RMweb Groups

[trisonic]

Andy, With Safari I'm picking up the USA & Canada Railroads Group in "Active" but not the Trams and Tramway Group.........strange.

 

Best, Pete.

[trisonic]

Further to the above post: I appear to be only seeing in "Active Contents" Group Topics that I've already actually posted on ONLY.......................... That's is a little odd because I remember seeing "Active Contents" from the Scottish Group earlier in the day.

 

Best, Pete.

[Dave777]

I suppose that's down to the group owner, but I dont blame you for not being sure. In the RofSC group, for instance, Jamie has suggested that layouts stay where they are, with just a few pics and a link (as a sort of 'trailer' I suppose) in the group itself

 

Yes, a bit like the sticky threads in the 7mm+ forum that give links to 'threads of interest elsewhere' (or however it's worded). That should work, I hope group owners read that.

[Ian J.]

Now here is something rather odd -- group postings not appearing in Active Posts under IE9 and Chrome

 

Following my earlier rant about wasted space in the third column, I found a particularly bad example of content truncation in Arthur's Locomotives & Rolling Stock Manufacturers thread in the 'UK Standard Gauge Industrial' group. Wondering whether any other browser would do a better job than Firefox (unlikely, I know...) I fired up IE9 and Chrome. I then went to Active Posts in each of these and discovered that whilst Firefox showed recent group posts just like any other, there is no sign of them in the other browsers...

 

Nick

This might be something to do with an individual user's settings in either the forum software or their browser, as I don't see any group content other than the posts I've made myself, and I'm using Firefox 3.6

 

Edit: I'm getting the exact same problem in IE8. Also, I don't even see replies to group threads I've posted in, or started.

[Kenton]

Does anyone have any brainwaves on how that can be so as I certainly don't!

Not so much a brainwave as probably stating the obvious.

 

It is not a browser issue. The source code delivered to each browser is the same ( and what a mess! )

 

So it is server side. Specifically in the code that is generating the html for each row iteration or the code for collecting the data from the database. Though I would guess the first.

Is IPB doing something like gathering information on the type of client browser (very reasonable) and then outputting code based on that type. This is I think very possible, but also very unreliable especially for newer browsers/browser versions. This technique is employed for example to get round some of the buggy way IE6 deals with code. (Though usually better done client side - except it then shows up in the source html)

 

I am surprised that despite the considerable use of css for layout that this page (and others) relies on tables for formatting. ( though perhaps not so surprised - it is IPB and their first choice to do anything appears to be javascript followed by html - that infernal dropdown in "Your Profile" again/still)

 

Once again, this is not one of those problems that you should have to resolve - it is their commercial software. A reproducible bug such as this should be down to them to fix.

[Andy Y]

It is not a browser issue. The source code delivered to each browser is the same ( and what a mess! )

 

So it is server side. Specifically in the code that is generating the html for each row iteration or the code for collecting the data from the database.

 

It isn't; Ian J's hit the nail on the head and it was similar to the issue that Jamie deduced earlier on with the display of Groups on the Index.

 

It will only show the Group content in Active Topics if you've joined the Group. In effect this is what someone had asked for a little earlier.

 

There isn't an option to change this within the configuration settings of the App but I will raise it with the App writer.

 

 

 

[Andy Y]

Hah! but will it be fully integrated as a functioning Tag cloud? If it is, and operates down at a post level this could be the answer to the indexing problems. I look forward to this addition, though I have grave doubts about IPB's ability to implement it.

 

As a bit of background this is an article on the forthcoming tags - http://community.invisionpower.com/blog/1174/entry-5918-ipboard-320-tagging-and-prefixes/

 

It looks to be a manual process and doesn't mention clouds but I would foresee an add-on happening pretty quickly which will automate the selection and construct clouds.

 

 

 

[buffalo]

...It will only show the Group content in Active Topics if you've joined the Group. In effect this is what someone had asked for a little earlier...

 

That's odd, I wasn't aware that I'd 'joined' any group. I have, however, viewed a few and these seem to be the only ones that show up. Maybe this has something to do with removing the need to join groups before posting, etc.

 

I've just been to view a thread or two in Locomotive & Rolling Stock Manufacturers using Chrome. Subsequently, the latest group posts show up in Active Content in that browser window, but not in IE9. It seems that you need to join/view in the same browser and so, perhaps, in the same session. I then logged out from the chrome session and logged in again. Sure enough, no entry in Active Content. View the content, it reappears. Log out and in again, it's disappeared...

 

btw. I can also confirm that these results do correspond with what the server is sending. View source in each browser confirms that the missing rows in Active Content really are missing.

 

Nick

[Andy Y]

Clever, but in another way frustrating.

[buffalo]

A further experiment that seems to confirm that the appearance of a group post in Active Content is related to what you have done in a session, and is not related to which browser is used.

 

Using only Firefox 4 (my normal browser) I joined a couple of groups (previously I had not joined any), then posted to one of them. The latest posts in each group then showed up under Active Content. I then logged out and back in again, after which the posts were not shown in Active Content. Subsequently, after visiting any group (irrespective of membership) the latest post in that group appears in Active Content.

 

Nick

[John C]

How long will a topic be left without a response before this hapens. No topics were found. This is either because there are no topics in this forum, or the topics are older than the current age cut-off.

[Andy Y]

Please bear in mind some Groups have just been set up and are awaiting new content or existing content to be transferred. What has been done in a matter of days is quite substantial.

[The Stationmaster]

Is it me or is it the groups thing? I've just posted something and it has top posted instead of following on below the previous post in the usual fashion.

As you were - now going back into the thread it's in the right place - how peculiar (serves me right for getting up at 04.55 this morning)

[hmrspaul]

Dear Andy and others

 

I haven't followed this, just irritated at the development.

 

I have broad interests and no intention of joining any thing. Am I going to see entries to this new set up as I use active content usually a couple of times a day?

 

Paul Bartlett

[Andy Y]

TBH I'm getting to the point where I'm giving up explaining now about the reasons for the development and answering the same questions about it.

 

I try to bring continual improvements and new features and if I'd given up doing so at the first protestations this site would have just collapsed into one large unfathomable mess in outdated software which was pretty much where railway modelling on the 'net was when RMweb started 6 years ago.

 

HMRS Steward for PO Wagons (post 1948) - air brake and international

 

As this is a specific interest (amongst the broader interest) for you maybe I could encourage you to run a Group which will enable similarly interested persons to feel that their and your specific interests are acknowledged and catered for within the larger site?

[trisonic]

Please bear in mind some Groups have just been set up and are awaiting new content or existing content to be transferred. What has been done in a matter of days is quite substantial.

 

Sorry Andy but that bears repeating......................

 

Sounds prattish but I'm replying to every thread in "my" Group Forums is order that I don't miss anything on "Active Content" I didn't get notification of Shortliner's or Old Gringo's new topics for example.

 

Best, Pete.

[Downendian]

Dear Andy and others

 

I haven't followed this, just irritated at the development.

 

I have broad interests and no intention of joining any thing. Am I going to see entries to this new set up as I use active content usually a couple of times a day?

 

Paul Bartlett

 

 

 

 

Hi Paul

 

 

Having just initiated the diesel-hydraulic group, I can only see positives from this development. It should in theory lead to better indexing on the forum, for example if I wanted to find all info on WR hydraulics I would need to search on either multiple terms or manually search certain fora individually (e.g. prototype, products, layouts) and then external links if this is to no avail.

 

As in all forms of research, reference and cross reference ad infinitum - the info we are often looking for is invariably out there, just not necessarily easy to search for.

As Andy says lets see how this one goes- I wish this initiative well, and gives more of us RMweb footsoldiers power to our elbow. We are a community, and many of us want to be more involved, we will get out of it what we put in.

 

Neil

[Ian J.]

A further experiment that seems to confirm that the appearance of a group post in Active Content is related to what you have done in a session, and is not related to which browser is used.

 

Using only Firefox 4 (my normal browser) I joined a couple of groups (previously I had not joined any), then posted to one of them. The latest posts in each group then showed up under Active Content. I then logged out and back in again, after which the posts were not shown in Active Content. Subsequently, after visiting any group (irrespective of membership) the latest post in that group appears in Active Content.

 

Nick

I can confirm this. I just checked the S&DJR group, and then the posts showed up in Active Content. I then joined the Southern Railway Group and those posts showed up. I then logged out, closed the browser (FF3.6) and reopened it, and logged back into RMweb. Before checking any groups directly, I checked Active Content and no group content was visible (for any groups at all including the two of which I am a member). I then checked the S&DJR group directly, and then checked out Active Content and the S&DJR group postings showed up. So it would seem that there is some kind of login occurring when a group is visited, and it needs that visit in order for group posts to show up in Active or New Content.

 

My personal feeling is that to have Group postings not showing up by default in View New Content is awkward as I use that to check activity on the forum more than anything else. However, it's not the end of the world and I can live with it as is.

[trisonic]

Can I just add that anyone with even the mildest of interest in the scene in North America (but modeled anywhere) should pay a visit and consider joining "USA and Canadian Railroads". Some truly startling layout links have started to appear - we can all learn something by stepping out of our "comfort" zone. Go to "Group Forum" once you've entered.

 

Thanks, Pete.

[trisonic]

My personal feeling is that to have Group postings not showing up by default in View New Content is awkward as I use that to check activity on the forum more than anything else.

 

I agree and whilst I'm not entirely certain as to exactly what is happening right now, to me it is critical to the development of "Groups".

 

Best, Pete.

[Kenton]

It will only show the Group content in Active Topics if you've joined the Group. In effect this is what someone had asked for a little earlier.

But being a member of a Group (I still wish I could) still produces different lists in IE8 and Firefox4 as shown above. The actual list of data pulled from the database should be identical regardless of which browser is being asked to display it. I understand that a pre-filtering may be performed if, for example, a user is a member of a group. But that must be currently turned off as I can see the Group Topic updates in "Active Content" despite being excluded from joining any group.

 

I can understand the possibility of a cookie being used and registering an interest in the topic for the session. But I am seeing Group-topics appear in the "Active Contents" list that I have not visited (which is just what I want to see, so I can visit them) and certainly don't have to be a member of.

 

I'm going to try a log off/on and clear cookies...

 

[Ed] well got back in ok - and yes that had the effect of wiping all the group-topics from the list - it is still a mystery though as revisiting a group doesn't seem to bring them back in. and I still say it cannot be triggered by membership or by posting to a group as the former is not possible and the latter I have only posted on a few so far.

 

When some of these teething problems get ironed out I still feel more positive than blogs, as it doesn't seem such a sea change.

[John C]

Please bear in mind some Groups have just been set up and are awaiting new content or existing content to be transferred. What has been done in a matter of days is quite substantial.

I dont like the groups but will give it a go, I know wheeltapers is lost after a certain time if nothing was posted on the topic but was under the impression that the forums did not. it was just the way it was phrased on the that did not have any content as yet

[The Stationmaster]

I can confirm this. I just checked the S&DJR group, and then the posts showed up in Active Content. I then joined the Southern Railway Group and those posts showed up. I then logged out, closed the browser (FF3.6) and reopened it, and logged back into RMweb. Before checking any groups directly, I checked Active Content and no group content was visible (for any groups at all including the two of which I am a member). I then checked the S&DJR group directly, and then checked out Active Content and the S&DJR group postings showed up. So it would seem that there is some kind of login occurring when a group is visited, and it needs that visit in order for group posts to show up in Active or New Content.

 

My personal feeling is that to have Group postings not showing up by default in View New Content is awkward as I use that to check activity on the forum more than anything else. However, it's not the end of the world and I can live with it as is.

 

I seems to be doing the same in 'View New Content' - doesn't show any posts in the Group until you've looked at any thread in the Group itself at which point all the 'new' posts in that thread subsequently appear in 'View New Content'.

[buffalo]

I agree and whilst I'm not entirely certain as to exactly what is happening right now, to me it is critical to the development of "Groups".

 

Pete, it's clearly a bug. I'm sure Andy will get it sorted when he can get some sense out of the developers.

 

...[Ed] well got back in ok - and yes that had the effect of wiping all the group-topics from the list - it is still a mystery though as revisiting a group doesn't seem to bring them back in...

 

From what I can see, you need to actually go to a thread within the group forum, not just to the group page.

 

I suspect the list of visited groups is associated with a session, not with a specific cookie.

 

Nick

[Ian J.]

Not wishing to create work for Andy, but I was just thinking that a potentially useful adaptation would be to have a 'View All New Group Content' facility, backed up by a 'View My Joined Groups New Content' facility. In essence both are shortcuts of some kind to a search system, but having them as direct facilities of some type could be invaluable.