Experimental Forum Extracts on the Main Site

[Lemming]

I've just uploaded a version of the main site with forum comments added. Like everything on the Internet, this is a work in progress. Any helpful comments, good or bad, will be appreciated.

[Nimrod]

My mobile is getting lots of 503 errors that I've never had before. Not sure if it's related, but the timing is suspicious.

[Lemming]

Hi Nimrod
Can you tell me any more about this? Is it just on pages with forum embedded or all of them?
I don't have a smart phone but it works fine on my Android tablet. I have just noticed that Streetview doesn’t work on there though. Grrr!

[Nimrod]

It was a busy / connection-type server error response that would put me off for one, two, maybe three times, then allow me to connect. Has only happened today, and in the afternoon here.

[Lemming]

Many pages now come from three servers: the main body is on FreeUK, Streetview/map comes from Google and the forum extract is on Slimline's server. I guess that could cause delays and use more bandwidth on a mobile device.
Hopefully it'll get better.
Thanks for letting me know.

How's everyone else getting on with it? Have you tried it?

[TwoCanucks]

Not seeing the new area, where should it appear? Main index?

[Not_the_monk]

If you go to the ACD map and click on a CS, below the existing comments (many of which go back a long, long time) you can now see a big titled box with a scrollable view of the forum thread for the CS in it.

I sort of like the idea. However I'm not sure about leaving the existing comments, or at least having them on top.

Random example - Abraxas. https://www.coffeeshopdirect.com/AbraxasCS.html

There's about 60-70 comments there but only 3 from the last 4 years. Now I don't think it makes sense to scroll back through so many upto 10 year old comments then hit the forum page (which in this case is also not that up to date, but is more recent).

I personally, considering it is a fixed height, would have the forum box above the existing comments if possible.

A project to archive the old (and thus historical but in practical terms useless) map comments and update with current useful review/comments might improve this aspect of the map more, but this does add something to those pages.

[Lemming]

@TwoCanucks

As Not_the_monk says, the forum insets are on the coffeeshop pages. Not every page has a forum inset because not all of the shops have been commented on in the forum but over 200 pages now have this feature.

From the directory, alphabetical list, map or whatever, select a shop and scroll down. There you will find a box with forum posts in it. For the technically-minded, it's an i-frame containing a customised version of the forum.

@Not_the_monk

Thanks for your thoughts. If this proves successful then I might well move the forum box to the beginning of the comments. The whole site is well overdue for a makeover if I ever get time.

[TwoCanucks]

Just took a peak...but getting the same error messages...i agree with the isea of putting the forum posts in a presized box on top, frees up those older posts to the bottom...great idea!

[redeyezman]

Seems to work fine for me. This is great fix to the website! Once those old comments are removed or placed below the new box it will be perfect. Really a bang up job. Exactly what was needed.

[Lemming]

Thanks people.

I'm a bit concerned about these error messages. Can you tell me any more about when they occur? Is it just on the pages with the forum box? Does the forum box appear? Does anything appear?

I can see the sense in moving the forum box to the start of the comments. Just two reservations: Firstly there are these errors that people are reporting. Secondly there is the uncertain future of the forum. Peter (slimline) is constantly doubtful about how long he can keep the server going for. For that reason I'm always a bit reluctant to make the main site too reliant on the forum.

Is it my imagination or have there been more posts in the coffeeshop reviews since I included them in the shop pages?

[notsofasteddie]

Secondly there is the uncertain future of the forum. Peter (slimline) is constantly doubtful about how long he can keep the server going for.

The above sounds quite ominous Is the Forum at risk or are we just talking about it being moved?

[TwoCanucks]

Secondly there is the uncertain future of the forum. Peter (slimline) is constantly doubtful about how long he can keep the server going for.

The above sounds quite ominous Is the Forum at risk or are we just talking about it being moved?

Yes, more info please.

Heres the error msg...

General Error
template->_tpl_load_file(): File ./styles/grey/template/viewtopic_body_Lem.html does not exist or is empty
Please notify the board administrator or webmaster: Lemming@coffeeshop.freeuk.com

[Lemming]

The above sounds quite ominous

No new threat. Just the ongoing fragility.
Slimline originally gave us some free space on a server that he was using for commercial purposes.
He has fewer paying customers now so he often considers giving it up.

General Error
template->_tpl_load_file(): File ./styles/grey/template/viewtopic_body_Lem.html does not exist or is empty
Please notify the board administrator or webmaster: Lemming@coffeeshop.freeuk.com

Ah! That explains it. You're using the special "grey" style. I haven't built a customised version of that. Please switch to the standard style for now.

[Lafe]

It's working for me on iPad as I type this. Some time back the Google street view only loaded my own location, in standard view. It's working now.

I too am concerned about forum "fragility". What would it take to stabilize everything for posterity?

Cheers mate.