Notification Issues

[Jim]

The forum is having issues with the "notification" feature. From a few comments in the "where is this pictures" thread, it seems several have notifications enabled for various forums. Some would like notifications enabled for various forums and the feature is not working.

If you receive notifications for any forum, please respond back as to which forums you receive a notification message. Thank you.

[Max]

Is this in regards to the issue I was asking about? http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?20532-Alert-Message-for-Runs-Added-to-the-Calendar

[Jim]

Mostly, yes. I'm not fast with resolution to the notify issue, but I haven't forgotten.

It occurred to me this morning when I was reading a bit of the "photo game" thread. A few commented that certain pix (mine for one, as they are linked from my web site) are given away as they "see" the URL in the notify e-mail. This tells me that some folks are receiving notifications.

I/ formally "the admin" receive notifications for the Intro's thread. Before I was the admin, I did not receive notices for intros. When I, and my test account, try to sign up for notices - they do not work. So, where are the notices coming from. The standard process does not seem to be working but if need be, I can manually add notices (or fix the issue) for folks that want them - you and calendar / run planning / planned runs for one.

[alexb]

I get notifications on a per-thread basis.

If I reply to this thread (like I am now) when the next person replies I'll get an email like this:



Dear alexb,

Fordguy77 has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - New Member - in the Introductions forum of Front Range 4x4 Forums.

This thread is located at:
http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?21093-New-Member&goto=newpost

Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************
Welcome!
***************


There may also be other replies, but you will not receive any more notifications until you visit the forum again.

All the best,
Front Range 4x4 Forums

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unsubscription information:
...


I think it just sends them for threads you reply to and is unrelated to forum notifications.

[javaman34]

That is what I get and like Alex, it is only for threads I have responded to.

[Chris]

For people not receiving them make sure you have the option turned on: http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/profile.php?do=editoptions

[zz-ForumTest]

test post

[Chris]

test post

test reply

[Jim]

Tom said he was receiving status messages and asked "if I did something". Yes, somewhat, but notifications aren't coming through on my account.

[Tom]

Just since 5:15 I've had one for Slaughterhouse and one for the vacation ideas thread

[Jim]

A comment regarding notifications...

Many may know that "at times" (once or twice a year) the forum is down / unavailable with an error - vsession table full. The session table is supposed to auto-purge at many page loads. On each page, in the footer, is supposed to be a 1x1pixel, clear image file that is tied to the scheduled tasks of the forum. One feature is to purge the sessions table. As we're a small forum, I manually clear the sessions table every few months (easier than delving into the "cronimage" that is missing from our footer).

Recently I started to spend time on the cronimage issue and I come to see that it has a large impact with tasks, so, I'm wondering if I get the cronimage issue tended, if notifications will start working again.

Essentially, the reason for this "mostly" coherent post is to say "that is all". Some work is being tended and "some day" I hope to have both the sessions table issue and notification issue off of our plates. Before that happens I have to process the multitudes of Moab pix...

[Chris]

Jim, you can view the default footer in templates and add it back in since I apparently didn't.

However the entire RSVP system is cobbled together and isn't intended to work with this version. Any change could render the system as unusable so keep that in mind. The footer probably isn't relevant at all to the notification issues. Just a heads-up since I'd expect that sooner or later a forum upgrade may kill the RSVP functions.

You can look around at vBulletin hacks to see if there's been any development for that function though, as I recall, the developers are no longer around.

Personally, I wouldn't sweat the notification feature since it's not very hard to check back now and then unless one is too lazy to do that.

On second thought if someone is that lazy I don'y want to be on a run with them because hitting the brakes is much harder. :D

[Jim]

At this point, via consultation with the forum's host, it is believed the software of the forum will not be upgraded.

They pointed out the cronimage / footer issue to me. I have looked into the templates and variables and, via templates, what is listed is vb default. The footer is getting changed "somewhere". If you have suggestions, I'm all ears.

How my page loaded just now:


<div id="footer_morecopyright" class="shade footer_morecopyright">
<!-- Do not remove cronimage or your scheduled tasks will cease to function -->

<!-- Do not remove cronimage or your scheduled tasks will cease to function -->
<strong>All Content &copy; 2008 - 2014 Front Range 4x4, All Rights Reserved.<br /></strong></div>

The footer code for the FR4x4 template has this (which I have found listed is the default):

<div id="footer_morecopyright" class="shade footer_morecopyright">
<!-- Do not remove cronimage or your scheduled tasks will cease to function -->
{vb:raw cronimage}
<!-- Do not remove cronimage or your scheduled tasks will cease to function -->
{vb:raw vboptions.copyrighttext}
{vb:raw template_hook.footer_copyright}
</div>

Something's changing "somewhere"...

Our host says we should have something like this (they were telling me to put the ampersand back in):
http://content.screencast.com/users/URLJet.com/folders/Jing/media/fab2f1ae-d2d5-46a4-8ddf-fefc9e117474/2013-07-24_1301.png

[Chris]

Our host says we should have something like this (they were telling me to put the ampersand back in):

I'd listen to them before me Jim!

I doubt it'll help with the notification issue though.

[Jim]

The head scratcher to me is the issue that we have the default setting but yet it's not working - something is broken. I've searched vB forums and will probably start a support ticket with the host to see if they can shed some light.

[Jim]

Forum code changes have taken place the last two evenings. Test to see if I receive a notice for activity in this thread.

[alexb]

Test to see if I receive a notice for activity in this thread.

FYI I got a thread-based notification in my email.

[Jim]

It seems from the prior forum "footer" code changes (I made three changes in the footer) the notification issue is resolved - but the "Back to Top" button is missing.

Additionally, the v_session table looks to be at-issue (still filling and not auto-purging).

Last evening I changed the footer to the forum default (which, it should have been via my prior changes - but this is to ensure that it is).

In my priority list:
1) v_session (it's #1 because if I don't get it manually cleared before it fills, the forum ceases to work for everyone)
2) notifications
3) Top button

More when I have it - I expect I'll dig into it this weekend.

[Jackie]

Has anyone (other than me) had problems with replying to private messages? I tried to reply to someone (on 3 different occasions) with no success. Or at least my "sent messages" don't show up accurately. Not a big deal in this situation, but just thought I'd mention it.

[Jim]

The "Back To Top" button should be active.

This code was put back into the footer


<style type='text/css'>
#bttop{border:1px solid #000000;background:#8c411c;text-align:center;padding:5px;position:fixed;bottom:35p x;right:10px;cursor:pointer;display:none;color:#ff f;font-size:11px;font-weight:900;}
#bttop:hover{border:1px solid #000000;color:#000;background:#ffec90;}
</style>
<div id='bttop'>BACK TO TOP</div>
<script src='http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.3.2/jquery.min.js' type='text/javascript'></script>
<script type='text/javascript'>$(function(){$(window).scroll(function(){if($(this ).scrollTop()!=0){$('#bttop').fadeIn();}else{$('#b ttop').fadeOut();}});$('#bttop').click(function(){ $('body,html').animate({scrollTop:0},800);});});</script>

[Jim]

Well, the Back To Top button killed off the cron-image function that is the goal. At least we know that the Back To Top is the issue.

[Jim]

Sigh - I removed the "pre-me" BackToTop code from the footer and added some code Chris PM'd to me. I then toyed with a simple JavaScript code - and saw that the CronImage item was not working. I reverted the footer code back to factory - and the cronimage issue remains. Perhaps I need to wait for some ?hourly? scheduled task to run before the update takes effect.

I looked at page code via a different browser on a different system - same, barren, result. I'll work at it again another day. It would be nice to have the Back To Top working for those that are used to it.

Hmmm - so after hitting reply I checked the cronimage - and it does, now, exist. Perhaps I need to wait a minute or two??? Placing JavaScript 'top' code in. Look for a Back To Top in the LOWER LEFT corner of your web page (prior was a nice box in the lower right).

[Jim]

Top Button / code removed. The cronimage is not consistently being processed. The image is NOT in the page code as this page loaded (before I started to type this reply). I'll see if it's listed after I post the reply.

It is my belief that the cronimage should be listed on every page for proper operation. I'll do some research to see if it should be on every page or if it is only on random pages.

If anyone has odd behavior, please let me know.

For now:
v_session table should be auto-purging
Notifications that any user chooses should be working
Back To Top button is NOT in operation (though I would like to have it working for those that wish it - but only after the cronimage issue is resolved).

Thanks for playing along.

EDIT: After I posted the reply I checked to see if cronimage was present - no. It should be present between the two "do not remove" lines.



<div id="footer_morecopyright" class="shade footer_morecopyright">
<!-- Do not remove cronimage or your scheduled tasks will cease to function -->

<!-- Do not remove cronimage or your scheduled tasks will cease to function -->
<strong>All Content &copy; 2008 - 2014 Front Range 4x4, All Rights Reserved.<br />
</strong>
</div>

[Jim]

1) I learned that the cronimage code does not appear on every page load. It only appears "when it's needed". This makes testing a tad difficult.

2) I added the original "Back To Top" code into the footer. I'll keep an eye out to see if the cronimage appears and if it does, the back to top code is not a problem and will stay.

Good news - after this post was made, this page did have a cronimage in play:



<!-- Do not remove cronimage or your scheduled tasks will cease to function -->
<img src="http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/cron.php?rand=1418794951 (http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/view-source:http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/cron.php?rand=1418794951)" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" />
<!-- Do not remove cronimage or your scheduled tasks will cease to function -->

[xaza]

seems to be working fine for me, thank you Jim

[Jim]

`most welcome!