Like the shape-shifting octopus itself, TONMO.com is evolving yet again... :roll: :bonk:

Ok, I'll spare you the prose... the deal is that I'm working on a major upgrade to TONMO.com, such that I'm changing the core software infrastructure that powers it... :goofysca: There's good reason but not worth discussing... So, you'll see some weirdness on this site over the next week or so, I imagine...

I mean, weirdness that's out of the ordinary... :wink:

The main objective is to preserve all content, usernames/passwords, images, etc. Wish me luck, and thank you in advance for your patience! :)

Tony

Good Luck Tony! :)

Thanks Joel -- watch this space for updates... I'll keep a list here, if only to keep me organized on it, maybe you'll find it interesting...

Here's the work in progress. PLEASE DO NOT POST THERE, thanks ever so much --

http://www.tonmo.com/forums

Key Tasks: (this list will grow large)

Purchase software [done]

Install software [done]

Run successful email system diagnostics: [done]

Run successful file upload diagnostics: [done]

Integrate TONMO.com logo and copyright info [done]

Conform to 800 pixels wide, insert TONMO.com navigation [done]

Attempt database import (rough cut): [done]

Restrict access to Supporter's Forum: [done]

Configure Forums to show all threads: [done]

Add custom profile preference: [done]

Configure Who's Online Now settings: [done]

Fix Smiley issues and categorize: [done]

Assign users to usergroups: [pending]

Manage permissions: [done]

Admin Timeout: [done]

Turn off Template names: [done]

Configure color settings and forum designs: [pending]

Set up moderators: [pending]

Front page /Splash page integration (BETA): [pending]

Import Image Gallery: [pending]

Integrate w/ OCTO DB: [pending]

Fix "all posts dated Jan 1st, 1970" issue: [done!]

Re-establish announcements, locked, and sticky status: [pending]

Note: I'll be editing this post regularly to update status, add tasks, etc.

Wow...that is a ton of work...thanks!
greg

Looking good Tony!!!!

LUCK.....LUCK.....AND More LUCK........ :mrgreen:


Carol

BTW, if anyone out there wants to make any observations on the test forum, by all means please post any input, concerns, etc. here in this thread. I may already be working on it but haven't added it to the list yet (which will be very long before long). I may not act on all suggestions, but your input will be greatly appreciated!

I cant see the supporters forum there, is this an error or is it not htere?

~Andy

No error, it's hidden until I'm able to test permissions thoroughly and confirm it's working as designed. Thanks!

Cool new features to note:

1) Similar Threads: at the bottom of threads, there will be links to five other threads like it, based on analytical logic within the system

2) More User profile control (profile picture, birthday, primary ceph interest)

3) Calendar

4) Thread display customization / message editing interface options

5) Thread subscriptions -- get email notifications re: new posts in your favorite threads, and/or have them listed in your User Control Panel.

6) Paid subscriptions (integration with PayPal for the TONMO.com Supporters program)

7) Personal ingore / buddy lists (I kinda miss pakoc now... :wink:)

8) Auto-detection of Daylight Savings

9) Special Users (e.g. Supporters) keep their ranks (e.g. Architeuthis)

10) User "Reputations" (uh-oh... :mrgreen:)

11) Post public notes to users (kinda like a guestbook for users)

12) Many Webmaster intangibles :police: :wink:

There's more, but I think these are the highlights...

Wow!!! Feature laden!!!! You've been a very busy person today!!!!

Great stuff Tony :notworth: :notworth: :notworth: :notworth:

What a way to spend holiday time :(

Thanks Kevin -- jury is out as to whether I'll be able to pull this off in time for the new year, but that's the goal...

10) User "Reputations" (uh-oh... :mrgreen:)


:goofysca:

:nofeet:

Phew! Just spent the morning dealing with a very close call, almost brought the house down... :goofysca:

Here's a sneak peak at things to come, still rough --

http://www.tonmo.com/cmps_index.php

The main "post" there in the middle will be a news-ish type area, where only certain users (i.e. moderators/scs) can post hot items. This is still being worked out.

:notworth: WOW!!!! Looking good!!! Did I see Colin is our top poster???Is that for today??? Or for all time???

Anyway looks great Tony!!

OK, here are two problems I have not yet been able to overcome, despite more hours than you'd care to know in effort:

1) Avatars not associating properly with users

2) Attachments not associating properly with posts :-(

The good news with attachments is that they DO show up in cases where there was a note that had the attachment linked to from within the post using the IMG tag (to make it show up on the page).

If you have some "classic" posts with attachments and you want them to be preserved, you can help me out by going to your post, clicking on your photo attachment, copying (CTRL-c) the URL for the image, and then editing your post, and pasting (CTRL-v) the URL in your post, and wrapping the IMG and /IMG tags around it (in brackets [] ).

For avatars, I'm afraid we're all going to have to select new ones once the new site is finally ready...

:heee: ........ :oops:

Folks,

We'll be making the cut-over sooner than later, most notably because I'm not going to do another import of users --- so anyone who is joining TONMO.com at this point won't make it to the other side, until I get the other system running.

...I intend to do another update of posts/threads so that we don't miss any discussions.

While the changeover may happen soon, the tweaking / enhancements to the site experience will continue.

You may have noticed the "query failed" message on the homepage, not sure if that can be fixed, or whether we just cut over instead.

Re: the OCTO DB, I tried to get it going but was not successful. This shouldn't be *too* hard... but it is when you're not a developer... :bonk:

Thanks for hanging in, we'll get there!

Problem overnight, I had the site going fine (relatively so), but then it seems my hosting provider responded late to my earlier request for help, and while I slept half the database was obliterated...

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Let's see what today brings!

How's it going? Any update since this morn's email????? LUCK and MORE LUCK coming at ya!!!! :mrgreen:

Thanks Carol! Trying to restore an instance of the database from 1pm yesterday, fingers crossed...

Once we do that, then I have to re-do all the work I did yesterday from 1pm to 2:30am in order to get it functional again. :bonk: It should be a bit quicker than last time; it's easier the 2nd time around... not sooner than tomorrow, I'd imagine...
:sleeping:

10) User "Reputations" (uh-oh... :mrgreen:)


:goofysca:

:nofeet:

er hmmm, no drivel ban I hope ?

Keef

Tony has forced me to do some housecleaning of my own, embedding all of those pictures in the body of the text (and there seem to be millions of them), and reducing a squillion oversized pictures so that they fit on the page (tsk tsk).

It's been a rewarding exercise (not finished yet by any stretch of the imagination). We sure have got up to quite a bit over the years, and there are so many things that I'd forgotten - this one from the Right-Honourable Regal-footed Sir Dr Ummm..... that deserves to be resurrected.

:wink:

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=2117

:D Thanks, I needed that!

Ladies and Gentlemen, all is lost. I have to START OVER. Pity me. This will take some time... and coffee...

:coffee:

/stupid Murphy's Law

nice work, Tony. :)

OOOfff ! That is a hit, Tony... :cry: Don't stress too much...this is supposed to be your vacation time !!!!
greg

yes, make sure you have some time off!!!! 8)

Pit the 'peoples feet' thread is locked, cant embed those pics LOL

Pit the 'peoples feet' thread is locked, cant embed those pics LOL

See supporters :wink:

LOL.....

oh dear

[quote="Steve O'Shea"] this one from the Right-Honourable Regal-footed Sir Dr Ummm..... that deserves to be resurrected.

:wink:

that is worthy of a corner in the Tate ! visionary surrealism though lacking
any form of cubist self dogmaticistissismness !

gold star & bar to Sir Dr. Prof. Umm... DFC :notworth:

go Tony go !!
we're all behind you, egging like you've never been egged on before !
:shock: = Tony after 2 weeks in front of his 42" LCD TFT megamonitor

were's his hair gone ? we all ask in a sincere & sympathetic tone :lol:

Keef

go Tony go !! we're all behind you, egging like you've never been egged on before ! :shock: = Tony after 2 weeks in front of his 42" LCD TFT megamonitor

were's his hair gone ? we all ask in a sincere & sympathetic tone :lol:

Keef

Right, here's me in front of the monitor non-stop...

[EDIT: had to delete these two images in an experiment]

If you find my missing hair, please drop in mail and send to TONMO.com, Pennsylvania, USA.

[EDIT: the experiment had a negative result :neutral:]

Let's try this:

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=3462

Tony: Good luck - I have done a number of these and they can be a pain.

Can I ask what the new forum software is and why you needed to mvoe from phpBB2? I like to keep abreast of such things ;)

I know with the current Santy worm that phpBB's ubiquity is causing it problems and I am aware of some concerns about it.

No need to answer this until you are out the other side ;)

Emps

No need to answer this until you are out the other side ;)

Emps

Thanks, will do :wink:

"If you find my missing hair, please drop in mail and send to TONMO.com, Pennsylvania, USA. "

Would a large tarantula do? Or perhaps I could mail you our cat...I wouldn't miss it at all !!
greg

Heads-up:

To help make things smoother this time around, I'm going to need to shut down the forums while I do the change-over. I will strive to keep this as brief as possible (couple/few hours). Ideally I'll get started today/tonight. When it comes back up, it won't be in a prime state, but it will be complete with all data and the core community components will be functionally sound.

Well, that is that. Now for the tweaking! Post any and all comments here, don't be shy, there's much work to be done. Chances are I might already be on it, but it can't hurt to post your observations here so I can get them addressed.

Note that anyone using non-custom avatars had them carried over dynamically -- but all custom avatars and attachments were not carried over, I'm sorry to confirm.

Next on my to-do list is to configure TONMO.com Supporters, Moderators and Special Contributors with access to the Supporter's Forum. I need to establish those usergroups first.

How do you like the Quick Reply function? 8-)

Looking good Tony, Now get some sleep.

It might take a day or two to figure this out :D

Wow!!! How did I miss this???? I logged on and WOW!!!!! Up and running!!!! Are there supposed to be pics in the posts? I just get a little box! Anyway looks great Tony!!!!!

Carol :glass:

Hey Carol, thanks! What do you mean by a "little box"? Where in the posts do you expect to see pics? Do you mean you're getting a "red X", missing image error?

Here's an attachment test...

Hey Tony!

Yes! That's what was there but looks like you fixed it! I am in awe of the work you have put into this!!! Coming together quite nicely!!!

I'm getting little red x

post #30 in this thread

Any chance we could have more posts per page Tony? The site looks like its doing great! CAn't believe you mnaged to transfer all the smilies... even a couple of new ones too :D

whoops, my options got reset to defaults, didn't see that.

What's the difference between .....

(this was a 'quick reply')

.... a quick reply and an advanced reply?
(this was an 'advanced reply')

Hmmmmm .....

Got new smilies on the advanced jobby (and you can use one of these 'icon' thingies). What's the difference between an 'icon' and a 'smilie'. Have to post one to find out.

Hmmmmm. Icon thingie goes at the top of the post - a 'cool' icon; the smilie icon goes 8-)

Not quite ready to jump on in yet .... There's all sorts of things around that will probably detonate if I click them; namely: 'guided mode, enhanced mode, close current tag, close all tags', and strange new symbols that will confuse me until I take the plunge. What's a tag? Who's gonna guide me? A dog?

Why are Phil's post so stretched out ... and his details scrunched up into a wee panel on the LHS?

I need a drink ... and I haven't done anything all day :bonk:

whoops, my options got reset to defaults, didn't see that.
Which options are you referring to?

As in my personal settings. GMT ...etc

I'm just posting this to see what I can do, since the wet lab is full of squid beaks in jars...


:drwho:

Don't remember seeing this one before - I always liked Tom Baker as The Doctor, John Pertwee was the best though, imho.


Hi, tried uploading a picture and got an error message:

http://www.tonmo.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2

39Kb isn't very big for an image - in fact most images up here will be way bigger than that. 200Kb might be a better upper limit.

Tony !!!! You have been WORKING !!!!! Wow again!!! Looks great!

I'm getting little red x


Three more of those, paint 'em yellow, and you've got yourself a bad Aussie beer.

I saw the little red "x's" earlier this avo too, where an image would normally be embedded in the body of a message. Then the x's disappeared, and what's left is the image details at the bottom of the post minus the details ... and when you click on them you get an error message of some description (I'm a pleb when it comes to this stuff).

You also don't automatically log out when you accidentally hit the wrong button and shut the web down (as I just did ... playing around); came back online and I'm still here. Dangerous stuff. Must check out my settings (could be on 'remember me' or something to that effect).

That would be the omnipresent thing kicking in...

Very cleffa

Kevin: Images are back, my bald spot is hidden no more.

Joel: Posts per page is now 20.

Matt: Thanks, will crank up the limit.

Steve: Matt is right, it's the Remember Me function. To disable, simply click the Log Out link, then log back in without clicking the "Remember Me" checkbox.

Does this mean I'm going to have to remember my password?

Does this mean I'm going to have to remember my password?
Only if you and Steve are sharing the same PC. :wink:

Otherwise, simply check the "Remember Me" function when logging in.

The darndest thing T - the images are back when I'm logged out, but when I log in again and try the same thing I just get the following

"..... and here are two pics from our very own files (way back in the dark ages)

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=74

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=78"

This was the last post on the octopus hair thing in P & B.

So I log out again and apparently my cookies (that I didn't know I'd eaten) are cleared, then click on the link and the pics come up fantastic. So, I log in again and get no pics. Off, pics; on, no pic. I've done this a couple of times and had my cookies cleaned so often - I cookiless now.

Thanks, right then, I'm off to go surf with the sewage at Takapuna...

Byee

You know what's really cool? Hover your mouse over forum Thread titles (e.g., "[NOTICE]: TONMO.com overhaul"), and you'll get a "tooltip" preview of the content of that seed post. Here's a screenshot.

Btw, note that attached images will automatically display (no need to edit your post to display your image on-screen).

The darndest thing T - the images are back when I'm logged out, but when I log in again and try the same thing...
Darnedest indeed. It's a "me" thing, not a "you" thing, I'll follow up.

I noticed theres a new option thingy on the bottom of posts that says report bad posts????? Sure are lots of new things to get used to!!!

Three more of those, paint 'em yellow, and you've got yourself a bad Aussie beer.


XXXX

XX Dos Equis, a nice Mexican Beer

What is a subscribed thread :?: :?: :?:

(edit by tonmo -- fixed the smilies in the database, thanks Kev)

Ok, a couple things...

I just set up the TONMO.com Supporters... they're paying for the access, after all! I have yet to set up Moderators and Special Contributors. Once I do that, Kevin's rank (for example) will be an SC, not a Supporter.

Speaking of ranks, I still need to set up larval masses and all that jazz.

Kevin, to your point, definitely seeing some smiley conflicts, will add that to the list.

Also...

Embedded images now work again regardless of whether you're logged in or out, the TONMO.com gallery of avatars is now available in your User CP (or you can upload your own), and all Moderators, Supporters and Special Contributors have been assigned to their respective groups, so the Supporter's Forum is up and running. Mods, I still have to assign you to your respective forums, will do that tomorrow-ish.

Onward! :snail: :smile:

...and a random poll is now available for all ont he homepage. This is pulled at random from all polls created since, well I guess November 2002. Enjoy that one!

Howdo Tony; is it just me or have we lost most of the threads in each forum? The numbers don't add up. Ta
O

Hmm, by default, we're only showing posts from the past 30 days. I'll change that to show threads from all-time.

No problemo; the embedded images are down again too (reduced to an X in a box).

We've got a bit of an issue with attached photos. I'm having a hard time bringing the old forum down without also losing the attachments.

I have them all -- all -- in a folder that I'm downloading to my PC as we speak. But getting them onto the forums may need to be a manual edit-and-attach job. Sorry about the inconvenience of this, will work something else out if I can.

/running for cover...

Ouch. I did this for all P & B & Marine Cons forums the day before the site went down (did at work rather than dialup at home ... would have taken an eternity); it took the entire day. If you can direct me to 'the old site' somewhere online ... ? ... and give me temp moderator status on some of the other forums, I can do this for those forums as well (rather than having others/yourself try and do this from home). Just a thought.
Cheers, O

it took the entire day.
Sorry about that, I know how that goes. Let me do some thinking / exploring and we'll see what we can work out.

The Image Gallery is now fully integrated with the new system.

The "Show Similar Threads" feature at the bottom of every thread list is an AWESOME feature (especially for newbies), check it out.

We ended up having a serious problem with the old forum -- it was, shall we say, "compromised". :rolleyes: As such, we've unfortunately lost all attachments. Pretty disasterous. I do have a local copy of those files, but the near-impossible trick will be identifying those images and attaching them to past posts as appropriate. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience of this, it seems this is the worst casualty we've had in switching over.

It will also take some time to get the OCTO Database back up. It was fully integrated with the old system, so now it's a matter of hooking it up with this userbase. I'll work on this as well.

Please continue to post any observations of strangeness, etc. so I can address it. Thanks again for your tremendous support through all this!

Hmmmm. Just embedded a few more images on SQUIDCAM thread, but they're only visible to me when logged on. Most bizarre. :confused:

Hmm, by default, we're only showing posts from the past 30 days. I'll change that to show threads from all-time.
Tony, an alternative plan which would mitigate bandwidth use whilst still allowing members to view all posts would be to create an option in the CP (control panel) of members to view all posts if they wish, keeping default as you have determined.

HTH ~a.f. :)

a.f.: true, true. I've now set the default to 20, but for anyone who wants to change this, they can go to the User CP (see link at upper-left of this page), then go to Edit Options. There's an option in there to specify how many posts to display per thread, the default choice is to use the Forum Default, which as I stated is 20. Options are 10,20,30, or 40.

Steve: go to the same place described above. Have a look at the "allow images" option. Is it checked for you? If not, check it. I am able to see your images embedded in your latest SquidCam post.

As for attachments to posts from the "old" board, still working on that one...

Lastly, on the subject of images, note that the "Latest Image" in the image gallery is back online...

....also, the OCTO Database is almost back, but not quite... you can view existing tanks and create new ones, but I'm having trouble with the editing existing tanks thing, and managing inhabitants. Good progress tho!

Tony, you are a gift to mankind. There is no icon to express this. ~a.f.

...starting to get the hang of this one now :)

Me too; it's certainly growing on me (the additional functions are great).

Tony, the box in question is checked. I can see the images when logged on, but not when I log out. :confused:
Cheers
O

Tony: Good luck - I have done a number of these and they can be a pain.

Can I ask what the new forum software is and why you needed to mvoe from phpBB2? I like to keep abreast of such things ;)

I know with the current Santy worm that phpBB's ubiquity is causing it problems and I am aware of some concerns about it.

No need to answer this until you are out the other side ;)

Emps
As promised, my explanation is as follows:

I switched to vBulletin -- thanks to the donations from TONMO.com Supporters, I have funds for the site to do so. phpBB is an open source (i.e. free and community-supported) community system. I won't disparage them, their support and their product is/was pretty great. However, vBulletin is superior in a number of respects, not the least of which is security. Without getting into too much detail, you get what you pay for. :smile: Email me with any questions, happy to discuss.

I'd made some frames for a friend of mine who is a programmer, and when him and his wife came by yesterday to pick them up, I happened to be on Tonmo (what a suprise)...I showed him several of the pages, including this one, and his eyes got very wide...he was most impressed, as am I !
Kudos to Tony for all this work !!! :notworth: :glass: !!!!!
greg

Thanks! 8-) We're getting there.

Something else to note: the "Archive" link at the bottom of the page (here's the direct link) provides a very printer-friendly version of each forum thread, have a look.

Also, I know I'm repeating myself, but the "related threads" feature at the bottom of each thread is really cool. :smile:

Oh, and something else FYI... when posting notes, if you want to link to another site and you DON'T want the link to spawn a new browser, use the "url2" tag. If you DO want it to spawn a new thread, just use the "url" tag.

So here's an example using the "url" tag: About Us, new window (http://www.tonmo.com/about.php)

...and here's an example using the "url2" tag: About Us, same window

Hi tony

what basis does the programing use to find related links... they are quite obscure sometimes or is that the cool part? :)

Er, um, no, they're not supposed to be very obscure... :hmm:

I can configure the settings to make the logic "smarter", will have a closer look at what we're getting here...

Tony, the box in question is checked. I can see the images when logged on, but not when I log out. :confused:
Cheers
O
This should now be fixed.

It is indeedy :smile:

Eeeeek!! There are Google Spiders in TONMO.com right now! Somebody pass me a shoe or something--quick!

:oops:

(:beer:, :scotch:)

Shouldn't there be a ten second rule or something????

Eeeeek!! There are Google Spiders in TONMO.com right now! Somebody pass me a shoe or something--quick!

:goofysca: I just counted 13 of them when I checked out who was online ... Sends a shiver down my spine too!

Eeeeek!! There are Google Spiders in TONMO.com right now! Somebody pass me a shoe or something--quick!

:oops:

(:beer:, :scotch:)


What's a google spider?

It's a robot (hmmm.... that might be more frightening than a spider) that scans through the site for keywords, content, etc., to be added to the Google search engine. So, when you search for "octopus" on Google, you're sure to find TONMO.com. 8-)

Nahhh, spiders are still scarier than robots. Unless of course, they're robot spiders like on Johnny Quest.

vBulletin Message
"According to our records you have already voted on this thread. Changing votes is not allowed."
:mrgreen:

It's a robot (hmmm.... that might be more frightening than a spider) that scans through the site for keywords, content, etc., to be added to the Google search engine. So, when you search for "octopus" on Google, you're sure to find TONMO.com. 8-)

Neil :mrgreen:

Those spiders aren't doing a very good job. Of 814,000 google hits for Neil Diamond, only 88 hits for Neil Diamond + TONMO.

We need more Neil online!

.... a staggering 26,200 web pages include the term TONMO.com (it could be TONMO + com ... I'm a little confused)

Those Google spiders are 'distributed intellegence' a friend told me. Well on the way to A.I.

Folks!! Sorry about today's outage. It has NOTHING to do with the new system, believe it or not. It's just that the ENTIRE database on our server was out of commission for completely non-TONMO.com related reasons. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but am glad we're back! (that was scary)

Yeh! Great. 8-) Mind telling us what happened? :roll:

...we've unfortunately lost all attachments. Pretty disasterous. I do have a local copy of those files, but the near-impossible trick will be identifying those images and attaching them to past posts as appropriate.
(Clem beats his head against the floor)

Is there any way you could make these local copies accessible to moderators/contributors, who could (very) gradually work their way through them and assign them to identifiable categories? I haven't saved very many of the attachments I've posted, so the prospect of starting over is pretty nauseating.

:yuck:

:Violently nods head: I second Clems idea!!!