Layout changes

[Matt Timion]

As you may have noticed, the layout of the site changed a little bit. I'm trying to take a minimalist approach to the site and increase ease of use.

As a result your user information will be on the top right of the screen when you are logged in. This will include links to your garage, your posts, editting your account settings, as well as your private messages. I will probably add a link to your gaslog as well.

"recent posts" was moved to the top right, next to "search."

These may be relocated eventually too, but for now they are good where they are.

"member list" is added to the top menu as well.

If you experience any usability issues, please let me know.

[Matt Timion]

Just added a pop-up window if you have new private messages. I will be adding an option later to disable this if you hate pop-ups.

[SVOboy]

Somebody, pm me, quick!

[JanGeo]

Any way to put the heading at the bottom also so you don't have to scroll all the way back to the top to link to recent posts? Or freeze the heading so that is does not scorll - may be harder work for slow PC's.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by JanGeo

Any way to put the heading at the bottom also so you don't have to scroll all the way back to the top to link to recent posts? Or freeze the heading so that is does not scorll - may be harder work for slow PC's.

This is very doable. Let me try to figure something out right now and get it up.

[JanGeo]

Hey just put a link next to goto top at the bottom of the page - that would cover it - I typically read the recent posts or my posts.

[MetroMPG]

good suggestion, jangeo.

i like the "recent posts" button at the bottom of each thread. i'm using it already.

nice usability, matt.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

good suggestion, jangeo.

i like the "recent posts" button at the bottom of each thread. i'm using it already.

nice usability, matt.

That's the whole point. Right now I'm kind of band-aiding everything as I plan on writing my own forum module that will be at least twice as fast. This current one is bogged down with queries... more than I care for.

When I get around to it (soon) the forums will move much faster, and will be much more flexible for development sake.

[MetroMPG]

i thought i noticed the site getting sluggish. i wondered if it was me, or if it really was slowing down.

i'm sure you've considered writing/publishing each post as a static file and then just using includes to assemble the page. that would cut down on CPU overhead.

anyway, nice work. keep it up. i hope you're getting lots of google ad clicks from your visitors. AHEM.

and now that i've complimented things again, can i point out another bug? (which i'm sure is already on your list...) when you click the "new" link on the multi-page threads, it doesn't go to the newest post.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

and now that i've complimented things again, can i point out another bug? (which i'm sure is already on your list...) when you click the "new" link on the multi-page threads, it doesn't go to the newest post.

I've noticed this as well. I decided to just leave it broken for now as I have no desire to troubleshoot this elaborate code.

On second thought, I might be able to make a work around rather easily.

As for the sluggishness, many of the queries are the things aside from the post content. Loading gaslog stats, pictures, number of posts, etc. all takes a toll on the processor. Do each of them for each poster (up to 30 on a page) and it gets really bad.

When I make my forum module I have an idea planned out where the post will be stored in two formats. It will be stored in the format inputed by the user (with BBcode, etc.) and it will be stored in pure html which is what will be displayed to all of us. The result will be fewer code calls to interpret the information, as well as fewer loaded modules, which will free up some memory space.

Anyway, that will probably be a while until it's done, as I need to get another website up first.