question: what's with people's names being different colors? Sometimes their black, sometimes dark blue, and sometimes light blue.

[titan]

The only thing that phpBB3's lack of HTML makes impossible is tables, IIRC.

(I have used tables in posts here before...)

However, they can be simulated with a PNG, although with massive loss in functionality. Also, I can just link to a page with the tables.

Maybe this would help.

[mattsteg]

I have a question: what's with people's names being different colors? Sometimes their black, sometimes dark blue, and sometimes light blue.

Color coding.

[titan]

I have a question: what's with people's names being different colors? Sometimes their black, sometimes dark blue, and sometimes light blue.

Color coding.

Thanks for the enlightening answer. What does the color coding mean?

[Flying Fox]

I have a question: what's with people's names being different colors? Sometimes their black, sometimes dark blue, and sometimes light blue.

Color coding.

Thanks for the enlightening answer. What does the color coding mean?

Go to the board index page, and the scroll to the bottom. Look for the line that says "Legend: ...".

[Kevin]

To me thats broken. I don't quite think you need to redo the HTML in the template files or style from scratch to make it look better. All you need to do is center the content and reducing the irritating spacing.

That's how the polls are designed in phpBB 3.

The advantage of using template systems and CSS is that you can tweak it to look exactly like you want it, isn't it? Hell, you can even change the entire positioning so that the radio button is to the left of the text without touching the source markup. Isn't the Zen Garden proof enough?

And what makes you think phpBB is as flexible as the Zen Garden?

[Kevin]

Thanks for the enlightening answer. What does the color coding mean?

Go to the board index page, and the scroll to the bottom. Look for the line that says "Legend: ...".

I also put it in my FAQ.

[Cyril]

To me thats broken. I don't quite think you need to redo the HTML in the template files or style from scratch to make it look better. All you need to do is center the content and reducing the irritating spacing.

The advantage of using template systems and CSS is that you can tweak it to look exactly like you want it, isn't it? Hell, you can even change the entire positioning so that the radio button is to the left of the text without touching the source markup. Isn't the Zen Garden proof enough?

If you're able to make the poll look more palletable using CSS only then I'd love to see what you can come up with. However, I found no clean way to improve it. The same element contains the radio buttons and poll bars, so moving the radio buttons to the left makes the results view awkward. Simply centering the poll content looks equally awkward.

Also, I redesigned the entire site using CSS. I don't think you need to clue me in on the advantages of stylesheets.

[titan]

Thanks for the enlightening answer. What does the color coding mean?

Go to the board index page, and the scroll to the bottom. Look for the line that says "Legend: ...".

I also put it in my FAQ.

I feel so sheepish now. I've seen that legend before, but I never put two and two together. I've read the FAQ before, but that was a really long time ago. Thanks guys.

[lordT]

Also, I redesigned the entire site using CSS. I don't think you need to clue me in on the advantages of stylesheets.

Heh.. Sorry. I didn't mean to one up you. Its just that the polls look incomplete and broken which is in contrast to the other parts of the site. Again, I am not nit picking for nitpicking sake.

And what makes you think phpBB is as flexible as the Zen Garden?

If they were willing to let a feature go just so their code validates correctly, I am assuming their markup should be cleanly structured as well. I confess, I haven't looked at the markup that thoroughly but it seems correctly done to me.

[FireGryphon]

Not sure if this is due to the forum upgrade, but one of my threads does not show up on the front page regardless of how many replies it gets: http://www.techreport.com/forums/viewto ... 37&t=56792

Why is that?

[Captain Ned]

From what I've read the Hot Threads box only shows newly-created threads, not newly-posted-to.

[PerfectCr]

Not sure if this is due to the forum upgrade, but one of my threads does not show up on the front page regardless of how many replies it gets: http://www.techreport.com/forums/viewto ... 37&t=56792

Why is that?

Your threads have been banned from the front page, it's a Phpbb conspiracy against FG!

[FireGryphon]

Not sure if this is due to the forum upgrade, but one of my threads does not show up on the front page regardless of how many replies it gets: http://www.techreport.com/forums/viewto ... 37&t=56792

Why is that?

Your threads have been banned from the front page, it's a Phpbb conspiracy against FG!

I knew it! I knew it! Quick, I've got to find a Google Cache of TR with the old version of phpBB!

[Hoser]

One thing I don't like is that the new forums don't reset the cookies when I leave and then come back. I don't read every thread that has new postings so there's a lot of unread ones. I have to manually mark all forums read or when I come back they are still marked as unread. The old version would just reset itself once I logged out and only post unread topics since my last visit.

[SuperSpy]

One thing I don't like is that the new forums don't reset the cookies when I leave and then come back. I don't read every thread that has new postings so there's a lot of unread ones. I have to manually mark all forums read or when I come back they are still marked as unread. The old version would just reset itself once I logged out and only post unread topics since my last visit.

TBH that's one of my favorite changes. Too many times have I accidentally closed the wrong browser window and had to re-login to TR only to see an "empty" forum.

[lordT]

One thing I don't like is that the new forums don't reset the cookies when I leave and then come back. I don't read every thread that has new postings so there's a lot of unread ones. I have to manually mark all forums read or when I come back they are still marked as unread. The old version would just reset itself once I logged out and only post unread topics since my last visit.

Agreed. And in my case, the older threads still show up but with a "read post" icon next to them. I'll post a screenshot if I am not making myself clear.

[sroylance]

From what I've read the Hot Threads box only shows newly-created threads, not newly-posted-to.

That wasn't the intention, but AFAICT that was the result. I was sorting threads by the wrong field. I've changed it to sort by when a thread was posted to, it should be working more like the old one now.

[UberGerbil]

From what I've read the Hot Threads box only shows newly-created threads, not newly-posted-to.

That wasn't the intention, but AFAICT that was the result. I was sorting threads by the wrong field. I've changed it to sort by when a thread was posted to, it should be working more like the old one now.

I figured it was something like that; I just wasn't sure if it was intentional or not.

[Jive]

I am unable to post anything on the news stories on the front page, whenever i post, it tells me i have incorrect username/password, but yet it works fine here on these forums...

[FireGryphon]

Your username is case sensitive on the front page.

[Usacomp2k3]

One thing I don't like is that the new forums don't reset the cookies when I leave and then come back. I don't read every thread that has new postings so there's a lot of unread ones. I have to manually mark all forums read or when I come back they are still marked as unread. The old version would just reset itself once I logged out and only post unread topics since my last visit.

Do you manually log out? That should reset that feature. I don't think it's a cookie aspect.