New post function

[dullbird]

Just recently when I have looked at posts......it doesn't seem to register that I have looked at them:o....

usually I go in to general look at a couple of posts come out go else where maybe come back into general to read the ones I haven't read or to read the ones that have been recently replied to.....I know this as they are usually highlighted in bold

but recently when I have looked at a post i go back in later in it looks like someone has replied or I haven't read it as its still in bold even though this isn't the case....

(no I dont use the new post button I like to browse:))

so for another example I have been into fusions thread 3 times now thinking that there is a new post as the heading is in bold only to find that its still the same reply sat there that i saw 3 times ago.

what am I doing wrong?
Like I said only a recent thing been happening over the last week:)

[crump]

same thing been happening to me.:eek::eek:

[dullbird]

oh good I'm not going crazy :p

I just came into the mods pen and they are all highlighted again even though i have read them

[crump]

well, at least you both know, its not a girl thing!:p

[djhampson]

Must be a Defender driver thing.... My threads only seem to be marked when there is a new post?

[weeds]

seems ok during the same session...however if i end the session i.e. go to another website and come back they do pop up as unread

[dullbird]

seems ok during the same session...however if i end the session i.e. go to another website and come back they do pop up as unread


nope has done it on me that way too:)

could it be a cookie thing prehaps

[incisor]

it is, it would appear, as no such problems here...

i usally miss poosts because the cookie times out while i am working so i have to use the todays posts function to read them !

[incisor]

setting is 10 minutes from memory, or did i up it to 100 minutes ages a year or so ago...

[incisor]

the time-out is set for 100 minutes...

but me thinks you have something interfering with aulro.com cookies so it probably wont help you.

you using internet explorer or firefox ?

[dullbird]

i'm IE7 and I have exactly what NM is describing

i looked at fusions thread again this morning........and I have just looked at it again as it is highlighted. but its still the same post fom 8/9 O'clock this morn

[LandyAndy]

Some investigation may be needed.
See this thread
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/72736-new-record.html
Andrew

[incisor]

has to be cookie based...

or the new software is broken :p

but i am not seeing the issue so i can't see it being the server software... but it is on a computer and we all know about them suckers...

[Pedro_The_Swift]

yes,, here to Inc,,

latest firefox.

been doing it for some time---

[incisor]

try logging right out shutting your browser and then logging in...

[incisor]

i switched on database marking of read forums..

very processor intensive but overrides people with software screwing with cookies and read markers.

see how it travels... if it hammers system load i will turn it off

let me know how you get on.

session timeouts are at 15 minutes.

[incisor]

probably

[incisor]

and i have found the setting that controls how many pages of new posts you can get...

the things you find.....

[Scouse]

and i have found the setting that controls how many pages of new posts you can get...

the things you find.....There goes my weekend. A New Posts search has just returned 974 threads over 33 pages.

Bugger, and I had so much work planned to do outside ;).

[p38arover]

I like it.

I disliked the old system which marked all posts read when one logged off. A fresh logon would show no new posts.

Now I have 33 pages to read!

[Pedro_The_Swift]

and 5000 emails to answer!!!


the difference would be?
:p

[p38arover]

Yeah, but I MIGHT want to read the posts.....

[dullbird]

this sux now I don't know what I have read and what I haven't :BigCry:

[abaddonxi]

All working well for me.:p

[Slunnie]

I usually just hit the "new posts" button and up pops all of the new posts for me.

I'm not sure if its my settings that have changed (I couldn't see anything) or the operation of the "new posts" button has changed, but I'm now finding that there are about 30+ pages that pop up and any post that I reply to is deleted from the list until someone else posts in it.

Has this changed for anybody but me?

[scarry]

I noticed that yesterday,& thought it was just me.......

Someones been fiddling with things i suppose:D

[incisor]

dammed if i do, dammed if i dont...

oh well system load seemed okay so far...;)

[incisor]

yep

too many people with crap internet security packages installed having problems with cookies so i turned on database based read post markers... and i happened to find the setting that controls how many new posts you can see at the same time.

if it gets up your nose you can mark all forums read under the quick links menu.

it will stay this way if it doesnt send server loads over the top.

also the system idle timeout setting has been set to 15 mins. do nothing for 15 minutes and your session will timeout..

[incisor]

if it gets up your nose use "mark all forums read" under the quick links menu.

[p38arover]

What shows up is what you haven't read. If you have read them, they will not appear the next time you hit New Posts.

Note the separator: The threads below have not been updated since your last visit but still contain unread posts.

The MotorCars Ltd forum is set up the same way. I like it.

Up until now, if you logged on, read only a few posts and logged off, all the posts that you hadn't read wouldn't show up at next logon, only the latest ones were displayed.

[101RRS]

Same here - thought it was just me - it is very annoying because I am reading posts I have already read :( - it is a pain to double click on items to indicate they have been read.

Can we go back to the old way:)

[Slunnie]

Same here - thought it was just me - it is very annoying because I am reading posts I have already read :( - it is a pain to double click on items to indicate they have been read.

Can we go back to the old way:)
I agree. It's not my forum to administer but the old New Posts method was significantly easier to use and more user friendly as most of it was automated. Its takes a loooot longer to find and come back to a previously visited/commented thread.

Peoples, go get proper internet security!

[Bigbjorn]

Went away for two days, came home, logged in, got 917 new posts. WTF? Checked date on the last, think it was posted by Noah or Moses.

[djhampson]

Ok, some of you are confused as to what has changed....

The function that marks a thread as read by you has only changed where it saves this information. Instead of doing it in a cookie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie) it saves it on the database on Inc's server.

As a result of the change ALL posts will appear as unread (because the database server has not marked the threads that you have read before because Inc didn't have the setting switched on until yesterday.

To fix this 'problem' you need to go and read each and every single post every made on AULRO so that the database can store that you have read the posts.

Alternatively, click on the Quick Links menu and select Mark Forums Read. This will update the database to show that every post has been read. You should only need to do this once. You will find the Quick Links menu on the right side of the menu bar just underneath your user statistics information box.

All new posts made after this point in time will be marked as unread until you read them OR you click on Mark Forums Read again.

The Mark Forums Read function is useful if you don't read all threads and want to mark them as read without actually opening them. You can also mark all post in a particular forum (E.g. General Chat) by selecting Forum Tools --> Mark this forum read.

[Slunnie]

That may be the only change from a technical perspective, but it has had further implications in the the way that particular search works for the user.

[djhampson]

That may be the only change from a technical perspective, but it has had further implications in the the way that particular search works for the user.

How? :) Because I'm using the New Posts Feature and its working correctly for me. After I marked all forums as read I only see new posts made today. And when I read a particular thread it is marked as read.

[Slunnie]

How? :) Because I'm using the New Posts Feature and its working correctly for me. After I marked all forums as read I only see new posts made today. And when I read a particular thread it is marked as read.
The main one is that a post that has been read or commented in is removed now rather than left in the list but is marked not in bold. It means that if you a referring to the thread or are coming back to the thread that its no longer in the search functions list anymore. It operated as a New Posts function (as marked) rather than an Unread posts function which is what it now is. It also requires a manual purge now which it didn't previously.

[incisor]

something that actually does what you tell it or can tell it to do :p

[dullbird]

What shows up is what you haven't read. If you have read them, they will not appear the next time you hit New Posts.
Note the separator: The threads below have not been updated since your last visit but still contain unread posts.

The MotorCars Ltd forum is set up the same way. I like it.

the whole point was that I wasn't using the new post function;).....

But I suppose I will have to.......its just i like to browse thats all thats why i never used it before.

oh and as for internet security i'm only using what inc put on my computer :D

[George130]

Now I know it's doing it I like the fact that it remembers which posts I have not read yet.

[Slunnie]

.
Now I know it's doing it I like the fact that it remembers which posts I have not read yet.
It always did. Read post were just unbolded, unread posts were bold.

[p38arover]

Now I know it's doing it I like the fact that it remembers which posts I have not read yet.

Exactly!

[djhampson]

I'm still not sure what the problem is here? As far as I can tell threads are being marked as read when I read them?

Even without using the New Posts search.

If you browse the thread title is bolded if you haven't read a post, once you go back to the forum after reading the post the thread title is no longer bolded .

[djhampson]

The main one is that a post that has been read or commented in is removed now rather than left in the list but is marked not in bold. It means that if you a referring to the thread or are coming back to the thread that its no longer in the search functions list anymore. It operated as a New Posts function (as marked) rather than an Unread posts function which is what it now is. It also requires a manual purge now which it didn't previously.

The manual purge is only required once. That is to mark all threads from the beginning of time as read on the database.

Also the NP function is working the same as it always did. Each time you click on the NP link it shows all new posts since you last clicked on it and any that are not newer than when you last clicked below the . Any that you haven't read are shown below the "The threads below have not been updated since your last visit but still contain unread posts." header.

If you click on the NP link, and read a previously unread thread then go BACK to the new posts link and refresh the NP page the thread title will change from Bold to not bold and the icon will also change from unread posts to read posts.

Each time you click on the NP link it regenerates the list. If you have read a thread and there haven't been any new posts then its removed from the list (as it should be).

There is also the Today's Posts search that you can get to from the Quick Links menu.

[Slunnie]

The NP function most certainly doesn't work the same as it used to - thats why people are noticing the change and why this thread is here.

Anyway, interestingly enough, the Todays new posts button is does a very similar thing to what the NP button used to do - the differences being that at midnight it clears itself (for those that troll over that time)and it has 24hrs worth of posts rather than since last visit.

[dullbird]

I'm still not sure what the problem is here? As far as I can tell threads are being marked as read when I read them?

Even without using the New Posts search.


If you browse the thread title is bolded if you haven't read a post, once you go back to the forum after reading the post the thread title is no longer bolded .

well obvioulsy you don't have the problem then;)....as what you describe dosn't work for us and a number of other people.

we know how it should work and it used to work like that no problems..but it just doesn't do it anymore

[djhampson]

why can't you just give a straight answer sometimes

OK...if you think it is better for some of us to have better internet security so that the system runs better, and helps you out also BTW...at least be helpful :wallbash:

Google est amicus.

Some good reading for you....
Search - PC Authority (http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Find/awards,recommended.aspx/N,147+468)
Good Gear Guide - Reviews - Software - Security - Security Suites (http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/index.php/taxid;2136212919;st;3#prodlist)

What I do for security is run a firewall to stop access to your computer from the internet. The second thing is to run Firefox with the Adblock plus plugin installed. I don't bother with virus scanners, malware scanners and all that stuff.

The firewall is important because it stops people exploiting security holes in Windows XP, gainign some form of control over your PC and installing applications to give them further control of your computer or turn your PC into an attacker PC for Denail of Serivce (DoS) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial-of-service_attack) attacks.

The basic firewall shipped with Windows XP SP2 is acceptable as is the one shipped with Vista.

To check your firewall is working properly use an online Firewall Checker, my favorite is SheildsUP from GRC.com (https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2). If you run the File Sharing, Common Ports and All Service Ports scans and they all come up Green for stealth then your firewall is working fine.

Running Firefox is a good step because there are less security holes in Firefox compare to Internet Explorer, althought IE has improved a LOT in the last few years. The Adblock add-on (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865)is good because it stops a lot of ads espically some of those which try to do nasty things like install toolbars, add ons and cookies to track you sufing habbits.

Its important however to keep Firefox up to date as they do still have security holes which they fix prety quickly. The same goes for your Windows Updates, Service Packs etc.

I don't run a virus scanner because they annoying me by using up resources and slowing down my PC (which is getting old and needs more memory). However I'm willing to take this risk because I'm careful with what applications and files I download and run on my PC and I know what to look for to decide how risky a file may be.

I have run AVG free, Norton Virus and Trend Micro. I can't really single out one over the other. Use google for that (search for Virus Scanner +reviews).

Privacy scanners and cookie monitor software I find are a waste of time, they end up doing more harm than good usually (like stuffing up forum cookies).

If you do get some software installed that you don't want (like pop-up ads or toolbars) I recommend using Spybot Search 'n Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html)to scan your PC and remove any bad apps.

[djhampson]

well obvioulsy you don't have the problem then;)....as what you describe dosn't work for us and a number of other people.

we know how it should work and it used to work like that no problems..but it just doesn't do it anymore

I know... just trying to work out why it works ok for me and not you and Slunnie et al.

[incisor]

why can't you just give a straight answer sometimes

OK...if you think it is better for some of us to have better internet security so that the system runs better, and helps you out also BTW...at least be helpful :wallbash:

i have had the discussion before and i get flamed every time so now i give a general view.

one more time....

dont use a full internet security package, they all suck rocks UNLESS you know how to tune them and that is usually a specialist job.

just use a bland basic anti-virus package. if you want free use avg, if you want a good pay one, then send me a pm, it costs 75 per year and is what i use in the shop to clean the others up and has very little system impact.

if you have xp service pack 2 or later the built in firewall is all you need.

once a fortnight run malwarebytes mbam, atf cleaner and crap cleaner.

spybot isnt what it used to be but is better than nothing.

so there you have the specifics...

if you run limewire or another filesharing program the needs shift a little and you need a stateful firewall such as peer guardian.

[incisor]

Seeing as I have good internet security then...it obviously wasn't the cause of the problem in my case ;)
you have something that interferes with cookies... just about everything you mention you have problems with, is a symptom of cookies being played with so you must have something different in place.

[incisor]

problem was, slunnie, the old way wasnt working for heaps of people either...

hopefully this way will be the lesser of two evils...

[Slunnie]

Thanks Inc, no thats cool. I'll just use the Todays posts from Quick Links which DJHampson was talking about when I troll back. It'll work.

[101RRS]

Under the old system a new thread would be bolded - if I did not want to read it, it stayed bold until I closed AULRO - when I came back later this thread would no longer be bold. When I came back I just used to look for the bolded threads to decide whether to look at it or not - I didn't use the "new posts" function as it did not always have all the new posts listed.

Because all unread posts remain bold - I am looking at posts I have previously disregarded.

If we have to stick with this new way, so be it - but my preference is the old way.

Cheers

Garry

[dullbird]

hey dave being as though nothing has changed on my comp inregards to security software etc,,,,and this problem has only been happning to me for over a wekk or so now. Could it likely be update to IE7 or something like that, that may of interfered with it in my case?

[incisor]

hey dave being as though nothing has changed on my comp inregards to security software etc,,,,and this problem has only been happning to me for over a wekk or so now. Could it likely be update to IE7 or something like that, that may of interfered with it in my case?

it could be an ie7 update and that corrupted your cookies, very possible.

logging out of aulro and then using ccleaner to cleanup should solve that tho...

[djhampson]

Under the old system a new thread would be bolded - if I did not want to read it, it stayed bold until I closed AULRO - when I came back later this thread would no longer be bold. When I came back I just used to look for the bolded threads to decide whether to look at it or not - I didn't use the "new posts" function as it did not always have all the new posts listed.

I disliked this about the old way because I frequently missed posts because I closed AULRO. If you want to unblold threads when you are about to close AULRO select Mark Forums Read from the Quick Links menu.

[p38arover]

Instead of Inc answering two threads, why not merge this with Slunnie's thread?

[dullbird]

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrr WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!

I went in to my options and changed the view threads options to view threads for the last day only.....and now when I come into this thread it only shows my first post and no one elses.............:BigCry:
I went straight back in to change it back to what it was (which I did) and it is still the same
just showing 1 post and a tree of usernames above it in a seperate box.

[p38arover]

I disliked this about the old way because I frequently missed posts because I closed AULRO.

Me, too!

[vnx205]

I disliked this about the old way because I frequently missed posts because I closed AULRO. If you want to unblold threads when you are about to close AULRO select Mark Forums Read from the Quick Links menu.
My impression at the moment is that the new way gives me a bit more control. As I've said in another context, I prefer not to hand over too much control to to a machine or a piece of software.

As you say, I can mark the forums read when I am pretty sure I have looked at all the recent ones.

While I had no problems with the old system, I have found some things I prefer about this new arrangement.

Edit: Anyway the similarities outweigh the differences. I will cope either way.

[djhampson]

DB try logging out and back in again. If you are using IE you can also try pressing Control F5 to force a full download from the server.

[dullbird]

no it hasn't worked.....I dont understand I changed one thing and even though I changed that one thing back it still is only showing me the first original post with a tree of usernames and first line reply next to it in a seperate box above.

I no longer have the reply button either all I have is the quick reply box at the bottom to type in

[dullbird]

I have fixed it!!!!!!

i just noticed the display button off to the right it was set to threaded mode...I have just switched it back......

emergency over :D

[p38arover]

emergency over :D

Now can we merge it with Slunnie's thread? :D

[dullbird]

Ron I have only fixed my second problem with the viewing button....the intial problem still stands, thats the reason i messed it up trying to get it so i could ony see threads from the last 24hrs.......that way I dont have 900 something threads to go through:D

[djhampson]

DB have you used the Mark Forums Read to mark all the old posts as read?

[p38arover]

This isn't a Mod specific problem, let's merge the threads.

[p38arover]

Done!

[CraigE]

I seem to be having post I have read all coming back up in bold as though unread. Is it just me?

[Scouse]

No, it's a new setting Inc has used. Once you're used to it, it's quite good as you can leave AULRO & come back without missing an unread post.

If you want to restart with new 'new posts', go to "Quick Links" & then "Mark Forums Read".
That's what I do anyway.

[stevo68]

CraigE Unread read posts
I seem to be having post I have read all coming back up in bold as though unread. Is it just me? Me too...its doing my head in and really peeing me off...almost to the point I cannot be bothered reading a post....sorry. Will try this read all posts thing and see if that works,

Regards

Stevo

[2_door]

thanks Scott, this was doing my head in not knowing what was new, what I had read etc. I like it the old way ;)

[Sprint]

its irritating but also kinda handy, i visit AULRO at work too, and sometimes i have to close all windows in a hurry...... saves missing posts!

[MacFamily]

It all makes sense now, thanks for everyones post's back to normal for now.:D

[THE BOOGER]

Noticed the same hit refresh button and they fix themselves up