New forum - questions and suggestions

[SBell]

In my search for a solution for the recent topic query, I've found an option to add a list of recent posts to the Info Centre on the main page. Which I have done. I can include more posts if required. if anyone finds it useful, let me know. Otherwise I can remove it.

I think what I'm running into is that it just lists the threads that have been posted to, and not the actual posts.  Seeing as posts are generally something I'm more inclined to read as I pass by, it is actually easier to just skim past thread titles and not read anything.

[DinoToyForum]

In my search for a solution for the recent topic query, I've found an option to add a list of recent posts to the Info Centre on the main page. Which I have done. I can include more posts if required. if anyone finds it useful, let me know. Otherwise I can remove it.

I think what I'm running into is that it just lists the threads that have been posted to, and not the actual posts.  Seeing as posts are generally something I'm more inclined to read as I pass by, it is actually easier to just skim past thread titles and not read anything.

If you click the thread title at the top of each recent post, it jumps you to that post in the thread.

[dinonikes]

So I signed up over here, and wanted to bring over just my thread that shows all of the issued models. I noticed that when I copied and pasted the posts over to here, I saw that first the photos are cropped smaller which would be fine if there were a bar under each photo to move it side to side-but if you have multiple photos in a post, the bar is only under the bottom photo so you have to go down to the bottom pove it and then scroll back up to the photo you want to look at- it is pretty inconvenient. I hope I am making myself clearin my trying to describe the problem.

[DinoToyForum]

So I signed up over here, and wanted to bring over just my thread that shows all of the issued models. I noticed that when I copied and pasted the posts over to here, I saw that first the photos are cropped smaller which would be fine if there were a bar under each photo to move it side to side-but if you have multiple photos in a post, the bar is only under the bottom photo so you have to go down to the bottom pove it and then scroll back up to the photo you want to look at- it is pretty inconvenient. I hope I am making myself clearin my trying to describe the problem.

Hi Dinonikes, glad to see you moving over your posts, sorry for the inconvenience.

I've set the forum so that the max picture size in posts is 800px wide. This should be a comfortable fit for most screen settings without the need for scroll bars (of course every user is different). Images larger than 800px are resized to 800px, but when clicked, they expand to the larger version. This is when the scroll bars will appear for most users. Click the image again and it will reduce back to 800px.

[SBell]

In my search for a solution for the recent topic query, I've found an option to add a list of recent posts to the Info Centre on the main page. Which I have done. I can include more posts if required. if anyone finds it useful, let me know. Otherwise I can remove it.

I think what I'm running into is that it just lists the threads that have been posted to, and not the actual posts.  Seeing as posts are generally something I'm more inclined to read as I pass by, it is actually easier to just skim past thread titles and not read anything.

Yeah, but it's easier to scroll through the last 10-30 actual posts and see what's been written, instead of looking at a bunch of thread titles.

[DinoToyForum]

You can read through the actual recent posts here, http://www.dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?action=recent
It's just that the avatars are missing. I'll fix that in due course.
Thanks for your patience 

[Simon]

Adam:

Frankly if I had to pick one feature that is the MOST annoying it is having to click another page after just 10 posts  on the new posts page.  Can you please consider at least bumping it to 30 (50 would be better)?

[DinoToyForum]

Adam:

Frankly if I had to pick one feature that is the MOST annoying it is having to click another page after just 10 posts  on the new posts page.  Can you please consider at least bumping it to 30 (50 would be better)?

I think the mod I mentioned is required to do that. If I have the time (and energy!) I'll try and install it over the weekend In the meantime, I hope you don't mind clicking through the pages too much. On the plus side, at least we have 100 recent posts in total now, instead of just 30 as on the V1 forum 

[DinoToyForum]

How do I get a avatar and sig?

The forum profile area is also where you can add your avatar ands signature. You will find it under 'profile' in the main menu.

[Hynerpeton]

How do I get a avatar and sig?

The forum profile area is also where you can add your avatar ands signature. You will find it under 'profile' in the main menu.

Thank you

[DinoToyForum]

So I signed up over here, and wanted to bring over just my thread that shows all of the issued models. I noticed that when I copied and pasted the posts over to here, I saw that first the photos are cropped smaller which would be fine if there were a bar under each photo to move it side to side-but if you have multiple photos in a post, the bar is only under the bottom photo so you have to go down to the bottom pove it and then scroll back up to the photo you want to look at- it is pretty inconvenient. I hope I am making myself clearin my trying to describe the problem.

Hi Dinonikes, glad to see you moving over your posts, sorry for the inconvenience.

I've set the forum so that the max picture size in posts is 800px wide. This should be a comfortable fit for most screen settings without the need for scroll bars (of course every user is different). Images larger than 800px are resized to 800px, but when clicked, they expand to the larger version. This is when the scroll bars will appear for most users. Click the image again and it will reduce back to 800px.

OK, I now realise what the issue is with the scroll bar. When the post contains several images, users can't scroll left or right for images at the top of the post. right?

I don't encounter this issue myself because I navigate a page up-down and left-right using a macbook pad with two fingers, which essentially eliminates the need for click-dragging scroll bars. I suppose It's difficult to explain this to traditional scroll-bar draggers, but macbook users will probably know what I'm talking about. Newer laptops have the same feature too. Check you aren't missing out!

Anyway, I understand that not everyone has this convenience, so I will re-assess how images are displayed on the forum. Perhaps I can make the forum automatically stretch to accommodate expanded images....

[dinonikes]

So I signed up over here, and wanted to bring over just my thread that shows all of the issued models. I noticed that when I copied and pasted the posts over to here, I saw that first the photos are cropped smaller which would be fine if there were a bar under each photo to move it side to side-but if you have multiple photos in a post, the bar is only under the bottom photo so you have to go down to the bottom pove it and then scroll back up to the photo you want to look at- it is pretty inconvenient. I hope I am making myself clearin my trying to describe the problem.

Hi Dinonikes, glad to see you moving over your posts, sorry for the inconvenience.

I've set the forum so that the max picture size in posts is 800px wide. This should be a comfortable fit for most screen settings without the need for scroll bars (of course every user is different). Images larger than 800px are resized to 800px, but when clicked, they expand to the larger version. This is when the scroll bars will appear for most users. Click the image again and it will reduce back to 800px.

OK, I now realise what the issue is with the scroll bar. When the post contains several images, users can't scroll left or right for images at the top of the post. right?

I don't encounter this issue myself because I navigate a page up-down and left-right using a macbook pad with two fingers, which essentially eliminates the need for click-dragging scroll bars. I suppose It's difficult to explain this to traditional scroll-bar draggers, but macbook users will probably know what I'm talking about. Newer laptops have the same feature too. Check you aren't missing out!

Anyway, I understand that not everyone has this convenience, so I will re-assess how images are displayed on the forum. Perhaps I can make the forum automatically stretch to accommodate expanded images....

The scrollbar controls all of the posted photos above it within that post- the sort of anoying point is that to view the cut off top photo one must scroll down and then use the scrollbar to move over the bank of photos, and then scroll back up to see the top photo- I know that these same photos work on the old forum, facebook, and the clubhouse modeling forum without having to resize them- I wouldnt really mind except it is hard enough to find time to take photos of work, load them to photobucket, and then post them here without then also having to resize them first - I was born in the 60's and did not grow up sucking on computers, and have not really spent much time learning about them, spent most of my time making art and am not very computer literate to be honest-

[Himmapaan]

I was born in the 60's and did not grow up sucking on computers, and have not really spent much time learning about them, spent most of my time making art and am not very computer literate to be honest-

Neither did I; nor am I very IT-literate myself, for what it's worth.  I resolutely shunned the computer and only became acquainted with it during the last four or five years.

This site is a very convenient and easy resizing tool, and no knowledge of picture editing programmes/software is necessary. It really is as simple as the instructions say and I've used it almost exclusively until recently to resize pictures.

Of course, you needn't even resize anything at all as the forum does so automatically. The only thing is that it allows for enlargement when the images are clicked, and that's when the inconvenience with the side-scroll comes in. There are no difficulties on Facebook simply because it also resizes images automatically, but keeps it fixed at that size. And there were no issues on the old forum because it had no image restrictions; but this caused its own difficulties when oversized images (not necessarily yours, I hasten to add!) were posted and in great number at once. It made loading the page slow for those of us with slower connections, and made browsing and reading less comfortable.

If Dr. Adam is indeed able to have the forum expand with each enlargement, that would probably make it the best of all worlds.

[Seijun]

I am getting a scroll bar on any image that is 700 px wide or more, is anyone else experiencing this?

Also, what about having the enlarged picture open in a new window or tab, instead of resizing in the current window? That or Himmapaan's suggestion, to have the forum itself expand when an image is enlarged.

[DinoToyForum]

I am getting a scroll bar on any image that is 700 px wide or more, is anyone else experiencing this?

Also, what about having the enlarged picture open in a new window or tab, instead of resizing in the current window? That or Himmapaan's suggestion, to have the forum itself expand when an image is enlarged.

Hi Seijun, every user will see the forum slightly differently, depending on the browser they are using and their screen resolution. If you are seeing a scroll bar for 700px wide images, then this might be resolved for you by changing your screen resolution. I suspect the vast majority of users shouldn't have to scroll for an 800px wide images. If I'm wrong about this generality and most users are seeing scroll bars for images at 800px, then I'll make the max image width smaller. For me on my settings (1280x800), 800px images fit comfortably.

Anyway, I'm currently looking into forum modifications for improved image display. But don't wait for me, this is a learning process for me 

[Seijun]

I suspected that others might not see the scroll bar for 800px images, but I could not change my screen resolution to test it.    My res is 1024 x 764, which is the highest my screen will go (it's also the highest I can go before I can no longer read my screen due to poor eyesight). It might help a little of the author pane was made slimmer, so the message pane could be made a bit wider.. However, I am fine with it if the majority of users are.

[DinoToyForum]

I suspected that others might not see the scroll bar for 800px images, but I could not change my screen resolution to test it.    My res is 1024 x 764, which is the highest my screen will go (it's also the highest I can go before I can no longer read my screen due to poor eyesight). It might help a little of the author pane was made slimmer, so the message pane could be made a bit wider.. However, I am fine with it if the majority of users are.

1024 x 764 should be fine. I'm stumped then!

[Seijun]

Here is a screencap:
http://i887.photobucket.com/albums/ac72/Seijun/Misc/screencap.png

My message pane is 701px wide.

[DinoToyForum]

Here is a screencap:
http://i887.photobucket.com/albums/ac72/Seijun/Misc/screencap.png

My message pane is 701px wide.

I see what you mean, even the signatures have scroll bars for you! For comparison, here is a screencap of my view.

http://www.dinotoyblog.com/dinotoyimages/dtf_screencap.png

As you can see, I have acres of space to spare. I wonder, are you using the zoom feature in your browser?
http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-use-zoom

[Seijun]

No, I am not zoomed in. However, your screen res is 256 px wider than mine. I think its just a case of me not having enough room on my screen.