After having our meeting last week, we have spent the last several days upgrading the forums. During times things have been ULTRA slow the last couple days, it's been while we were performing maintenance on the database tables. We have made the following changes:

Completely revamped the indexes on every table, increasing performance.
Optimized queries we were running against the database
Particularly, improved the performance of one particular query by over 3000%
Search: Completely re-wrote the search, moving to an object-oriented search result.
Search: Fixed all memory overrun errors and max_packet_size errors.
Search: With this new OO search, we are able to allow re-sorting of results (this was not previously available because of database performance), including allowing sorting by date.
Search: Sorting and result returns are faster in the new search because we have improved the sorting algorithms.
Search: Increased the functionality of date filtering.
eBots: eBots now only send once until you come back to the forum/thread you are subscribed to and then are reset.

We hope these changes make using the forums more pleasurable for our members. In the future, we will certainly add more features, such as searching within search results (this is a personal goal, but don't count on it until at least the community conversion is complete). If you have any problems or encounter any errors that you believe are a result of the new changes, please post those concerns HERE and we will address them as soon as possible. Thanks

-Nicholas

Zippity-doo-dah!

"you are terrifying
and strange and beautiful
something not everyone knows how to love." - Warsan Shire

Thank you Nick

Sandy
An imagination can create wonderful things

SndCastie's Little Haven

The forums are absolutely flying for me today. Well done!

"Zippity-doo-dah!" x 2!

THANK You, kind soul. T.P.

Now this is good news:) Thanks Nicholas for staying up all night and taking care of these things. You ROCK...

Alright Nic!
Thanks! :D

~Jani

Renderosity Community Admin
---------------------------------------

> Quote - - Search: Completely re-wrote the search, moving to an object-oriented search result. > - Search: Fixed all memory overrun errors and max_packet_size errors. > - Search: With this new OO search, we are able to allow re-sorting of results (this was not previously available because of database performance), including allowing sorting by date. > - Search: Sorting and result returns are faster in the new search because we have improved the sorting algorithms. > - Search: Increased the functionality of date filtering. > - eBots: eBots now only send once until you come back to the forum/thread you are subscribed to and then are reset.

does a happy happy dance

OMG!!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

Forgot to give you this :)

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

eBots: eBots now only send once until you come back to the forum/thread you are subscribed to and then are reset.

Big "Attaboy" on that one

Thanks for listening to the membership.

Tom

“The fact that no one understands you…Doesn’t make you an artist.”

Quote - eBots now only send once until you come back to the forum/thread you are subscribed to and then are reset.

Don't know how I missed that one, but - YAY!

Quote - Thanks for listening to the membership.

Yeah, well, I did that one off-the-clock because I wasn't given permission. So, PayPal williamsn@pop.belmont.edu if ya love me. HAHAHAHA! pretends to wait around and watch PayPal balance :tongue2:

-Nicholas

See we do listen!!! Can't always do what some want but we certainly try where we can. I guess my "batting eyes" worked on the ebot problem:) heehee

WooHoo...youse guyz rock......

Once in a while I look around,
I see a sound
and try to write it down
Sometimes they come out very soft
Tinkling light sound
The Sun comes up again

Thanks for the e-bots! But since the prize for a job well done is more jobs: put the reply on a copletely new page put the smilies on the page with the reply and make them clickable build in the ability to make individual threads read, not only the whole forum. Or fix the bug with the icon load. and fix the editor! It's probably the only editor that doesn't work with all the bigger browsers and you had to use it.

-- erlik

You can click reply to go to a completely new page, or you can use the reply at the bottom of the page. After releasing, we had an overwhelming request for an additional reply box to be at the bottom, so there it will stay. 2) Smilies are a feature of ours, the reply box is an external resource, so the two cannot work together. Smilies cannot be clickable. They will remain the way they are. 3) Because of database performance and storage issues, we cannot physically make individual threads read. There are no bugs with the icon load. It's all working properly. 4) Again, as I have said in a dozen other threads (not being snappy here, just stating fact), the editor is an external resource. It is not something we wrote and any modifications have to come from the developers. It is written to perform as equally as possible on Firefox, IE, Netscape, and Mozilla. I'd say those are the bigger browsers. Support in the next version (hopefully out in August) will hopeully work with Opera and Safari. If you're referring to the "security settings" issue on FireFox, this is a problem with FireFox that the authors of the editor cannot work around.

-Nicholas

Great that the ebots are finally fixed.

But the "Mark thread read" thing MUST be possible though since every other php based forum I've ever seen has it...

Personally, if I was planning to buy forum software, I wouldn't buy this when what I'd consider a key feature was missing.

But at least the ebots are fixed. Thanks for that :m_grin:

Opera 9 supposedly has a better support of RT editors. And still doesn't work with fck. It's like he intentionally sabotaged it. Also, afaik, it still doesn't work with IE 7, but I don't have it here to test it. I can understand the problem with individual threads, but the icons don't work properly. When you've read a thread, the icons should switch to the gray ones, like they do when you mark a forum read, right? Well, they don't. As to the smilies, that guy simply doesn't know what he's doing. It's a wonder why the vbulletin editor works (with clickable smilies!) and fck doesn't.

-- erlik

thanks, nick. progress! :)

Quote - So, PayPal williamsn@pop.belmont.edu if ya love me. HAHAHAHA!

Sorry Nicholas, but you owe me:

http://market.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?message_id=2656560&ebot_calc_page#message_2656560

;-)

That would imply that I had agreed to that bet. I don't bet.

-Nicholas

eBots: eBots now only send once until you come back to the forum/thread you are subscribed to and then are reset.

A huge Hippie Dippie Yippeeee!!!!

...and my C-Drive thanx you too!!!

Yank My Doodle, It's a Dandy!

No idea of what you said you did, Nicholas, but it gotta be OK -

It's just like the PGA around here - These guys are GOOD.

Peace, love and all that stuff.

And don't call me Shirley!

Quote - Great that the ebots are finally fixed.

But the "Mark thread read" thing MUST be possible though since every other php based forum I've ever seen has it...

Personally, if I was planning to buy forum software, I wouldn't buy this when what I'd consider a key feature was missing.

But at least the ebots are fixed. Thanks for that :m_grin:

I second that, thanks for the ebot thing, but now please fix the mark when read.

The best & most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen nor touched... but felt in the heart.

Helen Keller

My Gallery My Freebies My Store

Sorry I'm late with this williamsn, but thanks for fixing the ebots!

"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act" ~George Orwell

I am happy for all this work, and the results.
Nick knows the two things I want the most though.
Let's see. I bet if I top up that paypal I get them.

"The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions."

Very nice! Sharen

How about the same functionality for the galleries?!

...small steps, big journeys :-)

Thanks Nick, cheque's in the mail ;-)

Yeah, I'm still using the old smilies 'cause I don't know how to use the new ones.


<strong>bandolin</strong><br />
[Former 3DS Max forum coordinator]<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.renderosity.com/homepage.php">Homepage</a> ||
<a href="http://www.renderosity.com/mod/sitemail/">SiteMail</a> ||
<a href="http://excalibur.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/browse.php?user_id=70375">
Gallery</a> || <a href="http://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/index.php?username=bandolin">
Freestuff</a>
<p><em>Caution: just a hobbyist</em></p>

Thank You - The forums are definitely faster - WooHoo! :woot: :thumbupboth:

~ Meow ~

Sorry i'm late getting to this but mucho grassy arse nick for the ebot thing, appreciate your effort.

Jack

brilliant... :)

Thx alot. Finally Renderosity is faster than the good old letters...(Evil Grin)

The only mark I've made in life,

is in my underwear;

Yeah, I'm still using the old smilies 'cause I don't know how to use the new ones.

Just open up the smilie window, and copy/paste the text under each smilie face into the editor you are typing in would look like : smile : {with no spaces}

~Jani

Renderosity Community Admin
---------------------------------------

Nick, thanks for the ebots
Quote
"well, I did that one off-the-clock because I wasn't given permission"
Unquote

As usual, pathetic management.

No, no Adavyss. I didn't want to give you the impression that the management here is "pathetic". I think they're doing great things with Renderosity. But, unfortunately, we had already gone over budget on the forums. I didn't do them off the clock because I disagreed with not having permission. I did them off the clock because they were getting on my nerves too and I just wanted them fixed. But I completely understand why I was told that it wasn't a priority when we're also working on getting the galleries and a dozen other things converted and out for you to use.

-Nicholas

Nick, there are 2 ways to go over budget,

employees are working badly
the budget was wrong
In both cases, it's poor management.

When something is getting on clients nerves, it's poor management to refuse to listen and correct the problem.

When all the work force is mobilized on a new project before the previous one is fully operational, it's also poor management.

Fortunately, there are still people like you with common sense.

Thanks again for fixing the ebots

When companies refuse to believe that the customer is always right, they are doomed to go the way of the Oldsmobile.

Yank My Doodle, It's a Dandy!

Good work Nicholas. The speed does indeed seem to be greatly improved. :-)

eeiihhh ?!?!?! i dont get anything anymore .... only from thread's is started ?? thats a bit to much ebot killing don't ya think ?

so whats up with no more emails from here ?

Chris

IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT BAR-CODE SENT A PM to 26FAHRENHEIT "same person"

Chris

My Free Stuff

Quote - eeiihhh ?!?!?! i dont get anything anymore .... only from thread's is started ?? thats a bit to much ebot killing don't ya think ?

so whats up with no more emails from here ?

Chris

It's like it was with the old forum. You get one notification per thread unless you visit the thread again, at which time you reset the clock and will get another if someone else replies after that.

It's better than getting a reply notification for ever single post made in the thread.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi

One thing I forgot. How about we get the link as the text for the link instead of "here"? For instance, http://www.renderosity.com/ instead of "click here." That way those of us who try to protect themselves won't have to use HTML in their mail programs and open up to spammers and what not. Any mail program that I tried turns a link inserted into a mail clickable.

-- erlik

I like the new style and look of the forums. I am having problems with the speed on thrying to enter any of the threads, though. My one big complaint is the fact that I no longer get the newsletter. Did you discountinue it or is there a problem with it? And befor you ask, Yes, I have checked the box to recieve the newsletter. I even went into my profile and unchecked then saced the changes, then went back and changed it back. Is there some one I sould contact or something else I can do?

You'll probably have to talk to one of the staff about the newsletter, I got mine only a day or two ago.

Come visit us at RenderGods.

Ignore the shooty dog thing.

Well done Nicholas - the speed increase is now very noticable and so far seems consistent in all forums. Thank you!

The important thing is not to stop questioning.
- Albert Einstein

Indoda

Well done Nicholas - the speed increase is now very noticable and so far seems consistent in all forums. Thank you!

The important thing is not to stop questioning.
- Albert Einstein

Indoda

revric check to make sure your mail server hasn't changed sometimes they do and consider it spam,and check to make sure you accept mail from renderosity. If that isn't the problem get with Clint he can check it out on this end.

Sandy
An imagination can create wonderful things

SndCastie's Little Haven

Has the default PHP style sheet been changed so that the active links and visited links on the forum lists are different colors? I fixed that for myself on my style sheet. It makes a huge difference. I am not confused about what threads I have read and which are the newer ones any more. I'm sure it would be an easy fix, and so many people would benefit.

Fractals will always amaze me!

I'm stil highly dissatisfied, for no particular reason, but this is a step in the right direction. ;)

Wonderful update of the site ..

Btw. have Instant Messaging been removed (I only see e-mailing when as an option on an artist homepage) ?

Hey Tony,
If you click on 'messaging' at the top of the forum, it will take you to the new site mail, which works just like an IM......just type in {case sensitive} users member name and away you go ;)

~Jani

Renderosity Community Admin
---------------------------------------

Quote - Hey Tony,
If you click on 'messaging' at the top of the forum, it will take you to the new site mail, which works just like an IM......just type in {case sensitive} users member name and away you go ;)

Thank you for the information .. so that is where it went :-) I will check it out

.. just tried the new "site mail" feature (replacement for IM).

I get the SQL error message below but seems to work ok otherwise.

I suggest that the "to" field be pre-filled out with the username in question (like when it was when we had IM)

THanks

Compose Message

mysql error: You have an error in your SQL syntax. Check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '???' at line 1, occured in query: "select username from member where userid = ???".

Well im happy everybody is fine and happy about the speed etc etc and thats a good think...

But ...not realy for me... i MIS 80% of the ebot mails about new topic's !!!!!

I just dont get them anymore, and yes i/m subscribed to the forums of choice i even Unsub. and resub. myself to reset the subscribe etc etc.

But i missed at the poser forum i think 8 new topics in the last day !?!? i got to come to the site to see if there are new topics..

To be honnest i start notice the lack of mail/ebots on the very same day the bots where fixed..

So what can i do im subed to more than 1 forum and i got to spent a unfair amount of time just to see if there are new topic on these forums.

I think i got all my setting right because it worked FINE absolutely FINE while all the other member where having troubles so ??

I hope realy HOPE i get some response now from site staff...

Thnx for reading my bad english and the long story :}

Chris

IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT BAR-CODE SENT A PM to 26FAHRENHEIT "same person"

Chris

My Free Stuff

Hi Bar-Code,

I will let the programmers know about the ebot issue and the timeframe of when this started to see if they can figure out what may be causing some to come through and others not to...

Will let you know.

Thanks

Hi Tony, dont know why you are getting that error..you are making sure to type the username in just as it is on the site right? {user names are case sensitive}

Feel free to test send me an IM, and make sure you type in, jumpstartme2, as opposed to Jumpstartme2
If you still get that error let me know k?

~Jani

Renderosity Community Admin
---------------------------------------

Hello. When I sign into the forum area it sends me fairly quickly to the page. Then, however, it 'freezes' for about 10-15 seconds each time before it 'releases' and then the entire page comes up for me. I'm using Netscape browser 7.2 version.

As for the new site mail -- Now I get ebots in my email addy account I used to join this site. Each shows an email address I don't recognize along with artists notification normal ebots, etc. I clicked on one email address and after I opened it I knew who it was from here. This means I now know someone's email address and I am assuming they would know mine if I used your new, improved site mail? I was taught to never open emails that I did not know of who sent them? I preferred the IM prior set up. I never used the email option unless I really got to know someone here and gave them a prior heads up about my email addy.

I asked earlier the 'reason' for this change and the 'benefits' over the old program. Would anyone care to kindly respond?

I thank you, in advance, for any reply. My best, TallPockets.

BTW - I have the 'freeze' up 10-15 seconds per page in the Writer's Forum, also. T.P.

BTW 2 : This 'freeze up' or 'pause' occurs every time I post a reply or change pages, etc., on forums here.

BTW 3: I take it there will be 'no' future changes to the forum regarding 'fitting' all the text into a compressed area so people like me with 800 monitor settings no longer have to 'scroll' left to right continually to read each line of text posted?

Or, not even a ''printer friendly'' set up style as you had previously for those in my situation?

Again, thanks. T.P.

Some of our other Netscape and Firefox users were having the problem with the page pausing as they load it. This is due to the HTML editor embedded in the page. The solution for them was to upgrade Firefox to the latest version (1.5.2 at the time, now 1.5.4), and to upgrade Netscape to the latest versino (8.x). After upgrading they no longer experienced any problems. If you upgrade your Netscape to 8.x, it should remedy your problem.

-Nicholas

TallPockets, I've noticed that there is a bit of a pause when I load forum pages, too...but not as long as what you describe, so I don't know if it's the same thing...but I thought I'd mention it...

the delay I experience is caused by the loading of the box at the bottom of the page for posting a reply...it first opens as an empty box, and then all the little icons load individually (source, bold, italics, underline, undo, etc, etc plus the Style, Font & Size dropdowns, etc, etc)...once it's all done, the whole page hiccups a bit. :unsure:

Is it possible that the Netscape browser is having a harder time handling the way that box loads?? For me (IE or Firefox), it seems to go through the whole process every page, so I guess it doesn't (or can't) cache it at all. :huh:

Anyway, don't know if that has anything to do with your situation, but I thought I'd mention it to you.

Check out my full gallery at Cliff-Dweller Artworks

Attached Link: http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=reroerror011cw.jpg

> Quote - Hi Tony, dont know why you are getting that error..you are making sure to type the username in just as it is on the site right? {user names are case sensitive} > > Feel free to test send me an IM, and make sure you type in, jumpstartme2, as opposed to Jumpstartme2 > If you still get that error let me know k?

Thanks .. I actually get the error as soon as I press the button for Site messages (and before entering any text on the screen, and i happens both on IE 6.0.2900.2180.. and Firefox 1.5.0.3):
(see attached screenshot)

I will try sending you a message to see if it gets through anyway.
Thank you

Thanks Tony :)
I got the IM ;)

Just to make sure how you are going about it, are you using the link to messages from a members profile, or are you going in thru the link at the top header?

I will get with someone about this error message...I cant stand it when a computer throws words at me that I dont understand LOL!

~Jani

Renderosity Community Admin
---------------------------------------

Jumpstartme, We are aware of this problem. A handful of 'rosity users are having it, so you don't have to get with anyone. Currently, after spending hours on it, we are unable to duplicate the error, so we cannot fix it. We have taken the position that we believe it will no longer be an issue once the conversion is finished. Nicholas

-Nicholas

Oh. I wasn't aware of anyone else having this particular syntax error. Thanks for letting me know.

~Jani

Renderosity Community Admin
---------------------------------------

Quote - Thanks Tony :)
I got the IM ;)

Just to make sure how you are going about it, are you using the link to messages from a members profile, or are you going in thru the link at the top header?

I will get with someone about this error message...I cant stand it when a computer throws words at me that I dont understand LOL!

ha ha .. yes I also dont like when the computer talks to me like that :-) Sounds good that you got the IM. Yes, I link to messeages from a members profile by pressing the button. If you talk to someone about this, maybe you could also suggest that the button also transferred the username and pre-filled the To-field (so that I was not in danger of misspelling etc.) that would really be nice.

Thank you for your interest, help and support. Much appreciated.

That's the point. It's supposed to pre-fill the To field. But the error is preventing it from doing that because for some reason the information about the user is not being transferred. And it's only happening on a handful of users' machines. On the rest of them it's populating the To field just fine. This will no longer be a problem when the conversion is over. N

-Nicholas

Quote - Jumpstartme, We are aware of this problem. A handful of 'rosity users are having it, so you don't have to get with anyone. Currently, after spending hours on it, we are unable to duplicate the error, so we cannot fix it. We have taken the position that we believe it will no longer be an issue once the conversion is finished. Nicholas

Thanks for the information Nicholas .. I just realized that it was the error I experienced that you were referring to.

Thanks

Forum: Community Center

Subject: Forums Upgraded - Speed, eBots and Search Improved