Forum Software Upgrade Coming...

[gopherhockey]

I have some upgrades to do to the forum software very soon. We also want to change around the look at little bit. I hope to get these done in the next few weeks.

One issue I have is that the new forum software will break a number of the custom apps we have added currently. The trail conditions on the front page breaks. So will things like the "Top 10" stats, and even much of our front page will need to be re-done due to changes in how they are doing things in the new code.

Most of it can be worked around, but I'll be sad to lose our trail conditions page. Perhaps someone would like to help re-write that area? We could go to just using the forums condition threads, but it doesn't show a real quick-view of conditions accross the metro that way.

More news on this as the upgrade approaches.

[noise_is_life]

That's a bummer, I extract the Theo trail conditions for display on mocatrails.org.

Does the trail conditions page depend on forum features that are changing or is it breaking for some other reason.

I'm pretty tight about volunteering my free time these days, but I might be able to at least take a look at it to evaluate how much effort it would take.

[gopherhockey]

That's a bummer, I extract the Theo trail conditions for display on mocatrails.org.

Does the trail conditions page depend on forum features that are changing or is it breaking for some other reason.

I'm pretty tight about volunteering my free time these days, but I might be able to at least take a look at it to evaluate how much effort it would take.

The trail conditions page makes calls into the mysql database that is maintained inside the forum db. It uses some global conditions that are set by the forums to process certain things (such as displaying the same headers, footers, navbar etc.), so when the forum software changes the conditions "hack" has to be modified. I did much of what was asked and got it to run, but the edits don't take.

I think its probably something fairly simple but the guy that wrote the original "hack" did pretty sloppy code.

[Panman]

You'd also have to use the forum authentication to make sure a registered user is authorized to make changes. I have a fairly good idea about how to do this but the vBulletin parts.

John, can we make a new table inside of the DB? What kind of features will be needed? I remember chatting with you about a "time out" deal so we don't get old reports on for months. Oh hell, I'll start coding..

[gopherhockey]

You'd also have to use the forum authentication to make sure a registered user is authorized to make changes. I have a fairly good idea about how to do this but the vBulletin parts.

John, can we make a new table inside of the DB? What kind of features will be needed? I remember chatting with you about a "time out" deal so we don't get old reports on for months. Oh hell, I'll start coding..

If you want I can send you the code that we were using for an idea... there are a lot of hacks on vbulletin.org and place that coders can request help - thats usually where I get help, but I'm more of a hack-hacker than a code from scratch person...

[Panman]

If you want I can send you the code that we were using for an idea... there are a lot of hacks on vbulletin.org and place that coders can request help - thats usually where I get help, but I'm more of a hack-hacker than a code from scratch person...
Sure, sounds good. Could e-mail it to rpanning@hotmail.com? I'll take a look and see what I can do!

[Panman]

Ok, would anyone like to see something change on the trail status page (http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/trail.php)? Or I'll keep it mostly the same with a few new features, no content change.

Pat, I'm going to make a way for other sites to get the status easy. It might be via SOAP or just something simple like trail_conditions.php?id=2. << That would return a HTML table of Theo status or something.

[noise_is_life]

That sounds cool Ryan, the extraction code was pretty kludgy.

[ryno lite]

I would love to have the time out on old trail conditions posts that you talked about in an earlier post. Also, is there any way we can shrink the trail list a little? I know our goal is to add trail, but a good portion of the trails listed never get updated trail conditions anyway. Just makes it harder to navigate to the ones that are updated regularly. Anyway, I hope we can save the trail conditions page also, I think it's a good tool if we make an emphasis to use it.

[Panman]

I would love to have the time out on old trail conditions posts that you talked about in an earlier post. Also, is there any way we can shrink the trail list a little? I know our goal is to add trail, but a good portion of the trails listed never get updated trail conditions anyway. Just makes it harder to navigate to the ones that are updated regularly. Anyway, I hope we can save the trail conditions page also, I think it's a good tool if we make an emphasis to use it.
Sure thing, I'll make some kind of "time-out" option. I'll think about ways to help with rarely updated trails, might have some ideas.

[ppgc]

Sure thing, I'll make some kind of "time-out" option. I'll think about ways to help with rarely updated trails, might have some ideas.

Can you just have it sort the most recently updated trails to the top? Then you don't have to worry about the ones that don't ever get updated, they will hang out down @ the bottom. The time out could just switch the conditions to "Not Recently Updated" after 1, 2 weeks or whatever.

-pete

[tedsti]

Can some winter conditions be added as options such as
Packed
Icey
Too deep to ride

[Panman]

You bet, I'll add those to the list!

Now that college is done for the semester (tonight) I should be able to get this done. If we can get the status out there more I think people will know better, such as:

Several sorting options - on the condition page you'll be able to specify how to sort the list (maybe w/ AJAX).
Time out condition - after so long the condition will time out to Unknown if it hasn't been updated.
Condition in the trail forum - so when your viewing the Theo forum you'll see its' condition at the top. Also editable/updatable from here.
Condition in the trial review - so when your viewing the Theo review you'll see its' condition somewhere. Also editable/updateable from here.
RSS Feed - so people can add it to their favorite RSS reader and get a quick trail status.
SOAP Support - or something easy to get the conditions for another site (MOCA).

And some other small things that are internal. Some of these features will be added later. We just need to get it working for the new forum update. If you have other ideas let me know!

[berrywise]

I just want to say that I think you guys are pretty damn smart. Thanks for all the hard work to keep this site what it is.

[gopherhockey]

I'm thinking either Saturday or Sunday will be the upgrade. If you notice the forums are offline this weekend, its the upgrade happening. Shouldn't take me more than an hour or so to get things back online.