Upgrade of Forum Software

Post by **DRT** » 17:22 Thu 13 Sep 2012

A new version of the phpBB software has been issued so we need to perform an upgrade.

I have successfully applied this upgrade to a test area and, provided I have hung the new curtain pole in the kitchen by then, I have permission from SCP-DFD to spend time applying the upgrade on Sunday 16th September.

The forum will be down for approximately 1 hour whilst the upgrade takes place.

DRT

Post by **DRT** » 09:43 Sun 16 Sep 2012

DRT wrote:provided I have hung the new curtain pole in the kitchen by then, I have permission from SCP-DFD to spend time applying the upgrade on Sunday 16th September.

The curtain pole is up. The upgrade will commence shortly.

Post by **DRT** » 10:35 Sun 16 Sep 2012

The upgrade is now complete and appears to have been successful.

Please report any bugs in this thread.

Post by **DRT** » 17:44 Sun 29 Sep 2013

A new version of phpBB has been released so I will be installing the upgrade at some point this week. The forum will be unavailable during the upgrade so if you cannot get in just pour yourself a glass of Port and browse wine-searcher.com for a while until we are back online.

Post by **DRT** » 01:27 Mon 30 Sep 2013

I am currently downloading a backup of the forum software and database. It will take about one hour. Once downloaded I will be applying the upgrade. It is advisable to not post anything on the forum until this process is finished.

Post by **DRT** » 01:59 Mon 30 Sep 2013

DRT wrote:A new version of phpBB has been released so I will be installing the upgrade at some point this week.

Done.

Please report any strange things here.

Post by **DRT** » 00:07 Tue 03 Feb 2015

A new version of phpBB has been released. This is not a simple upgrade to fix bugs, it is a new version of the base software which requires a complete install and an upgrade of the host version of the server software. It is not a trivial task.

The plan is that we will take TPF offline for a day at a weekend in the near future. We will give a few days notice so that members can make plans to be doing something else or book a session with their therapist to help cope with the withdrawal symptoms.

Post by **jdaw1** » 09:55 Tue 03 Feb 2015

• Please put a notice on the front page linking to this thread.

• The new software is incompatible with our ThePortForumRed style. This is being remedied, but there is likely to be an underlap between the styles.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 10:20 Tue 03 Feb 2015

jdaw1 wrote:• Please put a notice on the front page linking to this thread.

• The new software is incompatible with our ThePortForumRed style. This is being remedied, but there is likely to be an underlap between the styles.

But ThePortForumRed2012 will be unaffected?

Post by **jdaw1** » 10:28 Tue 03 Feb 2015

djewesbury wrote:But ThePortForumRed2012 will be unaffected?

ThePortForumRed2012 won’t work with the new software. Hence the making, in progress, of the aesthetically similar ThePortForumRed2015.

Post by **DRT** » 21:48 Tue 03 Feb 2015

jdaw1 wrote:
djewesbury wrote:But ThePortForumRed2012 will be unaffected?
ThePortForumRed2012 won’t work with the new software. Hence the making, in progress, of the aesthetically similar ThePortForumRed2015.

As part of the upgrade we will be setting all user accounts to use ThePortForumRed2015 style. If you don't like it you will have the option of returning to the default phpBB style "subsilver". All previous versions of the styles will be removed as they are not compatible with the upgrade.

Post by **jdaw1** » 21:58 Tue 03 Feb 2015

DRT wrote:As part of the upgrade we will be setting all user accounts to use ThePortForumRed2015 style.

Some time after the upgrade we will be setting all user accounts to use ThePortForumRed2015 style.

Post by **PhilW** » 08:51 Wed 04 Feb 2015

Do any of the admins own a device not manufactured by Apple on which to test the changes before they go live?
If not, then at the appropriate time please shout and I can assist.

Post by **DRT** » 13:38 Wed 04 Feb 2015

I am all Appled-up but I think JDAW has one of those old fashioned Windows thingies and AHB has one of those dreadful Blackcurrents.

Thanks for the offer, we might take it up.

Post by **jdaw1** » 13:40 Wed 04 Feb 2015

DRT wrote:I think JDAW has one of those old fashioned Windows thingies

Not quite: Mac computers, but an Android phone.

Post by **DRT** » 13:53 Wed 04 Feb 2015

jdaw1 wrote:
DRT wrote:I think JDAW has one of those old fashioned Windows thingies
Not quite: Mac computers, but an Android phone.

Yes, Android. That's the one I was thinking of.

Post by **jdaw1** » 09:31 Sat 28 Mar 2015

DRT wrote:A new version of phpBB has been released. This is not a simple upgrade to fix bugs, it is a new version of the base software which requires a complete install and an upgrade of the host version of the server software. It is not a trivial task.

The plan is that we will take TPF offline for a day at a weekend in the near future. We will give a few days notice so that members can make plans to be doing something else or book a session with their therapist to help cope with the withdrawal symptoms.

Please sir, when?

Post by **DRT** » 00:20 Sun 29 Mar 2015

Perhaps Easter weekend.

Post by **jdaw1** » 20:25 Wed 08 Apr 2015

DRT wrote:Perhaps Easter weekend.

If not that sir, when might be most likely?

Post by **jdaw1** » 07:34 Sat 27 Jun 2015

Reportedly the upgrade might happen tomorrow, Sunday 28^th June 2015.

Post by **DRT** » 17:21 Sat 04 Jul 2015

Sorry, have not managed to try this on the test database/forum yet. Will try to do that tomorrow and then give an update of when the live update will happen.

Post by **jdaw1** » 23:50 Sun 07 Feb 2016

DRT, on Sun 29th March 201[b][u]5[/u][/b], wrote:Perhaps Easter weekend.

In 2016 Easter Sunday falls on 27^th March.

Post by **DRT** » 08:47 Fri 12 Feb 2016

Work on the upgrade has started and will hopefully be completed this weekend.

The priority will be to upgrade the underlying software to the latest version to ensure the site is secure and functioning as it should. This means that certain features such as the

colour scheme, tasting notes, TapaTalk access etc might be unavailable when the upgraded site is launched. These bespoke features will hopefully be re-enabled shortly afterwards.

The forum might be unavailable for an extended period this weekend so please bear with us.

Post by **jdaw1** » 21:44 Fri 12 Feb 2016

:Swoons:

Post by **DRT** » 22:53 Fri 12 Feb 2016

jdaw1 wrote:
DRT wrote:As part of the upgrade we will be setting all user accounts to use ThePortForumRed2015 style.
Some time after the upgrade we will be setting all user accounts to use ThePortForumRed2015 style.

Please may I have a copy of ThePortForumRed20152016?

Post by **jdaw1** » 23:07 Fri 12 Feb 2016

DRT wrote:
jdaw1 wrote:
DRT wrote:As part of the upgrade we will be setting all user accounts to use ThePortForumRed2015 style.
Some time after the upgrade we will be setting all user accounts to use ThePortForumRed2015 style.
Please may I have a copy of ThePortForumRed20152016?

I will cope after you have done your bit. Experience has taught that it will require some play.

Post by **DRT** » 01:27 Sat 13 Feb 2016

The test site is available to you. Why not play there rather than in live?

Post by **jdaw1** » 09:39 Sat 13 Feb 2016

DRT wrote:The test site is available to you. Why not play there rather than in live?

Will do.

Post by **DRT** » 13:21 Sat 13 Feb 2016

The upgrade to the latest versions of phpBB and the database have now been completed.

The Port Forum colour scheme will be applied as and when it is ready, which will hopefully be sometime this weekend.

If you notice anything weird happening with the functionality or the data on the site please report it here.

Post by **PhilW** » 13:52 Sat 13 Feb 2016

All seems good, Tapatalk working fine here atm also. Good job

richmills · Post by **richmills** » 14:43 Sat 13 Feb 2016

Has the forum always been on Utc+1 and I've just never noticed?

Cheers, Rich

Post by **DRT** » 16:34 Sat 13 Feb 2016

Unless others outside the UK can confirm otherwise it might be that the upgrade has caused all accounts to default to the same time zone. This can be changed by each user through the user control panel which is accessed from the drop-down next to your username in the top left of the menu bar.

Post by **DRT** » 16:35 Sat 13 Feb 2016

I have added our logo to the header to make us feel at home whilst we await the updated style to be applied

Glenn E. · Post by **Glenn E.** » 00:31 Sun 14 Feb 2016

Tapatalk working fine for me as well!

Post by **jdaw1** » 16:41 Sun 14 Feb 2016

Style updated. There will surely be faults and imperfections — please report here.

Post by **flash_uk** » 17:30 Sun 14 Feb 2016

jdaw1 wrote:Style updated. There will surely be faults and imperfections — please report here.

Is there any way to have the regular html links for "new posts", "unread posts" etc permanently on show on the front page, rather than having to click on the "Quick links" menu? Thx.

Post by **jdaw1** » 17:42 Sun 14 Feb 2016

flash_uk wrote:Is there any way to have the regular html links for "new posts", "unread posts" etc permanently on show on the front page, rather than having to click on the "Quick links" menu? Thx.

There is a little icon for the latest post: is that it?

And if it isn’t, it’s a feature of new phpbb rather than of the style.

Post by **DRT** » 17:57 Sun 14 Feb 2016

jdaw1 wrote:Style updated. There will surely be faults and imperfections — please report here.

Nice! Very clean and I like it.*

Two observations:

Many titles on the board turn bright green when you hover over them. Is this an intentional colour choice? If so, I am not sure it is the correct choise as it does not fit with the rest of the colour palate.
There is a lot of empty space between the logo and the words in the header. Perhaps centre the logo vertically and move the words to the left to close the gap?

*Worth pointing out for anyone who does not like it that some other styles are available for you to use that can be selected via the User Control Panel.

Post by **flash_uk** » 18:36 Sun 14 Feb 2016

jdaw1 wrote:
flash_uk wrote:Is there any way to have the regular html links for "new posts", "unread posts" etc permanently on show on the front page, rather than having to click on the "Quick links" menu? Thx.
There is a little icon for the latest post: is that it?

And if it isn’t, it’s a feature of new phpbb rather than of the style.

No, not that. Previously, just below the line that says Board Index > Miscellany Corner, there used to be another line with a set of links. These links are now accessed by clicking on the Quick Links icon, necessitating an extra click.

Post by **jdaw1** » 19:19 Sun 14 Feb 2016

DRT wrote:Many titles on the board turn bright green when you hover over them. Is this an intentional colour choice? If so, I am not sure it is the correct choise as it does not fit with the rest of the colour palate.

I had to choose something, and chose that. Now I see it I think I agree with you. What should happen instead? No change in text, background to pale pink? Other?

DRT wrote:There is a lot of empty space between the logo and the words in the header. Perhaps centre the logo vertically and move the words to the left to close the gap?

Now you have drawn that officially and formally to my attention I can no longer pretend not to have seen it. Will be investigated.

Post by **jdaw1** » 19:22 Sun 14 Feb 2016

flash_uk wrote:No, not that. Previously, just below the line that says Board Index > Miscellany Corner, there used to be another line with a set of links. These links are now accessed by clicking on the Quick Links icon, necessitating an extra click.

Not my fault. Fixable by me, with some difficulty.

Have you found the notifications pop-up menu?

Post by **DRT** » 19:27 Sun 14 Feb 2016

jdaw1 wrote:
flash_uk wrote:No, not that. Previously, just below the line that says Board Index > Miscellany Corner, there used to be another line with a set of links. These links are now accessed by clicking on the Quick Links icon, necessitating an extra click.
Not my fault. Fixable by me, with some difficulty.

Have you found the notifications pop-up menu?

I think it would be advisable not to tinker with the standard menus and features of pphBB. Doing so has put us in difficulty in the past and means that things become not-backward-compatible when the next release (or even sub-release) of the forum software comes out.

I watched similar things happen n a much larger Astro forum recently and within a few days everyone became used to where things are and forgot about the old layout. That, I would suggest, is better than tinkering and breaking things.

Post by **DRT** » 19:30 Sun 14 Feb 2016

jdaw1 wrote:
DRT wrote:Many titles on the board turn bright green when you hover over them. Is this an intentional colour choice? If so, I am not sure it is the correct choise as it does not fit with the rest of the colour palate.
I had to choose something, and chose that. Now I see it I think I agree with you. What should happen instead? No change in text, background to pale pink? Other?

What happened in the previous style?

jdaw1 wrote:
DRT wrote:There is a lot of empty space between the logo and the words in the header. Perhaps centre the logo vertically and move the words to the left to close the gap?
Now you have drawn that officially and formally to my attention I can no longer pretend not to have seen it. Will be investigated.

Thank you.

Post by **jdaw1** » 19:35 Sun 14 Feb 2016

DRT wrote:I think it would be advisable not to tinker with the standard menus and features of pphBB. Doing so has put us in difficulty in the past and means that things become not-backward-compatible when the next release (or even sub-release) of the forum software comes out.

+1.

Post by **jdaw1** » 19:56 Sun 14 Feb 2016

jdaw1 wrote:I had to choose something, and chose that. Now I see it I think I agree with you. What should happen instead? No change in text, background to pale pink? Other?

Now pink background.

DRT wrote:There is a lot of empty space between the logo and the words in the header. Perhaps centre the logo vertically and move the words to the left to close the gap?

Fixed.

Post by **DRT** » 21:22 Sun 14 Feb 2016

Pink background is better.

The header is no different on my machine...

: Screen Shot 2016-02-14 at 21.20.36.png (20.71 KiB) Viewed 41764 times

Post by **jdaw1** » 21:51 Sun 14 Feb 2016

Command-R was needed to update mine.

Post by **DRT** » 22:37 Sun 14 Feb 2016

Post by **DRT** » 09:25 Mon 15 Feb 2016

I have just noticed that the new site renders very nicely on an iPhone. So much so that I don't feel the need to battle with TapaTalk.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 15:13 Mon 15 Feb 2016

How does one change the color scheme? I can't seem to find out where to do so.